I went swimming again this morning. I just got back and am feeling relatively calm again. Today’s swimming session wasn’t calm. It made me irate. It shouldn’t have. But it did.
As I approached the pool I saw that it was mostly empty, just the lap lane was full. The front crawl lane and nice and easy lanes were both empty. Also, the massive end lane which can take about four people only had one person in it. So I got in the nice and easy lane and thought I’d just have a relaxing swim today because my shoulder was aching a bit. I was about ten lengths in when it started. It all fell apart.
A lady approached the nice and easy lane so I moved from the middle of the lane to the side of it, to make space for her. She also moved to the side, the side I was on! She stood there fixing her goggles then just started swimming!
This picture shows the situation. I’m in the end lane (the top one). The next lane, for front crawl, is empty. The next lane is full and the end one is almost empty. The lady has approached the nice and easy lane, lined herself up with me exactly, leaving the other half of the lane empty and set off swimming straight at me! Doing front crawl!
DOING FRONT CRAWL! She’s come to share the nice and easy lane and is doing front crawl, when the front crawl lane is free! I quite literally went in to shock. I know it’s irrational but I was livid.
I just kept swimming straight, even though I know she must’ve expected me to move. Don’t people get it? When you’re new to the lane, you fit in with the people there, you don’t come in and shove people out of their space when they were there before you! Is it me? I’m worried about my anger, maybe I’m making up rules that are silly?
Anyway, I kept going, thinking she’d surely move. Surely. But she kept coming, doing a really clumsy version of front crawl, her hands kept splatting on the water like the noise you make when you belly flop. We eventually got so close that I had to stop and just tread water until she saw me. She did, obviously. She must’ve known I was there the whole time. She just looked at me like there was no problem.
“I guess I’ll move then,” I said, when it became clear that she hadn’t noticed anything wrong. I waited for the penny to drop and for her to go ‘O, it’s ok, I’ll move over here.’ But no. It was unbelievable. We were near the stairs so I just got out and moved to the large end section and started swimming but I was all out of sync and couldn’t concentrate.
I noticed the indoor pool was emptier so I went inside and started swimming. After about two lengths, four people came in together and squashed themselves into the lane I was in. One man was just standing at the end, holding on to the side, not moving. He was at the end of my section and didn’t move away when I approached. So I had to swim around him to get to the end then swim back around him to start my next length. He just stood there.
By this point, it was getting silly, I hated everyone in that pool and wished they’d all just bugger off and leave me to swim. It was time to take myself out of the situation…
After I got out, I tried to work out what was wrong with me. I’ve had a bit of a toothache and have a dentist appointment fast approaching. Has that made me angry? When it was quite hot yesterday, I struggled to not get grumpy with everyone, so maybe it’s the leftovers from that? I can’t work it out. People do silly things at the swimming pool all the time and are constantly stealing your space, so why was I so angry today? Maybe the Swim Gods are punishing me for missing Wednesday by stealing the Fun Factor from today’s swim? Or maybe I just shouldn’t be around people…?
I’m going to drink some herbal tea and do some yoga, I think.
lazylauramaisey 
Posted by davidmcgowan on June 29, 2012 at 07:54
Don’t worry. I hate people too. How’s NaNo going? Maybe you could just kill them all off in that. Swimming Pool Serial Killer Thriller. Maybe set it in Manila. The Manila Swimming Pool Serial Killer Thriller.
Posted by lazylauramaisey on June 29, 2012 at 08:05
NaNo going well. I don’t always hit the word count but I’m concentrating on making sure I do some every day anyway. I love your idea about killing all the other swimmers off in a book! I think I should feel all team spirity about my fellow swimmers, but I don’t. I just want to ignore them and get on with swimming.
Posted by davidmcgowan on June 29, 2012 at 08:08
Balls to the lot of ’em. Just kill them. It will be a murder msytery. A knife under the water. A whodunnit. It could work as a NaNo story. If you don’t write it, I will.
Posted by lazylauramaisey on June 29, 2012 at 08:18
Real life and silliness are where my strengths lie. Murder mysteries are your bag. We could try writing a chapter each and see where it goes! Ok, you go first! Email it to me when it’s done!
Posted by davidmcgowan on June 29, 2012 at 08:24
Maybe I will. Only thing is, I’m almost 40,000 words into From the Sky, and my characters are about to embark on a 700-mile journey, starting on foot, through places I’ve never been. So I’ve kinda got a bit of research to do. Then there’s the blog, promoting THI, oh, and work. I have two day jobs too.
There’s hardly enough hours in the day to get drunk any more.
Posted by lazylauramaisey on June 29, 2012 at 08:31
You’re slacking a bit Dave. You could definitely fit more into your day. When I get a minute, I’ll start the murder mystery. You may be so inspired by the first chapter that you throw everything else aside and start writing about swimming pool murders instead….?
Posted by davidmcgowan on June 29, 2012 at 08:46
My name is David! 😉 As tempting as swimming pool murders are…
Actually, maybe I could slot a few swimming pool murders into FTS.
Posted by lazylauramaisey on June 29, 2012 at 09:07
You definitely could! Actually, if I don’t see any in there, I’ll be really disappointed. Dave.
Posted by davidmcgowan on June 29, 2012 at 09:22
Thanks Trigg.
Posted by rambler5319 on June 29, 2012 at 08:09
If I ever go for a walk in the same park as you, and I find myself walking towards you, I’ll keep out of your way – honestly I will!
Posted by lazylauramaisey on June 29, 2012 at 08:15
Yeh, you’d better! There are rules about how to exercise around other people and they must be abided by!
Posted by therabbitholez on June 29, 2012 at 12:16
Your gettin Swimming Rage, but you right people just don’t think and seem to think they are the only person in the universe.
Hope toothache gets better soon, try some clove oil..that will help.
Posted by lazylauramaisey on June 29, 2012 at 20:52
Thanks, I will! The toothache comes and goes. It’s not a big deal but getting it checked out anyway. I’m swimming again tomorrow so wish me luck with my rage!
Posted by Russel Ray Photos on July 5, 2012 at 18:30
Some people have no pool etiquette. I for one believe it’s okay to help them out with some gentle pool etiquette rules.
Posted by lazylauramaisey on July 5, 2012 at 19:50
Thank you! I’m glad it is being acknowledged that there ARE rules!
Posted by The weather and us | lazylauramaisey on July 27, 2013 at 07:10
[…] so they go to the indoor pool. Which leaves the pool empty for little me and I don’t have to get mad because it’s so full and people aren’t following the Swimming Pool Rules. I like the […]