My World

Heading to the pool to get a few rays of sunshine, maybe this will tell the weather predictors to send us some rain?  Either way, I need the D-vitamins.  Getting dressed in my usual shorts and Jawsome T-shirt, I grab a towel, some water, my purse, my book and my phone - I'm off to the pool.  

One person lounging with reading material, good, not a bother.  I head to the other side of the pool, under the new blue canopy of shade, where only my feet and legs are partially exposed and sun-stroked.  

My book is nearing it's end, East of Eden has been a long and rewarding read. Loving Steinbeck's views on living, and being rewarded with well put together sentences, unlike my own awkward stumbles. 

  

I open the thin pages, reread the past page to catch-up and refresh my memory, as I haven't read for a couple of days. The characters are always into something, never mundane in the psychological turmoil they possess. 

  

After a half-hour passes, three people arrive to another side of the pool, and glancing up I see a woman I know.  We smile and say hi, then I divert my eyes back down to my pages. I'm wearing sunglasses to hide my eyes from the sun, and from prying eyes.  A few minutes go by and another woman I know joins this group. I ignore them all and keep reading. 

These people laugh and talk, then throw a ball into the pool...a young girl is in the pool but doesn't play with the ball...the ball floats around and around, the breeze carries it from one side of the pool to the other. I keep reading, but wonder why the ball is there. I like these people by the pool, but the characters in my book are more interesting at this point. 

Everyone starts to disrobe and enter the pool.  The ball is picked up and a game of toss begins.  I wonder if these people know that balls are not allowed in the pool, but I don't care to voice my opinion, as it's not bothering me if they want to have their fun in the pool. One lady, not part of this group, wades back and forth across the deep end, getting her exercise for the day. Another lady I know is also in the deep end, she looks in my direction and says hi to me.  I smile and say hi back, but I continue to read.  I've never seen her when she's not in her mobilized wheel chair. 

The ball playing and conversations continue, until The Warden comes out the clubhouse door to the pool.  I wonder if he's going to mention to them that balls are not allowed, but just then the ball floats away to the pool steps.  Maybe the ball hears his voice.  He simply asks if they're having fun playing ball.  He looks at me and we exchange greeting--- I laugh to myself, because I know if this had been a group of kids he would definitely tell them to get the ball out of the pool, and remind them of the rules.  I guess a double standard applies here. 

The talking and visiting continues; two in the pool, one in the pool with one outside of the pool, and two outside in chairs.  The talking gets louder, each seemingly wants to talk over the other.  I'm having a hard time sitting and concentrating, wishing I had a mute button.  I'm torn between staying and leaving.  If I get up I'm sure to draw attention to myself, when all I want to do is leave quietly and go home to silence, except for the voices in the heads of the characters in my book. 

  

I manage to gather my things and give a wave of goodbye...  

Silence, now, except for the plane flying overhead, the traffic on the street, the hum of a lost hummingbird and the twitter of the small birds gathering food for their young.