Swimming Lessons

I was standing neck-deep in Barton Springs yesterday, sweating in 64 degree water, if that’s even possible. It’s too hot to even think straight, and I’ve taken to weighing the benefits of drowning myself  in the cold water vs the inevitable heat stroke if I stay above the surface any longer.

Over on the diving board, near the center of the pool, i hear the starts of cheering and shouting, creeping up through the audible spectrum, slowly gaining momentum. Looking over, there’s this speck-of-a-kid perched on the end of the diving board. It’s only a three-foot drop but the poor little dude has locked up. All around him though, hundreds of complete strangers are cheering and shouting encouragement, and it spreads up-and-down the length of the 1/3 mile long pool, until you’ve got a pretty impressive tumult.

The kid jumps, and the roar turns to rock concert applause. I’m pretty sure that doesn’t happen everywhere.