KIDS CORNER NYLON STOCKINGS STORY BY PATRICK VAN HOESERLANDE ILLUSTRATION PETER BOSTEELS

“A wetsuit?” asked Skubba surprised. “Put some socks on.”

Yes, his mother had bought him a real “Socks?” diving suit. Wow! Cool! “Yes, it will be easier to put it on.” Fred took a piece of chalk and drew a piece of cheese with holes on the The moment Skubba put a sock on to sidewalk. get into his suit, his mother came back into the garage. She had a pair of nylon “Neoprene is like a sandwich with stockings with her. cheese,” he said. “Take these. They are old ones.” Skubba looked rather surprised. My mom gave me a suit of cheese? Must Skubba looked at Fred, puzzled. Did his I dive in that? But, cheese is friend also expect him to put on girls yellow and my suit is black. stockings?

“The outer layer, the “Oh yes. Put them on.” Fred sounded buns, protect the inside clearly enthusiastic. “Nylon glides against sharp things. better than cotton. Put them on!” The inside, the thick layer of Indeed, with his mother’s cheese is rubber, stockings on, getting into such as a rubber the suit was easier. But band, but with air must he now wear bubbles trapped nylon gloves to get in it. These his arms in the suit? bubbles will keep you warm in cold Fred had already water.” foreseen the question and was Skubba heard water and thought holding a plastic bag. no more of cheese, but of scuba diving. He wanted “Put this over your to get in his suit and in hands and glide your the water as quickly as arm into your suit.” possible. However, getting in the suit was not that easy. He did not want to use “But I cannot dive with my hands in a excessive force because he was afraid bag.” to destroy the neo-thingy. What would happen if he tore the outer layer and “Put your arm through the sleeve,” Fred all those air bubbles suddenly escaped said. from the suit? Would he fly away like a balloon? Halfway up his leg, his foot got After Skubba’s hand came out of the stuck. What now? sleeve, Fred pulled the bag off and put it on the left hand. “What I wanted to tell you was that it is not easy to put a neoprene suit on. Two legs and two arms in the suit. After It’s like a new rubber band, you have to some pulling and pushing, all the wrinkles stretch it a little so that it fits your were gone. The first time in a neoprene body,” said Fred. suit felt like being buried in the sand on the beach. However, Skubba was “But how do I get into it without tearing very happy and felt, for the first time, it?” asked Skubba still thinking about like a real diver in a real diving suit. He the balloon flying through the air with a was beaming. He was ready for another brrr-sound. adventure.

16 DIVERS FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, SEPTEMBER 2016