214. Amidst rousing cheers … *

On the blocks

The starter’s cap gun raised

Cracks! (Well … pops.)

We hit the water.

Breaststroke.

Hands extend forward,

Scissor kicking legs.

My earlier flirtation with swimming training,

Lap after lap swum under threat

Of drowning or bashing,

Paying off now.

I earn a ribbon

And selection for district carnival.

Note:

* Rousing cheers? Well, the school population was noisy at the best of time and here they were out and about, in the sun, casually dressed, less supervision … so there was lots of noise. My “lightning” 50m breastroke lap was noticed by no-one – except the judge and timekeeper … and maybe the others in that swim.  The time: 48secs. The cheering and noise was probably jeering driven by the boredom of waiting for the race to finish.