Through Thin Ice

 I must have been reading Shakespeare (Aeschylus?) when I first came across the term Deus Ex Machina.  Loosely translated from the Latin, it means God Out of the Machine.  It refers to a plot twist at the end of a play where the hero is saved against impossible odds.  I pictured a backstage helper with a pulley and winch lowering a God out from above to provide deliverance.  

Not long ago, a friend fell through the ice on the Great Salt Lake while attempting to rescue her dog.  Every attempt to get out of the 38 degree water onto the thin ice resulted in failure.  I pictured steel double-hulled polar ocean vessels when she said, "I felt like I was nothing but an icebreaker."  It was almost dark. 

This, and what happened next, was made into a short, ten minute film, Through Thin Ice. After being on the film circuit and winning many awards, Gabrielle Kardon emailed me that the film has been made public and I would like to share it with you.

A couple of years ago, I wrote a short piece inspired by her story called You Are Authorized to Conduct This Rescue.

See you next week -

Drew