Becoming an Enthusiast 08: Life as Usual

[ReservedEnthusiast]

Do remember to read chapters 1 through 7 before going on to this one! I will also remind you yet again that all of the events that transpire in the "Becoming an Enthusiast" are completely true and not exaggerated or embellished in any way.

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For the rest of the year, I continued to wear the jammer. Aaron and I swam together at least 2-4 times a week. Each time, it got easier to ignore him in his speedo, though an occasional glance as we passed or a well-timed goggle seal check as he approached didn’t go amiss. And, I will admit, I regularly offered to wash out his suit for him with mine, so I got to carry it just after he’d worn it.

I could feel myself starting to improve, but I felt completely inferior training with him. It was very difficult for me to perpetually be behind. I looked forward to a friend recognizing him so I could get a head start on the next set; I felt terrible making him wait for so long as I caught up. But at the same time, I knew he was a good coach for me and a motivation to improve myself. I wanted to show him the fruits of his labor and to feel proud of what I was working towards.

There’s another guy I should introduce. Again, I cannot use his real name, so I’ll refer to him as Samuel, or Sam. Sam grew up near my university just like Aaron, but they came from smaller towns in opposite directions. He too was a former water polo player, and a good one at that. He told me stories of his team dominating the competition. We became good friends over time and spent many Sunday afternoons together after church. I learned that he also only wears speedos to swim and to coach his high school’s team, but reverts to board shorts for leisure swimming or hanging out at the beach. One Saturday in the spring, he, Aaron and I decided to swim together.

I was much less nervous about seeing Sam in a speedo. It wasn’t simply because he was a little overweight; in fact, he wasn’t by much at all and I still wouldn’t mind being as fit as he is. But it was more because he’s a bit of a dork, so he’s more entertaining and/or annoying rather than cool and attractive as a guy. Also, he started dating my best friend and was completely NOT worthy of or right for her. That’s my inner brother speaking rather than jealousy, I should add. Though I definitely had a crush on her for a while, I wasn’t planning on sharing my crush for a long while yet so it wasn’t like I was in competition for her love or anything. Sam just truly was not a good match for her. Fortunately, they’ve broken up since.

My point is: when Saturday came, I didn’t, if you catch my drift.

The swim went well. They both wore their speedos while I continued to hide in the safety of my jammer. They practiced doing that eggbeater thing that polo players do to tread water while tossing a polo ball back and forth. I was busy swimming laps as usual in the next lane. The only reasons I am sharing this story are these: (1) I had the chance to wear a speedo with friends also in speedos, but I didn't and wish I had; and (2) it’s part of the reason I’m generally not a fan of Turbos. Sam loves them, but it wasn’t very flattering on him, in my opinion. Aaron would get a Turbo himself later on, but that’s for part 2.

With time I grew to favor freestyle, tolerate backstroke, hate breaststroke, and ignore butterfly’s existence. Breaststroke was the absolute worst. The movements are terrible! I feel like I’m moving through the water like a frog who’s had two bottles of absinthe. Backstroke is alright, except I am physically unable to swim in an absolutely straight line and end up getting entangled in the lane dividers before practically breaking my wrists on the pavement at the end. Freestyle was easy to handle, though I am still working on the breathing and flip turns to this day.

One of my favorite things was our early-morning swims before church. We’d ride in my car and park near the rec center, go to the pool at opening, and get in a full swim before driving straight to church, our wet bathing suits hidden away in the trunk. It wasn’t only a confidence boost and energy boost from exercising to get the day started. Somehow, the knowledge of having worn a jammer less than half an hour before sitting with my friends made me feel special, like I knew or accomplished or felt something they didn’t.

Everything was going well, well enough that at some point, I became brave enough to reveal to Aaron that I had a speedo myself. Naturally, he wanted to see it.

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Part 2 is almost ready, but part 1 is all your having till Monday at earliest! I am traveling this weekend and will not have the time or privacy to work on this story. Then, it will hopefully pick back up as usual!