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I walk past the locker rooms and stop at the next door.
I look through the glass and see half the pool.
What I see are a whole bunch of elderly ladies. Wearing polka dot one-piece bathing suits, many of them with swimming caps on their heads. Throwing their hands into the air, cheering, smiling.
A face appears in the glass.
The door opens.
“Cutter Buckley, come on in. I’m Brian. I’m the Director around here.”
This guy’s smile is brighter than the sun. He looks like he’s ready to sell me a used car with transmission issues.
“Place is all yours,” Brian says. “Listen, I managed to get the first four lanes closed just for you. We had full intentions of cancelling classes, but our guests for this aquatic exercise class really aren’t tech savvy. My sincerest apologies.”
“You don’t have to apologize for anything,” I say. “My only ask… access no matter what…”
“Already done,” Brian says. “Here.” He reaches into his suit jacket pocket and presents me with a key. “We’re very old school here. This is a key to the door for the pool. I know you’ve signed all the waivers…”
“No worries. I’m not going to sue you.”
“Awful we have to think that way right now. But no choice.”
“I’m here to be as invisible as I can.”
“You’re far from that! We’re thrilled to have you here! Actually, here. Hold on.” Brian turns his head and sticks his fingers into his mouth and he whistles. “Piper! Come over here for a second!”
When I see Piper, it’s… a moment.
She’s the lifeguard, dressed in a red t-shirt and white shorts, with legs that seem to go on for days. Her hair is pulled back, messy, just thrown together however it looks. From our distance I sense instant tension with her. Maybe it’s because I’m making mental notes of her thin lips, pursed together in annoyance. Or the way her nostrils look flared. Her nose is skinny, long, kind of cute in that mean, RBF way. Then again, I’m pretty sure Piper is not staring with a resting bitch face at all. This is an active bitch face for sure. Directed at me. Directed at Brian.
“Can’t leave this spot!” Piper calls out.
She lifts her eyebrows in a cocky way, daring Brian to respond.
She then crosses her right leg over her left.
I look at her feet…
Oh, come on, man, get a grip.
But it’s too late. I already make a note of her long feet and her stubby, cute toes. Complete with chipped nail polish on her toenails. A woman who will occasionally paint her nails as a form of forced self-care but then forget it right away.
Piper has a whistle string on her left pointer finger. She looks back to the pool and begins to swirl the string, making it wrap around her finger, getting smaller by the second until the whistle bounces off her finger. Then she reverses the movement.
“That’s Piper,” Brian says with a sigh. “She’s the head lifeguard. Don’t mind her. She doesn’t understand the circumstances here with your presence.”
“Great,” I say.
Just what I need. An introduction with me around.
I take a few steps toward the pool and all the women who are exercising look right at me.
There’s some oldies music blaring through a large portable speaker in the far corner.
Piper leans forward and claps her hands. “Come on now. No getting distracted. He’s the one in the way. Not you.”
Piper side eyes me.
