Having a backyard pool as a kid was incredible. Our yard was small; our pool was small; yet we had a fair amount of privacy with the neighbor’s tall pine trees on one side and a small-leaf, big-black-seed-pod tree on the other, with a wooden gate at the rear. Our tiny oasis was tucked in between an alley and a busy street and seemed like a slice of heaven to me.
One of my favorite things about having a pool was that we could swim almost anytime of day: morning, afternoon or evening. And night swimming was a magical treat. I have vivid memories of floating on an inner tube, gazing up at the starry night sky, trying not to completely doze off. Ahhhh, so relaxing… (Our tiny backyard became a much needed respite for me. My mom was sick from when I was a little girl, and so, well, life wasn’t exactly stress-free growing up; I relished peacefulness when I stumbled upon it.)
No matter the size, being the owners of a pool meant we would occasionally have drop-in swimmers. As was typical growing up in Vandergrift in the 70s and 80s, everybody visited —mostly unannounced— which I thought was normal for the rest of the world as well. (Much to my disappointment, I’ve come to learn this is not necessarily the case in today’s society.) Anywho, I can think of one person in particular who brought joy to my heart when we would come home from some place and find her red Mustang parked out front: Cousin Lisa. Seeing her car meant she’d be out back, floating in the pool! And I (still) love that image of her, in utter sun-basking-relaxation-mode!
To this day that singular memory brings a smile to my face. Why? Well for one thing, I have lots of memories of Lisa, spending considerable time with me and my sisters when we were young, driving us places and simply hanging out together. Even though she was a bit older, she always took a genuine interest in us younger ones and I loved that. Knowing someone enjoys your company is a wonderful feeling; and to a kid, I think it’s particularly impactful. So, thank you, Lisa.
Not much has changed over the decades, other than we no longer own the house or the pool. Lisa was, and still is, full of laughter and warmth; the image of her chillin’ in our pool, has never left my heart— and I still want to bring back the art of drop-in visiting! In the meantime, I am incredibly grateful to have such a lovely memory to call upon, that reminds me how good life can be and of just how many angels we have gracing our lives, whether on wet or dry land.
L.S. 2022
laurie sliben, writer 