Just Another Life..... Poem by Robert Scott Hogg

It was in the heart of winter
when we were called to the River Clyde
The night was dark and the air was cold
the water was at high tide.

Somewhere near the Casino
two young men had stripped to swim
accross the filthy mass of water
then they both dived in

When we arrived with sirens loud
and lights that cut the skyline
The lads were somewhere in the dark
splashing, shouting, crying

We rushed to the south side of the river
and tore through a wire fence
then ran with our medic bags to the quayside
breathing heavily and tense

I jemmied a lock off a seven foot gate
while a police woman called for firemen
We could hear a voice in the darkness
but it was drowned out by a screeching siren

Then all at once there he was, a cold and huddled youth
climbing, scrambling up slimy steps in the freezing air
half laughing, half choking, unconcerned about his mate
I reached and grabbed his hand as he swayed and pulled him clear

We wrapped a survival blanket round him
as he shiverred and shook with the cold
I looked into his eyes and saw a lad
barely eighteen years old

He never asked if his friend made it
he didn't seem to care
He was more concerned that he'd swam the Clyde
and had won his deadly dare.

We didn't find his mate in the water
though search boats looked all night
They found him 3 weeks later
a drowned and bloated sight

Just another life.....