Sweet Relief

A few days ago we had the hottest day Los Angeles has seen so far this summer. By the late afternoon, it was 98 degrees. Happily, this town cools off a bit better at night than my hometown of Phoenix does, but it was a very hot day. Luckily, I was more prepared to cope with it than I have previously been. I haven't really gone swimming in a very long time- longer than anyone would likely believe. The reasons will undoubtedly baffle you. One problem that hindered things was my difficulty in focusing on a single activity. You can't do many things at the same time as swimming. You can't be on the computer, or read terribly easily. I certainly wouldn't take a book out on an inflatable raft, even if it weren't a library book. You can listen to music, but I'm not inclined to bring a stereo down to the pool and start imposing it on my neighbors. Maybe I could do that, but that's not me. You can see why inability to focus on swimming might be a problem.

Another issue is that of the Sun's deadly rays. I burn very, very easily and so cannot spend a great deal of time exposed to direct sunlight without sunblock. Sunblock is a real problem for me. I feel I must get the strongest SPF rating I can, and prefer it to be impervious to water. Unfortunately, I have trouble applying it properly. There are always areas I don't hit, and they burn badly. Even the areas I cover well can burn, as one must reapply, and I don't stay on top of that very well. What can I do? I have to live, and so I must brave the danger anyway.

Sunburns aren't the real problem, though, if you can believe it. The main reason I hadn't been swimming was that I lacked a pair of trunks, with my existing ones in a state of unacceptable disrepair. That may not sound like the valid reason that not knowing how to swim or having nowhere to swim would be, but that kept me out of the pool for some time. There had been several close calls as a result of visiting the pools of other people for parties and such. On those occasions I did no more than dip my legs in- not entirely satisfying.

Today was the day it all changed. I was in the middle of doing my laundry, and had meant to go swimming once it was all in the dryer. Unfortunately, after I had gotten one load in there, I was unable to get the second load in there for some time (owing to someone else's laundry not being retrieved). I decided I'd better not wait. I took a couple of steps down the little ladder and then let myself drop. It was an exhilarating relief to be swallowed up by the cool waters. After exiting briefly to finally move my other clothes, I returned to the pool, luxuriating in it and marveling at the suffering I had put myself through for having not simply procured trunks. I submerged myself and then swam a bit in a few different strokes. It was wonderful. After a little while, I realized I had begun to prune, and was getting bored in any case. It was time to get out. I got out of the pool and went over to my pile of possessions. I grabbed my feeble beach towel and dried off as well as I could. This was the awkward phase of it.

I decided after the fact that the drying off process might be made easier if I linger poolside, perhaps with a book. I ought to get some sunblock, as well, although I don't know whether I'll ever be swimming for any single stretch long enough to need it. It still would be a good thing to have. My attention deficit, the only other real obstacle, may be a plus in this regard. After consideration of all this, I decided that I will spend the rest of the summer just swimming like crazy.