Part 20 (1/2)
”Once I checked the pool at night, and there were two tiny tree frogs sitting on the floating thermometer,” he said. He liked telling her things because she liked hearing them. ”I took them out; they don't forage in water.”
”I've seen them on windowpanes. They're the cutest things.”
Geode got out the brushes and the pole with the broomlike brush at the end. He started brus.h.i.+ng the growing algae off the sides. This was the tedious part of it, because it was necessary to hold the brush in against the side while shoving it down to the bottom-without overbalancing and falling in himself. The job couldn't be rushed; the brush tended to skip out from the wall, leaving a patch of algae. He had let the pool go too long, and not watched the balance of chemicals closely enough; there shouldn't be so much growth.
”Where should I start?” none asked, picking up a brush.
”It's hardest to get it right at the waterline,” he said.
She squatted at the edge and leaned down, brus.h.i.+ng vigorously. The greenish color faded, leaving the white wall clean. She moved over, scrubbing the next section.
Geode was sweating before he was half around the pool, for this was vigorous work and the temperature was about ninety degrees Fahrenheit. none was warming up too.
”Is it all right to swim?” she inquired, pausing.
”Yes. just so long as the pool gets cleaned.”
She stood and doffed her clothing. ”You'll be more comfortable too,” she said.
”I don't swim,” he said.
”You don't?” She was surprised. ”Would you like me to teach you?”
That had not occurred to him. ”Yes.”
”Then undress and come in. I won't let you drown.”
Geode had never gone naked outside or by day. But she had set the scene. He set down the brush and removed his own clothing.
none stepped down into the pool. ”Oh, that feels good now!” she exclaimed.
Geode joined her. They waded into the shallow end and down to the halfway line. She turned to him. ”How much do you know about it, Geode?”
”I've seen people swim, but it doesn't seem to work for me.”
”Maybe they tried to teach you by the sink-or-swim method. That's guaranteed to teach children the fear of water. They may learn to swim, but they never do it voluntarily after that.”
”Well, yes, but that wasn't all.”
”Let's sit down,” she said. She waded to the Jacuzzi region and sat on the submerged concrete bench by the bubbling jets of water. Geode followed.
”What was it?” she asked.
”A fish talked to me.”
”How wonderful!” she exclaimed. ”A mermaid?”
”No, just a regular fish. It said it didn't like the chemicals in the water.”
”So you got out, and when they asked you why, you explained about the fish and what it said?”
He nodded, embarra.s.sed.
”And they laughed at you.”
He nodded again.
”So you never learned to swim,” she concluded. ”But now you will, Geode. And if you see that fish, show me. I won't laugh.”
”Maybe the fish wasn't there. I know real fish don't talk. I-they say I have trouble telling what's real from what's imaginary.”
”I wish I did!” she said.
He looked at her, surprised. ”You do?”
”I would swap my imaginary life for my mundane life in a moment.” Then she glanced at him. ”Until I came here.”
”You don't think I'm crazy?” She had rea.s.sured him before, but he had to ask again.
”What is the evidence of your craziness?”
'They put me in a mental hospital.”
”They did that? Why?”
”When I told a doctor about talking with animals. He asked questions, he seemed to understand. Then he asked me to talk with someone else in the hospital, and I went there, and I couldn't get out. When I tried, they put me in restraints. After three months when they asked me if I still talked with animals, I told them no. It wasn't true, but I didn't like it in there. Since then I haven't told anyone but Mid.”
”Why did you tell him?”
”He knew about the hospital. He understood. He gave me this job. I had to tell him the truth.”
”And now you have told me the truth.”
”Yes.”
”The difference between us is that I learned earlier than you did to keep my mouth shut. Mostly. I learned to see that line between reality and fantasy. You learned only to say you saw it. You know that animals don't admit to talking to people, and people don't admit to talking to animals, so it doesn't matter what the truth is, you have to deny it.”
”Yes.”
”But you can tell it to me. I may not see or hear what you do, but I understand.”
”Yes.”
”Just as you understand about me.”
”Yes.”
She got up, turned, sat on his lap in the water, and kissed him. ”I love it here with you, Geode.”
”I-may I kiss you back?”