I got back into my routine and resumed rowing practices. I could not only walk again but also run. During training, we would run from the rowing club to the forest on the Split peninsula. The entire peninsula was covered in pine trees, with roads surrounding it.
Some of the paths led to the top of a hill with a flag. We ran around the peninsula and then made our way back to the rowing club. After a while, I was allowed to row in a rowboat. Rowing is a sport in which you move in the opposite direction from where you see because you pull the oars towards you. It was strange at first, but I got used to it. I rowed in a type of boat in which there are four rowers, each holding two oars.
It was a very pleasant experience. We were by the sea, enjoying the fresh air and the healthy activity. Danny from school also started rowing training. I made some other friends there as well. After training, when it was time to shower, I wasn’t as self-conscious as I had been at the suburban soccer club. I undressed completely and took a shower.
One spring day, Danny invited me to his birthday party. I dressed nicely, bought him a gift, and went to the center of Split. He lived in the ghetto area, which is located in and around the ancient Diocletian’s Palace, dating back to around 300 AD. The palace ghetto consists of many small, narrow streets where people live. I arrived at Danny’s house, and some other classmates were already there. We had snacks and then went to the movies. We watched Cloverfield (2008), a movie that included a scene filmed from someone’s camera at a party in New York, before a huge monster attacked the city and people fled for their lives. It was similar to a remake or spinoff of Godzilla (1998). We enjoyed the movie, and after leaving the cinema, we imagined what it would be like if a giant monster came to Split and started destroying the city. We were having fun, and at some point, someone mentioned a TV channel called TV1000, which showed softcore porn movies every night.
One night, my siblings were sleeping, and I heard my parents having sex again. I heard my mom moaning and my dad clapping her ass. Then she stopped moaning and I heard my dad moaning. He was probably cumming at that moment.
Sometimes, when we were at my parents’ house, my sister would say things like, “I heard Mom and Dad say “ah, ah, ah,” and then the embarrassed mom would laugh and tell my sister to stop talking like that. At home, my mom commented that my father’s friend’s wife didn’t go to church. Then, when we were at that father’s friend’s place, this woman would say something, to which my sister would say, “Yes, but you don’t go to church.” Mom laughed again and told my sister to shut up. I witnessed that awkward moment and wondered what was wrong with my family.
On another occasion, when I sensed something was off with my family, my mom shared a story from her work. She worked as a nurse at a health center in the suburbs and collaborated with a dentist there. He was an older man who was known for making jokes and teasing people. During a dental appointment, my mom wore a pink shirt. The dentist made a comment about a color, then, referencing pink, touched my mom’s breast. My mom remained smiling and conversational throughout the interaction, while my dad listened silently without reacting. Looking back, I feel he should have confronted the dentist. I’ve always wondered why my dad didn’t defend my mom in that moment.
One time, I was in my room and walked through the living room where my dad was using the computer. He was checking his email, and as I passed by, I glanced at the screen and saw an email subject line that read: “7 inches is enough.”
I visited my old classmates in the suburbs. I went during their class and sat with them. There I felt like a stranger. After the school ended, I was invited to drink and smoke in an abandoned unfinished motel near the football field. We went there and one of them brought a bottle of whiskey. Most of them took a sip and lit a cigarette. They then began singing a song, which both shocked and amused me. I noticed how much they had changed since I left the suburbs. I was sad to have missed their eighth-grade field trip.
I was a good athlete. Danny and I would row in a double scull, while other boys rowed in single, double, or quad sculls. The coach would follow us in a speedboat. We’d row for miles, going around the bay where the rowing club was located, all the way to the tip of the peninsula and back.
I became so proficient at rowing that my coach suggested I participate in a regatta. This competition brought together many young rowers from nearby cities and counties. In the greater Split area, numerous rowing clubs would set up a 1.2-mile- long rowing course on the sea using buoys. The starting point was located at the 1.2- mile mark, with additional buoys placed at the 0.6-mile point and the final 500 yards.
The course was divided into imaginary lanes for each rowing boat. At the starting line, about five or six rowboats, including the two-seater I was sharing with Danny, were positioned, with judges overseeing the event from a nearby speedboat. It was the spring of 2008, and this was my first regatta. As we waited for the race to begin, the judges used a megaphone to direct us into our starting positions and ensure all the boats were aligned. I felt nervous. Finally, with all the boats in place, the starting command rang out: “Ready, set, GO!!”
As we began rowing, I was filled with adrenaline. With 1.2 miles to cover, we started strong but then settled into a more sustainable pace. I could hear the judges correcting boats that veered off course, yelling things like, “BOAT NO. 3, ALIGN LEFT!” Danny and I were doing well. After the first 500 yards, I was already exhausted, but I pushed through. As we all paddled, I glanced over to see where we were in the race. We were among the fastest two boats. In the final 500 meters, I gave it everything I had to finish strong.
The siren sounded, signaling we’d crossed the finish line. I quickly looked over and saw that we were in first place!
Danny and I were gasping for air. After catching our breath, we rowed to the pontoon. During the medal ceremony, we stood on the top platform and received gold medals and books about rowing. I was thrilled to get home and share the news with my family, and we were all delighted with my accomplishment.
Throughout the rest of the spring and early summer, several more regattas took place around the Split-Dalmatia County. Danny and I continued to compete in the same event, winning numerous gold, silver, and bronze medals.
At school, some eighth-graders teased me for being from the suburbs. They demanded money for lunch, and I gave them a dollar. Another time, during break, they bullied me and a classmate. After they left, I almost cried, and a girl noticed. I tried to hide my feelings with a smile. One day, during PE class, someone stole my Sony Ericsson phone.
School ended, but my rowing training continued. In July, the national championship was scheduled to be held in Zagreb, so we began preparations. Training was intense, at least five times a week, including running, gym workouts, and rowing at sea. Since training sessions were held both morning and afternoon, we would often jump into the sea from the pontoon and swim after each session. We weren’t always completely focused during training; sometimes, when the coach assigned us a task in the gym, we would take short breaks.
At the beginning of July, we set off for Zagreb. The bus trip was five hours long, with us younger rowers sitting in the front and the older ones in the back.
We arrived in Zagreb and went to our hostel. Danny and I shared a room. After unpacking, we went to lunch. Afterwards, we took the bus to Lake Jarun. As we drove around the lake, we saw numerous small buoys marking about eight paddling lanes. The lake was surrounded by grassy areas and woods, and at the finish line, there was a photo-finish building with spectator seating. On the opposite side were pontoons and large boathouses belonging to various rowing clubs. Beyond that was a large grassy area where trailers carrying rowing boats were parked. Rowers from all over Croatia were there.
Danny, two other guys, and I competed in a four-person boat. We finished second in the national competition, losing to a team from Zagreb. I suspect their more disciplined training regimen gave them the edge.
During the winter holidays, I was invited back to the suburbs to celebrate New Year’s Eve 2009 with my old friends. We went to a friend’s house where his parents were upstairs. This didn’t stop us from bringing drinks, cigarettes, and playing music. I drank two glasses of straight vodka and got drunk for the first time. I felt feverish, but it was a good feeling. I went for a walk with a drunk Lenny, and we talked about how much everyone missed me. Later, my father picked me up and quickly realized I was intoxicated. He found it amusing. When we got home, my mother was watching the New Year’s Eve celebration broadcast from Split. Singers were performing on stage while the audience cheered. Inspired by the moment, I yelled, “Dance, motherfuckers!” My mom looked confused and asked if I’d been drinking.
@Limbo 
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