Being a FROG!

Swimming is enjoyed the most, when one does not know how to swim. I had a chance to experience this in the steel city of JSW Steel, Vidyanagar, located in Toranagallu. How can any gujju bhai miss the chance of using a “Not to pay for” swimming pool facility? Only investment one needs to do is to buy the swimming clothes. Pool timing is divided to give equal slots to all genders (fortunately, we have only two!) and children. I went there and checked the time table on the entry wall of the pool. My category was allotted “Male: 7 pm to 10 pm”.
I reached the venue at around 7:30 in the evening. It was a great experience to enter the open area centered with about 4m by 12m rectangular pool. This was supposed to be my home for next 1-2 hours. I went to change my attire. I entered the “Boys only” room and started changing. All boys were jealous of my slim and appealing muscular body. Two even fainted. (Last two statements are hyperbolic and are used to describe the glancing scene in a superlative sense!)
I was ready to enjoy the nature’s most precious gift. Water was waiting for me. I walked towards the pool and was stared by all amphibians already settled inside the water. The situation was similar to one in the discovery documentaries. When an unknown hippo enters a new territory, it generally has to overcome the suspicious glances of existing hippos. Fortunately, I could find a skating shaped floater and managed to pierce the surface tension of the water.Wow.I was standing in 3fts deep water! Actually the pool is slanted and gives you a choice from the depth of 3 ft to 3 m.
Soon I lined up with other new “Wanna be Hippos” in one corner. I was more than happy. Surprises came after one another. One can take the help of trainers to learn….”Simply free of cost!” Our first task was to hold the breath, get in, stay there and come out. We were told to do this 10 times continuously. At first, it looked like committing a suicide and repeating it ten times. But, I wanted to learn swimming. And I overcame the first hurdle. (Actually, I could not think of losing out this “FREE TO ALL” facility!).Next task was to paddle in the water. This task looks easy and one can easily do that enthusiastically (Actual trouble starts at night when your thighs yell at you!).
In every boring corporate seminar, management inspires new trainees by saying “We push you in the water and you learn as much as you want.” Now, I got the real meaning of this statement. Actually, it feels nice to stay in the pool just to chill out like a crocodile and keep watching other amphibians that swim like sharks.
After five such dramatic sessions, I could swim up to 2-2.5m in one breathe and without any support. Everyday new learners come and now I stare them from the other side of hippo groups. At last, I would like to reiterate “Swimming is enjoyed the most, when one does not know how to swim”