The sink-or-swim school of life

I go for a swim. The water feels cool and refreshing. I start doing laps. Chlorine is the official smell of summer. All of a sudden I realize I never really learned the proper way to swim. Well, I did...I was taught at various stages of my youth by PE teachers and mean "Moalemeeneh shena", my cousins and my mom. However, I specifically remember I never followed instructions. I wanted to swim my own way, changing midway from "parvaneh" to "ghoorbagheh" to whatever else they would name the movements. I have always been impatient with following instructions. So finally I swam but I just did it in such a way not to sink. As long as I could stay above the water...I would be happy. (Oh, did I mention "docharkheh"?)

And that's how the sink-or-swim school of life began for me. I just made up my own movements as I went along, most of the time without consulting anyone. Recently, though, I have also realized that the easiest way to stay above water is simply to float...relax and lay your body on top of the water and float. As a 7-year-old told me recently, pretend you are on a water bed!

As I do my laps and think about this chaotic life of ours, three young boys near me are playing games and throwing each other in the water...without any adult supervision. They must be between 9 and 13. Suddenly, I think about all the dangers and all the liability that could be caused by this horrific childlike game. They literally stand on the steps of the pool and throw each other. I mean, I imagine their heads hitting the bottom of the pool, brains shattered, adults screaming, lawsuits....lawsuits...lawsuits, then some idiot lawyers arguing over whose brain was shattered into more parts, and which kid's brain would have been worth more in 30 years, based on the most recent report card, and then putting a value on that life...( I heard in some countries they have a flat rate of lost lives...yeah dude just make it simple: Lives for Sale: Ghaymat Maghtoo').

Jesus...lawyers are such buzz killers. And we get paid to be as such.

*****

I get out of water and leave the pool area. The kids are still laughing and playing. I want to make sure I leave with the memory of their happy faces....