b"The lifeguard staff at the Maplewood Pool in 2021. Photo by Claire Sinclair. wait a minute, we are not in Arizona. Wehavecactusesatthepool?!said Mancuso. We usually wait until right after Mothers Day to bring them out. They stay in the greenhouse all winter.Oncethepoolisready,lifeguard training sessions begin in earnest. Finn Moss, who has been lifeguarding at the South Orange pool since 2015, is look-ing forward to returning this summer as the morning manager for the life-guard staff.Moss,whogrewupinMaple-wood, said, I was very much a pool kidgrowingup.Iwasalwaysatthe Maplewood pool. I was on the swim Cacti and other seasonal plants overwin- team too. Lifeguarding seemed like the ter in the greenhouse and get planted atlogical first job to go for. Calling the the Maplewood Pool after Mother's Day.lifeguards a tight knit bunch, Moss greenhouse behind the recreation de- praises the experience and the chance partment, stored alongside the manyto have a summer job at the pool. Its hoses, rakes, and the wide variety ofa lovely place to relax, he said. Its thriving plants growing for the Maple- averyfamilyfriendlyenvironment. wood Garden Clubs annual plant sale. Theres always kids running around.When I first got this job, I was likeTravers, who grew up in South Or-A drone shot of the South Orange Pool.32/ matters magazine / summer 2022"