| |
Outstanding GM with incredibly crappy ending
Posted by the pupster on 2002-March-7 21:22:35, Thursday
 |
|
|
|
|
There's a rec center not far from my house that I go to a couple times a week. Weight room, indoor pool, etc. A popular spot for people. Tonight, I decided to spend most of my time in the pool water-walking, doing water-resistance exercises, and have fun. I hadn't been in for very long when a girl about 7 and boy about 9 came over near me. The girl told me she could stay underwater for a minute. "Time me!" And she went underwater. About 10 seconds later she came back up "Was that a minute?" "No, not quite." "That's not fair! I'll try it again." Each time she'd stay under between 10-15 seconds. The boy started doing it also.
They then asked me to chase them in the pool, which I was happy to do. After about 10 minutes the boy left with his mother. I assumed the girl was still in "chase" mode. At,one point she came near me and asked "Are you following me?" I replied "Do you want me to" "No" "Okay, then I won't" She went off by herself, and I went back to my workout.
About 5 minutes later, she came back over by me, tellimg me how good she can swim. She showed me what she'd learned in lessons. For the next 20 minutes or so, we are splashing each other, or I'm timing how long she can stay underwater, or just at the side of the pool talking. I've done absolutely nothing improper, just making her laugh, smile and have a good time. We are about 20 feet from the lifeguard's chair.
Then her swim instructor comes into the pool, and asks if I'm her father. I said no, and he told me she was one of his students. I told him how good she could swim. Meanwhile she goes over to the other side of the pool. A couple minutes later, we look over at her, and she has a nose bleed. The instructor takes her into the lifeguard office, and they attend to her. The instructor came back, and I asked if she told him what had happened. He said that she said she bumped her nose on the side of the pool.
About 10 minutes later, she came back from the lifeguard office, and tells me she can't play with me anymore. I assumed she had a swim lesson. But 15 minutes later, she's still just floating around in the pool. At one point she floated near me and said "I still can't play with you, because you're a stranger."
So, apparently either on the way to office or in the office, someone told her that she shouldn't play with me because she didn't know me. Suddenly I was transformed from someone who had just spent 30 minutes making her laugh and have fun, into a nasty ogre to be avoided at all costs! I knew there was no point in arguing the point with her (it wasn't her fault someone poisoned her mind). I was hurt and angry that someone would take that attitude. I'vebeen going there for many years. The lifeguards have surely have seen me there, and my barcoded pass to get in flashes my name and picture on their computer screen.
I need to calm down a bit. What started out as a terrific time with a cute 7 yo ended with her mind being manipulated into convincing her that I was someone to stayed away from.
I'v seen her there several times before, maybe I can work on the situation if I see her again. If she'll let me get close enough to talk...
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
