Sequel: Swimmers Story ›
My 3 Dedications And Me
Quiet Time
Dolly sat at the table in the kitchen watching as Michael's mon made her lunch, "You know I've been meaning to talk to you for awhile about this, has Michael changed his name?" she asked and Dolly shook her head as the doorbell went. "He's coaching me under that name, he's still the same old Mikey" "You know he hates nicknames, hello dear" she called as Dolly heard other female voices, "Who doesn't like nicknames?" someone asked as they walked in and waved at her. Michael's sisters had seen him with her several times and knew they were friends but didn't know what they were doing.
"Michael" "Oh no he hates them, although I've heard you call him Mikey" his oldest sister said and Dolly nodded. "I don't like them either but I don't mind him saying it seeing as he's known me a long time" Dolly reasoned. They sat talking for ages before his youngest sister asked what Michael had been doing later "Oh this and that, he's just doing the things he's never had the time to do in the past" "Still swimming everyday?" she quizzed and his mother nodded "Wouldn't be our Michael if he wasn't" "I'm worried about him, he's so...limited. You hear all that stuff they say about him and I just wonder" his oldest sister admitted.
"What do you mean?" "Well like his friends, he doesn't seem to have huge amounts and I worry it's because he's never had that chance to develop his social skills. Maybe we hurt him somehow" she explained and his mom sighed "I worry about him too, the way he talks about swimming, it's...strange" the youngest said and Dolly looked at them. "Are you serious?" "Yes" they all stated together and Dolly smiled.
"Michael's not damaged in anyway, he's fine! I don't get why people say things like that, he's physically fit and mentally and emotionally tough. He's got a very focused mind and he's intelligent, he understands things that most people don't" Dolly reassured.
"But he's very secluded in life, I worry he never understood how to make strong bonds because he never had that time" his sisters pushed and Dolly shook her head. "Michael had it good, he was 11 when he started down that road. He grew up making friends and having a normal life, from 11 onwards he had a focus, a reason in life. He knows normal and he is normal. I was 2 when my dad had me swimming twice a week, I only knew swimming until I quit. That was difficult for me, Michael is fine" Dolly added and she knew they weren't listening or reassured at all.
"Look Michael has friends but they're nearly all swimmers, they live lives that means they're all over and busy a lot of the time. He talks to them a lot and still see's them when he can. You don't need to worry, he's fine. I think people just don't understand" Dolly tried but they looked at her confused.
"It's the way he talks about swimming and water, like it's a necessity" his mom stated "It is a necessity, you need water in your life it's just he has a different value of it. It's hard to explain to people who don't understand and that's why I like Michael, he understands without me having to explain it. To me water is something more than that, it's hard to say, it's like it...Ergh I can't explain it to you!" Dolly mumbled at the end and his mother smiled at her.
"Let me guess, the water understands you, you feel safer there, you belong there. The water makes you free, it makes things seem clearer, it's like a best friend almost" his mom recalled and Dolly nodded "Not a best friend but it just doesn't judge, the pool just let's you be who you are and never asks anything" "Michael tried to make me see countless times but I don't see it. I see that you do and that's why he spends his time with you, you don't judge him and he doesn't have to explain himself. You both feel a connection to water" she smiled and Dolly grinned. "Anyway enough of that because it makes me sound like a right weirdo!" she laughed and they changed topic.
The door banged open later "Dolly Phoenix you..." "Michael you are gatecrashing our girls day" his mother called and he appeared at the door smiling "Dolly could I speak to you for a few seconds and then I will come and be an honorary girl for awhile" he joked and she saw the look in his eyes and was worried.
"Michael" "Oh no he hates them, although I've heard you call him Mikey" his oldest sister said and Dolly nodded. "I don't like them either but I don't mind him saying it seeing as he's known me a long time" Dolly reasoned. They sat talking for ages before his youngest sister asked what Michael had been doing later "Oh this and that, he's just doing the things he's never had the time to do in the past" "Still swimming everyday?" she quizzed and his mother nodded "Wouldn't be our Michael if he wasn't" "I'm worried about him, he's so...limited. You hear all that stuff they say about him and I just wonder" his oldest sister admitted.
"What do you mean?" "Well like his friends, he doesn't seem to have huge amounts and I worry it's because he's never had that chance to develop his social skills. Maybe we hurt him somehow" she explained and his mom sighed "I worry about him too, the way he talks about swimming, it's...strange" the youngest said and Dolly looked at them. "Are you serious?" "Yes" they all stated together and Dolly smiled.
"Michael's not damaged in anyway, he's fine! I don't get why people say things like that, he's physically fit and mentally and emotionally tough. He's got a very focused mind and he's intelligent, he understands things that most people don't" Dolly reassured.
"But he's very secluded in life, I worry he never understood how to make strong bonds because he never had that time" his sisters pushed and Dolly shook her head. "Michael had it good, he was 11 when he started down that road. He grew up making friends and having a normal life, from 11 onwards he had a focus, a reason in life. He knows normal and he is normal. I was 2 when my dad had me swimming twice a week, I only knew swimming until I quit. That was difficult for me, Michael is fine" Dolly added and she knew they weren't listening or reassured at all.
"Look Michael has friends but they're nearly all swimmers, they live lives that means they're all over and busy a lot of the time. He talks to them a lot and still see's them when he can. You don't need to worry, he's fine. I think people just don't understand" Dolly tried but they looked at her confused.
"It's the way he talks about swimming and water, like it's a necessity" his mom stated "It is a necessity, you need water in your life it's just he has a different value of it. It's hard to explain to people who don't understand and that's why I like Michael, he understands without me having to explain it. To me water is something more than that, it's hard to say, it's like it...Ergh I can't explain it to you!" Dolly mumbled at the end and his mother smiled at her.
"Let me guess, the water understands you, you feel safer there, you belong there. The water makes you free, it makes things seem clearer, it's like a best friend almost" his mom recalled and Dolly nodded "Not a best friend but it just doesn't judge, the pool just let's you be who you are and never asks anything" "Michael tried to make me see countless times but I don't see it. I see that you do and that's why he spends his time with you, you don't judge him and he doesn't have to explain himself. You both feel a connection to water" she smiled and Dolly grinned. "Anyway enough of that because it makes me sound like a right weirdo!" she laughed and they changed topic.
The door banged open later "Dolly Phoenix you..." "Michael you are gatecrashing our girls day" his mother called and he appeared at the door smiling "Dolly could I speak to you for a few seconds and then I will come and be an honorary girl for awhile" he joked and she saw the look in his eyes and was worried.