I’ve been going to the YMCA Saginaw pool for water aerobics for about 2 years now.

My first visit there, I used the shallow pool and pretty much hated it.  The water only went up to my waist (at the deepest part) and the water was warm – almost hot.  Made for a very sweaty workout even though (at least) half of me was in the water. 

Second visit – used the lane in the deep pool (the lap pool) reserved for exercise (as opposed to lap swimming); and there I met the person who would become my dear friend – Andrea. 

Now, we have four (count ‘em four) Andreas in the water aerobics class!  There is teacher Andrea; shallow pool Andrea; Hispanic Andrea; and deep pool Andrea – or as I always called her “Little Andrea”. 

My Andrea considered the exercise lane of the deep pool as her personal queendom.  She would scare off any one she did not approve of. 

Luckily, she approved of me.  In fact she liked me and the feeling was mutual.  She made me laugh – so much. 

Andrea always had perfect hair and makeup – even in the pool; and she always dressed in style.  She was a little over 5 foot (which meant in the deep pool, she always seemed to be in danger of disappearing under the surface.  But trust me, that water wouldn’t dare to go near her perfect hair and makeup. 

Andrea also was a tad crabby.  Okay she was crabby as hell.  Whatever was pissing her off (and there was always something), look out.  She’d get her panties in a twist over something and you could almost see the steam coming out of her ears.  And I would laugh and laugh, until she finally smiled and had to admit it was pretty stupid to be mad over whatever it was.  Of course, that didn’t mean she wasn’t mad about it anymore, but at least she admitted she was being silly.

Andrea, despite being crabby as hell, had a heart of gold too.  Example: She took a 94 year old gentleman under her wing.  She helped him get an apartment in the place; made sure he saw the doctor and dentist and had groceries.  When he had cataract surgery and got confused about his eye drops – she had him come to her apartment every 4 hours and did his drops for him.  Every 4 hours.

Of course, she complained about all of it, but she did it, and she did it kindly. 

I teased her about coming and helping me with my eye drops after my cataract surgery, and she was totally serious, telling me she would absolutely help me with anything I needed.  And I knew, it was true; because that was Andrea.

I was off from swimming for a week following my second eye surgery; and when I came back … she was gone.  Not just gone, dead.

Teacher Andrea pulled me aside when I got there and let me know that (my) Andrea passed away.  One of (my) Andrea’s daughters had called the Y to let us know and to say how much going to the pool meant to Andrea. 

Oh God (TIDBI).  My heart.  It broke right then. 

Nobody knows what happened.  There has been no obituary.  No information of a funeral.

I left a text on Andrea’s phone asking one of her kids, if they got the message, to please get in touch with me; but there has been no response. 

Teacher Andrea and I went up to the YMCA front desk to get Andrea’s last name (neither of us could remember it); and the lady there asked if we meant the short lady with the short hair who was always complaining?  Yup.  That’s who we meant; because that was who she was and God, I miss her.

Wherever she is now; before whatever deity she believed in, I hope that deity knows that this was a GOOD woman and treat her accordingly.