Brain Freeze. (530 hits)
Category: NoneRating: 1.8 on 10 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by shoot_it (View user info) at 2007-06-24 17:28:51 EDT
"Holy shit, this water is freezing. Can't we just go to the lake instead?" Mallory said as she stepped into the icy waters of the Sacramento River and quickly jumped out. I had stepped in just before her, and nodded my head in agreement as my feet began to go numb.
"I knew you girls would chicken out." Noah said as he strapped the four tubes together that were going to be the only thing separating us and the majority of our bodies from the stabbing cold water.
"Just drink some more beer, and you won't even notice." I could tell Ernie was getting impatient. If we waited any longer it would be dark before we reached where we planned on getting out of the river.
"Alright, let's just get it over with." I said. We all stepped in the water and sat in our tubes and each made various noises and comments conveying discomfort. I was whining and demanding another beer. "I can't feel my who-ha." Mallory said as she laughed and struggled to get her tiny body out of the water as much as possible. We all paddled towards the current and out of the shadow the trees had begun to cast from the setting sun. After a few minutes of being in the sun and a few beers, none of us could feel how cold the water was anymore. We waved to the people on the Sundial Bridge as we floated underneath them. Most of the adults had a look of disapproval on their faces. They were probably wondering what kind of parents would let their kids float down the Sacramento River with nothing but an inner tube. The kind who didn't know.
As we continued to float we began to talk about inappropriate things that nearly drunk young adults talk about. After two hours of a numb ass, Chex party mix, and beer, we were all glad to see the boat ramp that was going to serve as our exit. As we began to paddle towards it, we saw it was already in use by a boat. A Sheriff's boat. As we neared we saw more police standing on shore, someone getting into a wet suit along with a coroner and chaplain. Someone had drowned. I felt embarrassed as we got out of the water. Here we were four belligerent half-drunk, half-frozen 20-something year olds stumbling out of water that someone had just died in. The back string on my top had become untied from rubbing on the inner tube and when I stood up it wasn't covering everything that it was supposed to be. I quickly (as quickly as a drunk person with numb hands can manage) tied my top back on and helped bring the tubes back to the truck where we began letting the air out of them and putting them in the back.
It was strange to think someone had just died. So we didn't think about it. We went back to Ernie's house and proceeded to get sloshed out of our minds.
The next day my mom called me and left a voicemail.
"Hi Julie. Did you hear about the man who drowned on the Sacramento River yesterday? You know him. It was so-and-so's grandpa. I just wanted to call and..."
I pretty much stopped listening after that. My eyes glazed over and I thought about this girl I knew and her grandpa. I took horse back riding lessons with her. We had really close friends in common. I had met this man; he came to watch us ride our horses. This man had died on Father's Day. He was out on the river with a buddy of his and they hit a stump and flipped the boat. The old man's wife was on the boat. His friend saved her. I can't even imagine...
Mallory and I saw this girl in Jamba Juice yesterday. She works there. I said "I'm so sorry about your grandpa..." and she replied "its ok what can I get for you?" all in one breath. I wouldn't want to talk about it at work, either. Or ever, maybe.
They still haven't found the body.
User Reviews
Submitted by Beano312003 (user info) at 2007-06-26 14:44:38 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by DirtyHarry (user info) at 2007-06-25 11:32:42 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by JoeyG (user info) at 2007-06-25 09:45:38 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
nice
Submitted by TheUniter (user info) at 2007-06-25 07:44:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
Submitted by Progr3ss (user info) at 2007-06-25 06:10:29 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
thank you
Submitted by sir_cowman (user info) at 2007-06-25 00:37:45 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
Very good idea, but poor pacing and grammar keep this from perfection.
Submitted by i_can_get_you_a_toe (user info) at 2007-06-24 23:34:06 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Merlina (user info) at 2007-06-24 20:42:13 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
yes
Submitted by lungfish (user info) at 2007-06-24 20:10:05 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
D\'backs. Best record in the National League. +2.
Submitted by Sacrilicious (user info) at 2007-06-24 19:10:02 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment