Elite club memberships

On Election Day a few days back, I happened to go swimming a little late. I changed, showered and got in to the pool and swam a couple of lengths.

There was only one other person in the pool. I am really amazed by this person. He is probably on the wrong side of 80. He can barely stand. He has to be helped by attenders to walk from his car to the pool, helped to change, helped to get into the pool. Sometimes, by the time he gets into the pool, his shadow has shifted from one side to another! In spite of this condition, he swims every single day! He usually comes in late and is the lone master of the pool. That day, it was not to be.

A bunch of kids, about 12-14 years old jumped into the pool. They were generally having a good time, laughing, joking, jumping and diving into the pool again and again.

The old gentleman was quite perturbed. He was worried that one of the kids would jump right onto him. He watched from one corner of the pool for a while. Suddenly one kid jumped right next to him.

He raised his hand and shouted, "You will be disqualified!"

For a moment I wondered what exactly did the old man mean. What would the kid be disqualified from? Then it struck me. Disqualified from membership of the club! For jumping into a pool?

Membership to the club is quite difficult to get. The waiting list has so many people on it and the rate of accepting members is so low that if you applied today, your turn to be considered (you could be rejected too) will come after about 8-10 years! (Sounds so similar to a transplant list, eh?!)

Consequently, some members of the club have this air about them. They consider being a member of the club a great achievement. The old man probably belonged to this category. What could be the ultimate punishment for disturbing his mid-morning aquatic reverie? Disqualification, of course!

Its a different matter that the kids did not give a rats ass for his words and probably for the club membership too. With the increasing number of communities with great facilities including swimming pools coming up in Hyderabad, memberships to such clubs is not that big a deal any more.

I, of course, give more than elephant's ass for my membership because the pool is great and is quite close to my house. And swimming is one of those things that I really, really enjoy!

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