Even though I am intentionally not dating or seeking a romantic relationship, that doesn’t mean I’m disinterested in women. It seems like every week I run into attractive women throughout the day. The latest is a woman I’ll call the Pool Hottie.
I’ve seen her once or twice before but this week our schedules are overlapping. She’s very recognizable. She’s got a halo of highlighted long blond hair cascading halfway down her back. She’s always tan, as if she just returned from the Caribbean. She’s thin and athletic. She’s got that cheerleader look that I find attractive.
What stands out the most is that she brings her dog to the pool. I have no idea how she gets away with that, but I suspect the dog is some kind of service animal. It’s a cute little fluffy thing that lays down on a towel under a chair and doesn’t bark or move an inch while the Hottie swims.
I don’t spend much time thinking about the Hottie. Even though I have never seen her up close, she must be in her 30s or early 40s (or god forbid her 20s). When I swim, I am all business. As is she and most of the other regulars. I have no fear that she’ll approach me to chat me up for a date.
But, initially I felt a pang of envy that she could bring her dog to the pool. I thought, “How’d she get away with that?”
And then it occurred to me that if she was bringing a service animal, that she actually needed one. Whether it’s for some physical disability or for emotional support, I thought about what a hassle it must be every time she goes to a new pool, store or business and has to explain that her dog is a service animal, deal with any pushback, feel embarrassment etc.
My pang of envy turned into a note of compassion instead.
But, that doesn’t mean I can’t admire her and her dog from my own lane.