Take The Plunge

It had been a long time since Debbie had been swimming, and she hoped she hadn’t lost the knack . . .

DEBBIE’S reasons for taking out a membership at the local swimming pool had been twofold. She needed to get in shape and do more exercise, and there was no way she was joining a gym.

She’d been a talented swimmer in her youth and had swum at competition level until her late teens, when nights out with boys became more appealing than six a.m. practice sessions at the pool.

But mainly, since taking early retirement at the age of fifty-eight, her life lacked purpose and structure.

She’d realised this a few weeks after leaving her job, when her daily routine consisted of sleeping late, eating a leisurely breakfast while listening to the radio, then reading the paper.

On this particular day, she’d glanced up from her coffee mug and noticed it was approaching one p.m. and she was still in her pyjamas.

This would never do. She had standards to maintain.

Yet Debbie had to admit that it was rather pleasant being able to live at a more leisurely pace, after years of working as a hospital administrator, as well as bringing up two children.

The problem was, with no-one else at home these days – the children had both grown up and moved out, and her ex-husband was now living with his new partner – her life did lack a certain structure.

Hence the swimming pool membership, and the commitment to do 20 lengths three times a week.

Which was how Debbie came to be in a cubicle in the pool’s changing-room, cramming herself into a swimsuit she’d had for 20 years, hoping she could make it into the deep end without anybody seeing her flabby figure.

She hadn’t done any swimming since before her children were born, almost 30 years earlier.

When they’d been little, she’d taken them to the pool regularly, but bobbing about with two toddlers didn’t count as proper exercise.

Debbie wondered if swimming, like riding a bike, was something you never forgot . . .

Only one way to find out. She put her clothes into a locker and made a dash for the showers before sliding into the shallow end.

It wasn’t busy and most of the swimmers appeared to be elderly men or middle-aged women, who swam side by side and chatted as they went.

Debbie bounced up and down for a bit, then launched into front crawl.

Amazingly, possibly due to muscle memory, her stroke was as smooth and confident as it had been in her competition days.

She got into one of the fast lanes that were roped off in the pool and began powering up and down, controlling her breathing and synchronising the movements of her arms and legs.

She loved to swim! Why had it taken her so long to get back to the pool?

Within a week, despite aching arms and physical tiredness, she began to look forward to her routine and bought a new swimsuit as a reward for her efforts.

After that, Debbie went for a swim most mornings and set herself challenges in terms of speed and lengths.

She quickly built up her stamina and was able to increase her daily distance from an initial 20 lengths to 30, then 40, then 50.

It felt good. Within a month, she could see a real difference in her body shape, with less flab and more muscle definition.

Meanwhile, she got to know the other regulars at the pool, and said hello to them in the water, or chatted with them as they dried their hair afterwards.

One morning, a newcomer appeared on the scene.

He caught Debbie’s eye because he was about her age, but also because he was an excellent swimmer.

She noticed that he was in good shape. Her daughter would have described him as a silver fox.

Debbie knew about swim technique from her years of training, and this guy’s style was flawless. It was all in the breathing and he seemed to know this.

They began swimming in lanes side by side, not quite racing, but certainly pacing each other.

After a few days he’d smile or nod his head in welcome when he saw her.

When a youngster jumped in by Debbie’s head one day, the silver fox gave her a sympathetic glance.

On another occasion, a younger man overtook Debbie in her lane, almost elbowing her in the face, and the silver fox tutted disapprovingly and asked if she was OK.

Was it her imagination or was there chemistry between them?

Although they both spent a while in the pool, Debbie realised she was going out of her way to stay in longer than he did, just so she could watch him in the communal showers when he got out.

She felt ashamed of herself, drooling over a man like this, but gazing at him standing under the shower, tall and slim in his navy shorts, soon became the highlight of her day.

He had the classic swimmer’s physique, with broad shoulders tapering down to a slim waist.

She mentioned her swimming pool pal to her daughter, Emma, when she came to the house for lunch one day.

“Mum, you have a crush!” Emma exclaimed.

Debbie blushed and concentrated on making a salad.

“Don’t be silly! People my age don’t get crushes,” she retorted

rather unconvincingly. “Says who?” Emma replied, grabbing a slice of pepper.

“Anyway, even if he’s just a friend, you should talk to him.”

Debbie put their plates on the table and cut some bread.

“What on earth would I say to him?”

Emma laughed.

“Mum, any man would be delighted to have you speak to him. Just make chit-chat!”

Even though the thought terrified Debbie, she did like the idea of getting to know the silver fox better.

It was hard to make new friends at her age, and now she’d stopped working she often had days when she barely spoke to another person.

Emma was right to encourage her.

As the silver fox already acknowledged her when he saw her in the pool, all Debbie really had to do was keep the conversation going.

A couple of days later, Debbie was just finishing her warm-up lengths when he jumped into the lane next to her.

“Hi! How many lengths are we doing today, then?” He grinned.

Debbie shrugged, laughing, and he turned away to put his goggles on. Now was her chance.

“I’m aiming for fifty, then I’m going to get coffee in the café.” She hoped he’d take it as a hint.

But to Debbie’s embarrassment, he simply smiled at her and swam off.

She felt her face blush and fumbled with her goggles.

She’d made a fool of herself! He obviously wasn’t interested in her.

Yet he continued to smile and say “hi” to her whenever he saw her.

Emboldened, Debbie tried talking to him again as he leaned back on the edge of the pool one day to catch his breath.

“I think we’re improving,” Debbie said. “Maybe we could try out for the next Olympics.”

OK, it wasn’t exactly side-splittingly funny, but Debbie was hurt when the silver fox set off on his next length without replying. How rude!

Well, she’d learned her lesson. From now on Debbie would focus on her swimming.

She gave up on staring at him in the showers as well, and actually left the pool before him that day, feeling strangely disappointed.

It wasn’t that she’d expected to have some big romance; more that she felt like she’d lost the knack of making new friends.

After a shower, Debbie was standing in front of the communal mirrors in the changing-room brushing her hair when she spotted the silver fox heading for the exit door.

She ignored him, hoping he wouldn’t see her.

Why was she even embarrassed? She’d just been making conversation in the pool!

Then suddenly he was standing right next to her, with a big smile on his face, like he was genuinely happy to see her.

“Hi! I didn’t recognise you with your clothes on!”

He grinned and Debbie couldn’t help but smile in return.

Before she had the chance to come up with a witty retort, he reached into his jacket pocket and removed a small plastic box.

As Debbie watched, he removed two hearing aids from the container and inserted them into his ears, then smiled at her again.

“That’s better – I’m almost completely deaf without them these days.”

Suddenly, it all made sense.

He hadn’t been snubbing her when she’d tried to start a conversation – he just hadn’t heard her.

Debbie smiled and packed her hairbrush and make-up bag away.

“I’m actually just heading for a coffee in the café, if you fancy joining me?” she suggested.

She held her breath, anticipating a rejection, but the silver fox smiled back at her.

“A coffee would be great. I’m Kevin, by the way.”

“I’m Debbie – pleased to meet you.”

And as they walked out of the changing-room together, Debbie decided that taking out a swimming pool membership had been the best thing she’d done this year.

Life was all about jumping in at the deep end, after all.

Luckily, she was a very good swimmer!

The End.