Funny story... but this guy actually taught me a lesson or two.
When I saw him in the sea (I was away on business on an island), not deeper than 4-5 meters, I immediately recognised the shape (they always lie "upside-down" so you can only see a bright white, oval shape with a dark slit across it).
My first thought was "hey, I know this guy's brother!".
Indeed, only a few weeks earlier I had found another, almost identical shell, in a place near home (nearer than a map will tell you). And I had given it to someone who deserved it more than I did, someone who should have been the one to find it, someone much more agile in the water than I am (and with all the flips and flops to prove it!), but perhaps just not as lucky as I was. It was not a gesture of generosity, it was just a recognition of whom it really belong to (I am sure that, had I left it in the ocean, it would soon belong to some poor wondering hermit crab, but as it happens it was completely free and seeking an owner when I saw it). Sometimes you are supposed to do the finding (or fighting) for others...
So when this little fellow showed up, I thought that "hey, what you give is what you get!". But not long after that happy thought had sunk in, I realised that things are not that simple.
You see, after just a couple of freestyle strokes (remind me to show you how it's done), I realised that I had lost him! That I had not taken good care of him. I kept him in my swimming suite (a borrowed pair of very embarrassing speedo's), but he had slipped out, back in the water. I turned around and saw him, heading straight down. Only at that point the waters were way deeper, you could barely make out the bottom of the sea, at least 15 meters below.
For a moment I panicked, I thought "damn, he's gone...". Then I turned for help, but there was noone around (it was late...). And finally I did the only sensible thing. I went for it. Deep breath, nose pinched, arms flapping, heading south, as fast as possible.
I kept going, equalising the pressure, letting off air like steam, feeling the temperature of the water cooling more and more...
And sure enough, I finally grabbed him in my hand, not long before the rocky bottom was reached.
I turned back up, rushing, looking for the air that i desperately needed. The surface of the sea, about 10 meters above me, and the bright rays of light coming down all around me, felt strangely reassuring, in a "relax, it's ok" kind of way.
So I did relax, I secured the guy again, and surfaced a few seconds later, took a deep breath, and swam home.
So now he's here, in public view, just to show that there are beautiful things to be found, although sometimes you have to look hard and be very careful not to lose them. Sometimes you have to travel far for them (I hear they have some beautiful seashells in Thailand!), and other times, if you are really lucky, they can be nearer you than you would ever believe.
The next project is the reunification with his brother! This will take some more swimming, or flying, but i hope to be posting a picture of the happy siblings sooner than anyone would expect.
Comments, entire posts, disappearing, reappearing, in new and ever more elaborate form. That shell (the first, the second, I can’t keep track) must be as slippery as described. Or the Speedo not as reliable as such deep sea diving requires. Not everyone would be willing to go so far, to follow that beautiful thing to its depth. Maybe it’s not about luck, it’s persistence, keeping your eyes on the prize, and making an apology (or two) when necessary.
3 Comments:
Funny story... but this guy actually taught me a lesson or two.
When I saw him in the sea (I was away on business on an island), not deeper than 4-5 meters, I immediately recognised the shape (they always lie "upside-down" so you can only see a bright white, oval shape with a dark slit across it).
My first thought was "hey, I know this guy's brother!".
Indeed, only a few weeks earlier I had found another, almost identical shell, in a place near home (nearer than a map will tell you). And I had given it to someone who deserved it more than I did, someone who should have been the one to find it, someone much more agile in the water than I am (and with all the flips and flops to prove it!), but perhaps just not as lucky as I was. It was not a gesture of generosity, it was just a recognition of whom it really belong to (I am sure that, had I left it in the ocean, it would soon belong to some poor wondering hermit crab, but as it happens it was completely free and seeking an owner when I saw it). Sometimes you are supposed to do the finding (or fighting) for others...
So when this little fellow showed up, I thought that "hey, what you give is what you get!". But not long after that happy thought had sunk in, I realised that things are not that simple.
You see, after just a couple of freestyle strokes (remind me to show you how it's done), I realised that I had lost him! That I had not taken good care of him. I kept him in my swimming suite (a borrowed pair of very embarrassing speedo's), but he had slipped out, back in the water. I turned around and saw him, heading straight down. Only at that point the waters were way deeper, you could barely make out the bottom of the sea, at least 15 meters below.
For a moment I panicked, I thought "damn, he's gone...". Then I turned for help, but there was noone around (it was late...). And finally I did the only sensible thing. I went for it. Deep breath, nose pinched, arms flapping, heading south, as fast as possible.
I kept going, equalising the pressure, letting off air like steam, feeling the temperature of the water cooling more and more...
And sure enough, I finally grabbed him in my hand, not long before the rocky bottom was reached.
I turned back up, rushing, looking for the air that i desperately needed. The surface of the sea, about 10 meters above me, and the bright rays of light coming down all around me, felt strangely reassuring, in a "relax, it's ok" kind of way.
So I did relax, I secured the guy again, and surfaced a few seconds later, took a deep breath, and swam home.
So now he's here, in public view, just to show that there are beautiful things to be found, although sometimes you have to look hard and be very careful not to lose them. Sometimes you have to travel far for them (I hear they have some beautiful seashells in Thailand!), and other times, if you are really lucky, they can be nearer you than you would ever believe.
The next project is the reunification with his brother! This will take some more swimming, or flying, but i hope to be posting a picture of the happy siblings sooner than anyone would expect.
Oh, and another thing. I probably owe someone a bit of an apology. Wit is nice, but in small doses. I think I may have overstepped...
Comments, entire posts, disappearing, reappearing, in new and ever more elaborate form. That shell (the first, the second, I can’t keep track) must be as slippery as described. Or the Speedo not as reliable as such deep sea diving requires. Not everyone would be willing to go so far, to follow that beautiful thing to its depth. Maybe it’s not about luck, it’s persistence, keeping your eyes on the prize, and making an apology (or two) when necessary.
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