The Un-Ending Adventures of Jenny Jumps

One summer in particular, I put in a good few days as a freelance lifeguard.

Actually, as I recall it was my boss at the Georgina Leisure Pool who put my name forward and recommended me to a woman who was holding a private pool party in her backyard.  She had a son with a severe physical disability and had invited several children with similar diagnoses and their parents.

I arrived at her home unsure of what to expect, and when I realised the extent of the children’s condition, I wasn’t sure how I was going to manage what she was asking of me.  She wanted to put the children in lifejackets, and then with the assistance of one other adult, allow them to float around her pool while herself and the rest of the parents relaxed on the deck.

So I did just that.  I was apprehensive at first.  I took one child at a time and lowered them gently into the water.  Most experienced at least  severe paralysis, if not some degree of blindness, reduced hearing and various cardio-vascular difficulties.  Their conditions prevented them from making sudden – if any – movements but one wrong move by the other adult or I could flip any number of children over,  turning them face down in the water and effectively ending their life.

I lay each child into the water face-up in a lifejacket.  Then, one by one, bringing each child close to my body, I looked them in the eyes and moved them gently through the water.  The parent who stood in the water with me, watched the children to be sure that they remained face-up.  After the first round I felt more confident, and one-at-a-time, removed each child from his or her lifejacket and allowed each child to experience the sensation of floating in their own skin.

I fell in love which each of those children.

Apparently the parents were watching in astonishment from the balcony above.  Not only did I love the children, but I handled them physically with skill and finesse.

Suffice to say, that mother paid me double what she had originally offered, and continued to recommend me to other parents and organisations throughout the community.

The influx of requests resulted in a fairly busy summer for me that year, and at $25 per hour, I was continuing to develop my intuition as a successful entrepreneur.