Growing up my brother and I always spent our summers at my Grandmother’s house. She was a great cook and we loved to spend time with her, but mainly we loved it because Grandma had a swimming pool. My brother’s birthday is in early summer and because we spent so much time in the pool he usually got pool toys as birthday presents.

One year my brother got snorkeling equipment for his birthday. We had had all kinds of floatation devises to play with and water guns, but never snorkeling equipment. We were more than excited to try it out; we were convinced that with snorkeling equipment we would be professionals when we snuck up on my cousins for surprise attacks.

We bragged to my cousins that with the new snorkeling equipment using the pool would be like swimming in shark infested waters, because we were going to be sly and stealth, and when they least expected it, we’d strike!

The first time I used the snorkeling equipment I strapped the goggles around my head and fit the snorkel in place. I dove into the water, confident I’d be able to breathe like a fish, but no air came. I came up coughing and sputtering while my cousins laughed, not at all the grand entrance I was hoping for. I peeked down the hole of the snorkel, and found it stuffed with play dough.

After that my brother and I learned to keep our battle plans secret.