Water baby

My parents would take my sister and I to go swimming, probably at Quaniccasse.  This was out on the bay I think, but I wasn't old enough to remember the location.  It really doesn't matter where because it is the same story each and every time I entered the water.  Well yes, including every swimming pool I set foot into.  What I can remember is that none of us could swim in our family, is it not ironic then to adventure into something you know absolutely nothing about?  Someone bought Diane and I new floating air mattress'.  I believe that is what they were known as back in the 50's.  Mine was bright yellow on one side and a pretty blue on the other.  They helped us to float by laying across the middle of the air mattress.  Dad might not have been as excited as we were, because he had to blow them up for us.  Anyway, Di and I were in the water playing on our new floaty, then she shows me that she can reach across and grab her foot.  So I did the same thing.  She proceeded to show me how she can grab both her feet with both her hands, and ask me to do the same.  Guess what, I could do it too!  Ooops!!!  Being so small, I slide around and under my floaty, which put my head completely under water.  Glub, glub, glub....Then I let go of the air mattress and sunk to the bottom.  It must not have been all that deep, because I could see Diane above the water looking down at me and laughing so hard.  Under water my brain short circuits and my mind is blank.  Next thing I know, my dad is jerking me up out of the water and carrying me to the shore.  As I am coughing, choking, spitting, and the such, my folks keep asking if I'm alright.  Well hell no!!  Does this sound like my usual behavior??  What just happened??  Now I have buggers coming out my mouth,  did my nose fall off??  Boy, my new phobia is water, guess why!!  That's right you could get hurt!  My sister continued to play in the water the rest of the afternoon, but I was very comfortable on the towel playing in the safe sand.  Well, so I thought, being fair complected and a red head only complicated my life more.  Because we were out there most of the day, I acquired severe sunburns and sun stroke.  Man was I sick and cooked medium rare, which hurts ALLOT!!!!  Beach bum was checked off the list of future career choices.  There are phases of sunburn and sun stroke.  First the stroke gets you by giving you a high fever and severe vomiting.  Then the next day you can look forward to crying when clothes touched any of the burns.  My skin was as red as my hair.  It get interesting now, because here comes the vinegar baths causing your teeth to chatter so fast you cannot complain about the burning.  Wait it's not over, the blistering comes next.  Followed by the peeling like a snake.  How is swimming fun?  My tolerance for pain, and patience for healing is increasing.  After this experience, when anyone mentioned going swimming, lets just say I never was one to jump up and down to participate.