The Wacissa River is short and broad and stays around 70 degrees all year. On my knees among the fish and snails, up to my chin in water and feeling the heat leech out of my body like poison, leaving me cool and healthy and heavy lidded. I touch my niece with cold hands and she gasps and shivers and giggles, perfect Florida baby. I wrestle my nephews and drag them in circles, kicking up a wake, kissing their heads and ears and faces when they dive at me for a tussle.
By the time I drag myself out and wring out my shirt, sunlight's no longer an assault but a comfort. Warm like my sister's smiles as we wrangle her kids. Warm like a dry towel. The whole world is realigned, any irritations nibbled away by the minnows. A poor man in paradise.
I think it is a little sad for the children you didn't have. You would make an amazing parent. I guess you can have sons and daughters of your heart. Everyone needs a parent that is not their parent.
ReplyDeleteBirdie, I appreciate that, but I would not be happy as a parent. I am generally lazy, I love my trivia job but it would never support kids, and I am perfectly happy going to bed at 6am for the rest of my life. Uncle, all the way. I mean, I'm not going to say no one's ever called me daddy, they just weren't kids. IfyaknowwhatI'msayin.
ReplyDeleteHahahahahahaha :) That may be the perfect response to anyone who laments someone's intentional childlessness. I'm going to pass that on. *snort*
DeleteJust the truth!
Deletelol Yes, yes I do. I have used that term in that way myself IfyaknowwhatI'msayin!
ReplyDeleteHa! Hey, do you blog these days?
ReplyDeleteWater is the cure all. We should all be in it every day. I want me a Japanese bath.
ReplyDeleteSo true. Me, too. I have a fairly big bathtub, but it's not the same.
DeleteAgree about the wate. Cures all. And bedtime being at dawn l am a
ReplyDeletecreature of the night.
Water!Not Wate. Your blog is easier to comment on than yer mums Have had a lot of run ins with the Blogstao over there Mary just laughs.
ReplyDeleteI'll leave it easy to comment until I get too much spam, and then I imagine I'll have to tighten up. I always say I'm up at night to make sure the village isn't attacked by lions.
DeleteWater!Not Wate. Your blog is easier to comment on than yer mums Have had a lot of run ins with the Blogstao over there Mary just laughs.
ReplyDelete