Eyes Wide Shut

I always wanted to be a swimmer or at least know how to swim. Di ko na pinangarap ang Olympics. I just wanted to learn a few strokes para naman di lang “langoy-aso” ang alam ko.

Swimming was my last PE course in college. I only had two concerns with the course: First, we were required to wear trunks. Di pwede ang surf shorts. Grrr. Nakaka-conscious kasi especially when the pool is quite visible from people taking their classes on the 2nd floor. Second, I’m wearing contacts. Sobrang labo ng mata ko so di ko siya pwedeng tanggalin even when swimming. I had to make sure that my goggles were fastened firmly around my eyes especially when diving head first.

Our grades were based on how we ranked during swimming competitions. Di ako ang best swimmer. Pero di din ako kulelat ng class. Tamang-tama lang na if you throw me out to sea, I’d be able to stay afloat. Hahaha!

My last competition was also the last day of my swimming career. Freestyle ang instruction samin. I think there were 9 other swimmers beside me. I was pumped up. I felt like I was going to make it at least sa top 3. I heard the whistle and propelled myself into the water head first. Pagbukas ko ng mata ko, wala na ang goggles ko. Natanggal pagdive ko. But I made the decision to continue anyway.

Big mistake.

I closed my eyes and continued swimming. Swim. Swim. Swim. Ilang meters na ang nilangoy ko and I still haven’t touched the opposite end of the pool. Something’s not right, I thought. Someone was screaming but I couldn’t hear what she was saying kasi I was under the water. So, nagpatuloy ako.

Forty eight years later, I reached the other end, the wrong end of the pool that is. Hahaha! Turns out, I was circling the pool all this time. Then, pagdating ko daw sa may center ng pool, I did a left turn.

I wanted to die!!! Tapos pag-ahon ko, EVERYONE was standing at the edge of the pool, obviously amused by the stunt I just pulled off. And I could hear our coach saying, “Hoy! Ano sa tingin mo ang ginawa mo?!?”. Siya pala yung sumisigaw kanina pa. Hahaha!