The main character of the short story „The swim team“ written by Miranda July in 2007, is named Maria, is 22 years old and lives alone in Belvedere, a small city, which is free from swimming pools. There is only a gas station and a market in Belvedere.
She would like to move, but she don’t have enough money (she don’t have a car or phone as well) and she don’t like to ask his parents, although she write every week to them. Her life is very boring (line 9-11), because she have nothing to do and no friends until she listens to a talk of three 80-years-old-persons, called Elizabeth, Kelda and Jack Jack, who can’t swim but they want to. So she suggests to teach them in swimming, because she learned in High School, and later she gives „swimming lessons“ to them twice a week in her living room with bowls of water and a kitchen floor. At the beginning of the story Maria is a little bit shy, she don’t like to speak with other people and starts tob e exited. (line 35-37) But at the end of the story Maria is a strong and purposeful coach, who dares to talk and to say what to do. (line 97-98) These swim lessons gives Maria something to do and she miss the lessons later.