Corey Campbell “Pool”

The short story ”Pool” is written by Corey Campbell in 2009.

The short story “Pool” plays out at Trevor and Mandy’s (who are married) house. At their house, we follow the main character Darla who is in a relationship with Jon. Jon is also good friends with Trevor.
Darla and Jon had an accident the day before where a condom had split. Darla and Jon then went out and bought morning-after pills, but Darla was still afraid of getting pregnant. It made her think a lot on her future, and if she where even going to be a good mother. Darla then studied Mandy’s, to see if Mandy’s live was something for her.
Again, the Main character is Darla. Darla is an okay young girl and doesn’t like to take chances. One thing that she makes clear is that she do not want to be a mother.
For example at page 1 line 16 the narrator says, “ Their condom had split the night before, so they’d spent the morning going to two different Rite Aids to get the morning-after pill”. Therefore, Darla does not want to take any chances, even when the first Rite Aids doesn’t have the morning-after pills.
In addition, when Jon ask Darla if she wants a sip of his beer, she says no, since the box says no alcohol.
Darla is afraid of the changes that will come if she and Jon gets a child. As she/trevor says on page, 4 line 158-160 “it all changes with a kid”.
In addition, one of her fears of having a kid, as she says on page 3 line 80 “I’d be horrible at it. I’d start drinking. I know I would”. So she does not feel ready for the responsibility it takes to have a child.

Darla also do not want to have a child with Jon. She do not see they relationship to go anywhere, as the narrator says on page 1 line 13 “Darla had realized earlier in the car, was that it wasn’t going to last”.
Therefore, for Darla, her relationship with Jon is just temporarily, it’s not supposed to last.
Darla loved that the relationship wasn’t going to last, since she didn’t have to care, when it’s over, it’s over, she could just have fun as long as it will last.
For Darla it is not serious, but for Jon it’s a little more serious.
Jon to care about Darla. He often stroke her arm and hold her. He even took Darla on an expensive restaurant after she took the first Pill, even though he cannot afford it.
Jon can be immature example, when he splashed water on or when he drank to mush so he can’t drive, so Darla have to.
In addition, when Jon afford Darla a sip of his beer, but Darla was not allowed to drink alcohol, since the box with the morning-after pills said no alcohol. Jon haven’t realized that he could become a dad, and that is also a reason why Darla don’t see Jon as a possible life companion.
So Darla thinks about the future, while Jon lives in the moment.
The main theme of the short story is what you call identity search. After the incident with the broken condom, Darla realized that she could end up being in a relationship with Jon for a very long time. She could end up having a child with Jon. Therefore, used Darla the day with the marriage couple Trevor and Mandy to find out if, she wants to have the life her friend Mandy have, if she actually wants to become a mom, and be a wife.
Which we in the ending of the story finds out that she do not want Mandy’s life (she do not want a kid).
Since the short story ends with that Darla and Trevor is in the house. Darla had asked Trevor if he likes being married and he had answered not all the time. After that Darla took of her cloths in front of Trevor and put on one of Mandy’s swimsuits. The swimsuit doesn’t fit her, but she doesn’t care. It’s in that moment Darla realizes that Mandy’s life is not for her. She do not wish to have a child or be married, for the time being.