A twelve year old boy left the pool and run up the steps to the observation deck. He was naked. All boys swam nude back then. Girls were not allowed in the pool. His mom was talking to a group of women. He waited politely for them to finish their conversation. Two girls stood looking through the observation window. The twelve year old noticed him immediately. She tugged at her older sisters shirt sleeve. The older girl gasped when she turned and saw the boy standing there.

The women stopped talking and looked at him. “Mom,” he said, “you told me to remind you -“

“What are you doing,” said one of the women. “There are girls in here. You should be ashamed of yourself.”

The boy looked at the girls. They looked at him. “Maybe you should be ashamed,” he said. “You’re letting girls stare at naked boys though the window.”

She looked at the girls and then at the boy. “You have a fresh mouth on you,” she said. “You need to learn manners and some common decency. I have a mind to take you over my knee right here.”

“Oh no you will not,” said his mother. “He’s right.”

The boy looked at the girls and shrugged. The girls smiled. He ran back to the pool. The girls turned to look through the window as the women bickered.