When I was 9 years old, I had a crush on our swim coach. He was tall, blond, tan, and wore Foster Grant aviator glasses. I was secretly smitten. I entrusted him with my life as I braved the deep end of the pool and learned crucial safety techniques.
One morning, Coach Tall Blond Guy coaxed us to jump from the high diving board. I climbed the steps precariously as my knees shook. As I stood on the edge of the board for what seemed hours, I froze. That's when Coach TBG made a fatal mistake.
He pushed me off the board.
From that moment on, I could not trust him. It took me just a split second to lose trust in Tall Blond Guy.