final

It was a Saturday morning with almost perfect clear skies and the sun was shining brightly. Today was the Jefferson Swim League Championship and my little brother, Owen or Owee, what I like to call him, was swimming a 25 yard butterfly swim and a 25 yard freestyle swim. I came a little late so sadly to say, I just missed him swim fly, so I made sure I would see him swim freestyle because he is one of the top five in his 5-6 age group.I walked around waiting till his number was called, so I went to the snack bar and got a drink and talked to friends while I waited. Over the intercom they called event 21p, please report to the lower deck. So I went in and made sure I had a good view of his race, that I knew he would place well in. The first heat went and the little five and six year olds got around 27 seconds, 28 seconds and then the 2nd heat, 3rd, 4th, till it was the last heat which my brother was in. I was thinking in my head “Owee you are my brother, you take after me in trying to be the best, so you better get that first place ribbon”.My heart is beating slowly, anticipating to be beating faster. The judge says take your marks……. beep. The race starts!! He jumps in about 3rd with a good streamline. He comes from under the water kicking fast and pulling those little arms making him go fast. I’m yelling “go Owee go, go Owee go, kick those skinny legs”. About a quarter way through the race he was about half a body length behind and I’m still yelling, watching him trying to be number one. At the half way mark he was about neck in neck with the boy in first. I thought the boy in the lane beside him is starting to get tired so I thought to myself “I think he can, I think he can win this race, kick those tiny feet”. So he is in the final stretch, a little bit ahead of the boy in second place. I thought “you better win this race come on you got this and remember what mom said you can get ice cream for winning”. Where they touch I couldn’t see so I was saying “come on touch first, touch first” and the results came up on the big screen. 1st place lane 6 23.57and I went off because that was my brother’s lane, little six year old was the best swimmer in the area. I said “that’s my brother; I knew he could win boo yah”. So I went down to where he got out of the water and he was taking off his goggles and he had red circles around his eyes from them. I threw him a towel because he was always saying “I’m cold” after each time he got out of the water and I said to him “Owen you got first; Good job Owee!!” I came back up and I saw Huck my step father there and he said “Did you see Owen swim, that was amazing” I replied “yeah that was sick, I knew he would be either first or second but you got to admit he is one fast little guy”. Owen came upstairs after about a minute or two and I said “that’s my boy, first place” and then I picked him up and he had a big grin on his face. That was one of the happiest days I had over the summer.