Emerged from Below

Peter and I went to the beach today. We parked in front of our usual house on Newport Beach Blvd, unloaded our backpack chairs, towels, and umbrellas and headed for the sand. Just like normal. We set up camp, waited til we got hot and then bolted for the water. Just like normal. Peter body surfed, I floated, we bounced around in the waves for about a half an hour. Just like normal. But then, while Peter was about 20 yards away from me, something popped out of the water. Not like normal. Two feet away from me, a black, slightly spotted, whisker face emerges from the four foot water. Ahhhhhh! A seal! I freak out. "Peter!!!" He says, "It's a seal." In my head- well duh! It's nearly on top of me, I can see that all too clearly! I call for help and he doesn't budge. Seeing he is useless to me at this very moment I make a B line for the shore as it disappears. I thrash my legs around in the water to discourage any company he might be seeking. A moment later it appears again, just as close, maybe closer, and we make eye contact for the second time. I'm hoping for a wave to push me in as I swim like a crazy person and one small one finally does come- more helpful than my honey was. I slow down near the ankle deep water but remember this is not a fish I'm running from and he could follow me to my chair if he pleases. I bolt. Peter shows up minutes later in the chair beside me. "Nice of you to show up." He claims he couldn't get to me. I said, "At least trying to get to me would have made me feel safer." And if he was so immobile, he could of at least shouted comforting words like, "It doesn't eat humans!". Ug! My Knight in Shinning Armor apparently doesn't work on Wednesdays. Needless to say, I accidentally swam with a seal today (and who knows what else). I'm OK.

xo, p&l

PS Once I caught my breath, I asked him what he would have done. He said, "The same thing because that guy wasn't just passin' by, he was stoppin by."