Carolyn and I have been doing our stumble through version of tag team Tai-Chi for a couple of weeks now and the exercise is helping to keep her spirits high and my back in pain. Oh well, that's what Vicodin's for and I'm a tough old bird who's used to a bad back. I'd rather see her smile and deal with the backache - mostly because I can't see my own smile anyway. What I can do is feel my grin when I see hers. The problem with Tai-Chi is that it happens only on Mondays and Wednesdays. We aren't all that old, and we want to abuse our bodies a little more often than that. Bruises go well with liver spots, and I didn't even have to pay a professional colour coordinator for that opinion. I can see it for myself.
What we needed was something on Friday for sure, and if whatever it was we chose didn't cripple us too badly, maybe one more day a week every once in a while. I was pondering our options as I drove home from out latest Tai-Chi class when I noticed a green sign that read "Swimming Pool" with an arrow that directed one to turn left. Well, I had just left a Chinese Torture class and my brain works in a very quirky manner. I had no control over the images that in a heartbeat flashed through my slowly aging gray matter. What I saw was Carolyn and me in the swimming pool and a big neon sign above us that read "Chinese Water Torture." And in smaller letters below that, "Waterboarding Upon Request. Talk to Dick"
"Quick, Martha, grab the kids and hide em! Ol' Forrest just got an idea an' it'll prolly killus all." My Uncle Joe would have said that. But, since he wasn't around, and hasn't been around for the last decade or so, what actually happened was a little different. I turned left and asked Carolyn what she thought about taking a swim every now and again. She loved the idea - See, Uncle Joe, not all my ideas are bad.
We pulled into the parking lot and, still feeling the effects of the T-C class, hobbled in. The pool is managed by the Parks Department and is open every day of the week. There is a special time for folks our age to walk around in the shallow end so we can exercise without having to dodge unruly and disgustingly healthy teenagers. Don't worry, I'm just jealous. Teenagers are 'sposed to be unruly. God put them on the planet to remind us of the way we were back in the day. It costs only a buck for old fogies like us and it's heated to 84 degrees! When the Good Lord made this town I think He had people like us in mind. It just gets better and better!
From now on if you want to find us between 11:00 and noon on a Friday we'll be at the pool.
Great idea Forrest! Carolyn is going to love the pool and that's a great way to exercise the achy back with no impact.
ReplyDelete'Morning, Jeff. Thanks. But, now I have to go buy a bathing suit. That means walking by all the neat guns and fishing gear at the sporting goods store. Hope I can carry all the stuff that finds it's way into the cart back to the car. More Vicodin - That's the ticket!
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