It makes sense that I would frequent a small park at Cherokee Place. It is situated by the East River where the boats catch my eye between chapters. I had not tried the John Jay Pool for whom the park is named until last week. Such an inviting fresh air activity! Was I in for a treat. There were several of my favorite kind of regulars--babies learning to swim. One sat on the edge of the pool while her mother recited Humpty Dumpty. At the signal of, "Humpty Dumpty had a great fall," the baby fell into the pool and into the mother's arms. I began to want to really thank this John Jay person. I wondered who he was as my American History is sketchy at best. I was mortified when I discovered he was a Founding Father, 1st Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (courtesy of George Washington himself), Governor of New York and an abolitionist. Famous treaties and diplomatic missions are attached to his resume. How had I missed all this? Where was Ken Burns to fill in the gaps of my education?? Does he know that the pool was a WPA project in 1940? Those were dark days but some optimistic planners forged ahead. Well, it is never too late for me to learn a thing or two or to express my gratitude. Each time I go to the pool I will recite my own recitation:
"Thank you, John Jay, wherever you are."
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...may the blessings of refreshing water be with you this day...
...from Dian in the Star on Mill Mountain City:
ReplyDelete"Wow....that pool looks fantastic and one would never guess that it was a 1940 WPA project....but I am glad that it was. Wish you were in the picture. Do your faerie/angel wings morph into those water wings the kids all wear ~when you swim? Do tell"
a great history lesson for us-all; and a cool one to boot - we could write a song about that, if someone hadn't already beat us to the punch. think i'll take the dive and splish-splash a while, to try and survive this heat. c will
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