Monday, July 17, 2006

A Cruel Answer from the Universe to Yours Truly: refuted in my search for relief

So, those of you not in Kentucky, it has been hot lately. And it is going to continue to be hot. What gets me the most is the humidity. But I've been coping and planning little relief tactics - such as going swimming...

All day long at work I was plotting how I'd come home, pack up my bag, haul my bike out, and ride down to the swimming pool for which someone gave me free passes, and then all my hot, heat-worn self would lose itself in swimming nice cool laps.

I put my plan into action as soon as I came home. The fates seemed to be with me - no flat tires, it didn't seem that bad outside, even the railroad crossing was clear. So I braved the hot asphalt and inconsiderate motorists and made it to the pool .... only to find that ... THE POOL WAS COMPLETELY VOID OF WATER AND INSTEAD FILLED WITH NOXIOUS PAINT FUMES. Closed for the month. Every sweat-dripping part of me drooped. My hopes for cool relief were cruelly dashed against the rocks (or the hard concrete floor of the empty pool).

I may have looked a little bitter riding on my bike back to the apartment - what between the heat and the sharp sunshine and the cars and the asphalt. And I may have looked a little crazy muttering things and raising my eyebrows in occassional facial gestures. I was almost home and away from the major traffic and about to cross the railroads (three of them) once again when the gates went down. Being the law-abiding person that I am, I (stupidly) stopped and waited for the slow, slow, looonnnng train to pass. But hey, I had water and what a great time to take a break. Okay, almost past, just a little further - but then it started to slow down and pretty soon just one last car came to a complete stop in front of me.


Mmmm, hmmmm.

I biked down to the next crossing I came to, made some motorist mad by cutting him off, and finally, finally made it home.

I contemplated filling the tub with cold water and seeing if my imagination would let a little splashing around equal swimming laps ... but ended up just hosing off for a second. Now I'm sitting in a permanent feeling of dampness.

August 1 - I'll be there - ready to splash in.

You know it must be deliriously hot when I write this often on my blog.

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