Tuesday, 03 July 2012

• Summer Swim Lessons

  
  

  

  She sits beside the pool, her body vibrating with anticipation. Feet arched up high tippy toes tapping on the ground. Her body bounces up and down in accompaniment as her hands flap the air around her.

  “is it time?” she asks looking at everything but the clock to her right. Even if she did look at it the symbols would be meaningless.

  She watches, bouncing, tapping, flapping as other children swim.

  “now?”

  A further 20seconds have passed.

  We take dressing gown off, find goggles, try to distract with preparation. It simply heightens her anticipation. Goggles are grabbed and pulled on askew, the rubber band getting caught in her hair. Tears threaten but are averted as gentler hands detangle hair and band.

  ‘Now!” she dives past waiting hands, slipping with unexpected grace through the crowd of children exiting the pool. Her lane reached she stands on the edge, bouncing on tippy toes, heedless of the kick board partially under one foot. Adult hands reach and hold as her bouncing toes land on a laminated sheet, slippery on the wet pool tiles.

  In the water she spins, splashing all around, spin above the water, spin below the water, spin, spin, spin. Tippy toes under the water an aquatic ballerina dancing to joy in her heart.

  A kick board in hand her teacher points to the pool end and away she swims. Squeals of excitement as she looks back at her classmates following. She kicks harder, on hand on the kick board in front, the other waving at her teacher as she continues to swim forward while looking backwards.

  Two laps done, the spinning and squealing have stopped. She bobs up and down, still bouncing, tippy toes under the water. Two more laps and it is time to dive. She hauls her body reluctantly from the water. Tippy toes dancing on the edge, she bounces and half spins to the diving step. Precariously balanced on her tippy toes once more, she stands on the edge, legs together, hands over her ears, the teacher implores for long arms to no avail. With a sudden squeal she launches herself into the water delighting in the splash.

  Swimming lessons are fun.

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