Swimming down the river

I want to tell you about an interesting incident that happened to me not too long ago. I just never had the time before, as I was helping my sister—I have a new nephew. But that's not what this is about right now.

It happened at the very beginning of June. I was at my sister's place and needed to get back home. My sister tried to persuade me to stay, but I was against it because I still had some things to do at home. The minibus ride would have taken only about twenty minutes, but I didn't feel like sitting in a stuffy tin can. So, after turning the corner, I simply decided to walk. I was dressed as usual, lightly, for summer—just a skirt and a blouse—but that's not so important; the main thing

is to be comfortable for walking. And on my feet, I just happened to be wearing light, flat sandals.

My sister lived in a rented apartment with her husband in the Metallurgichesky district. To avoid changing buses, I decided to walk three blocks along the street. I wasn't just walking; I was practically fluttering, turning my head from side to side, enjoying the summer warmth, or rather, the evening coolness after a hot day. Cars sped past, and some honked, offering either a ride or a lift. I cheerfully thanked them and walked on with a happy mood and a smile on my face. When I reached Metallurgov Highway, I bumped right into Veruska, face to face.

— Hi," she said cheerfully.

— Hi. Hi—long time no see," I replied.

— Out for a walk?" Vera asked.

— Heading back from my sister's, was looking after my nephew," I answered with a sense of pride.

— And you're not planning to have one of your own yet?" Vera asked.

— Not yet, and there's no one to have one with," I replied, and smiling, I asked,

— Where are you coming from?

— Oh, I'm taking exams, was going to a friend's place—there's something I don't understand," she answered.

— If we're going the same way, let's walk together," I suggested.

It turned out we were indeed going the same way, and the intended three blocks to the bus stop turned into four. We walked along, chatting happily, and ended up in a private housing area near a beautiful house. Something like a small cottage. Vera walked up and pushed the gate. It opened.

— Come on, what are you standing there for?" she said to me.

We went in, and at that moment, Vika was already coming towards us—the same Vika from Verochka's birthday. I had only seen her maybe two or three times, and even then just in passing. A year ago, she lived in a two-room apartment with her parents in the city.

— Hi! Is this your house?" I asked.

— Hi! Yes, we exchanged it for our old apartment," Vika replied.

— Come in, I'm alone," she said and invited us into the house.

We sat for a bit and chatted. Or rather, Vika told us how nice it is in this house, with the river nearby, and how she generally likes everything here. Then she handed Verochka a few sheets of written paper and started explaining something. Meanwhile, I walked around the room and looked out of each window. Then I went over to the girls and asked,

— Is the river that way?"—and pointed at the window.

— Yes, two minutes and we're there. Don't you want to go for a swim?" Vika asked.

— I don't mind, and you?" Verochka asked, turning to me.

I shrugged because I didn't know if there were people there or not, and if there were a lot of people, I didn't have a swimsuit on—not even underwear.

— Oh right, I forgot. Well, never mind, you can just sit on the shore," Verochka explained to herself.

— Well, let's go then. I've already been swimming twice today," Vika said cheerfully.

— Yeah," Verochka agreed, and all three of us went out through the gate and headed towards the river. In about three minutes, we were on the shore. There weren't too many people—you could say very few—just some kids splashing around in the shallows. It wasn't exactly a beach—it reminded me of the shore near my house. A narrow strip of sandy shoal and a steep bank about three meters high, with ladders made of thick planks nailed to the slope in several places. For convenience, I guess, I thought, and following my friends, I started climbing down. We moved a little to the side. About thirty meters away, there was no one at all, and I couldn't resist. Watching Verochka and Vika splashing in the water, I also walked up to the water's edge, waded in up to my knees, looked around, quickly pulled off my skirt, and sat down in the water. Then, just as quickly, I pulled off my blouse and asked Verochka to put my clothes next to theirs. Verochka did this gladly, and Vika was surprised that I had decided on such a desperate step and clapped her hands.

— I didn't expect that," she said, referring to me.

— What should we do?" she asked.

— I don't know," I replied.

I didn't want to get out and, with my appearance, disturb the family idyll of the two couples who had come here to relax after work. And I had no need to cause a scandal or listen to unflattering remarks about myself. Verochka came over to us.

— Well, what should we do?" she asked, holding my blouse and skirt in her hands.

— We don't know," Vika and I answered almost in unison.

— Maybe wait?" I asked the girls.

— No, I can't. I have a ton of things to do and an exam tomorrow," Verochka said.

— I have an exam too," Vika added.

— Well, then you two go and study, and then come back for me," I suggested.

— And where should I put this?" Verochka asked, shaking my clothes.

— Take them with you, otherwise someone might steal them, and I won't be able to get out," I explained.

— Well, it's up to you," Verochka replied and, reaching out a hand to Vika, pulled her out of the water. I swam out a little and sat in the water. It was just up to my shoulders, so nothing was visible. Verochka put my things in a bag and put a towel in there too. Vika was already dressed, and they were about to leave when suddenly Verochka turned to me and said,

— Look, don't swim all the way home, you know how you are.

They smiled cheerfully, looking in my direction.

— I can't swim that far; it's very far," I replied.

— And if it were close, would you swim?" Vika suddenly asked.

— Of course, I love swimming," I explained.

— I have an inflatable ring; if anything, I can lend it to you," Vika said.

Silence fell. Verochka and Vika exchanged glances. They themselves hadn't expected the conversation to turn in this direction and were waiting for my answer, though their faces showed both surprise and fear at the same time. Sitting in the water, I was completely bewildered and couldn't decide. This was a chance and a new test for me, but it was seven in the evening and the sun was still warm. The riverbanks all the way to my house were full of dangers and strangers, or maybe even people I knew, from whom I didn't know what to expect. All of this added great interest, and not only that, to my upcoming journey naked on an inflatable ring. It would truly be an unusual adventure.

— I agree, bring the ring!" I suddenly shouted.

Verochka and Vika froze in surprise and couldn't move. They were in shock.

— Well, how long am I going to wait for you?" I shouted again.

— Oh, right now," Vika said in a confused voice and ran towards the house. Verochka stood there completely petrified, looking now at me, now at the family couples having fun and laughing a little further away from us. They, of course, didn't understand what was going on or what we were talking about, so they didn't even pay attention to us.

Vika returned in about ten minutes. In her hands was a large, green inflatable ring, about seventy centimeters in diameter, with a hole in the middle.

— Here," she said in a breathless voice.

— Throw it here!" I shouted.

Vika threw me the ring, and I took two steps towards it, caught it, and put it on.

— Well, how does it look on me?" I asked, smiling.

— Better than this," Verochka replied and showed me my clothes.

Then she came to her senses and asked,

— Marina, where are you going with this?

If only they knew that an ordinary naked girl was floating in the middle of the river on an inflatable ring, many would rush to intercept me just to get a better look or even try to touch me in the water with their hands. But as it was, with wet hair and inside the ring, I could easily pass for an extreme guy who decided to travel down the river. I didn't know how far I had to swim, but the further from people, the safer I was. So far, everything was going just fine, and being in the water, I felt a slight excitement. Someone on the shore simply waved at me, and one guy fishing from a boat near the bushes shouted to me,

— Need a tow?

— NO...." I replied, trying not to give away with my voice who I was, and floated past.

Soon, I floated past one, then a second microdistrict. In the private housing area, hardly anyone was around, and I calmed down a bit. Evening was falling, and the sun had already disappeared behind the tall buildings in the distance from the river. I had been in this area once before and roughly understood where I was. But I had been here in winter and on land; I had only dreamed of floating down the river, and now the idiot's dream had come true—I cursed myself and then laughed at myself. My arms were getting a bit tired, and I tried to help myself with my legs, and when my legs got tired, I used my arms to steer and help myself swim where I needed to go. So, meter by meter, from bend to bend, I was already beyond the city limits. Ahead was my settlement, and there, neighbors I knew well could be swimming. I had absolutely no desire for them to see me. I even thought, when I floated up to the forest on the right bank, to get out and walk the rest of the way home on dry land. But I immediately dismissed that thought. First, I was barefoot, and second, if someone suddenly saw me naked with an inflatable life ring, I wouldn't be able to hide even in the thickest bushes. So, I decided to swim all the way to my house.

As I floated past my neighbors in the settlement, I heard greetings and invitations to dock with them, but I ignored them in every way and pretended not to hear anything. And when I saw the familiar willow bushes and the little dock from which I always draw water for watering the garden, I breathed a sigh of relief.

— Here I am, home," I said out loud to myself.

I practically crawled onto the shore and sat down on the grass. My legs were buckling and wouldn't obey me from fatigue. After catching my breath a bit, I started rubbing them and bending them as best I could to stretch them out. After about ten minutes, I could walk more or less. There was just a little left—to cross the garden along a narrow path next to the neighbor's garden. Luckily, they weren't there, and I easily ran the last fifty meters and found myself in my yard. My mom saw me through the window and came out into the yard.

— What kind of spectacle is this, and where did you get the ring?" she asked me.

— Vika let me use it to swim," I answered, already completely calm, despite standing there completely naked.

— And where are your clothes? You were at your sister's," Mom asked.

— They're at Vika's. I couldn't swim with them," I answered, fibbing a little, and smiling, I hugged my mom.

— Is there anything to eat? I'm really hungry.

— You little fox, come on," she called me into the house.

— Where's Dad?" I asked.

— In the room, watching soccer," Mom replied.

I opened the door a crack and greeted my father.

— Hi, Dad.

— Hi, did you go swimming?" he asked.

— Yeah, I'm going to bed now, but I think they're going to feed me," I replied.

I closed the door and, leaving my father to watch his soccer, went to the kitchen. After quickly having dinner, I collapsed in my room, just as I was, naked, onto my bed and fell asleep. I dreamed so much that night that I walked around all day like I wasn't myself from the memories, especially from what I had pulled off yesterday.

That's the story that happened to me this summer.

Marina K. Chelyabinsk Region.