[Kathy S in Tokyo]

A neighbor gave us some free tickets to a nearby waterpark so I took three of the kids yesterday (one was off at a track meet). Most Japanese pools are only slightly deeper than my waist, in case people can't swim (and so many people never do learn to swim!), and my kids and their friends never have any chances to actually jump or dive into the water. This pool had a 5 meter deep diving pool with some low diving boards and a platform about as high as the old low diving board remember at our local pool when I was a kid.

People were enjoying taking turns timidly dropping off straight down into the deep water and building confidence to actually try jumping or diving. A few fathers made everybody (about 70 people standing around watching and or waiting for their turn) laugh making huge splashes belly flopping off the 2 meter high platform. The lifeguards supervised well and made sure that each diver was out of the pool before they let the next person jump.

My daughter N (soon to be 11) challenged me to go off the
platform so I stood in line and waited for a turn. The lower diving
boards had shorter lines so I was able to see N and her big sister J (15) jump a few times while I waited. When my turn finally came, the crowd seemed suddenly silent. What was this fat, white haired, foreign grandmotherly person doing up there on the platform? My daughter was smirking in anticipation of a big splash.

Did I walk and stand at the edge and drop off feet first? No, I took two firm and quick steps and a jump and propelled myself up and over half the pool, flying through the summer sky in a perfect swan dive (my first in several decades). I heard a big collective "oooooh!" as I glided splashlessly into the cool, deep pool.

Boy did I show them! :-)

I was careful to readjust my swimsuit on my way back up to the surface to keep the show G rated.

I think that this makes up for my dismal performance velcro-wall
jumping earlier this year.

What a joy!