Sometimes I did not see him for a week, or more. I think the longest was two weeks, and that happened right after that day of ‘Gym 101’.
I was swimming more now, working on excercising my chest, arms and legs by swimming with good form until my muscles burned. After a long swim I hung into the edge of the pool and pushed my mask and snorkel up to my forehead.
He was sitting on the edge of the pool with his feet in the water.
I saluted, “Captain!”
He saluted back, “Howdy partner!”
I pulled myself up, and sat next to him with my feet in the water, and said, “Long time no see. Where have you been?”
He said he was just busy with finals, researching a for a paper, being a teacher, a manager, a student, and a Body Builder, with a very tight schedule. He only allowed himself one evening out once a week when his girl was in town.
“Wow.” I said, “Don’t you watch TV?”
“Not much.” He said, “But I like ‘Welcome Back Cotter’ and occasionally, I get to watch it.”
“Wow.”, I said, “All work and no play?”
Captain, “When you love what you do, you never really feel like it is work.”
Me, “I have been swimming a lot... going for the burn... see my muscles?” I FLEXED just like I had seen him do when he was showing off his shoulders, and chest...”.
He smiled and said, “Pretty good! It is working... you could even embarrass some of my students... haha.”
I squinted, “I Want to do some more work in the gym, but without you, they won’t let me in.”
He said, “I am not always around, and even when I am, I may not have the time. Ask your mom for a weight set your size. If she says it is okay, have her talk to me, and I will make sure you get a good one.”
He stood, and looked down at me, “In the meantime, Keep swimming. I already believe in you, Aqua Man.”
I posed as I thought a super hero would, breathing in, flexing my muscles, pushing my chest forward, “Thanks, Captain America!”
...
I Asked mom that afternoon about getting my own weights.
I didn’t see Captian that week, but the next Saturday, a bench and a barbell, and two dumbbells were on my back patio.
“She must have talked to him.”, I thought.
“THANKS MOM!”
Mom, came out to the patio, “Huh... where’d that come from?”