Over fifty years ago
Sunday mornings, I would swim.
One spring morning, I saw a girl
A girl, in a lime-green swimsuit
I was transfixed,
I stood at the edge of the high board
She got in at the shallow end
Swam the breast-stroke
towards the deep-end.
A gorgeous vision
Long shapely legs, slim-built
A body with all the right curves
Long black hair flowed down her back
I was determined to show off
With my perfect swallow-dive
Such was my concentration, on her,
I failed to see the big hairy man
Swimming below me
Up on my toes, ankles and legs locked straight
I launched forward.
At the last second I saw the man
Collision was inevitable
My perfect dive, a disaster
I just managed a half turn
Used my arms to push against the man
Smacked head on into the water
Next to the very startled man.
We both trod water
Whilst he ranted at me
His language was extreme
I pointed to the notice on the wall
“Do not swim – under the diving boards”
I thought he would explode
But instead said, “sorry son”
He swam away.
She smiled at me
Didn’t speak, just smiled
Her teeth perfectly white and even
I wanted to talk to her
But, in seconds she turned and swam back
Her self allotted lengths completed
She simply walked out of my life
All because, I was too shy to say “Hi”.

Mike