BLOODY TOE

The sun was so sultry it felt almost feverish... I wasn’t old enough to  go to the beach myself so I persuaded my mum to take me and my little sister down to the local public pool. My brother was probably already down by the beach flinging himself around in the waves on his board. I remember he’d tell me stories about the villainous magpies and how they’d attack him and his mates on the way to the surf. I’d make a mental note to not go that way when I was old enough. I didn’t want chunks taken out of my ears and I wasn’t about to throw sticks at them either. 

Mum pulled our shitbox car into the Thirroul plaza on the way down to the pool. She was picking up some more sun cream and a few oranges to eat. Whilst she graced the local shops, I encouraged my sister to join me in winding up the windows. There was no real purpose as to why I would like to do this, but I remember thinking of how much more inviting and relieving the water would feel after boiling ourselves in the heated car.

The sun had no mercy and after a few hours my skin was tight and my fingers pruned. The Seagulls screamed nonsensically overhead as they whipped around in the breathless skies above. The pool was armoured in smooth white tiles and rimmed with terracotta ones that felt rough on my feet. I’d dive in yelling for my mum to watch then swim down to the bottom of the deepest part and pretend to drink tea. I sat on the side of the wall to catch my breath and noticed some dark clouds beginning to burgeon in the sky. I’d heard my brother call that a southerly.. so I’d say that too. 

Goosebumps began to form on my skin and I could tell my mum was getting ready to head home. I got up and ran to do one last dive. We were always told not to run at the pool and the pain on my toe made me learn why. Before looking down at my injury, I jumped in the water and pulled myself up to the pools edge. I sat there, scared to look at my toe. As I sat there feeling the pain greaten, my brother came to meet us to get a lift home. As he saw me he walked over and pushed me in the pool. I screamed as over reacting sisters of ten do and as I got out my mum saw my bleeding toe.. my brother got in trouble and didn’t get any ice cream that day.

I remember confessing to this years later... guilt can be a funny thing.