Swimming with the Fishes, and Everything Else
I don't know why I'm thinking about this (perhaps because it is so dark and wet outside today) but nothing scares me more than dark water. Water that is dark in color. Water at night. I get the shivers just thinking about it. I know it makes sense... it is the fear of the unknown... what lies beneath, what I can't see.
Rationally, sometimes I know that I'm being silly. For example, in a beach town in the Algarve, Portugal, hubby and I took a dip in the pool. Even though it was beautiful outside, the ocean was chilly and we both share a fear of the ocean anyway. (Sharks are a big thing for him). The pool was in an isolated room, right near the beach, but with no clear windows and white lattice-work walls, hanging fake plants. Not glamorous, but the water was nice and nobody else was there (surprise, surprise), so we swam. Near the one end of the pool (it was not a large pool), there was a dark shadow. I know it was just a shadow, but I kept convincing myself that it was something sinister. I had to tell my hubby about it, of course, and once when he was swimming with his eyes closed, he came to the surface only to find himself in the dark corner. He yelped like a little girl and splashed around frantically trying to get away from "it". In order to stay sane, we had to exit immediately.
When I was little, growing up in the country, my parents would take us swimming in the lake behind our house. It was not legal to do that since we were on private property, so in addition to having to be extremely quiet for fear that the cops would hear, I was constantly worried about snakes and snapping turtles, not to mention the seaweed which I was convinced was someone deep down grabbing for my feet. Maybe that's where the fear originated. Then Friday the 13th did not help. I can't enjoy the sexy act of skinny-dipping because that happens at night, and even in an illuminated pool, I will freak myself out.
The only place with water, day or night, that is truly safe is my bathtub, but then I have to deal with the foggy mirror when I get out. Thanks a lot, Fatal Attraction!
Rationally, sometimes I know that I'm being silly. For example, in a beach town in the Algarve, Portugal, hubby and I took a dip in the pool. Even though it was beautiful outside, the ocean was chilly and we both share a fear of the ocean anyway. (Sharks are a big thing for him). The pool was in an isolated room, right near the beach, but with no clear windows and white lattice-work walls, hanging fake plants. Not glamorous, but the water was nice and nobody else was there (surprise, surprise), so we swam. Near the one end of the pool (it was not a large pool), there was a dark shadow. I know it was just a shadow, but I kept convincing myself that it was something sinister. I had to tell my hubby about it, of course, and once when he was swimming with his eyes closed, he came to the surface only to find himself in the dark corner. He yelped like a little girl and splashed around frantically trying to get away from "it". In order to stay sane, we had to exit immediately.
When I was little, growing up in the country, my parents would take us swimming in the lake behind our house. It was not legal to do that since we were on private property, so in addition to having to be extremely quiet for fear that the cops would hear, I was constantly worried about snakes and snapping turtles, not to mention the seaweed which I was convinced was someone deep down grabbing for my feet. Maybe that's where the fear originated. Then Friday the 13th did not help. I can't enjoy the sexy act of skinny-dipping because that happens at night, and even in an illuminated pool, I will freak myself out.
The only place with water, day or night, that is truly safe is my bathtub, but then I have to deal with the foggy mirror when I get out. Thanks a lot, Fatal Attraction!
posted by Tracy at 1:24 PM
1 Comments:
I hear ya! I don't know how in the world I went scuba diving at night once!!
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