"Graphic analogy, but true," replied her friend.
Julia was dog-tired, weary of long hours and the strain on her marriage. Negative thoughts swirled in her head as she parked her car next to the seaside.
She waded into the cold, uncaring winter sea intent on oblivion, but then thought of her loved ones as breakers splashed onto her face.
The junior doctor retreated from the ocean.
"I'll probably get pneumonia now," she said out loud with gallows humour laughing maniacally. The waves continued to roll.