Thirty Two Lengths

One Tuesday when I was about
ten
I swam thirty-two lengths
which is one mile.
And when I climbed out of the
water
I felt like a big, fat lump of jelly
and my legs were like rubber
and there was this huge man
there
with tremendous muscles all
over him
and I went up to him and said,
‘I’ve just swum a mile.’
and he said,
‘How many lengths was that
then?’
‘Thirty-two,’ I said.
And the man looked into the
water and said,
‘I’ve got a lad here who can
do ninety.’