"The Swimmer" is a short story by John Cheever that follows the journey of Neddy Merrill, a man who decides to swim home through the pools of his affluent neighbors. As he embarks on this unusual adventure, he reflects on his life, relationships, and the passage of time. Throughout his swim, Neddy encounters various people and experiences that reveal the changes in his life and the world around him. The story explores themes of nostalgia, the illusion of the American Dream, and the inevitability of aging, culminating in a poignant realization of his current state.