UP TO MY NECK

In my retirement years, my vacation is sitting with family members at their homes. My primary responsibility is caring for their beloved critters. Dogs mostly but I do occasionally take care of a cat and a rabbit. One of those I housesit for has a beautiful house that is not lacking in space inside or out. It comes with a number of luxuries, one of which is a swimming pool.

On my last gig, my third one at this house, I took advantage of the pool for the first time. The only reason I even tried to go swimming was that I had the means (a pool) and total privacy. My hurdle to get over was something many of my fellow autistics can relate to which is sensitivity. I am sensitive to light, noise, and changes in water temperature. For instance, I am reluctant to step into the shower but after I do and adjust to the water temperature, I am equally reluctant to come out of the shower. The last time I did a gig at this house, I did try to dip in their pool but I got up to as far as my knees. Even though I knew if I would just stick it out for a minute or so, my body would adjust to the water temperature. But there’s one thing about my Autism and my logic: they seldom agree.

The reason this time was different was because of the heat wave that not only gripped the immediate area but a goodly portion of the entire country. It was so hot outside that the water was within my range of toleration. I slowly went down step by step into the pool. At last, I made it to where the water was up to my neck. I had finally accomplished something that I hadn’t done in at least thirty years.

What happened next? It started misting RAIN! I kid you not. There had not been so much as a raindrop for days on end until immediately after I succeeded in getting up to my neck in the pool. I thought, “You got to be kidding me!”

Well, fortunately, it stopped misting rain before I gave up and got out of the pool.

Then, I started swimming. Hm? My first thought was I didn’t remember swimming to be so labor-intensive. Swimming was definitely more fun as a kid. But once I try something and I’m okay with it or even like it, I will more likely than not do it again. My swimming considerably improved on my second day. It was as if my swimming muscles were saying, “It’s all come back to me now.”