>It took me a moment to realize that I was face down in the water. A cloud of submerged sand floated by my head, upset by the impact of my face. Tiny grains drifted into my nostrils. I don’t remember tripping…
It took me a few seconds to understand that I was not, in fact, drowning in a great depth, but merely floundering in a few inches. A few seconds to realize that was a few seconds too long. Especially for me. Just stand up, Rick. But standing up was a harder task than it should have been. I struggled to my feet, as I pulled my head out of the water and strained myself to stay balanced. I breathed in a big gulp of air and wobbled upwards. Must have looked like a toddler on a surfboard, noodle-legged and discombobulated. Something was very wrong here. I needed...

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