Wednesday, September 28, 2022

Swimming Heavy...

 


AuthorDate Entered/ModifiedViews
Daniel A. Stafford8/10/2000 2:45:40 AM
9/25/2022 10:47:10 AM
791

Swimming Heavy

Lake Ute, New Mexico, fifty foot cliffs.
Two hundred feet of deep blue straight down.
Sunshine, warm breeze, mind drifts.
Fifty campers from the base around.

What harm a little bet, Airman?

I know you swim quite well,
In fact, I'm better, do tell.
I bet that you will lose,
Cannot swim from cliff to camp in jeans & tennis shoes.

I couldn't let it rest.

Shirtless in our blue jeans,
Never heard about sun screens,
Jump the fifty feet,
Splash and I won't retreat.

Three miles of cool lake under an azure sky.

Tan stone bears silent witness,
To this contest of our fitness.
He gives out around half way,
heading for the shore today.

My jeans weigh heavy as I pull up on the beach at camp.

Light the fire while I grin in triumph!

AquarianM

By: Daniel A. Stafford
(C)2000

By: Daniel A. Stafford

Author's Comments

When I was stationed at Cannon AFB, NM, we all used
to go on camping trips to Lake Ute. Another Airman heard me
explaining away some of the ladies' concerns regarding all
the swimming that I was doing, talking about swimming a mile
easily at eight years old. It was fact. He decided to bet that he
could swim the three mile lake in blue jeans and tennis shoes, and I couldn't.
Well, he lost, and I'm stubborn and a damn good swimmer, so
here's the rest of the story...circa 1980


AuthorDate Entered/ModifiedViews
Daniel A. Stafford8/10/2000 2:45:40 AM
9/25/2022 10:47:10 AM
791

Comments

Sue Alliebttfly9@yahoo.comhttp://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Garden/98438/10/2000 9:57:08 PM
Cute poem. I feels good to win and here you won again!