Katie's Second Week at Work

Kevin had breakfast with Katie and left her flat at lunchtime on Sunday. After Katie had showered she tried on her new bikini and came through to show Kevin. They both liked it, the bikini was light green, the top was quite brief and the bottoms were like big pants. She remembered that the nurse at the sexual health clinic had advised her to use an additional form of contraception throughout her first and second cycles, after first starting to go on the pill. But in the heat of passion with Kevin, she had forgotten about this. She dismissed it from her mind. Kevin kissed her goodbye and went home to face his interrogation. Katie spent the rest of Sunday as she always did, making her tea, texting her friends and watching TV.

On Monday she started a run of one til nine shifts on her own throughout the week from Monday to Friday. The manager told her that if she had any problems during the day, just to call him. During the Monday tea time closure, the site's two security guards called in. They explained that they were on duty from 5 pm until 1 am every day. They didn't usually have much to do and were only occasionally called upon when the bar was closing. They said they would pop into to see her from time to time. If Katie had any problems with rowdiness, for example, she simply had to call them on their mobile phones.

Kevin called in to see her most tea times. She greeted him with a kiss on the lips and a look forward to their next day off together.

Katie continued to enjoy her work. There were two sorts of customers, firstly those who owned caravans or chalets on the site. Some of them visited the pool daily or even twice daily, and she was already on chatty terms with them all. Secondly, there were holidaymakers who had booked a caravan for anything from two or three nights to a week or two. Katie tried to make them all feel welcome at the pool. She quickly learned that there was less time available to her, working on her own, to clean the changing area, cubicles, lockers and showers. She did her best, working throughout most of her breaks, to keep her high standards up.

On Tuesday evening, just after quarter to eight, three teenage boys arrived. They all looked about to be about sixteen or seventeen years of age. Katie was her usual friendly self, but these lads did not return her pleasantries. They seemed to have a bit on an attitude. Katie reminded them that the pool was open until only eight-thirty, she took their money and she wished them a good swim. Then she started cashing up. There was no-one else in the pool and it was unlikely anyone else would arrive now. Five minutes later they came out from the changing area. They were all wearing long shorts and soccer tops.


"Can we go in with our tops on?" one asked curtly.

"Yes, that's fine!" Katie replied.

"Oh. George doesn't let us!" another of them added. "Why does George say no to that and you say yes?"

"Well," Katie said quietly, "Read the Conditions of Use of the Pool notice. What does it say?"

"Dunno miss."

"Well, it says here (Katie pointed to the notice on the wall) "Suitable clothing must be worn at all times!" Then it says, further down that, "The instructions of the attendant on duty must be followed at all times." So that means that the attendant decides what suitable dress is, and everyone has to follow this."

"You're just new, aren't you?" the first lad said. "So you just don't know!"

Katie took a deep breath. "It is just a matter of opinion," she said. "George is perfectly entitled to say no tops. It is quiet tonight and I am quite happy for you all to go in the pool as you are, if that is what you want to do. That is my opinion. You should all respect each person's opinion, even if it's different. After all, I did say yes!"The three lads all grunted.

Katie tried to concentrate on the cash, but the lads were making a lot of noise, shouting and swearing. She walked over to the pool and blew her whistle. "Cut out the swearing, please," she said firmly.

"Why, miss, There's no-one else here!"

"I'm here," said Katie. "This is a public place for families and children, and that language is not suitable!"

One of the lads swore in reply. "If you use that language again," said Katie quietly, "Then I am going to ask to leave."

"All of us?" another demanded, "But I'm not swearing!"

"You are just being difficult!" Katie replied. The lads all looked at her and laughed. Katie went back to her desk and put the mobile number for security in front of her. She really didn't want to call them, but she thought that might have to.

The lads swam about for a few minutes and Katie resumed cashing up. The swearing had stopped. Then Katie became aware of huge splashes of water across the pool, as much water as a strong young lad could send up with two arms. The water splashed over the seats, loungers and windows. She walked over towards them again. "Can you stop that please," she asked. "Someone has got to mop up after you, and you're soaking the seats!"


"Why, they're only plastic, miss! We're not doing any harm!"

"I'm asking you all to stop splashing," Katie replied, in her quiet, steady voice.


"Does it say that in the Conditions of Use?" one of them asked sarcastically.

"Yes, it does," replied Katie. "It says, no running, no pushing and no splashing! So please stop doing that!"

"That must be her opinion!" one of them muttered. Katie was starting to feel a bit stressed. She stayed where she was and she looked hard at each of them in turn. They turned away and mumbled amongst themselves.

Katie returned to her desk.


"What's your name miss?" a loud shout interrupted her counting, a few minutes later. She looked up.

"My name is Katie," she replied.

"What? Can't hear you! Can't hear you, miss!"

Katie walked over towards them, "My name is Katie," she said. She smiled. Katie always tried to be pleasant.

"If Tod was drowning," one asked, "Would you jump in and save him?"

"No," replied Katie, "I am not a lifeguard, I am an attendant. Everyone uses the pool at their own risk. There is no lifeguard. It says there is no lifeguard, in the Terms and conditions!"

"But if Tod was drowning, you would still try and do something, miss? You couldn't just let him drown!"

"Tod will not be drowning," replied Katie. "I can see you are all strong swimmers! So you are just asking me a silly question!"

"Would you call an ambulance instead, Katie, if Tod was drowning?" she was asked.

"No," replied Katie, smiling. "I'd wait half an hour and then call the mortuary!"

"You're just mean!" came back the reply. Katie went back to try cashing up again.

"Katie! Katie!" urgent voices called her from the pool. Should she go over, or should she just carry on working where she was? Katie could see all three of them at the side of the pool. She carried on working.

"Katie! Katie!" they called again. She could see that she would get no peace, so Katie walked over towards them. They were all laughing.

"Katie," one said, "Tod says that he fancies you!" They all laughed loudly. Katie felt embarrassed.

"Behave yourselves!" she replied.

"Tod says if he is drowning you must come and save him because he is in love with you!" Katie turned and walked away.

"Katie! Katie!" the urgent voices called out again. She turned around, "Listen, lads, I have work to do at the end of my shift and you're just wasting my time. You've got ten minutes left!"

"Katie! Katie! Come and jump in the pool with us!" Katie smiled at the thought, in spite of her discomfort dealing with these lads.

"Listen, if you'd all behaved properly since you all arrived, I might even have done that. I'm always in the pool, but you have just made me feel upset, so I don't want to jump with you at all!" The three lads all looked a little bit disappointed but also surprised that this pretty young lifeguard (sorry, attendant) would even have considered joining them.

"Have you got your swimsuit?" the first lad enquired, looking puzzled. Katie smiled. "Yes," she replied, "I've always got my swimsuit on when I'm here!"

"But you said that you're not a lifeguard!" the lad replied.

"But I still like to go in sometimes!" Katie replied.

She returned to her desk, it was thankfully almost closing time.

"Katie! Katie!" The loud voices summoned her again. Katie decided to go back over to the poolside, to tell them all that it was time to go.

"There's something moving at the bottom of the pool!" a high pitched voice screamed at her, as she approached. Katie hesitated. She knew that they were winding her up, but something made her step forward to check that the pool was safe.

"Down there Katie, right by the side!" the voice sounded frantic. Katie stood on the edge of the pool and peered over. The water was moving and sparkling and she couldn't see the bottom.

"I can't see a thing!" she said. Then Katie was hit by three deluges of water, as much as each young lad could splash up with both arms and hands. The first wave splattered her t-shirt and skirt, another went into her face and over her head and the third again hit her front. She almost lost her balance, but she managed to steady herself and she avoided falling forward into the pool. But poor Katie was soaking. Water ran down her face. The three lads all guffawed and pointed at her as Katie stood, with her bikini showing through her t-shirt and and and showers of drips pouring off her skirt. Katie felt tears coming into her eyes but she was determined not to let these awful lads see her upset, so kept her composure.

"OUT!" a voice of authority echoed through the pool. The two security guards marched across the side. "Tod, Zed and Duffy, isn't it!" one guard said. "Numbers 39a, 40 and 41. Get out and get dressed. Then we are taking you all to your caravans for you to explain to your parents why you will not be using this pool for the rest of your holidays!" The three lads looked completely shocked. They all climbed out of the pool and went quickly to the cubicles, without saying a word.

"Are you alright, Katie?" the other guard asked. "I'm fine," Katie replied, "Thanks for coming in. I really didn't want to call you." "We were close by, and we decided to keep an eye on things," the guard added. "Those three caused a few problems when they were here last year. You did really well, Katie. You were good-humoured and kept control of the situation. Well done. But that was going too far, and we are not going to tolerate that sort of behaviour, even from paying guests."

"It's really hard knowing how to react," said Katie, "I knew they were just winding me up!"

"You did really well!" the other guard said. "You were courteous, calm and good-humoured and you gave them every chance! They went too far! We'll write an incident report and you can sign it. You'd better dry off!" Katie laughed.

"I don't mind the water at all," she said. "It's the swearing and abuse I don't like!"

The guards walked briskly to the cubicle area before the boys emerged. Katie went back to her desk. They came out one by one, and stood in front of the guards, looking at the floor.

"I'm sorry," one said.

"Don't apologize to me," the security guard said brusquely. "If you really mean to apologize, then I suggest that the person you need to apologize to is that young lady over there. Well?" The three of them looked at each other. One walked over to the reception.

"Excuse me," he said. Katie looked up. She had wrapped a towel around her wet top and she pulled the ends of it tighter to her neck as the lad approached.

"I see that you do know how to be polite, after all," Katie observed.

"I want to apologize, please."

"What for," demanded Katie. The lad hesitated.

"For soaking you, Katie," he said. Katie stared him down.

"How dare you," she said. "I don't mind the water, I'm in and out of the water all day. I'd get splashed anytime if I thought it helped everyone to enjoy themselves. What you must apologize for is the way you treated me. Do you know me? I am only just nineteen years of age. I am a student at the City College. I have only been working here for one week. I am by myself, and there are three of you, only just younger than me and bigger than me. When you arrived, I was nice towards you, I hoped that you had a good swim. I let you wear your tops. No problem. All you did was give me cheek. Then you swore, you swore at me and you started messing the place up. Then you tried to embarrass me. You deliberately treated me as a joke. When you soaked me, you just did it to humiliate me. How do you think I feel now?"

The lad looked as though as if he was about to burst into tears. "I am sorry Katie!" was all he could say.

"And what about the rest of you?" Katie demanded. The other two reluctantly stepped across to join their friend. "Have you anything to say?" demanded Katie. They both looked at their feet and said,

"Sorry, Katie!"

"So now you can explain to your parents why you are banned!" Katie replied.

"Please, Katie, don't do that! I am Tod!" the first lad to apologize spoke.

"Why not!" demanded Katie.

"My mum's disabled," said Tod. "She used to be a champion swimmer, but now she's got MS and she's in a wheelchair. If we had a big row it would ruin her holiday. Punish me, I deserve it. But please don't punish my mum."

Katie paused, "So you're thinking of someone else's feelings first, that's good!" she said. Her anger was passing. "But I haven't seen anyone's mum in a wheelchair here," she added suspiciously.

"She doesn't come swimming, because she can't get into the pool," Tod explained. "She hasn't been swimming for years. My dad's elderly and he can't lift her, he loves swimming, but he can't go because he cares for her and he doesn't leave her. They saved money from their benefits all year to come here. Please punish me, but please don't punish my mum."

"It's true," one of the other lads said.

Katie looked at all three of them in turn. "So," she said, "Either you are all banned for the week, and your parents told, or I give you another chance!"

"I will never treat you like that again!" Tod looked genuinely humbled.

"OK," said Katie. "We have a portable chair here, to help a disabled person into the pool. But I would need a lot of help to use it. Why don't you ask your mum and dad, Tod, if they want to come in? If they do, would you two help me as well?" Katie looked at Zed and Duffy. "Yes, we will!" they both said.

"Right then, here's the deal Tod, "Katie announced. "Ask your mum and dad if they want to come into the pool. If they do, I will do everything I can to help them. Come at the same time tomorrow, when it's quiet. But I need all you three to help me too. Will you all do that?"

Their faces looked astonished, "Yes we will Katie!" they all said. "Will you be telling our parents about tonight?"

"What happened here tonight is now in the past," Katie replied. "All we can do with the past is to learn lessons from it. You have a second chance, no, we will not speak to your parents at this time."

The three of them said thanks and disappeared into the darkening night. Then the manager arrived.

"Are you alright Katie?" he asked, "Has there been an incident? If anyone has been giving abuse to our Katie, then they are going home tomorrow, and I'm going to their caravans right now to tell them!" The oldest security guard took the manager by the arm and led him outside.

"Everything is fine," he said. "That young lady you reluctantly employed has got more good sense in her young head, you know, than two coach loads of most adults. Leave it alone, Geoff, she's fine. She has sorted it all out." The manager stepped back. "I know, she's good, "he agreed!