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LivingNotes
THE
“ GAS - HOG”
“Ok! So, we are going to enter the water with a b a c k r o l l ” , - yo u w o u l d n e v e r g u e s s B e n j i i s only 24 from the way he speaks and carries himself. “ G o a h e a d a n d p u t a l l o f yo u r s c u b a g e a r o n a n d s i t a t t h e e d g e o f t h e b o a t w i t h yo u r b a c k a g a i n s t t h e w a t e r. S t a r t w i t h t h e f i n s . T h e n yo u r r e g u l a t o r i n yo u r m o u t h a n d h o l d i t i n p l a c e w i t h yo u r l e f t h a n d a n d t h e m a s k w i t h two fingers, like this” - his fingers make a cool s e m i - t r i a n g u l a r s h a p e. “ Wi t h yo u r r i g h t h a n d , h o l d t h e b a c k o f yo u r h e a d t o h o l d yo u r m a s k i n p l a c e. T h e n , p o i n t yo u r c h i n t o w a r d yo u r c h e s t a n d g e n t l y f a l l b a c k w a r d s . Yo u ’ l l d o a l i t t l e s o m e r s a u l t a n d p o p r i g h t b a c k u p. D o n’ t f o r g e t t o g i v e t h e O K s i g n a l a s s o o n a s yo u ’ r e s e t t l e d . G o t i t ? ” My head nodes on autopilot. B o b by a p p e a r s t o b e c a l m a n d c o m p o s e d . S o m e h o w i t f e e l s e v e n m o r e u n n e r v i n g. I a m s u p p o s e d t o b e t h e c a l m o n e r i g h t n o w. T h e a d r e n a l i n r u s h m a k e s m y h a n d s s h a k e. T h e m a s k f e e l s a l i t t l e l o o s e. M y f i n g e r s t r y t o a d j u s t t h e s t r a p. N o s u c c e s s . A f r a c t i o n o f a s e c o n d l a t e r B e n j i ’s h e a d t u r n s m y d i r e c t i o n . B o b by ’s a l r e a d y i n t h e w a t e r. I guess this is it. T h e h e a r t i s r a c i n g s o h a r d , i t f e e l s l i k e i t ’s about to break through the BCD vest. C h i n d o w n . E ye s c l o s e. B e n j i ’s i n s t r u c t i o n s s o u n d d i s t a n t a n d f a r a w a y. M y f e e t k i c k o f f the boat.A moment, and my entire body is und e r t h e w a t e r. T h a t ’s i t . I ’ m i n s o m e o n e e l s e ’s t e r r i t o r y. T h e c o l d , d a r k , h e av y s h a d o w t a k e s ov e r m y e n t i r e b e i n g. T h e b r a i n t r i e s t o f i g h t , b u t f a i l s , defeated. No more control. “ M y m a s k w o n’ t s t a y o n ” , - t r y i n g t o m a k e m y w a y t o t h e b u o y. B o b by a n d B e n j i a r e r e a d y t o descend. “ L e t ’s s e e i f I c a n f i x i t ” , - B e n j i ’s f i n g e r s a r e m e d d l i n g w i t h t h e s t r a p. The fear mixed with anxiety seep from e v e r y p o r e o f m y b o d y. “ D o n’ t w o r r y. We w o n’ t d i v e u n t i l yo u a r e 1 0 0 %
