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One of my simple pleasures is being the first person in the morning to go lap swimming in our HOA pool. There is something very serene about being alone in the pool, where not even a ripple shows. On a morning after a nice Colorado thunderstorm the water in the pool seems even more inviting. I started lap swimming about four years ago. Except for my two month battle to survive Covid, and prat fall this winter, I have maintained a pretty vigorous daily swimming routine. In fact, on July 4th I swam 84 laps to remind myself that my body is connected with the rest of me.
This morning was picture perfect. I was somewhere around lap 20 at the west end of the pool when something latched on to my shoulder. I thought “What a big leaf has blown into the pool”. Then it moved to my face and I could see four little legs swimming like crazy. At first I thought it was a frog who had come over from the creek across the sidewalk. I pulled off my lap snorkel and goggles to be be welcomed by a mouse who was desperately swimming in circles.
I was able to get my hands underneath the mouse and hoist him/her/them—yes that was snarky— onto the surrounding sidewalk. What I then observed was a rodent that looked like me, maybe 40 years ago after walking out of the Frisco Bar. The little “guy” was stumbling, walking around in circles and possibly circling the drain. Then it just settled down on the warm pavement to dry out. Next enters my friend, who will remain nameless to protect her histrionic behavior.
She readied herself for her round of lap swimming. “Hey there, I just pulled a mouse out of the pool over there” “NOOOOOOOOOO you must smash it”!!! Then as she looked to see that ‘Mousey’ was moving around, she let out a shriek that I was afraid was going to bring in a 911 call. “I know you are into ‘saving’ people but that is a rodent. I am deathly afraid of them. I got fired once for screaming the “F-Bomb” on a Zoom call when a mouse ran across the floor”. She even suggested I smash it with my cane.
We continued to swim laps…she took the far north lane. It’s a bit hard to swim with one eye looking constantly at mousey. My swimming concluded and I was plotting as to how I might get mousey out of the pool area. Long story short— I herded mousey by tapping my cane (named Virgil) behind the mouse—butt. Success!!! Somewhere in the tall green grass of Whisper Creek there is a mouse not only with a tail, but a tale.
At lunch I told MK of the story and we were reminded of the Aesops Fable of the ‘Lion and the Mouse’. Okay mousey—I saved your butt, you owe me one. MK went more to Pinocchio. She was imagining the mouse explaining to the mouse family—“I fell in the ocean, then when I was almost gone a giant whale came along and scooped me up. Then a crazy lady was calling for my execution but the whale would have nothing of it”.
So much for a relaxing round of 40 laps…
Onward and Upward,
Mark
Lyfting Me Up 