I knew this was coming.  It wasn’t the first time that I had refused to jump.  At the end of every session, all the kids took turns jumping into the deep end.  Linda, or one of her five brothers, would catch us and then swim us close enough to the edge so that when they pushed us away from them, all we’d have to do is surf the wave the push made, catch the side and pull ourselves out. 

But they didn’t really catch you.  After you jumped in, they always let you go under first, before they would help you.  I didn’t think they’d ever let any of us drown, but that few seconds under the water was enough of a failure for me. 

© Salahub 2003