Being hairy and very fair skinned means taking your shirt off in public is done so on rare occasions, if at all. But the one time I could not avoid it was swimming lessons in Phys Ed. I was told swimming had already been done the year before and Yr 12 was athletics only, how wrong I was.

Swimming lessons were taught in the lake near the school (they only put in an Olympic sized pool one year after I left). The lake, or Duck Poo Lake as we liked to call it, was in a suburban area where there was BBQ equipment and picnic seats.

The first two lessons I dove in and bared my skin, gaining me the knick name "Casper the Hairy Ghost". After that I said I couldn't swim 'cause I was sick, or something. I was told I had to swim a certain number of times or I would fail the class.

From then on when I was asked if I was swimming I replied "Yes!" then just sat back with the rest of the non-swimmers.

Come end of year I was allowed a "free swim" as I had already swam enough that year. I opted to take a rest in the shade.

I'm still a shit swimmer to this day.

Created 28.03.04

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