Pool

10/9/05

Well, my pool closed a few weeks ago. It was sad. I sure miss it.

While I was there I asked myself numerous questions? Why do people come to the pool and sit and stare at the water, but never jump in and get wet? Why do some people just float around for a few minutes, while forgoing laps or just fooling around? For me it is a workout routine and just fun to horse around. Whether it’s doing lap upon lap or playing games with the little kids. They give me a new name every summer. This year it was Virgil.

Day after day, I witnessed more and more people stroll out to the pool, but never go in. They brought their pre-sun, a book, a beer and towels. But they never went it. Some blasted radios. We sat and talked politics, baseball, what we were grilling for dinner and what movie we just caught. What is it about a body of water that draws people to it? Was it always that way?

In ancient times did people sit out by the seas, oceans, rivers and streams, drink ale, etch a tablet, read one and just catch a tan? Most likely this scenario has been going since day one and will continue until the world ends.

Sit back and imagine our ancestors by a body of water. Did they worry how they looked in their bathing suits? Did they even wear one? Were they trying to lose weight by doing laps? Were they trying to relax after a tough day of hunting for their meal? They didn’t have the supermarket or deli to go to purchase a steak or burger. No, they had to hunt and fish for their sustenance. They had to grill everything over an open fire because there were no ovens or stoves.

Did they cut deals with warring people from enemy tribes? Were they deals of peace or did it foster more war? Both.

So, on the last day I did all my strokes: butterfly, side, breast, elementary backstroke and freestyle. More than likely I added in a few more. I threw in some surface diving. Naturally, the summer was spent doing that. Then I jumped out of the pool, said my goodbyes and grilled something while listening to a CD and reading some magazine.

Disappointing it ended, but next year the same will happen. I wonder what my name will be?