From Esther Chilton’s blog: Writing prompt – Water: What does that word conjure up for you? Walking along a canal? Splashing in a swimming pool or paddling in the sea? You could write about your own memories or create a story or poem. Perhaps there’s a water shortage, or the water supply is contaminated.
Swimming Lessons – by Hugh W. Roberts
Water was a source of terror for me. However, when I mustered the courage to join a beginners’ swimming club, it felt like a small victory over my fear.
Phil, the swimming instructor, was exceptional. Despite me being the oldest in the group, imagine how taken aback I was when he asked me out for dinner. It sparked an unexpected love story.
Three years later, not only were Phil and I married, but we were also very happy.
On the first occasion I brought him home, he seemed astounded that I’d never mentioned the indoor pool. “My husband had it built, mainly for the grandchildren,” I said.
Of course, the indoor pool terrified me, and I was scared that one of the grandchildren would drown in it.
“Well, now I can give you private lessons,” was his response. And how could I have refused an offer like that from somebody as handsome as Phil?
But water still terrified me. Even with Phil’s muscular arms around my body, all I did was panic when I was in the water.
Then, one day, Phil said he had a surprise for me—something that would go a little way to stopping me from fearing water. And he wasn’t wrong. I couldn’t stop laughing when I saw the huge, inflatable pink flamingo floating in the pool. It symbolised our journey, a reminder of how far I had come. It was a testament to Phil’s love and support and the final push I needed to conquer my fear of water for good.
Unfortunately, while putting the inflatable away one day, I caught it and watched in horror as it deflated.
“Don’t worry, grandma, I’ll find another online,” my eldest grandson told me.
I ensured Phil was out when my grandson bought it over, inflated it, and told me he’d switched it on. Switched it on? He was the joker in the family! I always laughed at his jokes.
Phil had no idea about the replacement, but I had yet to realise it was slightly different.
One evening, after one too many glasses of champagne, Phil persuaded me to join him in the pool. Sitting on the inflatable helped calm my nerves, and it wasn’t until I felt the head of the flamingo that I realised not all of it was inflatable. But what fun we had. We laughed so much until I slipped off, and the inflatable drifted away. I panicked, especially as I watched Phil swim away to the otherside of the pool, get out, stand, and watch me drown.
Now, my fear of water has gone. But inflatable flamingos? That’s another story. They still make me jump every time I see one, a lingering reminder of the fear I once had and the love that never was that helped me almost overcome it.
Phil’s time could have been longer. It was only a matter of weeks before my grandson watched the CCTV footage taken through the eyes of the inflatable flamingo. There’s no point being the wealthiest widower in prison.
Written for Esther Chilton’s writing prompt – Water.
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Now I know how a good beginning and ending of a story can be executed with a surprise. Similar to the others I didn’t anticipate that ending.
That’s great to hear, Suzanne. Thank you for reading and commenting.
Oh yes, I always look forward to your twisted endings. :)
Good to hear. More coming soon.
A great story Hugh and as always I waited for the sting bin the tale…. I was not disappointed 💜💜💜
That’s great to hear, Willow. I always love it when a reader tells me they didn’t see the twist coming.
yup you threw a curved ball 💜💜
I did the same as some of the other people that commented…I had to check if it was fiction. The ending was not what I expected which made this a great story! I love when the ending has a twist.
Thank you. I’m always thrilled when a reader tells me that they did not see ‘that’ ending coming. I enjoy giving an element of shock in most of my fiction.
Great story, Hugh. Did not see that twist coming. Well done.
Thanks, Dan. Glad you never saw the twist coming.
Wow, I thought this sounded very real until the end. I say that, yet I am appalled at how many warped families there are where men and women kill their children, their wives, and parents. Our society is drowning. I will remember this story, Hugh!
When somebody says they’ll remember a story I’ve written, that’s a fantastic compliment. Thanks, Marsha.
There can sometimes be a fine line between fiction and real life.
Wow! A compelling story and I didn’t see twist coming, Hugh. I also wondered if your story was fact or fiction or a little of both. I read Terri’s post yesterday and her reference to water safety and commented learning to swim was required when I was in elementary school so I learned to swim when I was 5 or 6 years old.
Swimming lessons were also required when I was at school, Eugi. However, I was afraid of the water and my swimming teacher wasn’t very good in giving me any confidence in learning to overcome my fear. I hated swimming lessons and did all I could to get out of them. They were days I’d rather forget.
I’m glad you never saw the twist coming and saw that fine line between fact and fiction. When I saw the prompt, it spoke to me.
Those who teach are not always good at what they do, Hugh. You did a superb job on the prompt.
Thank you, Eugi. I’m delighted you thought so.
You’re most welcome, Hugh.
Like several others, I didn’t see the end coming. I did wonder about why the flamingo wasn’t all inflatable.
I had to think of how I could include the CCTV camera in the inflatable, so the idea to make the head of the flamingo firm seemed the best way. Glad you never saw the twist. That always pleases me when readers don’t see it coming.
Good one! I had a feeling this wouldn’t end well, but at least the bad guy didn’t get away with it. Funny how the picture you used showed the flamingo pool toy with a bunch of warning labels… maybe they should have been on Phil instead.
I found that image on the free images that WordPress offer, Janis. I liked the colours in it. Thanks for pointing out the warning labels on the inflatables. I hadn’t noticed them, but they certainly add a good element to the story.
Indeed.
I didn’t see that twist coming! It made me smile. Very entertaining 😊
Glad you thought so, Esther. And glad you never saw the twist coming.
What a fun story. I love it when someone can face and overcome a fear! You nailed it, Hugh!
Thank you, Jan. I have a fear of water so this story was written from a true prospective in some ways. I’ve never had a swimming instructor like Phil, though.
I don’t really fear water, but I am not a capable swimmer and wish I was. I took swimming lessons when I was in my twenties and when I had to jump off the diving board I about had a heart attack. I learned enough to save myself from drowning, hopefully. :)
Good to hear, Jan. My father also could not swim. I recall him telling me a story where some of his friends threw him into a lake when he was a lad. That terrified him, so he took up cricket instead.
Wow! Had to read twice in order to assure myself this was indeed fiction. You ‘hooked’ me, Hugh!
Thank you. I love that you were not quite sure if it were true or fiction. That thin line between both can sometimes be even thinner than we think.
A good one!
Thank you. Any reason(s) why you thought so? Any feedback is helpful and welcomed (for future stories).
You kept us guessing all along and the twist at the end was excellent.
Thank you, that’s great feedback.
I had to look twice to make sure some of this wasn’t a true story, Hugh! Great piece of fiction with your stamp of creepy for added punctuation! Drowning is serious business but a healthy fear of water is also. Learning to respect the water and be safe around and in it is gold.
Feel free to link this post to Sunday Stills, Hugh. May is water safety awareness month in the US and I post about it every year along with a few waterscapes. Fact or fiction, the message in your story helps spread the word about water safety 💧🦺
You remembered my fear of the water, Terri. When I saw the prompt, it spoke to me, even though I have a fear of being in water (not a fear of taking a shower, though). I’ve had many a swimming instructor (nobody like Phil, though) try to teach me to swim, but never an indoor pool. I still can not swim, but I’m happier being on land watching other people do all the splashing.
I haven’t read your Sunday Stills post yet, but I’ll certainly link to it. Thank you for inviting me to do so.
Hey, you do you! I would be honored to include your story in my annual water safety message! I’m glad you are comfortable around water and that you have a healthy respect for it 👍
I certainly have respect for it, Terri. And I love watching others having fun in and on the water.