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Show RFVER for a movement, I wouldn't have done it, but I kept running into a dive off the bow of the barge, crashing into the darkness of the river where the sudden bone-gripping cold hit me. Luckily, I came up with the oar in my hand. Then I was overwhelmed by searing amazement and the cold spring flood of the Ohio as it became the Mississippi. I'd swum in the river before, but always behind the protection of a wing dam. I'm a pretty fair swimmer and I've got a lot of endurance, but I was suddenly < experiencing something I'd never known before: I was swallowed up by the full force of a great river in flood. I clutched the oar, tried some uncoordinated strokes, and panicked. Pure physical terror swept over me like a drug rush. The very synapses of my nerves seemed to scream in terror. With an effort, I fought to clear my head, fighting to get my body sidestroking toward the shore. In a few pulls I was behind the protection of the barges and the water immediately calmed. I cooled down too. I started breast stroking, pushing the oar ahead of me. The shore was flooded to a depth of about six feet. I grabbed hold of a tree and caught my breath. Then I pulled from tree to tree, back to the barges. I was weak, more spent with fear than real exertion, and I had a hard time climbing back up the rough steel sides of the barges. When I finally got over the top I lay down on the warm rust-red metal till I heard Ralph calling. I walked back to the boat, picking up my clothes and boots. Ralph was still standing in the boat, his eyes wide, head shaking, and he was yelling, "You're crazy! You're crazy!" "I had to get that oar, Ralph," I said. "I had to have it." "You're crazy. You've got a lot of nerve, but you're crazy." -37- |