“Hey, Juan, what’s that over there?” Two Mexican fishermen were rowing across the harbour of San Pedro, California, with new nets for their next expedition to sea.
“Something white, Raoul, but I can’t make out what – come on, let’s take a look!”
Just as the two fishermen approached, they saw the body slide off the cross-bar and fall into the water with a splash. “Quick! It’s a man! Get him out! Get him out!” With two strokes of the oars Raoul reached the body, floating face down in the water. They grabbed a boathook and, with considerable effort and not a little danger to their own safety, they hauled the man into the safety of their rowing boat.
“Is he still alive?” asked Juan. Raoul felt for a pulse on the side of the man’s neck, saw the head injury and quickly turned him over so he was lying face down in the boat. He felt a very faint pulse, and immediately started emergency resuscitation, pushing on the man’s back, trying to pump out his lungs and stomach of the water he had breathed in and swallowed. The water poured out his mouth, he drew a huge, gasping breath and vomited profusely, voiding everything he had eaten and drunk that day. Raoul turned him on his side, into the recovery position. The man’s eyes opened briefly, then he fell once more into unconsciousness.
“Something white, Raoul, but I can’t make out what – come on, let’s take a look!”
Just as the two fishermen approached, they saw the body slide off the cross-bar and fall into the water with a splash. “Quick! It’s a man! Get him out! Get him out!” With two strokes of the oars Raoul reached the body, floating face down in the water. They grabbed a boathook and, with considerable effort and not a little danger to their own safety, they hauled the man into the safety of their rowing boat.
“Is he still alive?” asked Juan. Raoul felt for a pulse on the side of the man’s neck, saw the head injury and quickly turned him over so he was lying face down in the boat. He felt a very faint pulse, and immediately started emergency resuscitation, pushing on the man’s back, trying to pump out his lungs and stomach of the water he had breathed in and swallowed. The water poured out his mouth, he drew a huge, gasping breath and vomited profusely, voiding everything he had eaten and drunk that day. Raoul turned him on his side, into the recovery position. The man’s eyes opened briefly, then he fell once more into unconsciousness.
“He’s in a bad way, Juan – we’re going to have to get him to a hospital, muy pronto!”
---oo0oo---
“Does he have any ID on him?” the A&E receiving auxiliary at Peninsula Hospital in San Pedro asked as the ambulancemen wheeled the gurney into a private booth. The unconscious man had lost his jacket and shoes, but his wallet was still in his trousers back pocket. The auxiliary found it, flipped it open. It held a driver’s licence and a wad of money. “Hm. Name’s Jerry Plowright. Rich man! See if you can get a fix on him, nurse!” and he handed the wallet to the girl. “In the meantime, get him to X-ray, let’s see what damage he’s sustained with that head wound!”
---oo0oo---
His head hurt abominably. He saw brightness through his closed eyelids but he did not want to open his eyes – the light might hurt too much. “Ahhh!” he moved his head slightly and pain lanced through him.
“Mr Plowright! Mr Plowright! Can you hear me?” asked the nurse in attendance.
