Yesterday I had what I believe was the scariest experiences of my life. Now, I've not seen what some have, but I'm pretty well rounded. I've rushed my bleeding children for medical care, I've had moments when I thought I had driven my beautiful now-wife away from me for good, and I've had to sign commitment papers for someone I love against their will. However, yesterday I experienced something that still today, after the adrenaline is gone, and I've had a night's sleep, is continuing to make my hands shake and my eyes tear (involuntarily) when I think about it.
The whole clan was over at another family's house. They have 3 kids as well, and they have a pool. We had swam a couple of hours earlier, and then had dinner. All the kids wanted to go swimming again after dinner, and I went out with them. (they range in ages from 2 to 7)
Another neighbor kid also ran over, so there were 7 kids total. Now, my kids do pretty well in the water. Spawn 1 (7) can swim without any assistance, and she loves the water. Spawn 2 (6) can swim as well, but she still often prefers a set of water wings. Spawn 3 (3) wears a vest. Friends' kids can't swim; the older 2 wear swim vests, with their youngest sitting in a float raft.
Friends' kid 2 didn't really want to swim after dinner, so he went to the swings. Friends' kid 3 was floating in his raft, but wanted out of the pool. He floated to the edge, and I proceed to pull him out and extricate him from his raft.
While I did this, friends' kid 2 apparently came over to the pool and, without me seeing him, fell in. He was not wearing his floatie vest, as he (and I) had not planned on him swimming.
My kids are screachers (girls...), so sometimes its hard to tell if they're happy, upset, hurt, etc. (as all the screaches sound pretty similar). Also, Spawn 3 is just really starting to talk well, and so our Spawn 1's name and their kid 2's names are "similar".
I heard Spawn 3 yelling what sounded like Spawn 1's name. I didn't think much of it, as Spawn 1 may have been splashing her, or something of that nature. However, being the father I am, I looked over to see what "torture" was befalling my youngest at the hands of my oldest, so I could yell at Spawn 1... (I do it more than I should)
What I saw was not what I expected. Spawn 3 was reaching into the water, holding onto friends' kid 2, who was struggling underwater - completely underwater - head and all. My heart stopped.
I jumped in (shoes, phone, wallet and all) and pulled him up. I delivered him to the side, where he crawled away from the pool.
He must have not been under long, as he was alert, breathing and just cried. I pulled myself from the water just as the other adults began filing outside. They looked at my oddly.
I think it was all more of an ordeal for me, as friends' kid 2 got back in the pool (with his vest) 30 minutes later.
So, my wallet is drying, and my phone is in rice (it's a company phone - so I'm hoping it isn't damaged). I was okay yesterday, once my heart stopped pounding. But today, my hands are shaky, and I can't stop thinking about it.
And so, even though everything turned out okay, we are NEVER gettting a pool.
