Stories

Timmy's First Swimming Lesson

That morning Timmy woke up rather early and ran to his parents' room, shouting "Mommy, Mommy, get up!" pulling on his mother's side of the blanket. "Samantha! Samantha!" Get up, Timmy needs you!" Timmy's father called out to Timmy's mother. "Oh, no…Bob! You get up… it's your turn!" Timmy's mother cried back.

Well, it didn't look like either of them were about to get up, but still Timmy wanted mom and dad to see the new swimming motions he has just learned.

"Look, Mommy," Timmy tried again, "I'm a fish, I can swim… I swam with a sea horse, dolphins, a whale, I met a real nice turtle… and, and, I saw a shark… but he didn't scare me… whoaaah… I can swim so fast he can't even catch me…"

At this point mom and dad both sat up, stared at Timmy through their still sleepy eyes, and said at once: "What?"

"Yes…! Yes…! Come to my room, you can see for yourself…" Timmy insisted and pulled Mommy's hand and then Daddy's hand as he started walking towards his room.

When mom and dad followed Timmy back into his room a great surprise awaited them.

"See? See? I told you…" Timmy called out to his parents as he now had to raise his voice. The room was filled with the sounds of waves crashing onto the shore, whales calling out to each other, seagulls crying, and dolphins splashing as they jumped from the water and plunged back in. In fact it was so loud Timmy had to yell again: "They're all here: the dolphins, the friendly whale, look! The shark!"

Timmy's parents could not believe their eyes, and more so, could hardly believe what had happened next. Timmy's loveable Teddy Bear was standing at the edge of the water waiting. "Are you ready?" He spoke out in a rather official voice. Ready for what? Timmy's parents wanted to ask, but before they had a chance to, Teddy jumped into the water, and Timmy, dressed in his sea creatures pajamas, plunged in after him, head first. Both were now swimming under the sea.

"If you look to your left you'll see a school of fish that has just come back from their first swimming lesson." Teddy said, speaking very much like a person in charge. 
"They're just babies," Timmy said excitedly. "Not like me. I'm big now."
"Mmmm…" Teddy agreed.

Right then a very regal looking sea horse swam by:
"Good day! Good day to you all. Isn't today just lovely?" But before anyone could reply she was gone, and Timmy, flapping his hands trying to catch up with her, bumped straight into a giant shell.

"Aouch!"

"Timmy, are you all right?" Teddy asked as he rushed to his side. Timmy rubbed his forehead as he heard the shell talking to him: "Would you two like to come in for some breakfast?" Came a deep voice from within.

"What do you have to offer?" Timmy wanted to know.

"Well, I have some d e l i c i o u s…scrambled eggs…" "Yuck!" Yelled Timmy. "I hate scrambled eggs." "…and I have some waffles." Continued the voice, as the two could now see belonged to a the turtle living inside.

"I love waffles! Let's eat!" Timmy shouted hungrily and led the way in.

Somehow, they squeezed inside the Turtle's shell, which was nice and cozy and decorated with colorful clams, and already filled with previously invited guests. 
Now, imagine this: An octopus wearing a bright yellow apron, all eight arms busy preparing food. Two sea anemones right in the middle of a heated argument: "I don't have any enemies…" saying one "No! I don't have any enemies…" insisting the other. Also, three eels spinning, twirling, and twisting, forming a magnificent braid; and… four, red-as-can-be, starfish, dancing to the music. Oh, it was the clams, each opening and closing separately, that were creating a most harmonious tune. And so for a while all you could hear were sounds of everyone enjoying themselves; and the clams orchestrating their lovely music. 

But soon Timmy got restless. After all, there was so much more to see. "OK! Teddy, let's swim some more!" He yelled and before anyone could say: "Hold your ho…" he was gone…

Just not too far, since right outside turtle's shell a mother Dolphin and her youngster seemed to be waiting. "Timmy…" Mother Dolphin spoke softly, "Dolphy here would like to know if you want to play with him." 

Timmy was so excited. "Of course!" He roared. "Let's play 'Hide and Seek'. We'll hide. You count. See if you can find us…" 
Dolphy hid his face in an enormous coral island and began counting: "One……………two………. three……four ….five…..six…seven-eight-nine-ten" 
Timmy and Teddy looked all around for the best place to hide. Right then a large, and mysterious shadow whooshed so close to them.
"Woooo… did you see that? Scary!" Teddy whispered, perhaps so no one can here him.
"I know... it's a shark…! Come' on, let's hide! Quickly!" Timmy whispered back, so that the shark won't hear him. But then he called out loudly: "There! Over there!"
It was the sight of another shadow that made Timmy feel brave again. This time it was a giant friendly whale, swimming towards the two. Timmy swam as fast as he could, directly up to his ear and asked: "Mr. Whale, can we hide behind you?

"Go right ahead, Timmy, Dolphy will never find you here…" Said the friendly whale and chuckled a bit. And then, with a huge splash lifted his tail. Timmy and Teddy scooted underneath and waited very quietly…
"…ready or not, here I come… Timmy… Timmy…" They could both hear Dolphy calling.

Timmy and Teddy curled up some more. They didn't want to make it easy for Dolphy. No way…! 

"Timmy… Timmy… Timmy….. 
Timmy felt the soft tip of a finger on his shoulder. His mother tried to wake him.
"Timmy….It's time to wake up… you know what today is. Today is your first swimming lesson." 
"But I was already swimming! With a sea horse, a turtle, a whale, two dolphins….and…
"Then you have nothing to worry about." Mom said.

07-Sep-2000

More by :  Siggie Cohen

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