Pool Savvy in Shanghai Published in a group of newspapers.

POOL SAVVY IN SHANGHAI

ROBERT ISENBERG

I placed my water toys carefully by the end of the pool. I needed them to be within easy reach. Once again I slid into the warmth of this magnificent pool. Although the hotel was a trifle pricy, I always stayed there because of the pool.

 “You are back to swim again?” a staff member asks.

  “Yes, yes I am.”

  They all smile and in unison say,”Welcome.”

  I begin my water therapy routine. I try to do this twice a day. These exercises were taught to me by Igor Burdenko a water therapist. I begin to move my arms and legs. My head clears almost immediately. As usual the pool is empty. Theonly sound I hear is my body rippling through the water. One staff member watches me through the glass partition. He is fully clothed. He’s this hotel’s version of a life guard. I’m sure he can’t swim. I suppose he’s there in case I drown, so he can call housekeeping to clean up the mess.

  I’m thinking I could do this forever, but it’s ten after ten. The pool closes at exactly eleven. I look up and see a man and a woman place their towels on a chaise and then slip into the pool. He is probably late-fifties. She is maybe twenty-five. a good age for a couple. She is laughing at everything he says. They are locked together as one, as they try to swim.

 He looks up at me, “Where do you come from?”

 This is extremely unusual. Most of the other swimmers avert their eyes, as if I were not there. Never mind any conversation.

I had learned to do the same. Most of the other guests who swim there were westerners. This couple was Asian.

  “ I’m from the states, Boston. Where are you from?” I ask.

  “ I’m from San Diego and she’s from Beijing.”he says.

  “Nice, I say. Very stupidly, I ask, “What brings you here?” As my eyes rest on his lady friend.

  “Business,” he responds and then adds, “I come here every month.”

   Business? I look at her again. I’m thinking why so infrequently. Its only seven thousand miles from San Diego.

   After a short while they climb out and both lay down on the one chaise where they had placed their towels. They don’t even bother to dry off.  She is still laughing.

  I will not look anymore. I cannot look. I don’t have to look. I have my pool back. I have my pool back to myself.

All is safe in my world. I will not look!

  I reach up to gather one of my swim toys, when another  woman strides in. Oh my goodness. Look at her.

Lord have mercy! Even the laughing girl on the chaise looks up for a minute and actually stops laughing.

 Gracefully the new arrival enters the pool. She never notices that I’m there. She does laps. I continue to do my Burdenko thing around the perimeter of the pool. Our internal radar keeps us far apart. She swims one more lap and pulls herself up the ladder and stretches out on a chaise. She closes her eyes. I will not look. I cannot look. I don’t have to look!! I continue to circle the pool. Very soon the pool will close. I will return to my room. Perhaps, I’ll watch another Steven Seagal movie.

 Did I hear her correctly? She is asking, “Why do you swim so long?”

 Should I respond by saying,” I’m working on strengthening my arteries so that my old heart will get all the oxygen it needs in order to live longer.  Don’t think so. I look up at this beautiful woman and think one more Steven Seagal movie should help me sleep.