She captured my embarrassment over a swim at the local pool where one of the boys who teased me unceasingly happened to come there. He laughed and quoted from my passionate love poem.

I watch you with eyes of wonder

Listening for more than your next joke

Or tales of football blunder

You like the city lights and want to get away from smalltown hoke

And I dream of going together...

I'll be there when you're carried from the field

When your teammates say you've fumbled again

When you score the winning touchdown and another trophy yield

I'll listen to your stories and your pain

Because I love you, and I'll follow you, poorhouse or gold!

He mimed it with sarcastic looks towards me, and loud enough for the kids at the softball game to hear, until a crowd laughed, and he blocked me from the dressing room. Finally, I pushed him in the pool and ran in there, but he came in the ladies' room and saw me by the lockers. Then, the pool manager, tough Ms. Acree, made him leave and he lost his privileges for the summer. He never forgot that. He was on the swim team, too. --- Idette, a character in my unpublished story, Ebb Surges