... where family is the source of humor!

My Athletic Side by Carol Wells

One year Carol shared news, with her parents, about deciding to participate on one of the high school athletic teams. Her best friend, at the time, convincing Carol that she would fit right in and be an asset to the team. Gosh, was Carol gullible back in those days ... or what?

My best friend, who was a grade behind me, talked me into joining the swim team during my senior year of high school. I can now reflect back on just how thrilled the swim team coaches were about having me on the team. I was essentially self-taught so extra time spent, by both coaches, showing me the proper way to do various strokes before we discovered I lacked upper arm strength.

My father was thrilled when I shared the news. In his youth, he participated in basketball then later briefly coached a couple of high school basketball teams. Although swim team was not as highly promoted of a sport in our area, especially for the girls, this did not dampen his parental pride that one of his children decided to explore their athletic side.

Becky told me I would have fun being part of the team. Wanting to be part of the team, and believing my friend's encouraging words, I willingly pushed myself to improve.

My mother and father, in a typical parental-support manner, attended a couple of swim meets. This was unusual but not because was known for not caring about sports. What made it a red-letter moment for me is that my mother had a fear of water. The further from a swimming pool - the happier she was. Yet, there she was in the stands sitting next to my father to help offer parental support for one of their offspring. A mother's love; there is nothing like it!

The first meet they sat through, quietly wondering why I was not slated to compete in any of the events. My mother later lamented about how the school didn't try to make any money by selling concessions during the swim meets, which actually meant she felt the school gave her no choice but to sit and watch people swim back and forth.

At the next swim meet, against the School of the Deaf, Mom and Dad quickly figured out why the coaches tried to not have me slotted for any of the events the first time around. I was definitely a surprise element for my school's team!

I can only imagine my father trying to sit nonchalantly on the sidelines while stifling the urge to join in the cheering as his daughter swam through water. It had to be a slightly exhilarating moment as girls from both teams shouted, "Pull! Pull," while I propelled through the water.

My hand touching the cool tiles of the pool's side upon finishing my laps promptly heralded cheers and applause. No time wasted on congratulating me though. The judges, of the meet, announced that both the teams could move on to the next event now that the last place finisher from the prior event was finally out of the pool - two full minutes after everyone else had finished.

I stood on the sidelines, toweling my hair, and sneaked a sheepish glance at where my parents were sitting. My mother fidgeted with the hemline of her blouse while my father sat next to her, with his arms crossed, looking around as if in silent amazement at the ceiling.

My mother probably silently wondering how much longer she would have sit there that evening being thankful I looked more like my father's side of the family. No doubt in my mind that she was already planning how to cleverly avoid conversations in the grocery store aisles about any of my school activities until swim season was over.

My father could been wondering on how my swim team picture could be less prominently displayed, among the other family pictures on his desk at work, to help lower the risk of someone noticing it then asking, "Your daughter is on the school swim team? How is she doing at it?"

Each probably wondering how many people, within the chuckling sector of the audience, they knew. More worrisome of a thought may been "What if their daughter is slated to be in any other events, that evening, thus risking a repeat of what had just happened?"

After that memory-making moment in my athletic career - my parents limited themselves to dropping me off at school for the swim meets. Each one still thinking it was nice I wanted to participate but not willing to chance a repeat episode of trying to act as if they had no clue who I was.

Humorous Book Recommendations:             [ view all ]
Ethel And Ernest
[Raymond Brigg; 103 pages]
Who is Ethel and Ernest? Raymond's parents! He shares a touching yet sometimes humorous chronicle starting from when they met back in the 1920's. Can you relate?

We don't know who we are until we see what we can do.
--Martha Grimes Writer's Handbook

Humor Is Relative
WebSite Primer
... or Search The Web

Humor Is Relative thanks Cay Dickson, from Houston Chronicle, for the compliment!

I hate all sports as rabidly as a person who likes sports hates common sense.
-- H. L. Mencken

Think you have a funny story about your family, or moments in parenting, that our readers may enjoy? Review Humor Is Relative submissions guidelines & submit your story! Who knows, we just may like it!

I used to think the only use for sports was to give small boys something else to kick besides me.
-- Katherine Whitehorn

Meet Humor Is Relative's contributors!

I just want to work my way up the ladder. I want to win, and if I win, I want to win more... Once you meet goals, you set new ones.
-- Jimmy Walker in USA Today 4/22/04