A memory of a pool a long time ago and a few stitches in my chin.

God will bless you with peace.

Galatians 6 : 16

Firstly my sister after reading my last post said: ” Do you remember…” and then the feelings all came flooding back. I was terribly excited that we were going to go to our favourite public pool after the sun had set. My parents’ friends and their children, our friends, would all meet up. I was 7 and my sister nearly 4.

My exuberance had no boundaries! My energy levels were so high. I guess I might have felt better if I had run outside and swung on the swing as high as I could go. (Funny that I could never out swing that swing.).

I didn’t!

We had a red formica table with four red formica chairs. It shone in the sunshine for breakfast and looked lovely when we ate at it for supper. When we had guests or a special meal we all sat at a wooden table with chairs. It was just the way my parents liked it.

Well at the moment of such boisterous energy I climbed up on the table with the sun catching the red of its edges and then jumped off it. I then thought if I put a chair slightly pushed under the table the challenge would be greater and more fun. Well I think I managed the first time with a shout of glee but it was the second time that brought my parents running, for there was a shout of pain and a split chin.

My sister started by saying: “Do you remember the time we all never went swimming.”

I do believe I had the mask and chloroform or was it less drastic.

Lying out on a bed with a great big round theater light shining down and a stranger neatly sewing four stitches in under my chin.

No splashes from jumping into water that had been warmed by an all day sun.

No long night shadows from enormous trees.

No smells of chlorine mixed with night damp and cool.

I feel sad and I felt sad.

PS. Formica is made from layers of plastic that are bonded to particleboard to create a solid countertop surface.

I simply feel sad now because you can never recapture a childhood experience as an adult and I would have loved that one.

Minds are like flowers; they open only when the time is right.

Stephen Richards