On a cold November morning when the sun rose, smiling towards us (my colleagues and I), a needed warmth in the cold blue water of Grenzi’s hotel's pool was where I looked death in the face all because I was curious.
‘Mawa we have a pool party coming up on the 6th of this month.’
As I stepped out of the lecture hall.
I heard ‘pool’ and I was all the more interested in this information as I inquired further.
‘Where is this?’ I replied excitedly
‘At the hotel close to the school. Grenzi’s place.’
‘Oh nice, any fees to pay?’
‘It is hosted by the school's body in awarding us for a job well done this semester so it's free, the optional fee to pay is $8 for those planning on swimming in the pool’
‘Nice! All I need right now is a swimming trunk. Thank you, Linda!.’
‘Anytime girl’ , my colleague and growing friend who like myself got an appointment to work in a foreign land far from home. An exploration I have no regrets over as I created new bonds as close as family and experiences that have grooming to a lifetime of awesomeness.
I was bought, I will try the waters for the first time as I have only ever seen them in movies.
Through the days of preparations, I got my swimming trunk and went online to learn how to swim. ‘paddle your feet as you thrust forward in opening a pathway with your hands, most especially be light as a feather.’
I thought about telling a friend or a colleague that I had never been in a pool before and was curious as to how it would feel. But dissuaded me from it.
Thought 1: If you tell them, you might not be allowed in the pool.
Thought 2: Learning online does not count.
The earlier worn.
A few hours before the event to show off my expertise in the field of swimming I was at a friend’s who said he wasn't going to the event but when I mentioned that I was going swimming; I jolted the idea of him attending after all, probably because of his perverted thinking to see ladies in bikinis at the pool.
I threaded on a sloppy inverted hilly road leading to the hotel.
I saw the black gate to the hotel and was halted in my steps by an admirer who called me out as though seeking direction but indeed wanted to take me out to ditch my swimming plans to have lunch but I declined.
I got there and met a few people seated with a clear glistering pool staring back at me. I dressed in my swimsuit and was out, ready to swim.
‘You need to shower before getting in the pool’ said one of the attendants. That should have given off the hint that I had no idea about swimming in the pool but I guess they felt I was a local river swimmer.
I acted as though I knew about it but it slipped my mind. I showered and on returning to get in the pool the number of my colleagues increased.
We were in our numbers, it was all fun and chattering with a few learning to do strokes and paddle. I felt like a pro because I learned everything I needed to learn or so I thought.
‘Wow! Whitney, you are so comfortable in the water.’
‘Really?!’ smiling like I had won the lottery.
They nodded in affirmation.
I paddled in the shallow region where my feet could touch the floor of the pool.
There were so many people in the shallow region, so I kept a little distance away from them to do my thing, only curious about how the deep region felt.
In minutes I drifted to the parts where my feet could not feel the ground anymore but asking for help would be humiliating so I said to myself, ‘Keep your cool girl, you can do this’!
I could barely breathe as I could not stay afloat. I had not learned that yet.
I leaped out of the water to get air the first time and sunk in then the second time with a woosh sound. I bet my chattering colleagues felt I was just showing off my swimming skills. Then I remembered the story, my mum who was born in a riverine area, told me about those who drowned in the river ‘When they are about to drown, they always leap out for air and if after the third leap they are not saved, they drown’.
I thought things through before the next leap after the third breath of air ‘Swim sweetheart!’.
I leaped out with so much gosh and strength to take in enough air then held my breath as I sank into the water to paddle my feet and reach out with my hands in pushing the water behind me as I strut forward, it was my last chance at survival.
Before I knew it, my feet could touch the ground again and like a humbled wet chicken I walked shakily off the pool as my eyes pinched from the water that got into it.
I sat beside one of my colleagues who was reserved and wouldn't rat me out. ‘I almost drowned’.
She looked at me in shock ‘I saw you leaping out of the pool and thought nothing of that’.
After I narrated my ordeal, her reply was: ‘You are really brave’.
‘Nah! That was sheer recklessness, I am done swimming.’
®️Whitney Alexander