Marco

Written on 07.24.10

Today I went wading. I waded through ocean waves, a swimming pool and lots of wet towels and swimsuits. I had the best time. I know my enjoyment of it all has a lot to do with me just enjoying life, but the two women and two girls I was with made it unforgettable.

I am in Galveston with my grandmother, mother, my cousin & her friend. The two girls are 9 and 11 years old. Earlier today we took the ferry over to Bolivar. Highlights included the excitement of the girls being on a ferry and seeing dolphins jumping in front of a tanker. I had to wonder if they were trying to lead the tanker safely to dock or if they were hoping to beach it.

I was amazed that we found the right road to the beach that we had always used. The road is barely marked and everything looks different since the hurricane. The girls were in the water before the van came to a full stop. It took me another 15 minutes to join them because I was wrapping myself up in cellophane. Not in a sexy way.

I have to admit to being a bit scared of the ocean. I absolutely love it, but I am also absolutely terrified of what lurks beneath. Sharks and stingrays and crabs, oh my! I really wanted to get wet, so I also had to get brave. I shuffled my way out into the waves because I think shuffling helps to scare away the stingrays. The sand is like dunes under the water, and with every dip I would pause, feel around with one foot and then would continue forward. After doing this several times, I finally got used to being brave and barely hesitated before walking into the abyss. I got all the way out to where the water reached above my knees. Victory was mine!

Mom and the girls jumped into the waves, laughed, would ride them in a little bit and then jump back into them again. I did the granny squat and would jump up at the last second so I could keep all of my gear dry. I was almost one of the girls. I did get to laugh with them and I most definitely enjoyed watching them have a good time. My grandmother stayed back in the van with all of the doors opened and rested while enjoying the sound of the waves.

Highlights for the ferry ride back included walking to the top deck of the ferry with the girls and being flirted with by a ferryman. I must also give many thanks here for oblivious little girls that demanded my attention away from the ferryman's attentions.

Back at the hotel the girls made a mad dash and splash for the pool. I took a shower (the adult thing to do) and then joined the girls. I reclined while they did flips, double flips and handstands in the water. We also sampled different pools. Our hotel has two. One has a giant toadstool that showers down water into the pool, the other has a rock fountain. The rock fountain was decidedly the better pool. Lots more swimming ensued.

Several swimsuit changes had happened by now (seriously, how many did they bring?) and the balcony was brightly dressed in small two-pieces and oversized beach towels. More swimming after dinner had been promised and the girls were adamant that they could comfortably eat dinner in their suits. After soaking my seat, I became adamant that they use a towel under their bums. Mom's pants also bared the mark of a wet couch. It got her twice.

By the time we made it outside, the pool lights were on and there were lots more kids splashing about. I had to join in. Okay, I was in the shallows, but I still got to watch. The water was lovely and cool. I was sitting on a ramp that led gently down into the water. I know that I should have been thankful for getting to do even that much, but I couldn't help thinking of a line from a movie talking about how we want it all. Not in the material way, but in the experience way. It's wonderful that I get to recline in the pool, but I want to dive. That's when I remembered what one of the girls asked me earlier. “What have you always wanted to do that you've never done?” I said skydiving, she said walk on the moon. Then she said, “Okay, now imagine you're doing it.” She started moving through the water at an exaggeratedly slow speed. I was laying on a long beach chair, so I lifted my arms above my head. She walked on the moon, and I soared through the sky. After remembering this, my imaginings of diving were quite satisfying. As an added bonus, I didn't have to wash my hair again.

A large group of kids playing Marco Polo pulled me out of my daydreaming. This is a game that I didn't like so much when I was their age. Something about people trying to evade you that bothered me. Now I see it a bit differently. I like that you are going on faith that you can close your eyes, call out in the darkness and know that your friends are waiting for you to find them. Soon my friends all joined me and we went inside, anxious for both sleep, happy dreams and more swimming tomorrow.