Soapy Toes

It was our last night and the weather was perfect. Snow, rain and strong winds made Mojave less than perfect. Wind and rain accompanied us to Joshua Tree. This night, however, was perfect. We sat facing west as the sun dropped into the Big Maria Mountains Wilderness. Stars began to fill the sky and gave it a memorable beauty as a lone bat worked the area above us. The breeze was so gentle that it was barely perceptible and light fleece jackets tempered the evening chill. With head lamps we were reading in a desert of quiet and solitude. Julie heated a pot of water for tea. The only thing that would have made the evening better was a warm shower to remove two days of dust and that sticky feeling that’s a part of spending sunny days in warm temperatures.

As Julie prepared for bed I made sure things were stowed in preparation for wind and visiting night creatures. A few moments later, as I brushed my teeth I saw the empty pot that had been used to heat water for tea and used it for a drink.

Me: “This water tastes strange.”

Julie: “Did you rinse the pot?”

Me: “No, why?”

Julie: “I washed my feet in it.”

The memory was vague, but I had this vision of Julie’s toes in a small pot of soapy water as I stowed things for the night.

A beautiful night further enhanced by a pleasant memory of soapy toes, strange tasting water, and the one I love.

Life is good!