SIGHTS
Sun-dappled water, kids (splashing and swimming, plugging their noses while jumping into the pool, adjusting goggles, slapping at the water with pool noodles, paddling, kicking their feet, spitting out water and swiping wet hair off the face, wiggling a finger in the ear, adjusting swim suits), swimming equipment (water wings, nose plugs, bathing caps, goggles), Band-Aids and hair ties floating in the water, wet towels lying in clumps or stretched out on grass or cement, piles of clothing atop sandals or shoes, sun-bleached lockers along the wall, slatted wooden benches, rows of lawn chairs dotted with backpacks and bags, picnic blankets, a concession stand, a grassy area with a few small trees, bathrooms with showers and changing stalls, babies wearing wide hats and sitting in floaty seats, parents corralling kids or throwing dive sticks, water slides, mothers sitting on the edge with their feet dangling in the water, a first aid station, life preservers and life jackets, lifeguards wearing sunglasses and sitting on covered stands, diving boards, wet cement with puddles of water and rapidly drying footprints, flies, beach umbrellas, water toys (water guns, foam footballs, floaty toys, and balls), flip-flops, teen boys showing off, teen girls with raccoon eyes, water level markings showing pool depth, a floating deep end divider, vents, drains, filters
SOUNDS
Kids laughing and shrieking, parents and teens chatting, swimmers gasping for air, stuttering voices as people try to catch their breath, moms yelling at their kids, a lifeguard’s whistle, rustling leaves, water splashing, the spray of a shower, the smack of a belly flop, feet slapping the wet concrete, pool toys hitting the water’s surface, plunging dives, scavenger birds squawking as they steal food left on blankets, waterlogged noises from plugged ears, coughing and choking when one has swallowed too much water, the crinkle of chip bags and ice cream wrappers, cell phones going off, music playing over a loudspeaker, the gurgle of pool filters
SMELLS
Chlorine, sunscreen and suntan lotion, bug spray, oil and grease from fries at the concession stand, salt, freshly mowed grass, fabric softener from clean towels
TASTES
Concession foods (pop, juice, water, slushes, ice cream, chips, nachos, fries, hot dogs, chocolate bars, popsicles), gum, food brought from home (sandwiches, fruit or berries, crackers or pretzels, granola bars), chlorinated water, sunscreen dripping into the mouth
TEXTURES AND SENSATIONS
Gritty concrete underfoot, slippery tiles, cool water against the skin, drizzles sliding down the face and legs when one emerges from the pool, drips of water landing on one’s feet, hot walkways, clean towels rubbing against the skin, prickly grass sticking to one’s swimsuit and skin, snakes of hair clinging to the neck and shoulders, hair hanging in one’s face, pinching goggle straps, hot metal handrails, chlorine stinging one’s eyes, wrinkly fingertips and toes, the hot sun drying one’s skin, plucking out a wedgie, sunburn, chip crumbs sticking to wet legs, bumping against other swimmers, brushing the rough sides of the pool, toes gripping the pebbly surface at the bottom of the pool, a shock of cold water splashing a sunbather, walking through warm puddles, the burn of water in the nose, shivering with wet as the sun goes behind the clouds on a windy day
POSSIBLE SOURCES OF CONFLICT
Poor swimmers slipping into the deep end
Inattentive parents
Kids being rough in the water
Tyrannical lifeguards
Body image issues making people self-conscious
Sunburn cutting an outing short
Grouchy sunbathers
Inappropriately dressed sunbathers
Mean girls
A sudden downpour
Something suspicious floating in the pool
Arriving at the pool and finding it closed for repairs
Slips and falls and other injuries
A swimsuit strap breaking or slipping down
An unwelcome critter in the pool first thing in the morning (a snake, alligator, etc.)
A play date that ends prematurely due to squabbling
Friends who like to dunk and wrestle when one does not
PEOPLE COMMONLY FOUND HERE
Birthday party attendees, children, concession stand employees, divers, lifeguards, maintenance workers, nannies, parents, swimmers, teens, young children and grown-ups taking swim lessons
RELATED SETTINGS THAT MAY TIE IN WITH THIS ONE
Rural Volume: Lake, summer camp
Urban Volume: Cheap motel, hotel room, public restroom, rec center, water park
SETTING NOTES AND TIPS
While this entry has been dedicated to the outdoor pool, many public pools are located indoors, where the weather and climate can’t limit the swim season. This location also tends to bring a large mix of people together, and because many will feel “on display,” it can cause them to alter their behavior to fit in, or if they feel threatened, to show their true colors. Perhaps the young mother new to the neighborhood is a bit too strict with her child, worrying that other mothers will see any friction as a sign of bad parenting. Or maybe a new friend made over the summer suddenly ignores your character when the popular girls show up to tan and check out the local boys. Whatever her age, when a character feels watched and judged by others, she can doubt herself and her own worth and may do things outside of her nature to fit in.
SETTING DESCRIPTION EXAMPLE
After pulling myself out of the pool, I plodded across the gritty cement to where my crumpled towel lay. I shook the striped fabric to get rid of the loose grass, and water cascaded off me like rain. A few minutes lying in the afternoon sun and I’d be dry enough to bike home.
Techniques and Devices Used: Multisensory descriptions, simile, weather
Resulting Effects: Establishing mood