County said the high dive was off limits after Mr. Neiman went up drunk and fell off the side, landing on the deck.
Didn't kill him, but I heard his wife say he just might as well be dead.
The high dive shutting down was good for me, because I just turned 13 and every boy in Pascola was supposed to jump off the high dive before they turned 14.
I was terrified of it.
I wanted to move.
Then I didn't, because Faith Radinski broke the rules, climbed over the barricade and went off the high dive.
She was standing there in her red bikini, and I could see tan lines and even a tiny bit of hair like the Playboy magazines Ricky Lebeau had in his garage.
That minute I fell in love with Faith Radinski.
Faith didn’t jump off, she dove, and I think a bunch of dudes fell in love.
She got out the pool right near me, and as the lifeguard kicked her out, I sure as shit saw Playboy hair peeking over her red bikini.
I told Ethan Duncan me and Faith were gonna get married, because I called dibs on her Playboy hair.
Be perfectly honest, I didn't like swimming that much, but I went every chance I could.
Got caught skipping Confirmation practice at Pascola County Pool, my mom told me I was going to hell.
I thought, let me go to hell, just let me be married to Faith Radinski first.
About July, I was at the pool and Faith was in a pink bikini. I couldn't see no hair, but she was getting fat.
Ethan Duncan’s sister Laura said it wasn't fat fat, it was pregnant fat.
I said hell no, because everybody, just about, in Pascola was Catholic, and being pregnant at 15 was hell for sure.
But by Labor Day, Faith Radinski was sure as shit pregnant in a one piece bathing suit.
I didn't care.
I was in love with Faith Radinski.
I wondered, if she was pregnant, how come her boyfriend didn't come to the pool.
Ethan dared me to ask her.
And since the high dive was still off limits, and I didn't have to do it, I decided I had the courage to ask her.
So I asked her.
And she looked me in the eye and said “ because, Freddie, he ain't allowed at this pool.”
I asked her if he went off the high dive against the rules.
And she laughed like I was the funniest guy in Pascola County.
When school started, I would doodle her name in my notebook, just absent minded, thinking about that Playboy hair in that red bikini.
My dad seen it, and he told me I better erase it.
I laughed at him, said you can't erase pen.
And he laughed at me, but not funny at all, and said a bunch of mean shit to me, about Faith, and people in general.
Then I understood why Faith’s boyfriend couldn't come to the pool, and why when Faith had the baby, she never came back.
And her never coming back made sure that I was always gonna kinda be in love with Faith Radinski.
***
Wow Jimmy, I really liked that one. So subtle, and yet, so...there. Really good.
How can anyone not be in love with her now? Here’s to strong women in bikinis.
This is so good, J.