[SwimTeamSpeedo]

While Jimmy did not have a cell phone, he did have an older laptop computer that he used mostly for school and surfing the internet. Despite the financial strains his family endured, his parents knew that access to the web was crucial to their children’s education, so mustered the money for internet each month. Jimmy logged onto Facebook to send Abby a note. As soon as his newsfeed came up, he saw the picture. There he was at the burger place in just his red Speedo. The caption under read, “Found this cutie at lunch, love his Speedo.” Jimmy blushed. She had tagged him, which meant the photo was announced to all of his other FB friends. He read all the comments, especially liking one from her friend Tanya that read “Abby, he is so cute, and he rocks that swimsuit really well. Looks like he likes you, too.” Jimmy didn’t connect that her last statement was a commentary on the rather bulging fit of his swimsuit.

Jimmy sent Abby a nice note and thanked her for her nice comment on his photo. He said he really liked talking to her and hoped they could see each other again. After, he checked his stash of savings from mowing Jack’s lawn. He had over $100 in a coffee can saved up. He knew he would need money to take her on a real date. Jimmy had never asked a girl out, his palms grew sweaty as he contemplated the process. To his surprise, he quickly got a note back from her saying she really liked him, too. She said she would love to see him again, maybe they could hang out at her house. She added that they have a swimming pool. “You can wear one of your swimming suits, like the one at lunch,” she added on the note. They two began an instant message exchange that ran late into the night and resulted in Jimmy having a fitful night of sleep. Dreams of Abby played in his mind. Jimmy was falling for his first girl.

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The two hour ride to Boston was amazing. Greg’s host parents were so nice and gracious. Greg has told them so much about Jimmy that they felt like the knew him all along. They checked into the Marriott Hotel at Copley Place, which totally blew Jimmy’s mind. The place was huge. They would not see Greg the night before his meet, his coach had the team sequestered for a controlled night leading up to the biggest event of the season. Paul, Greg’s host dad let Jimmy text Greg a note on Paul’s cell phone. Jimmy wished Greg luck and thanked Greg again for inviting him to the meet.

“Let’s hit the pool for a swim, then how about we walk down to Fenway and show Jimmy where the Red Sox play,” Paul said to his wife Buffy. Jimmy liked the idea. He scoped out the suite on the 19th floor of the hotel, a two bedroom executive accommodation with a fantastic view of the Charles River and Boston’s famed back bay district. “Let’s get changed into our swimsuits,” Paul suggested. Jimmy agreed and headed into his private bedroom.

Jimmy emerged wearing the red and white print Speedo race brief that Greg had bought him. It looked really neat, and it fit him well. Jimmy especially liked that it was the suit Greg bought him, his secret way of rooting for Greg. “Cool swimsuit,” said Paul, who was wearing short black nylon swim shorts with an exposed draw string. “you sure do look like the swimmer Greg said you are,” Paul added. Paul grabbed a Robe, Jimmy just pulled on his new swimming T-shirt, as the guys started to head out the door.

“You do look handsome in that swimsuit,” Buffy chimed in. She wasn’t going swimming, but she was going to watch them as she read a book poolside.

“You remind me of our son when he was your age,” Buffy added. The suit really did look amazing on Jimmy. The colors were bold and vibrant, and the red dyed drawstring hanging out created an interesting visual feature. “He really liked colorful swimsuits also, well he sill does” Buffy added.

“Thanks, Greg bought this for me, he has the same one,” Jimmy replied. Jimmy also thought Abby would really like the swimsuit. Maybe he could get a picture of him in it at the pool so he could send it to her, Jimmy thought. They had not yet been on a date, but they instant messaged of Facebook every day.

“Greg sent you a text message back,” Paul handed his cell phone to Jimmy as they rode the elevator to the pool floor.

“Thanks, Jimmy. I’m kind of nervous right now. Can’t wait for you to see the meet. I need you to cheer loud,” Greg wrote back. Jimmy smiled as he read it.

______

“This is a big meet for Greg,” Paul explained to Jimmy as the three rode the famed Boston Green Line to Boston University. Jimmy listened intently as he also took in the whole Boston experience. “If he does well, he is sure to get a college offer. He needs us to really pump him up.”

Jimmy was ready. He had on the swim team short Greg gave him, but he used a black Sharpie to write “Go Greg” on the back, right above the “Eat my wake” emblazoned across the back. Jimmy wore the shirt with a higher sense of pride. Greg was his hero, his mentor. They walked the few blocks from the T stop to the BU Aquatics facility. As they got closer, Jimmy was taking in all the other team shirts. There were at least six teams that he counted. Jimmy had on a new pair of shorts his mom bought him just for the trip, a pair of blue plaid shorts she picked up at the local Family Dollar. Under he secretly wore one of his swimsuits, his secret way of being a swimmer. He felt the tight suit under his shorts as they walked.

Inside the aquatics center it was packed. Every top level AAU team from the region was there. Outside, there were vendors selling everything from the latest swimwear to all the equipment a swimmer could want. At least a thousand fans were already in the seating. Hundreds of swimmers. The meet was actually spread between BU and nearby Northeastern University. The guys swam at BU, the ladies at Northeastern. Jimmy’s jaw dropped at how amazing the guy swimmers looked. They were so strong, had awesome bodies. Jimmy could tell that these guys were really good. “But Greg is still better,” Jimmy said to himself. The other thing that caught Jimmy was the swimsuit’s the guys had on. All of them were so small, so tight fitting. Jimmy never looked much at that part of a guy, but he could not help it. They all looked like they were barely packed in the little swimsuits.

Monique spotted Jimmy and called over to him. The events had not started, but many of the swimmers were doing warm up laps. Monique was sitting with Greg’s parents, but she saved three seats for Jimmy, Paul and Buffy. The two sets of parents had already met before, so they warmly hugged and shook hands, like long lost friends. Jimmy was welcomed warmly by Greg’s parents. Greg’s dad had Jimmy sit next to him, so he could talk swimming with the young man. They went over the schedule. Greg’s first event was up right at 8am, the 100 men’s fly first round. Top 4 go to round two. Safe bet was that Greg went to second round. Greg’s biggest event, the 400IM, was at the end of the day. All in, he had four events for the day, some with elimination rounds, so it was going to be a full, long day.

“There’s Greg,” Monique announced. Greg was walking into the pool area with the team. It was shortly after 7. Greg was smiling and looking confident. He saw his fans and waved. He then quickly headed over. He was wearing his team’s race swimsuit, an extremely tight and tiny Agon custom made suit. The sides were really narrow, looked hardly over an inch. The suits were colorful prints of black and gold that looked spectacular.

“Hey everyone,” Greg said as he approached, a big smile on his face. He gave his dad a high five and hugged his mom.

“You look confident,” dad said to his son.

“Yeah, I feel really good about this,” Greg replied as he grabbed Jimmy. “Hey, Jimmy, so glad you could come. Lots of really good swimmers here.” Greg said to Jimmy.

“No way I was going to miss this,” Jimmy replied, his eyes wide with admiration for his adopted big brother. “You’re the best swimmer here!” The two guys exchanged fist taps. Jimmy was almost as pumped up as Greg was. The excitement was palpable.

Greg turned to Monique. He grabbed her and gave her the tightest, longest, deepest hug Jimmy had ever seen. Greg held her close. “Cute swimsuit,” Monique whispered. The two had not seen each other in two weeks, and Greg was as excited to see Monique as he was to swim a great meet. Jimmy watched and wondered how Greg could hug her so long wearing just the tiny swimsuit. Just watching them was giving Jimmy a rise. Truth was, as Greg held her, he was also feeling himself respond to her soft touch, the smell of her hair, and the feel of her body. He swelled inside the swimsuit, not all the way but far enough to make the suit feel tight as is body pushed against the tight lycra material. He knew he should stop, but he so enjoyed the feel of her in his arms. Monique felt Greg responding, too. Just as he had told Jimmy, sometimes it just happens. And it was.