creative non fiction

How I Lost My Wedding Ring

I am on a cruise ship in Mykonos with my husband of two years, headed to hot springs and I can't wait. 

But the ship stops in the middle of the ocean. The captain points vaguely to a far off shore, and says, go! Fellow passengers jump off like seals and penguins. 

No life jacket in sight, my husband the wise says no.. 

i strip down to my red hot bikini, the one i bought just for this trip so i could wear it far from anyone i know. I finger my wedding ring nervously, sit at the edge of the ship and look at the long way down to the blue.

The one floating ring has been taken by now. Not one to say no to anything though, i jump in, a red brown flame in a blue green diamond, 

I splash in the general direction 

but it doesn't get any nearer . 

My arms are going to fall off.  My chest burns. But the ship is as far behind me as the shore is before me

so i keep going 

Greedily drinking in every breath

as burly white folk sail past me laughing

The blue green turns light brown and i think Sand! 

I can stand 

But when i try

My feet dont touch the ground 

then i really scramble, fingers reaching for the nothing that is water, every breath now a fight

I see a couple chatting right by me in the water

I look at them with a mix of envy and relief and say

Excuse me sir

I'm having a bit of a trouble here

May i hold on to your arm

I dont think he understands a word but bless him, he  holds out his hand 

i grab it, careful not to break ità

While i marvel at how polite i an on the brink of drowning 

The lady just watches me as i scan the sea and find a target - a solitary rock like a lingam in the sea 

I summon the last dredges of energy and splash to it, grasp it tight, climb and stand, shivering in my red bikini. 

A fellow singaporean guy ( no matter how far i fly i cant fully get away!) floats by in a ring and i extend a hand to help him, for a dying girl can sense a dying man

He takes my hand and floats right past

Nary a glance my way 

The spring waits for me at my back

I waddle over and sit Determindly in the it 

Acknowledge the warm water, that Im alive 

But i better head back

Now i go straight for the ship 

A clear target

I alternate between dog paddling and back flipping

In between

I see my clueless man snapping pictures of me as i draw each breath like my last, mouth wide open, salt crystalising on my tongue

I shiver up the ladder and fall into his arms

Where's your ring he asks

The stupid man

I nearly died I say.

Well

So that's why my wedding ring lies at the bottom of the Greek Ocean

And why i took up swimming lessons as soon as i landed back in singapore 

Ruefully acknowledging 

That half knowledge is far more deadly than no knowledge.