I am very fond of taking bath in rivers or canals and very often go for these purposes, sometimes with my friends and sometimes alone. Every time it was OK except that last Sunday which I can never forget.
On that Sunday, I went to the river with one of my friends. It was morning and on reaching the river bank we saw a crowd of people including young children had alrfeady reached there.
The river water was flowing in full speed this time. Therefore, those who were elderly were bathing peacefully in the shallow water near the river bank. But the young children were very excited and once they stepped into the river, they hardly obeyed their parents. Seeing their excitement we also got excited.
We also put off our clothes and started bathing. Soon I noticed that a few naughty young boys turned to be noisy and started splashing water on one another. Sometimes they dropped one of the friends and threw him in deep water. Unfortunately the boy did not know swimming and within seconds he started drowning. All cried out “A drowning accident”!
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The boy’s life was in danger and the gravity of the situation demanded immediate action. I know how to swim. Therefore without thinking much, I at once jumped into the river water. I swam as fast as I could and soon I reached the boy. I caught his hair and tried to draw him to the bank. But unfortunately his hairs slipped from my hand and the boy again started to drown. I got nervous for a few seconds but I did not leave my effort.
This time I caught him by the neck and started dragging him to the bank. As the current was very swift and strong and was following in opposite direction, it looks several minutes but finally I came to the bank with the boy safely.
The boy had drunk a good deal of water and he was completely unconscious. We laid him on the bank and pressed his belly. Thank God that water gurgled out and the boy became conscious. A big crowd had gathered in between and all were patting on my back. The boy’s parents, who were at the edge of losing their son, embraced me with tears in their eyes. I also got sentimental and hugged the boy with tearful eyes as if he was my own brother.
I returned home with a sense of contentment on my face. I had done a sacred duty by saving a precious life. My parents felt proud of me and they also patted on my back. Though several years have passed since the incident took place but the memory is still fresh in my mind. I can’t forget the drowning boy and his helpless, miserable face. Thank God who gave me enough courage to save the boy?