Flutter By

On a Monday I take a couple of kids up to swimming training at the school. It brings back a few memories, all the kids whining not wanting to be there, having trouble getting your bathing cap on, the big pole with a tennis ball on the end of it held by the coach, real nostalgic. I got to talking to the old lady on the door and it turns out that I actually used to swim in one of her squads, and that the old man with the big pole with a tennis ball on the end of it is actually the same old man with a big pole with a tennis ball on the end of it as when I was there all those years ago. He was old back then, so I guess he must be really old. Like 80 or something. Anyways I was asking a few questions, and it turns out that there's a squad for older people, so I decided that I'd get myself into gear and back into the pool.

Unfortunately I couldn't get down there on Monday as I had to go to the museum, but when Tuesday swung around I was ready. There was really only one thing stopping me, I didn't have any togs that were suitable. I do have some old Kurrawa togs, but the elastic is gone in them and the bum part is all stretched and sagging from the old days in the surfboats, making them totally inappropriate for swimming at a school in. This meant that I had to go down to the local Amart All Sports to pick up a new pair of DTs. This was actually pretty intimidating.

I got down there, and was having a bit of a look around. I needed to pick up a pair of goggles, a pair of fins and a bathing cap as well, so I picked up those first. At around this time one of the sales assistants approached me to ask if I needed any help, I said that I did in fact need some help as I wasn't able to find the togs. The sales assistant was very helpful and she helped me find the DTs. She helped me find the right size and the right colour. It was all a little strange, especially when she asked if I wanted to try them on. I dunno, it's been a little while, but talking with people who I don't know about that region is kind of strange. And I'm not sure if I was freaking out or something, but I could swear she kept looking down that way. It was kinda weird. Anyways, I ended up with a nice pair of blue togs. They've got this electric green piping on them, and the girl swears that the green will make me swim faster. Even faster than an all red pair.

So I took the whole she-bang home, tried it all on, gave my brother a fright, then headed over to the pool. Thankfully I was the only older person swimming, so they gave me a program and I got to it.

Swimming is no-where near as easy as it used to be. I don't think that I even float anymore. And then to have 14 and 15 year old kids in the lane next to you blazing up and down at twice your speed is a little disheartening. I accept it though, and I will persevere. I hope. I'll be back down there tomorrow afternoon, and a few days next week. Sometime after that I hope to ready for swimming with the squad in the morning. If I can keep up.