As a swimming instructor and lifeguard I used to party and partake in some drinking. First I drank with my elders, who were my supervisors, chiefs, head guards. Then as I got older, and I drank with my coworkers, the other guards, my supers, and some of the instructors that started working that I took under my wing and looked out for. After a while, I became the chief, program director, and supervisor, and while drinking with my peers, saw my sweet little instructors or junior instructors in training and giggled with them as they were excited they were drinking and their boss/instructor saw them. That made me feel kind of old, but these were younguns, that really shouldn't have been out drinking, and I was the fun boss that would tease them about it and give them an extra break the next morning. Now the ultimate has come to pass.
Out with friends on a pub crawl tonight, I being the responsible employee drinking water, come chin to forehead with a rather familiar baby face that I can't put a file to. How do I know this kid, and why does his childish pout look so familiar? He's taller than me, so I assume that he's close in age, maybe school? Maybe work? Maybe red crosser (we cover the globe)? Nope, not at all. He's 19. Hmm, that's kind of young, not really an age group that I'm close with other than peoples younger siblings. . . . wait, *does the math* Holy crap. I thought this kid swimming lessons. Like, little kid swimming lessons. When I was 15. He would have been 9 or 10. He was one of my first favorites, he'd always pout when he had to do laps, but would do them when I told him we'd play a game when he'd finished. I'm glad I was sitting down when I figured it out, or I would have fallen down.
Ok, so maybe this isn't terribly significant to all of you, but to me. . . starting out as one of the youngest instructors and guards hired at the beginning, I feel pretty mature for 23.
Saturday, December 17
