Swimming pool

 

    We were one of the first families in our neighborhood to get the latest product for our backyard: an above-ground swimming pool. It was the early sixties, and being middle class meant never being outdone by a neighbor. My uncles owned a toy store in town and worked out a deal with the pool manufacturer to provide them with three pools of different sizes that they assembled in the back of the store. Once filled with water and the filter system running, they put an ad in the local newspaper with pictures of the pools and an invitation to come and have a swim. People came by the dozens to try out the pools while my uncles took orders that surpassed their wildest dreams.

Soon, neighborhoods all over the town were dotted with pools, and summer fun had a whole new meaning. Kids who didn't have a pool went to friends who did. Moms became lifeguards, and each day, the sound of Marco Polo filled the air, leaving a scar in my ears that I carry with me to every pool and waterpark. Dad proclaimed Sunday family day in the pool as we swam and played while Kids watched from behind the fence, looking like lost puppies, but Dad stuck to his guns.

I remember Mom and Dad swimming late at night, talking in whispers, enjoying the pool without kids, and that obnoxious sound of Marco Polo. As summer came to a close, the pools were partially drained and covered with a tarp until late spring, when the fun began again, but with one exception. Pool Decks. People started building wooden decks with plenty of room for lounges, tables, and spacious areas to lie on a towel and soak up the sun. Every deck was more lavish than the others and soon became like a cruise boat deck. It was out of control.

However, as kids grew up and moved away, the backyard pools were replaced with public pools where dozens of kids could swim and meet new friends. Those backyard pools were hardly used in most cases, and some were destroyed by winter weather, taken down, and trashed.

I loved our pool and the fun it brought for many summers, but if I never hear another Marco Polo again, that's fine with me.

Mike 2025