over/under water

I went swimming with Dad and Tim on Monday, when my Mum was in one of her cleaning frenzy moods (they remind me of Mrs Joe's moods: "She...got out the dustpan -- which was always a very bad sign -- put on her coarse apron, and began cleaning up to a terrible extent. Not satisfied with a dry cleaning, she took to a pail and scrubbing-brush, and cleaned us out of house and home,..." )

We plunged into the pool, and did a few laps. Dad splashes a lot when he swims freestyle, and so he tends to alternate between freestyle and breast stroke, sort of as if the calm waters that ensue when he swims breast stroke are an apology for all his previous bluster and noise.

Because our goggles always tend to lose themselves, we had one pair between the three of us, and so we had to swap them round, Home Run style.

When I was above the water, I moved much more slowly. I took about 50 strokes to clear the length of the pool. I had to purse my lips to avoid swallowing displaced water from other swimmers who perhaps had learnt to swim at the same place as Dad.

I also got to see much more. I saw a squirrel race along the narrow silver railing beside the playground, and two women who stayed at one end of the pool talking, and never swimming a stroke. I laughed quietly at the gasping, serious faces of other swimmers, their mouths jumping into little 'o' shapes whenever they surfaced. I've always wondered how I look when I come up for air. I glided along, tired but calm, and smiled when I saw coming towards me, head above the water too (Dad had the goggles), both of us laughing at each other just because we knew the other would.

When I got the goggle, swimming became so much easier. I swam the length of the pool in 30 strokes, and my neck wasn't straining to keep myself afloat all the time. I could maneuver around other swimmers in the congested lanes, going around or under and smoothly keeping to my path.

But I didn't resent swimming with my head above the water. It may have been the 'wrong perspective' for a swim, and it certainly was harder, but it gave me such pleasure, and forced me to take things at a calmer pace (and I know my heart - it races and rushes and bolts from one thing to another and strains against slowness) I loved the swim under water, and I loved the swim over water, and both looking through the tinted lenses of the goggles and over the undulating surface of the pool were beautiful sights.