My Friend the Leviathan

When I was pregnant with Cormac, but before I had told many people, I swam a mile alongside a Barton swimmer friend named Jamie Tout. I use the term friend with caution because Jamie is more than a bit of a misanthrope. He seems to only have a fondness for his cats and punishing himself with long and unrelenting open water challenges. He is as bad@$$ as they come - often arriving at the Springs and hopping the fence at 2AM to complete 10+ mile swims before the crowds make it too hard to complete the distance. He did Kona Ironman in the 80s, the English Channel, Catalina Island, Manhattan Island. The latter of two within a week of each other sustaining big jellyfish welts all over his body that he swam miles with. I remember thinking while I swam that mile with him (using fins as cheats to keep up with his unrelenting stroke), what a good omen it seemed to swim alongside a channel swimmer while growing what I hoped would be a strong, healthy Boo Bop. It was a fun secret to keep at the time. But then once Jamie heard through the grapevine that I was pregnant, I swear there were few people that rivaledhis excitement, enthusiasm and wonder at the news. Whenever he bumped into me at the Springs he would barrage me with questions he seemed to have accumulated since we last saw each other "Are you sick? How do you feel? You look so strong in the water!" Or "When is he due again? Oh my birthday is in May! You should have him on my birthday!" The latter of which I responded that the universe wouldn't allow two greats to share one day (also, it was considerably past my due date).

It delighted me to no end that this man who often complained of people in the pool as if he wished there could be a new plague to wipe them all out, was undeniably thrilled for Cormac to make his debut. And this morning, he waited an extra 45 minutes after his horrendously early swim to hand off this romper gift that he and his wife picked out for Cormac. I just about lost it, telling Jamie how unbelievably darling Cormac's chubby muscle arms will look in this number. Without skipping a beat, he said confidently "Yes! Those channel swimming arms!"