A close shave

Last weekend I decided I had had enough of the complains that I was working myself out.
So off I was to the VRA clubhouse in Tamale on my motor bike and backpack. I thought I would have a hard time getting into the water since I was without company and could easily become self-aware. Fortunately there were a couple of known faces so it was an easy thing to dive in there and to start doing my own thing.
After a while of "flexing" my swimming skill I decided to go for the kill. I handed my camera to a friend, Paul. His task: - To video me on my non-stop return trip across the Olympic sized pool. It was an easy trip to the shallow end. I promptly turned for the return lap.

Who ever deceived me I was capable of snatching an Olympic gold medal in swimming had obviously been lying big time to me. Why did I try this adventure in the first place?
Just as I got back into the deeper waters (about 7 feet deep) my muscles gave in; they were too tired to go on. For my lungs, it was decided it was time to recycle that stale air in there. The short breaths I had been taking while breathing were not enough to sustain me now. But that was the wrong place to think of doing that. I stopped to catch my breath but.... No, I am only 5'10". I panicked as I tried to come to the surface for atl east a milliliter cube of air. The time above the surface was too short for that. I found myself going down there again. That was when it dawned on me I had made the mistake of my life. What was I to do?
I took a U-turn, at least I was closer to the shallower part than to the end of the pool. So with a couple or so double strokes I tried swimming away from danger. I thought I'd done enough to stand up and take some rest but................ No. It was still too deep. At this point, I decided to throw both hands in the air to signal a desperate swimmer. No one took notice. But I simply could not afford to cry out. with a strong effort I pushed again for the top, with my hands in the air to signal that I NEEDED help. Wasn't anybody human enough to save a poor soul? Still, no one took notice.
So... a few more strokes and this time, it was just enough have my feet on the ground with my head above water and phew! some long awaited sweet oxygen. I waded to the other end of the pool to finally take a good dose of air.
Paul walked with me camera in hand to announce that he had captured it all on video. I could go back home and view how I had had to abort my return journey and how I had struggled to escape drinking a few cups of pool water.

"So you knew I was suffering and you didn't come to save me?" He smiled and responded, "I knew you would come out"