Dictionary
Elated
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Dustin hated a lot of things in life. He told himself that was why he loved Woolworths. Dustin loved the Pick n’ Mix section. Dustin also loved Saturday morning pictures and the popcorn container that was bigger than his head.
Most other things Dustin hated. Of all the things that Dustin hated one thing was the worst.
Dustin hated Thursdays because Thursdays was swimming day and Dustin hated swimming so Dustin hated Thursdays.
It was not that he did not enjoy swimming per se, it was just that people do not like things that they are not good at, and Dustin could barely float. The ordeal started in the changing rooms. Banter flew about as did shirts and socks. Dustin felt they were all being aimed at him. That is what introverted little boys do. Boys who are shy. The other boys loved prancing around, they did not even flinch when the teachers came in to admonish them – male or female they still showed off in their nakedness.
In the corner of the changing rooms Dustin got ready for the lesson. He was use to the gibes in the playground but here he felt more vulnerable. Everyone knew Dustin was porky but here, exposed, there was no denying it.
Layers and layers of insults because of layers and layers of fat.
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Little boys are always competitive so they disregard those who are not in the competition, which Dustin obviously was not. So, they ignored his water wings and ignored his floats. They simply ignored him.
Little boys do not want to be ignored.
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It was a Thursday. Dustin remembered this because Thursday was swimming day. Dustin dreaded Thursdays. Mr Maguire, the swimming instructor, was a brutal man but he was the man that all of the boys looked up to. All except Dustin. He did not aspire to be like Mr Maguire, anything but.
It was his worst nightmare. Mr Maguire was going to make an example of him. Dustin hated how he looked without clothes and today he hated how Mr Maguire had disposed of his water wings and his float, how he had thrown him into the pool, keeping all the other boys by the side.
The order was a bark. It was the short straw. It was just a width but Dustin had never swum that far before. Not like the others. He thought that he was going to drown. There were no others in the pool to come to his rescue. He put his head down and swam and swam. By the time he touched the swimming pool wall he was exhausted.
Water had gotten into his ears so Dustin thought he was hearing things.
He was hearing things.
What he was hearing was the cheers from all his schoolmates. It was a standing ovation.
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That Thursday Dustin received his one and only swimming certificate. Mr Maguire signed it and presented it to him in front of all the others. At this point Dustin’s eyes were full of water, but it was not water from the pool.
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However, Dustin could clearly see that, when given his certificate, Mr Maguire winked at him.
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