I am not a strong swimmer.
You can tell that from looking at me. I don’t have the body of a swimmer. I look like what I pretty much am, in bodies of water: a buoy.
But I enjoy doing things that look like swimming, to the point that I maintain (falsely to the wider world, but accurately insofar as the activity’s effect on me) that it is impossible to remain depressed in a swimming pool.
It cheers me up and energizes me.
And one of things I like doing, in my undignified paddles back and forth across the deep end, is dive to the bottom.
I like being underwater. I know a lot of much stronger swimmers who don’t. They panic too easily. But making my way back and forth across a pool, I absolutely love pausing in mid-lap to flip around, position myself vertically, and head straight for the bottom.
As part of this operation, I wind up sticking both my fat legs straight up in the air.
So on one recent visit to the pool, after about twenty minutes of this, I take a momentary break and am confronted by a pinch-faced, disapproving woman stretched out on one of the lounges.
“You,” she said, in a tone meant to be withering. “Do you like being a child?”
I gather at once that I am supposed to be shamed by this.
So I give her the answer it deserves. “Yup. Absolutely. But more importantly, why don’t you?”
Comment By: Beth Cruz
June 15th, 2016 at 11:17 am
*applause* Do NOT mess with an author.
Comment By: Gregg Chamberlain
June 15th, 2016 at 11:17 am
beauty answer. 🙂
Comment By: Lee Gilliland
June 15th, 2016 at 11:17 am
Perfecto!
Comment By: Elena Gaillard
June 15th, 2016 at 12:17 pm
“Yes, a child raised by pearl divers!”
No, your answer was better. 🙂
Comment By: Rory Metcalf
June 15th, 2016 at 12:17 pm
My withering question: Why the hell does she care?
Comment By: Susan Zell
June 15th, 2016 at 12:17 pm
Comment By: David Silver
June 15th, 2016 at 12:17 pm
And you remain one of my favorite little kids!
Comment By: Dale McAtee
June 15th, 2016 at 12:17 pm
Great answer! Am proud to know you Adam, even if it’s just via FB and reading your books…
Comment By: Seth Gordon
June 15th, 2016 at 1:17 pm
âWhen I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up.â âC. S. Lewis
Comment By: Allegra Sloman
June 15th, 2016 at 1:17 pm
It’s never wise to poke the bard.
Comment By: William C Roeben
June 15th, 2016 at 3:18 pm
I wish I could buy you a cup of coffee my friend 🙂 Sure, I could buy ANOTHER book and hope the pennies get to you, but still… Thanks again for making me smile 🙂
Comment By: Glenn Copeland
June 15th, 2016 at 3:18 pm
Well played!
Comment By: Jeremy Lichtman
June 15th, 2016 at 3:18 pm
You missed an opportunity to stick out your tongue as well…
Comment By: David Weingart
June 15th, 2016 at 9:18 pm
Bravo!