[SwimTeamSpeedo]

Author's note: I meant to post this at the first chapter. This is a short story about swimming. Some of the characters are teenage. There will be no graphic content or inappropriate activity. For those of you who swim or did at one time, I hope you enjoy the swimming theme of this short story...STS
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Typical New England weather, the heat wave of the last week broke with a cold front that took the temps overnight to the low 50’s. The day opened grey and cloudy, quickly becoming an even more delightful grey and rainy. The high was only going to 64. As usual, the pool was open, with the swim team practice in full swing, despite the bursts of rain. No thunder, but looming grey clouds buried the sun away. The usual grouping of girls did not show, making for a more boring day for the guys on the team, who all seemed to enjoy the attention. Too bad for the young girls, today was focused on starts, so the team made a constant rotation off the blocks, swam to the mid point ladder, then climbed out and waited to start again. It would have been a good show of the boys on the team. The cold air was a big contrast from the 78 degree pool, both the guys and girls on the team wrapped their arms around themselves and shivered as they waited their turns.

Jimmy had not missed a day of swimming. Ten in a row so far, and a little rain was not going to stop him. He slipped on his blue swimsuit, tied the strings, pulled on a windbreaker jacket and headed out on is bike to the pool. His towel and goggles secure in a plastic bag on the small rack that sat over the back tire on his old, single speed Schwinn bicycle. By the time Jimmy reached the pool, the rain was coming down in buckets, which was actually a good thing. Not only did it help the farm, but it also meant most of his chores could not be done. Sort of a Summer snow day.

“Wow, I am impressed, you’re the only one here for laps,” Molly said as Jimmy walked through the gate.

“Just a little rain,” Jimmy said. “I’m gonna get wet anyway.”

“Good point,” Molly replied. She never asked Jimmy for the $2 entry fee. While it wasn’t much money, she knew that Jimmy’s family was of modest means, so she just ignored it. She told the rest of the crew to do the same. “Have a good swim,” Molly added.

The swim team was huddled under a picnic covering, still in their swimsuits, but most had towels wrapped around them. Jimmy jumped in the second lane of the now empty pool. He stood at the top end of the lane checking out the cute swimmer girls, a brief distraction from what he was there to do, but he couldn’t just ignore them. He also saw Greg standing amongst the guys. He had not seen Greg since that first day, he wondered if Greg would see him. Jimmy finally put on his goggles and started his first lap.

While Jimmy didn’t fully appreciate it, he had come a long way in his first ten days. Foremost, he no longer stopped after each length, in fact he now was swimming down and back several times before he had to stop. His breathing also looked so much better, and he was picking up speed. His form and technique still needed lots of work, but the progress was clearly evident. Hard work was paying off. Jimmy stopped for a break, looking over at the swim team again. Most of the girls had left, but a few remained along with a bunch of the guys, including Greg. Greg was busy flirting with one of the girls, having wrapped them both together in his towel. They were laughing. Jimmy smiled, with a hint of jealousy at Greg’s luck with such a cute girl. He resumed his laps.

“Hey, you are looking great,” Jimmy heard a voice as he approached he wall. He stopped and stood. Greg was standing at the edge of the pool looking at Jimmy.

“Thanks, trying,” Jimmy replied. Greg had a towel still wrapped around him, the rain had picked up some more, Greg’s wet hair dripping with the rain flowing off his head.

“Let me see,” Greg asked. He watched as Jimmy pushed off and swam. He had much improved, but was still somewhat pulling his head up. Greg watched as Jimmy swam down and then back. When Jimmy reached the wall, Greg had jumped in and was already standing in the water. Up close, Jimmy marveled at how strong and muscular Greg looked. Not in a sexual way, there were no such desires in Jimmy, except when it came to girls. Rather he was envious of Greg’s impressive display of the male body. No wonder he caught all the girls attention, thought Jimmy.

“You are doing great,” Greg said. “Hey, by the way, my name is Greg,” he extended his hand.

“Oh yeah, Jimmy.”

“So, two tips for today. First, when you breath you want to keep your head down.”

“I thought I was,” said Jimmy, somewhat deflated.

“You really are, but just as you start to breath you pull it up a bit. So, as you breath, I want you to pretend you are going to look at your chest, then as you breath act like you want to look slightly behind you,” Greg explained. He demonstrated standing up. “See what I mean?”

“I think so,” Jimmy replied. “This swimming really is hard.”

Greg laughed. “Yeah, harder than most think. Let me show you.”

Once Greg was convinced Jimmy understood, Greg went to point number two. He explained to Jimmy the need to try to keep his arm strokes closer to his body and follow all the way through. “You lose half the stroke by pulling out early like you are.” Greg explained. This took much longer to get Jimmy to understand. Greg, the patient teacher, stayed with it. He watched Jimmy swim, walking along side as Jimmy went, stopping and starting him to give him more tips. Jimmy was somewhat overwhelmed by all the things he had to think about. His frustration level was creeping up.

“I am not sure I will ever get this,” Jimmy said in exasperation.

“Hey, you are doing awesome,” Greg replied. “It just takes practice. Now, you work on that. Meanwhile I need to get out of this tight swimsuit and get something to eat.”

“Thanks, Greg,” Jimmy replied as he watched Greg effortlessly leap out of the pool, the muscles in his arms flexing with the lift. “By the way, you have a cool swimsuit,” Jimmy added.

“See ya sometime,” Greg closed out the second impromptu lesson just as he had the last time. He did not respond to Jimmy about the suit, but he did like the particular suit he was wearing, an Arena brand brief with a black background and the Arena emblem emblazoned against a contrasting swirl of orange colors that wrapped from his left side seam and faded into the black background about mid way in front. It was one of Greg’s favorite swimsuits.

Jimmy spent the next 90 minutes trying to practice everything Greg had told him. He was now the only person in the whole pool, the rest of the regulars scared away by the rain and colder temps. The sole lifeguard was under an umbrella and wrapped in a blanket. It was a guy about Greg’s age, and he seemed none to pleased that Jimmy was making him sit out in the rain. By the time Jimmy was done, he had gulped a gallon of pool water in his effort to coordinate the breathing and the improved stroke technique. The rain had picked up again, and the wind was now blowing hard enough to make small waves on the long pool. Jimmy called it a day, more frustrated than he had ever been. He hoisted himself out of the pool, wanting to be able to one day leap out like Greg does. The pouring rain felt cold and raw. He grabbed his soaked towel and wrapped it around his shoulders. It was going to be a crummy ride home.

The swim coach, Frank, was sitting working on his laptop inside the small office. He looked up and watched as the skinny teenager in blue shorts climbed out of the pool. While he hadn’t really paid much attention to Jimmy, far too busy with the swimmers he had to worry about, he was impressed that the kid actually came and swam on such an awful weather day. Frank had also watched as Greg gave Jimmy swim tips. “Well, what he lacks in skill he makes up for in determination,” Frank said aloud to nobody, as he resumed entering his coaching notes into his laptop.

Jimmy went into the small locker room, for no reason than it got him out of the rain. He stood in front of the mirror looking at himself. While he didn’t see it, the ten days of swimming was already creating definition in his underweight body. He tugged at his swim shorts, which were clinging to him. He slipped on his windbreaker and readied for his ride home. “Maybe I should just give this up,” Jimmy quietly thought to himself, still frustrated at how awful he was after Greg tried to help him. “I’m just not as good as those guys,” he deflating thoughts continued.

“Hey, Jimmy,” called Molly as he passed by the gate. Jimmy stopped and turned.

“You are really getting to be strong in the water,” she complimented him.

A huge smile beamed across Jimmy’s face. His pride swelled. All the frustration suddenly left his mind. He stood taller. “Thanks,” he replied. A spring in his step, it turned out to be not such a crummy ride home. Jimmy hardly noticed the rain.