Memories Monday

I swam the backstroke on the town swim team for a couple of summers, junior highish, maybe until the summer after my freshman year. I had a dark blue Speedo one-piece, with light blue stripes down the sides. This was the team suit, but I wore it every day I spent at the pool and then right through dinner the nights when we had meets. It's what I wore in the summer, that and a pair of cutoff jeans. I wasn't one for fancy swimsuits. I liked my Speedo. We bought it at the same place we bought our soccer stuff in the fall, I loved the way it smelled in there. New shoes.

I loved being at the pool at night, after the day crowd had gone home. I hated swimming my actual race, but loved the sitting around and watching everyone else -- the sun would go down, the grass would get cooler and the fireflies would come out. We'd lay on a blanket and giggle and wait for our race to be called up. Eat cherry Jello, raw, out of the box wth our fingers. For the "energy."

Not many people swam the backstroke. I swam the 100 and the 200, and it was usually just someone from the opposing swim team and me. As a result I have an impressive collection of second place ribbons.