In Decent Sea

I agreed to get back out on the water with friends last summer on a hot September day. It was good, but I was stuck in one place since the boat was not made for a wheelchair. I was dutifully nailing flag duty as we towed some inner tubes behind, but as the day progressed, beer and ice water were no longer keeping me cool. My friends’ solution? It was my turn in the water, and they wanted to drag me in one of the inner tubes. Never one to forgo a challenge, I figured, why not?

I traded my T-shirt for a life vest, and my friends managed to get me safely off the boat and into the blue stuff. Waterskiing had been a hobby growing up, so I was relatively comfortable with the logistics. I climbed up and onto the tube and held on for dear life as we picked up speed. Everything was going well, until the inflatable arced up and my bottom half slid off the back into the water. As a massive wake approached I held on tight … but my shorts didn’t. I lost them entirely once I came over the crest of the wave.
– Saboataged

Have You No Sole?

Instead of hitting snooze on my alarm one morning, I turned it off completely. Not only did I have an early hair appointment, but I had a lunch meeting scheduled across the county before heading into the office. I got dressed quickly, focusing on layering up for the late fall weather. I headed out in a flash, yelling goodbye to my husband and kids as I passed.

I felt a few more eyes on me than usual but brushed it off as me being extra sensitive. The day was going fine until I ran into my office mate getting coffee in our kitchen that afternoon. “Giving your feet a break?” she asked. Confused, I replied, “No, why do you ask?”

“Um, because you don’t have shoes on.” she said matter-of-factly.

With that, the reality sunk in that I had gone around my entire day with bare feet. There is now a full-length mirror in my garage.
– Shoeless Jo

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