I live in an age restricted gated community. It's that time of year where we have to get our 2026 pool passes.
Last year was my first summer living here.
I was informed that in order to be able to use the pool, I had to go to the office with proper ID and get a pool pass.
At the office they gave me a temporary pass until the annual permanent one was printed.
Being new in the community and not knowing anyone, it took me a couple of days to get up the nerve to go to the pool.
It was July 4th weekend. I got myself together, packed all the gear...towels, suntan lotion, my knitting, and a book. I was stepping out of my comfort zone, but I thought, maybe my knitting might spark up a conversation with someone.
There was a table set up at the entrance to the pool area where I was greeted by a young woman who asked to see my pool pass.
I had my temporary paper pass ready to show her. She looked at it for a few seconds and proceeded to tell me that the pass had expired a day earlier. I was confused because I didn’t realize there was an expiration date. She showed me where it was clearly stated.
She said I would have to go to the office to pick up my permanent one. “But it’s closed today,” she added.
With a sigh, I thought, of course it was.
I told her I had a community ID with my photo on it.
She said, “Sorry, I can only admit you with a proper pool pass.”
I was angry. But I kept my cool and left.
I couldn’t help but wonder why she couldn’t have bent the rules a little on that particular hot and sunny July 4th.
Logically, I understand, there are rules and she was just doing her job. But that experience stayed with me. It made me think of understanding and empathy.
We never really know what someone else may be going through,
Here I was newly widowed, new to the community, stepping out of my comfort zone and this young woman had no way of knowing any of that.
After that, I was a little turned off about the whole pool thing and didn’t use it much that summer.
So next week we can go pick up our new pool passes. Since I already have a permanent pool pass, I just need to get a 2026 sticker put on it.
I will probably give the pool another chance, especially on one of those hot, humid, New Jersey summer days.
And Maybe I’ll find a knitting buddy.
What do you think? Should I have been allowed to use the pool that day?
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