When I Was Six

     I was at kindergarten today and we were learning the hula.  We had grass skirt and everything. It was funny.  I felt really weird shaking my hips in the skirts.  After school we went swimmimng in the pool down the street. It is a really big pool with a diving boad and everything.  My sister Lauri who is 15 and my sister Lisa who I think is 11 went with me. Mom just dropped us off.  There were a lot of peope; Lauri said "I dare Kathi to jump off the high dive!"
      "I bet I can do it."
       "No you can't, you better not you are to litte you will get hurt." Lauri thinking twice about her dare.
        I was off to the high dive. It was about fifteen feet off the ground.  I don't know if I can do this?  I am a big kid! No Fear.  As I waited in line I was shaking; there were about six kid in front of me. They climbed up the ladder like they had done it before. They got to the top; they don't look scared; they just run and jump. I can do this.  It is my turn now. My hands were sweaty. My swim swuit was going up my butt; I pulled it out. I liked my pink stripped swim suit I thought I was pretty cute.
         As I climbed the stairs I realized I had an audience. People were watching me-a five year old girl on a high dive.  I could hear Lauri and Lisa cheer me on. I waved a princess wave. I looked out at the blue water as I made my way down the center of the diving board.  I could see the black stripes in the pool looking back at me.  My throat is dry. My knees were shaking. No Fear . I take in a deep breath and run for the edge and leap and I was in the air like a bird. I flew and then I hit the water like a rock. It stungs so bad I couldn't breath. I struggled for the service doing the dog paddle.  The only stroke I knew. The sun broke through the surface of the water.  When my head bobbed to the surface a gasped for air  and paddle my self to the edge where I was met with smiles and and cheers from Lauri and Lisa and new respect in the family ladder.