People often ask me how much like V I Warshawki I am, and I have to say, not at all. This morning I went out early to Lake Michigan with my dog, Callie. She went in after a ball that was too big for her to pick up; she kept batting it with her nose and rapidly got rather far from shore. I called but she wouldn’t abandon the ball. I took off my clothes and went in after but she was further than my swim ability in such cold water (about 60 F) and I went back to shore hoping she might follow. At 400 yards out she was too small for me to see her other than as a little blob on the water. I was filled with despair but went back in up to my neck and stood calling “come” over and over and by some miracle she finally turned and swam to shore.
I was quite useless in the situation. I’m sure V I would have picked up a lifeguard rowboat and rowed out to rescue Mitch & Peppy, but me–I was physically feeble and emotionally distraught. The only good thing is–I still have my dog.
And she, whole-hearted retriever that she is, wanted to turn around and go back to find the ball.