Double Knot

6/3/2001

Double Knot:
Holding the Strings

         On a class trip junior year, we went to a water park in Florida. The day was exciting generally for being able to see thousands of teenagers and especially those from my class, all running around in bathing suits. The day was particularly peculiar, for one incident and one coincident.
         Everyone started with a hose-down in the public bathrooms, as per park rules. So they can say everyone was showered and sorta clean. Or that they were wet and officially "went in the water" - whatever the reason. From there we scattered into our own cliques, until we got tired of seeing each other's untanned bodies.

         I'd gone around the lazy river in an inner tube a couple times. Accompanying a girl that my best friend had the hugest thing for, only she was uncomfortable with me around, I could tell. She was self-conscious because of her weight despite wearing those few extra pounds in a shapely manner. She went around the river submerged to neck level. My best friend, an absolute twig, hung lazily off an inner tube and following her. He too knew she was self-conscious, but he wasn't about to let his eyefeast go that easily.
         So I was alone when I headed for the line to the top of the tallest hill slide. I passed a table of four geeks as pale as I was. I stopped in my tracks, because I had recognized two of them. I went back and, sure enough, it was my old junior high crowd from when I had lived in Florida. Jason and Paul and - damn I can't remember the other two - but I knew them then. We shot the bull for a few minutes but it had been years. So with one last "what a nice coincidence" I took off for the slide. I remember thinking that even if I wasn't cool, I was better off than they were: they feared risk of their ghostly hides being witnessed more than they valued the opportunity to look at scantily-clad girls.

         The hill slide was really cool. It was tall but winding, so it wasn't all that fast. But since there had been a line, I was glad it was a long, slow slide. By the time I got back in line, the friggin' thing extended almost to the bottom of the hill.
         Fortunately I slipped into line after two really hot chicks in bikinis. Well, one was petite and hot. The other had peachy cream skin with a great figure and auburn hair. I listened to their conversation, moving up a step every time the line moved, which wasn't often. They knew I was listening, but they didn't care. They also knew I was a stranger, and a rather plain-looking one at that.
         Halfway up the hill, Peachy-Auburn developed a problem with her bikini. It was loosening on her, but the tie was in the back. Her petite friend retied the strings, but she had neither muscles nor knowledge of knots. They were looser than ever. Peachy-Auburn stood helpless, basically holding her top on until Petite-Hot could figure it out. Perhaps you are doing now just as I was then: contemplating a little accidental indecent exposure.

         But alas, thinking of how bold I was compared to my geeky friends from Florida junior high, I volunteered my services. I'm certain it was something simple like "excuse me? may i?" which even I couldn't screw up, even though it meant saying multiple words to beautiful strangers.
         Petite-Hot wasn't getting anywhere, and Peachy-Auburn either didn't or couldn't object. I took hold of her bikini top strings. This, yes, was a profound moment in my life. Not your usual life-shaping situation, I'll grant you, but this nevertheless was a turning point. I had two choices. I could "oops" the strings, earning myself two eyefuls of choice high school perkiness. Any horny fella could do that, and many would (even those who already got regular feely action going). Or I could meekly tie the strings and miss the opportunity of a teen lifetime. Quite the quandary.

         Despite my fantasies, desire, and virginity, I gave in to the silly voice of maturity. I tied those strings securely, and damned if I didn't make the snuggest non-slip double knot. "There you go," I concluded as if I did that every day. I asked if it was too tight, but Peachy-Auburn said it was just right. She and Petite-Hot seemed surprised that I hadn't gone for choice #1. Peachy-Auburn had held her breath the whole time. I was rewarded with smiles. No further conversation, just a trip up the hill (which I don't remember other than it was in silence). At the top they took a different path down the slide, and thus did Peachy-Auburn and Petite-Hot vanish into anonymity and out of my life.
         I am not a believer in faith, but that girl had faith in me during that moment when I held the strings. She had no reason to believe I would tend to my work honestly. The girls probably had good reason to suspect that I would act selfishly. But they let me grab the reins, and while in control of the situation, I made the right decision.

         To this day I think about that, whenever I am confronted with a critical situation and it falls to me as a leader to bail everyone out. Although, all else being equal, I'd much rather be holding onto the strings of a really gorgeous chick's bikini top.