THE COWARD

I was going through basic training at Ft. Ord, Calif.  At 18 years old it was the first time I had been away from my home in Texas. I had never seen an Ocean, so one weekend three of us hiked over to have a look at the Pacific.  We found a pebble beach about 200 yards long with large rocky outcrops at each end and an ominous sign that read "DANGEROUS CURRENTS-NO SWIMMING".  Disregarding the sign we waded into the surf.  I could feel the current ripping the gravel from beneath my feet so I stopped.  The soldier next to me had gone a little further out when he suddenly vanished under the water.  The other soldier yelled, "Get outa the water!"  We hurried out pulling hard against the current.  Just as we cleared the water our buddy popped up about 40 yards out yelling for help.  I was frozen.  No way was I going back in that water.  However, the soldier with me jumped into action.  He yelled, "Help me with this log."  He was pulling a large piece of driftwood towards the water.  I ran over and grabbed one end of the log and we dragged it into the water.  He then swam out pushing the log in front of him until he reached our drowning buddy, who grabbed the log.  Then the two of them fought their way against the current back to shallow water.

I helped them out of the water and they collapsed, completely spent.  As I sat beside them I realized that I would have let him drown.

Marshall Warren