Conversation at the pool

Strange conversations happen at the pool. For example, two weeks ago when I was swimming laps outside lap-swim hours, some teenagers got in my way. So? It's not lap-swim hours. It's ok to be all over the pool and get in the way of people who are too cheap to pay for lap-swim hours. Nonetheless, these teenagers who got in my way apologised and then were more careful to watch where I was and stay out of my way. Dafuq? I'm definitely not in Hay River anymore.

Then today, as I was changing after swimming, another woman walks into the same row of lockers.

Me: Hello.

Woman: Hello. How is the water today?

Me: You know, I found it rather cooler than usual.

Woman: Yes, another woman who goes to my church and swims here was saying the same thing. Since it got really cold last week, the water here hasn't been as warm. I didn't swim last week though, who wants to get into a pool when it's that cold out?

Me: I didn't swim last week either. For me it's not so much getting in the pool, it's getting out with your hair wet and having to wait for the bus.

Woman: That's true. You know the coldest pool is Seven Oaks. When you're still feeling it after twenty minutes in the water, I think it's too cold.

Me: Definitely.

Woman: (exiting to pool) Have a good evening.

Me: You too! Enjoy your swim!

You know what's weird about this conversation? Several things, actually. First of all, balanced amount of talking. You speak a little, then you stop talking and I speak a little. Then I stop talking and you speak a little. See how that works? Not you talk forever, then I try to say something and you interrupt me and talk forever, then I try to say something and you interrupt me and talk forever. See the difference? I do. That's why I don't answer my phone anymore. Nobody who phones me does the first kind of conversation.

Second thing that's strange, we did not talk about a) ourselves or b) other people. We talked about a topic of mutual interest, namely pool temperatures and their relation to the weather. Something that we could both care about equally. And that was outside of ourselves. And that wasn't getting up in someone else's business.

I know, I know. It's totally crazy. And I'm so glad I'm in a place where you can have real, equal, mutual-interest conversation. I love you, Winnipeg.