Have you noticed that many businesses and similar organizations count Monday as the first day of the week…and Sunday as the last? I assume that this must be due to most jobs running from Monday thru Friday. Monday is not the most inspirational day…for many. The fun of the weekend and the unusual food and special drinks…and swimming at Pounds Hollow and a Dracula Movie at the Orpheum Theatre…are over for five days. Billy B. came up with a stellar idea…Monday Swim at the Hollow. Of course, this worked perfectly during the summer recess from school…but school was to begin again…in less than a month. He had seen one in-ground swimming pool in his life. It was a thing of beauty. His neighbors, the Cook family, had a small in-ground in their back yard with a six-foot-tall wooden fence surrounding it. Billy B. could hear the laughter and splashing and general frivolity when he was in his backyard and the Cooks were in their swimming pool. The Cooks did not go to Pounds Hollow…they had Pounds Hollow in their yard. ‘Hurry Billy B…Jane and Chet and Darryl are waiting on us,’ Neva J. called out as she loaded the picnic basket in the 57 Chevy.

‘We should pool our money and purchase a swimming pool for your backyard, Billy B.,’ said Chet. ‘I think that you can buy an above-ground pool for $69.95 at Western Auto,’ Jane mentioned. ‘We will go by Western Auto and check them out,’ Neva J. laughed as if she knew a secret that no one else did. ‘Hi Bob…we are here to check out the above-ground pools that you have in stock,’ Neva J. said with a wink. ‘Well…all we have left in the above-ground pools is this one for $199…it is July 18th and the pool season for retail is almost over…we will not be getting any more pools before next May,’ said Bob with an almost imperceptible grin. ‘Let us proceed to the Hollow,’ Neva J. announced with gusto!

Once again…Billy B. and Chet swam and floated out into the deep water of Pounds Hollow…where they could barely make out Neva J. and Jane on the sandy beach. Suddenly…there was Darryl on an inner tube. ‘Are you disappointed about not getting the above-ground swimming pool,’ Darryl asked Billy B.? ‘We missed the good pool deals at Western Auto…better luck next year…I guess,’ said a somewhat downcast Billy B. ‘ Let’s rest on the shore for a few minutes before we swim back,’ Chet suggested. ‘I am going to sleep under this massive weeping willow tree,’ Darryl said with a smile. ‘That sounds like a wonderful idea,’ Billy B. responded.

‘Hi Doc…you are looking like a Champ,’ said George. ‘Oh George…Billy B. always looks so good and he is such a nice boy,’ Helen said as she hugged Billy B. ‘Helen has bought you a little gift…you will find it when you get back home to Eldorado,’ George said with a hearty laugh! ‘But how are you guys here at Pounds Hollow…Neva J. said that you had passed away…George, asked Billy B.? ‘Oh…George gets around,’ Helen said with a smile.

‘What is the digging machine doing digging a massive hole in our backyard,’ asked Billy B.? ‘Helen’s lawyer called me the other day and said that Helen had died…and in her Will, she had set aside enough money for you to have an In-Ground Swimming Pool…and she said to tell you that she apologized for never getting you the bicycle that she had promised not long after you moved to Eldorado…

‘Look Billy B…there is a new Three Speed Bicycle by your back door,’ said Jane.