Conquering Heros

Today was a big day at the YMCA pool. This year, the lifeguards are set up at the gate, giving out orange or green wristbands. The orange wristbands are for all the kids that need to stay in the shallow end. If you pass a swim test, you are given a green band, which means you have full rein of the pool. Those little ropes do not apply to you. The swim test consists of simply swimming across the width of the pool, without touching the bottom.

The boys have been fascinated by these wristbands. When I go in, I just tell the lifeguard that we need orange bands to stick to the shallow end. I did this today, we received out wristbands and headed to swim. But, this time, Asa decided that it was his day to do the swim test. He had made up his mind before we even hit the water. No more orange bands for him. No longer will he stand by and watch his mother assume that orange is acceptable. Not today. Not this boy.

I talked him into doing a practice run before we called the lifeguard over. Sure enough, the little guy plopped in, kicked off the wall, and swam to the other side coming up three quick times for air. I went and got the lifeguard who happily came to perform the test. Yes, this boy deserves a green band. You would have thought it was Christmas morning. The boy was vibrating with excitement. "I can go wherever I want to!" He spent some time by the ladder, right on the other side of the rope, yelling to Addison to proclaim his freedom, raising his wrist high!

It took all of 5 minutes for Addison to find this completely unacceptable. Oh no. He could not sit by and watch his brother have free rein over all this water. Again, I asked for a practice run. We waited a few minutes for Addison's hiccups to subside and he took off. Sure enough, Addison was ready for his test, as well. The smiling lifeguard came back over and watched as Addison gracefully took across the width of the pool only coming up for air once in the middle. Very impressive. Green wristbands all around!

They spent the next couple hours basking in the glory... surveying all that they possess. "The pool is ours! Not really ours, I mean, we can't take it home, but we can go wherever we want!" Asa exclaimed.



And, the two kings of the pool went home very hungry, very tired, and very satisfied with themselves.