THE LESSONS OF POOL OWNERSHIP

By RANDY CAPPS

When you’re a kid, owning a swimming pool is a dream come true.

It’s instant relief from the relentless sun so omnipresent on Southern summer days, and it’s a great way to quickly become the most popular guy in the neighborhood.

I never had one of my own as a child, but I imagine that most young pool owners are shielded from the massive responsibilities of keeping one going from the start of the swim season until the end.

We got one a few years ago, and while I have enjoyed many wonderful moments in it with my wife and son, it is a neverending project.

There isn’t enough space here for the entire list of woes, but I’ll give you the highlights from the past three years. This year (so far), the pump motor was seized up, which caused the breaker box to trip out by the control box. Last year, our liner had to be cut out and replaced. I didn’t completely shield Ethan from that experience, since he had just turned 18. The year before that, the salt cell, which runs a small electric current into our salt water to produce chlorine, had to be replaced for the third time and the handle on top of the pump that allows for backwashing and rinsing had to be retired as well.

Every year, we entertain the notion of not opening it. Last month, when confronted with 11,000 gallons of green, pine straw-infused water, I was tempted again.

But then, I thought back to last summer. When the world was going mad with COVID restrictions and daily protests, the pool was our sanctuary. We didn’t need a mask to get in, and it’s not really big enough to allow for six feet of social distancing. We spent time there together, and for those moments in time, everything was OK. So, that made me smile — even as I was adding 400 pounds of salt to pool.

It’s a great place to make memories, but you do have to work for them first.