It’s the start of a long hot summer in early 50’s England. Anna has again begun her school hols by coming to the small local outdoor pool; but this summer she’s wearing her new polka-dot bikini.

She stands near the poolside with a fresh self-conscious pride as music filters from a little radio on the grass at her boyfriends side where he lays on his towel, sunbathing.

Anna views his pale body smothered in suntan oil; highlighting the youth’s skinny physique. Despondently she wonders when he would begin taking a sexual interest in her body? She longed for finishing with school; so she could become a prostitute. Some older girls spoke of grown men who finding their wives were ridged in bed, would pay a lot for regular sex with a young prostitute! That was so cool.

But then Anna noticed she had caught the attention of a stocky male sunbather nearby. Anna’s eyes met his and the man grinned knowingly. She smirked inwardly; it was easy for her now to sort the men from the boys. She had an understanding now; how men liked young girls; even if they were not that pretty! Just as long as they were willing and able.

Throwing him a grimace, she adjusts the cups of her bikini-top for effect before picking up her brush to pull it through her long mousy hair.

Looking into the sparkling blue of the pool, Anna recalled last summer here; when she had gained her first sexual interest in grown men. She still held the magic of that day hidden in her soul.

It had been the most exciting day of her life; the day she had become sexually active. For example Anna was aware right now that she had caught the eye of the new pool-man!

She stood up, stretching her curvaceous body luxuriously in the sunshine as she blatantly sized him up; wondering how he might shape up if she let him have his way with her in a changing chalet?

He was much younger than Badgio though and she could instantly tell; he lacked a certain something. His hands were too slim, his face too soft; he lacked Badgio’s crudely exciting maleness. Anna was peeved; where was old Badgio?

It had been the hot June of last year, just as she’d finished her third year at Bedales School, when her mother had the idea of going to the pool’s opening day. So they had all trailed up to the town’s pool that opened only through the summer season, as it had no heating for the colder weather; so the people who staffed it were just seasonal.

Apart from themselves, the pool was almost deserted; a mother with her toddler, two elderly men slowly swimming breaststroke from end to end, and the pool man placing out the deckchairs.

Fearful of sunburn, Anna’s mother began administering the calamine lotion to her younger sister. Mother and her friends had come through the war together and stuck with the ways they knew.

They were cautious of modernity. Although Anna had begged this year for a new swim-suite, she was still in the green woollen thing with the horrid maroon piping! And Anna felt it didn’t help her plain looks.

For one of Anna’s eyes had a squint; and even her best friend joked she should keep a paper bag handy when meeting up with boys!

But Anna would soon discover that things other than a girl’s pretty face could be mysteriously attractive to a grown man.

Mother’s gossip eventually bored Anna and she decided to go for an ice-lolly.

Walking slowly pass the elderly swimmers she made her way to the lolly kiosk at the other end, where the pool-man in gold rimmed sun-specks was working.

Anna gazed at him; his body was bronzed and plump; his chest covered in a mat of curly hair and he whistled softly while he worked. Then as Anna stood there she found that the ice-cream hut was closed and the broad pool-man had hailed her in a curious gypsy accent, ?Hello young miss! You come to give old Badgio a hand, ‘ave you??

Anna, who was normally ignored, was surprised by the suntanned man bothering to speak to her. ‘Badgio? That’s a strange name Anna thought. “?Oh; hello?!” she replied with a smile.

She’d gawked at his dark muscular torso while he continued his stacking ... her gaze lingered on the bulky pouch of his trunks and it made her face blush. Then she pulled her gaze away when the pool-man caught her ogling him.

Then she sensed his gaze on her. Badgio was taking in the school-girl’s slender shapely body; her coltish legs in sandals.

Anna lagged behind Badgio as he’d worked to the rear of the kiosk. Between them they exchanged curious silent glances.

In an attempt to mask her lack of confidence and to gain his attention, she’d casually asked him why the kiosk wasn’t open for ice creams.

Badgio had paused and stared at her. Then smiled, saying,

‘Ice cream!’?Don’t you want a good swim in the pool? ... Stretch them lovely long legs of your’n for me to enjoy?’

It then Anna’s sexual awareness had registered; a thrill darting through her young chest. For the first time a man was courting her! What should a girl do or say she wondered? Then she boldly raised her gaze to his eyes; the first time she had ever done so to a grown man and replied, “Actually Bagio, I’m not swimming at all today, I want to tan my body instead”.