I Hate the Internet, Sometimes

We showed up at the local swim center to do our usual swim session at our usual time on Sundays. And the person at the front desk told us, “I’m sorry, but that portion of the pool is now closed to allow for private lessons and accommodated swim lessons.”

There was an altercation between an exerciser and a swim lesson instructor last week. The employee told us, “We know what happened and who it involved and it has been handled.”

We went to the website and there was no notice that the exercise swim sessions had been changed. The building lacked informational signs in any location. When we finally found the notice, it was buried in the PDF for the recreation pool schedule. The only way to find that was to drill down deep into the site to find the schedule.

They prioritize accommodated and private lessons over exercise swimmers. They closed the entire recreation pool because one person didn’t get along with the trainer. When we looked, no one was using the recreation pool. No one taking private lessons, no accommodated lessons, and no exercisers.

Past Interactions with the Accommodations Trainer

The thing is, I’m 90% certain that I had a run-in with the accommodation lessons trainer. He possesses an enormous sense of entitlement and assumes that everyone in the pool should always yield to him and his student.

The run-in I had with him involved us walking in the lazy river. He was taking his student through the river and walking backwards, while asking his student to kick and make large splashes. Despite the student’s reluctance, the instructor insisted on kicking and splashing other people.

The third time I got splashed in the face, I approached the trainer to ask if he could practice kicking outside of the lazy river as he’d splashed me several times.

Before I’d finished speaking, he was yelling at me, “We have the right to be in here!”

I had no issue with him being in the river. I didn’t want to get splashed. Due to my dislike of getting my face wet, I specifically avoid the open swim.

He responded, “You don’t like to get wet? Why are you at a pool, then?”

I stepped away from him to keep from screaming at him. And after that day, we avoided him as he clearly had no regard for anyone else in the pool and felt that his client’s status as special needs meant they may do whatever they wanted in the pool.

But What Does This Have to Do With the Internet?

As I stood dumbfounded at the counter, I was thinking, “But we came at this time last week.” They wouldn’t even let us go in and sit in the hot tub. I was disappointed, but I was mostly annoyed as there was no notice of this change. We’d come in on the 16th and the 18th and no one said anything, nor was there any signage showing the change to the schedule.

I inquired about the existence of someone I could direct my complaints to. Of course, Kris, the “senior manager” was not there. But we were welcome to email her.

And as I accepted Kris’s card from the employee, I was thinking, “Great. Now I’m going to be called a Karen for complaining.” And this thought made me reluctant to complain, even though I was upset at the perceived injustice.

I blame the internet for that immediate and visceral reaction.

Mark offered to write the complaint letter, as he was just as upset as I was. I agreed that would be best.

This Pisses Me Off

As a woman, I am instantly branded a “Karen” if I complain, even if my complaint is justified. In this situation, I think I am reasonable about being upset. The pool changed the rules because of an interaction with one customer. And because of that one customer, every customer loses access. But more importantly, there was no notice of the change. The pool schedule changed at the beginning of the quarter on April 8th and then the recreation pool schedule was changed again on April 16th, presumably because of the interaction between the trainer and the customer.

According to the website, “Guests will be given notice through the website, social media and/or posted signage prior to any such modifications.” Of course, then it suggests you check the website for closing and cancellations.

I’m betting that if Kris responds to Mark, it will be to say that they can change the schedule whenever they like. Or something similar. Or she’ll suggest that we come before 9am if we want to use the river. The common response of bureaucrats, when they ignore your complaint about them not providing notice of changes, is to say that you should have read the updated schedule. It’s the “I’m sorry you’re so upset,” response.

The other reason I get annoyed by this kind of thing is because by making me afraid I’ll be called a “Karen” they silence me. And if there were a chance that they’d reconsider their abrupt and unfair change if enough people complained, my silence might result in them not changing their minds.

I’m Upset That They Made This Change Ostensibly Because of One Bad Apple

Instead of dealing with the one person who was not sharing well, they closed the entire pool to everyone. And that’s deeply upsetting. It’s unfair, both to the customers like me and to the staff at the front desk who have to deal with the angry customers who are being turned away.

But at least the instructor gets to do whatever he wants in the pool from now on.

But Mostly I’m Just Upset That We Can’t Swim on the Weekends Now

This was a time I got to spend with Mark, getting exercise, and doing something fun. But now that’s gone. Sure, if I got up earlier, we could do it. But I also need to sleep.

Maybe next weekend I’ll suggest we go walk at Brightwater or the park with the causeways across the wetlands. Fortunately, the weather has improved.

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• Annoyances