He swivelled over the pool, swinging his legs in the way that a small child does on a swing. Then, the hoist's ratchet clicked as it lowered him slowly into the pool. The warm water first wrapped around his ankles, and then slowly crept up his legs, groin and then body, bringing instant warmth to limbs that suffered from poor circulation.
"Just another boring hydro session", he thought. A necessity to be endured if his health wasn't to deteriorate any faster than its present rate.
The physio, Lisa, approached slowing, wading awkwardly through water up to her chest. Tom barely noticed her as she helped him slip on snorkel and goggles so that he could begin his swimming. He flopped off the hoist's seat into the water and began swimming his first length, face down.
Swimming was dull, dull, dull. His amoeba-like breast stroke propelled him through the water at something approaching a snail's pace and this left plenty of time for his mind to think of other things.
At least this week's physio was young and shapely. She was about 5 foot, unusually small for a physio, with long brown hair tied in a pony-tail. Her curves were well defined through the thin material of her royal blue swimming costume. He guessed that she must be about 25 and therefore newly qualified.
She was lent to his right on the side of the pool talking with the patient who had just finished their session. Tom admired her buttocks from his excellent vantage point under-water, watching as she shifted her weight onto her other foot.
One hand moved down to adjust the elastic of her swim-suit between her legs. She gentle rubbed herself for a few moments before her hand returned to the side of the pool. He wondered if she realised how good his view was and felt himself stiffen slightly before the sight disappeared behind him as he proceeded down the pool.
His remaining 6 lengths passed with little additional excitement. Several brief glimpses of thigh and crotch as she moved around him in the water to prepare the pool for his exercises, but nothing of the calibre of the previous elastic episode. He surfaced to begin his physiotherapy.
Lisa shifted a canvas and metal frame into the swimming pool, slinging it from the rail attached to the side of the pool. She boosted him onto it and then adjusted an inflatable pillow under his head.
"The usual sir", she joked with him. He knew full well that she would have had access to his notes and be fully briefed on his disability and exercises. He smiled and nodded agreement.
She started manipulating his ankles. Performing small circles with his foot, first one way then the other. Suddenly, a loud click came from his left ankle. Just a few bones settling in their usual place and nothing unusual, but he could see that Lisa was worried. He was right... newly qualified.
"Might as well milk it", he thought, screeching in mock pain. Looks of guilt and words of apology were quickly forthcoming from the physio and she suggested that he undergo the jet-stream.
Tom enjoyed the jet. A high-pressure water hose which could directed at the body underwater to massage sore joints. He agreed to undergo this treatment, knowing that the forceful kneading of the jet would relieve his stiffness.
Lisa manoeuvred him to the deeper end of the pool and turned on the pump. The high-pressure hose needed handling firmly or it would rise out of the pool like an angry snake, flailing around to drench everything in water. Lisa's inexperience and lack of bulk failed to provide sufficient anchorage and the hose flicked out of the water before she could halt its progress with a quick snatch at the pump switch.
Tom laughed loudly, promptly finding his mouth full of water as Lisa momentarily dunked him for his lack of sympathy.
"You're not helping much" she remarked, "but then what could a cripple like you do anyway?".
Tom immediately realised that she must have read his notes in a great deal of detail. Such a comment would offend most, mortify many, but to him it was just a statement of fact. He was a cripple, pure and simple. Incapable of performing many of the basic tasks needed to sustain life without the assistance of others. His disability was a thing to be laughed at and his views must be in his notes for all to see.
"That's for me to know and you to find out!", he replied in a suggestive way, grinning at her with a dirty schoolboy smirk. "You might be surprised...".
After a few moments of jokey banter she resumed his treatment. She passed the hose between her legs, intending to grip some of its length between her thighs to gain additional control. Pointing the hose at his ankle, she flicked the start switch. Life immediately returned to the previously limp hose; its length throbbing in sympathy with the pumps reciprocating action. The relief in Tom's ankle was instant. The strong massaging of the hose moved his otherwise languid blood around his veins and he relaxed in its firm grip. Lisa directed the hose back and forth his leg, working the tired flesh back to life.