Thunder clapping, poolside..."about time!" 

Contemplations on loud ovations…”clear the decks!”

"Help me out..." They thought it meant, give me a hand...as in putting them together, "make some noise!" as the sport announcers urge the crowd on. Depending on the sport, it can curiously, like in golf...and even poolside...remind us to be a no noise section, as they "get set..." Could be distracting, get them DQ'd, which is almost as bad as in hearing the thunderous applause when you are coming in "let's give them a hand, a big reminder its' all about trying, no reason for..." 

"Crying out loud!" Out of the mouth of the youngster, who told me, in confidence, that in order to build up theirs, the last thing they want to experience, while coming in dead last is being even more conspicuous. Upon reflection, after experiencing this myself on occasion, when you take more time to finish, it becomes almost like the real thing...as in counting the seconds before when the ones that are lightning fast, ahead of me, how long it takes, to hear the thunderous applause..."one thousand one...." Like my coaches used to say…”keep your focus on good form…speed will come with time and age” Sounds like around advice for someone who is the senior in his senior division…As for the sound of applause…and for some clarity for showing charity…the soundest advice comes from the announcer…”please hold your applause until the last one has left…the lot” 

(Btw - Even one thunderclap, even when not followed by lightning, can be cause of a half hour delay, out on the pool deck) 😫