(CITY MEET, FINISH WHAT YA STARTED)THOUGHTS FROM THE DEEP END WITH MISS JULIE’S POOL BOY: It’s pre sunrise, Friday 5:39AM, & Miss Julie’s Pool Boy pours his second 28 ounce cup of emotional support coffee. Miss Julie has long since departed for the Chattanooga Area Swim League’s City Meet. The cause of the early departure is the effect of the chlorine & the competition. It’s the same as a whale breaking the ocean’s surface for a blow & then happily slapping the water with its fluked tail & going under to do what God made him to do. Consequently, MJPB will see Miss Julie again post sunset on Saturday. The City Meet, once a five day, mid August extravaganza, is now two hurried days in early July. Some things, however, are as consistent as the other side of the pillow is cool. Among them, Miss Julie at the City Meet. Indoors or outdoors, in blazing sun or thunderstorms, leading undefeated Blue or Red division champions, White division cellar dwellers or 1991, nine days from childbirth. Only a global pandemic canceled her appearance. She first attended in her mother’s womb as her dad was the “Voice of the City Meet” from 1962-82 & her siblings swam. In ‘70 she stepped on the blocks for the first time, multiple occasions in the ’80s, seasons ended like 1988, where she’s pictured with her trophy in the left pic & the hardware for a podium finish on the right, or from the ’90s onward & years like 2005, where big wins have been scarce but little victories abound & she’s had to repeatedly answer, “Coach Julie, when do I swim?” or respond to “Miss Julie, I’ve lost my goggles”, or she’s snapped a swim cap on a small head with large dreams in a way that an 8 & under takes the starting block believing they’ve been touched by the gods. Through it all, her lineup rolled & gripped like John Wooden, blue toenails in Speedo sandals or Crocs in pink or sparkles, leaving before sunrise, home after sunset, finishing what she started. Sunrise warmup with a nervous backstroker becoming city champion & sunsets greeting a champion that finished 57th out of 59 by finishing what was started. When those boys & girls finish, whether 1st or 57th, they’ll reach into Miss Julie’s candy bag & they’ll pull out a reward as meaningful as a gold medal to Olympians in Paris in two weeks. This year & years before, those boys & girls, some whose parents reached for candy after finishing what they started, will finish, reach in a wet hand to grab some candy & see Miss Julie, as sure as sunrise starts the day & sunset finishes it…