In the late 1990s, I was the graveyard shift manager at a hotel on the Las Vegas strip. Very late one night, a clerk calls me to come out for a very drunk guest. I get out to the desk and his hands are both dyed dark blue and there’s this dripping wet block of blue material sitting on the counter.

Guest: “I thought someone threw something into the pool, and I wanted to help, so I pulled it out myself.”

It was the chemical block that maintenance put in the pool to help purify it. We had the pool roped off with safety signs, but he went around the barrier to do it.

We had to call 911 and get him checked out and everything. He went to the hospital but ended up okay, luckily.

Our pool isn’t deep enough to dive anywhere. Some young teenagers think they are too cool and need not follow the strict NO DIVING rules. I catch them.

Me: “Okay, guys, you have to sit out next time you do it.”

Of course, they think we’re stupid and blind and do it again.

Me: “That’s it. Sorry, guys, but you’re sitting out for the next ten minutes.”

Some of their parents come over, so I kindly inform them:

Me: “They’re sitting out for ten minutes, and if they do it again, we’ll have to kick them out.”

Parent: “Good for you guys. They need to learn that their actions have consequences.”

Thank the lord! Somebody is on our side! After the ten minutes are up, the FIRST thing these kids do is dive headfirst into the pool. Another lifeguard steps over to them:

Lifeguard: “I am going to have to ask you to leave the pool for the day. You dove headfirst into the pool numerous times after we already told you it was against the rules. Next time you come back, please do not dive headfirst into the pool; you could seriously injure yourself and possibly those around you.”

The lifeguard turns to the parent.

Lifeguard: “I am sorry, but your child dove headfirst again. We are going to have to ask you to leave the pool area for the day.”

Parent: *Yelling* “Are you kidding me?! I took the time to bring them here so they could enjoy the pool! You guys are making this up! My kids are good kids! They would never do that! I am never coming here again!”

They came back the very next day.

I was a lifeguard for six years at a municipal pool in my hometown. We had clear-cut rules, like a required swim test to go to the deep end (swim the width of the pool without touching the ground and tread water for one minute) and no life jackets in the deep end. This was upheld for everyone; swim team stars and visitors alike had to pass the test, and pass again if there was doubt. It was a small town, so the lifeguards knew who was who and it was a simple system.

Over the Fourth of July weekend my last year there, we had a family come into town. They had this a boy who was maybe four, five, or six, who insisted he could swim fine enough to go to the deep end. I told him he had to pass the test first.

Mother: “We’re from [City], and they let him swim in the deep end there! He can swim fine!”

Me: “I don’t care. Rules are rules; he has to pass the test here.”

She huffed and went and sat in the observation area. Her son failed the test more than once with more than one lifeguard.

The kid still ran right to the deep end. Naturally, he swam out to the middle, where none of the tools we use to drag people to the side can reach, and just his face was above the water. Then, he started moving his arms to push himself under and back up, since he wasn’t able to touch the ground, and started paddling frantically but not moving anywhere.

Where I was trained, this is active drowning. I was on the floor, so I jumped in and swam the kid to the side as he kicked me and yelled to his mom. I put him on the wall and said he had to stay in the shallow end. I got out, and the mom got in my face yelling.

Mother: “Why would you do that?! He was fine. That’s just how he swims.”

I simply told her that was active drowning and the other floor lifeguard backed me up. She took all her kids and left — not without getting the number of my boss, who just told her, “Sorry my lifeguard saved your kid.”

I’ll never forget that. I kept my training for nine years, and that was the first and only time I had to jump in after someone (we usually could mediate another way but mostly all the kids that came were very good swimmers because they were there daily), and the only thing the parent had to say was, “Why would you do that?”

This story is part of our Fourth-Of-July-themed roundup!

Want to read the next Fourth-Of-July-themed roundup story? Click here!

Want to read the Fourth-Of-July-themed roundup? Click here!

I’ve been teaching swimming lessons for over twenty-five years now. I pride myself on seeing the best in children, but last week I was humbled… by a five-year-old.

A new season starts and I meet my new group. I’m fairly small, and most of my students are about my height or surpass me. Suddenly, I spot a girl who barely reaches my waist.

Me: “Oh, hello! Are you new?”

The child nods.

Me: “And are you in my group?”

The child nods again.

Me: “And what is your name?” 

I check my list and she’s not on there. 

Me: “You’re not on my list, but don’t worry; we’ll sort this out! We’ll find out which group you’re in, in no time! [Teacher], can you take over while I go to [Administrator] and get her to her class?”

I take the girl to the administrator, who seems to know every kid and where they swim by heart. 

Me: “[Administrator], I’ve got a lost child here! This is [Child] and she thought she was in my group.”

Administrator: “Oh, hello, [Child]! Well, she’s right. She is in your group.”

Me: “What? Are you sure?”

Administrator: “Yes, of course! Did I forget to put her name on your list? I’m so sorry, that’s my mistake. But don’t worry; she’s absolutely in your class.”

Me: “Oh… eh… sure.”

While we walk back, I start thinking about how I should adapt my lessons so she can keep up with the older kids. I thank the other teacher for taking over and give the first assignment.

And, as you guessed… the kid is wonderful! She keeps up with everyone and is even faster than some! My jaw almost drops.

At the end of the class, I always compliment the children on their efforts. Then, I turn to my new five-year-old.

Me: “And you… you probably didn’t know it, but you taught me a lesson today! I hope I can be your teacher for a long time!”

I wasn’t, by the way. She was too good for my group and I handed her over to the next one, which was more challenging for her.

Back when I was fourteen and my sister was nineteen, she took me to the community pool. I was just learning how to handle my womanly cycles, so I wasn’t really comfortable getting in the water during that time. Still, when I saw my crush, I had to say hello. I sat beside him at the water’s edge. We talked for a few minutes when a woman, who turned out to be his mom, came up.

Mom: “Hi, who are you?”

Me: “Oh, I’m [My Name]. Nice to—”

Mom: “Oh, do you go to school with [Crush]?”

Me: “Yeah, we have English together.”

Mom: “Why don’t you get in the water, [My Name]?”

Me: “Ahh, I’m not in the mood to swim.”

Mom: “Oh, but it’s the pool! Everyone swims!”

Me: “No, I’m okay.”

Crush: “I’m gonna get a soda.”

Me: “Oh, me, too!”

I stood up and almost immediately ended up in the water. When I resurfaced, I saw [Crush] and his mom at the edge of the pool.

[Crush] laughed as I grabbed onto the side of the pool.

Me: “What just happened?”

Crush: “She pushed you! You should see your face.”

My sister came over.

Sister: “[My Name], I thought you weren’t swimming today?”

Me: “I was pushed.”

Sister: “What the f***? Who pushed you?”

Mom: “I didn’t hurt her. She—”

My sister shoved [Mom] in the water and pulled me out. [Mom] resurfaced, sputtering.

Mom: “What is wrong with you?!”

Sister: “Oh, you didn’t want to go in the water? It didn’t matter when [My Name] didn’t want to go in.”

[Mom] went to a lifeguard and complained about being pushed in against her will. My sister told the lifeguard that she only did it because [Mom] pushed me first. We were all banned from the pool for the rest of the summer. That was the moment I realized what an a** my crush was and lost interest in him.