Pandemic Swimming

Our extended family has lived at the Somerset Recreation Club Pool for four months during each of the last six summer seasons. In 2019, Sebastian went swimming 91 times but fell short of his record 103 visits in 2016. He and I are often the only members signing in on cold and rainy days. The lifeguards draw lots to see who gets to don winter garb and climb the chair to watch us play tag in the pool. I am not sure why I record our attendance. I divide our membership fee by our visits to calculate what a great deal we are getting but the statistic compulsion is a deeper disorder than just that. The pandemic has ruined both swimming and record keeping. We are eligible for a prorated refund but pressure is mounting to donate it back to the financially strapped Club. On June 18th, Governor Inslee allowed a very limited opening of the Pool. Two lanes are contracted out to swim team lessons and two lanes are reserved for members to swim laps in half hour increments. No play is allowed and strict protocols are followed. I have had no problem reserving lanes because not many kids are agitating to swim laps next to old people and competitive swimmers. Welcome to the store where you can have as much free candy as you can fish out of the toilet bowl. Even so, my grandchildren are incensed that I go to the Pool without them. Sebastian thinks I am cheating to beat him in the statistical count which is only partially true. So I turned on the backyard sprinkler for them last Saturday. Sebastian declined to participate and Zofia lasted just four minutes running through the water alone. I timed her for the record.

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