Where is a big hole in the ground when you need it?

posted Mon, 11 Apr 2005

Two weeks ago, Danny, the swim coach, put a third swimmer in my lane and told us to circle swim, which I hate doing. I was very cranky about it. When the new swimmer – let’s call her “Leah” – said quite graciously that she was sorry for interrupting my rhythm, I ignored her. Wouldn’t even make eye contact.

I was a total bitch.

I felt horrible about it all week. I saw her last Friday again and stopped her at the end of a lap. “Were you swimming here last week?” I asked.

Yes, Leah answered.

“I was inexcusably rude to you. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

She graciously accepted my apology. In the locker room later, before she left, she smiled and told me to have a nice day.

This morning, Leah was getting ready to go into the pool as I was getting dressed after swimming. I had been talking to another woman. When Leah walked out of the locker room, the woman said to me, “Don’t you just love Leah? She’s our rabbi!”