I know a boy who’s learning to swim.
His kickers are super splashy.
His bubbles are just right.
And when he goes under he closes his eyes and puckers up like a camel.
On the first day of swim class he moseyed to the side of the pool like it was nobody’s business.
Since then, he’s grown timid.
It might have a little something to do with a girl in his Flounder group who screamed like a banshee throughout the entire first class.
Then again it may be karma. Because I privately gloated that he wasn’t the one screaming like a banshee throughout the entire first class.
A few classes in I had to carry him to the edge of the pool.
And coax him in.
A few classes later he downright refused. But I made him anyway. And then he screamed like a banshee throughout the entire class.
I don’t know what changed.
Clearly something did though.
It’s not the water that gets him. He motorboats and tosses rings with the best of ‘em.
It’s the getting his feet wet.
Maybe that’s the hardest part of learning to swim.
Or learning to do anything really.
Can’t say I blame him.
I can’t swim myself.
And I’m 31.
He’s 2.
He’s learning to swim.
Maybe someday he’ll teach me.
