I'd like to dedicate this post to my friends Matt Hasler and Shaun Roe, and also Justin Fehl who saved my life last summer.

All us guys were having a great old time being together, shooting fireworks at each other, singing horribly... It was men being rowdy and it was great. Until we decided to do one of those things us men like to do. You know, those undeniably stupid tasks that we think are a great ideas to prove our manhood. Yeah, we did one of those. We decided to swim across a lake to go down some guys slide that was attached to his boat. What a great idea. Or so it seemed until I got to the middle of the lake and realized how far the other side really was.

What a stupid idea. I took a break and treaded for a bit, just looking at the slide, then looking back to the shore and wondering which was further. Some of the guys had already made it across, but me... I was an out of shape 140 lb weakling treading in a deep abyss praying for my life. I pressed onward. Just focusing on the slide. Finally I made it with a little help from Fehl. The guys went down the slide a few times. What did I do? I sat on the dock and tried to catch my breath. Oh yeah, I puked too... I wish there were easier things to do to prove manhood, you know like ... watching a movie or something, I can handle that.

Still out of breath, the boys pestered me to start swimming back. Great. Not only did I barley make it across, now I had to swim back. I'm going to drown today I thought. I remember watching a tv special on that movie the perfect storm, one of the lines was

"Drowning is probably the worst form of death one can experience."

Oh great. Not only was I going to die, I was going to die the worst form of death one can possibly experience... thats just dandy. I shrugged and started swimming. Hey, I was 20, I've kissed a couple girls.. I've lived life... and if I make it, at least I can say I did something manly.

Well there I was again. Half way, completley out of breath treading for my life above the deep abyss.

"Hey guys.... I uh, I don't think I'm gonna make it."

Matt and Shaun had already made it across. They rolled their eyes and debated which one of them was going to go in and save me... Thanks guys. Shaun grabbed a log and tossed it in. Noticing that the log wasn't going anywhere, and neither was I, he jumped back in and swam the log to me. I hunched over the glorious life raft and paddled back. I made it. I live on..... and hopefully someday, I'll kiss another girl.

Thanks for the good times that week, Matt, Fehl, Chiloh, Martin and Shaun.

LETS DO IT AGAIN!






  posted by Darrell @ 3:13 PM