Mabel and I were doing our daily pool walk,
crossing back and forth
in the shallow end,
back and forth,
Mabel complaining about her husband, Ralph,
I, laughing about Charles’ – quirks,
(lying through my teeth…)
back and forth,
back and forth.

ADONIS STROLLED IN.

Mabel caught her breath.
I just stared.

Tall.
Maybe 6 foot.
Probably was 6 foot 2,
2 or 3 decades ago.
Slender, muscular legs…
Wearing a swim suit like
Michael Phelps at the Olympics.
A stomach that my grandson
and his football chums call
“a six pack”
The broad chest of a basso-profundo…
gray haired and deep breathing..
A Robert E. Lee beard,
short, clipped gray hair on the sides,
and a round shaved top,

like an erect …

Oh! Dear!

Well…

Of course,
As Charles always says,
in that annoying professorial tone,
“Well, dear, there are always certain
inevitable anatomical, gravitationally caused –
alterations over time, but, still…?”

(Like he can’t see his Peter when he Pees!!)

But,

Then,

HE SPOKE..

asked us in his Sam Elliot,
Coors Light voice
if we minded if he swam from end to end
as we walked from side to side..

“Don’t worry. I’ll watch you.

I can swim around you!

I won’t bump into you…”

AND HE SMILED.

“It’s fine”,
Mable was able to warble.

I continued to stare.

(hecanseeusunderwater!)

He started to swim.
We walked, forward, though, now, looking
backward,
just glancing…

He swam and swam,
14 strokes – 7 breaths a length,
28… 7… a lap.
Long, slow, strong strokes,
Deep breaths, steady…

We walked and walked
counting silently,
no need to talk,
now.
Why bother?

He swam and swam,
gliding through the water like
Neptune’s dolphin..
He swam and…

“How long can he keep it up?”
panted Mabel?

“I don’t care.”

“I’m about done in…”

Still we walked and walked and walked some more.

Then, as he swam and swam,
we stopped,
struggled the mountainous stair,
trying not to stare like a pair
of guppies
– ah-
groupies..

He swam and swam.

We slowly slid the sliding glass doors open,
the windows all steamed up..
stared,
watched him swim and swim as we left,

he swam and swam and swam and

I swam until my time was up
and I stretched on the side of the pool
giving thanks for those
two nice,
older,
ladies
for leaving in such a timely manner
and,
for giving me
a pleasant fantasy
to keep my mind occupied
as I swam my hour.

Average Heart Rate: 109.

I aim to die a healthy man!