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My Town

 I love the community pool because it's my own version of La Grande Jatte--or my version of Jonathan Larson's Life Cafe. My entire town is at the pool; there is truly nothing else to do. And I feel for everyone, including these folks:


*The married couple. They are standing many yards apart, but they're trying to have a conversation over the roaring of the yellow kiddie "mushroom" fountain. "Do you think it's going to rain?" "WHAT?" "I said, DO YOU THINK IT'S GOING TO RAIN???"

*The grandmother with borderline personality disorder. She has a three-year-old, who seems to do nothing objectionable. The child is like a little blinking puppy. But the grandmother is deep into a strange and mesmerizing monologue. "WHY do you choose to behave this way? We could have had a wonderful morning. I don't know WHY you're acting so difficult. YOU TELL ME."

*The gay tween swim instructor. He has a tiny non-verbal student in his care, and he is fully earning his paycheck. "You are FABULOUS," he says to his delighted protege. "You are serving GUPPY right now. You are serving MERMAID."

My summers would really deteriorate without access to this pool.
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