Fetching Stick

Meredith let the sea breeze blow her long brown hair in a mess as she sat of the jetty. She watched the dive boats take tourist out to the reef. To dive among the ancient corals and spectacular marine fish. The odd turtle, dugong and whale spotted always a treat.

She would close her eyes and see in her minds eye, resting her hand on the tanned muscled shoulder of the young sexy dive instructor as he tugged at her wet suit. Being embarrassed about spitting in the goggles to keep them fog free. The smell of the ocean air filled her lungs as she sucked in deep breathes. The seagulls barking noise overhead. The bounce of the boat bobbing over waves. Laughter and chatter from people as their own experience heightened. To feel the water wash over her skin, purifying her senses.

The alarm on her watch beeped 2:00 pm. Time to head to class. She spun on her wheels and pushed herself down the road. She wasn't as aware any more about people staring, the women covering their mouth to hide the gasp, kids pointing and the guys turning away. She had learnt that it was not about them. It was about her and what she wanted to gain from her life now.....now she was in a wheelchair.

That drunk driver may have taken away her legs, but he will never take her spirit, her drive, her push, her desire, her longing, her want. It took several months before Meredith would realise that she had lost something more than just the use of her legs. She lost a part of herself that wanted to live. Thinking that being a cripple stopped her from achieving her goals and dreams, had blinded her.

She started attending dive classes a few weeks ago. After being inspired by seeing a dog that had had his hind legs amputated after being hit by a drunk driver too. He was fitted with a wheelchair of sorts. A home made device that attached to his body on wheels. So he could still use his front legs and his hind legs were replaced by wheels. The smile on his face every time he retrieved the stick left Meredith in awe. He didn't under that he had no legs, but the game of fetch was all that concerned him. The game of life.

Meredith could see herself floating in the warm ocean waters of tropical north Queensland and as she confidently pushed herself through the doors to her class she smiled, she was going to fetch her stick.