Quite a long time ago I was invited to a picnic on the
Deleware River.  I do not remember the circumstances
I was a guest of another family--and it was an unusual
Excursion for me at some distance from my  place and
I was the guest of people not well known to me.  The
Site was a rural park on the river, a river flowing well
through woods with some sandy shoreline. There were
Few amenities but there was a canoe rental and I rented
One and proceeded down river.  After going perhaps a
Quarter mile I came upon a man who seemed to be adrift
I waved to him but he did not wave back and I paddled on
a ways but something struck me as odd and I turned my
Head and yelled back-"Are you all right?"  He said:" I am
Drowning"  I quickly went back and allowed him to grab
On and I took him to shore-a very short distance.  I do not
Remember if we exchanged any words and I never told a
Person about my strange experience.  Now all these years
Later the question I asked myself back then :why did not he
Cry out for help when I first passed him and not declare his
Need until I by some vague premonition called back to him.
By such a slender thread does life hang that a man might let
Go by- his salvation in the balcance and wait upon God or
Whim of fate to intervene  the balanced scales weighing-
Whether it is better to live or to die .  To be or not to be?
I do not now know the answer but see more clearly  the ?