That summer I got a job life guarding at the same pool I took swimming lessons at when I was young. I loved every aspect of the job, it really was perfect. I got a nice tan, free food, and I was the one in the chair who was responsible for everyone's life; but the best aspect was that head life guard, Travis, was the guy I"d had a crush on since my freshman year of high school. One day after work I asked the manager if anyone taught swimming lessons. To my disappointment she said "Yes, Travis teaches them." Travis, had worked there for six years, and had been teaching swimming lessons for three of them. I didn't feel I had a chance, and was really disappointed.
The following summer I worked at the same pool; only things were now a little bit different. Travis and I were dating, and he had agreed to let me help him teach swimming lessons, I was ecstatic. I remember telling him how easy it was going to be. He tried to tell me that it wasn't that easy, but I didn't believe him. How hard can it be? We weren't going to teach them calculus. .
When the first day of swimming lessons finally arrived, I was as nervous as I was at my first swimming lesson. We were teaching a level one class, so all of the kids were six or seven years old, and most of them looked more nervous than I was. After we completed our stretches, and everybody introduced themselves, we got in the water. To my surprise three of the little kids started to cry, I didn't understand why. Travis and I were nice to them, and they could stand in the two feet of water we were in. After I tried to comfort them, and finally sent them to their mothers, I thought back to how I felt and acted when I was six years old, and then I understood. They were just young, and scared, it was normal for children to act this way. Somehow I made it through the first day, and although I hated to admit it, Travis was right. Teaching little kids how to swim was anything but easy.
