Chapter 51

What started out as three friends in the sauna was now three friends and six wannabes. First time in for two girls and three guys. Five people who had no idea...

“Good god ... this is hot,” said Tom. Thomas was probably the best of my students.

I looked at the thermometer. 125f. I scooped another dipper of 40 degree water on the dull red stones. I opened the damper and added a few more hardwood chunks. I left the door slightly ajar. The fire roared. Actually ... the roar was the rush of added air to the fire from the partly open door.

Pretty quick, the temp was 140 and climbing.

I closed the door and turned the damper to just a crack.

The barrel of the stove started glowing ... the water on the stones bubbled dry. I was sweating. First it was just sweat ... soon I was oozing a sickly yellow grease.

The bikinis came off. It wasn’t the heat. It was the grease.

“EWW ... I didn’t know,” said Annie.

“What? That you had that much gook in your pores?” I was a fountain of information. “Most of it is soap. When the temp goes over 165, the soap will be gone and the next layer will be body fat and dead skin.” I was pleased ... she listened. That’s the reason the bikinis came off ... body fat stains fabric. It’s damn hard to wash out.

Another knock on the cedar barrel ... Daddy.

“See you Monday,” he said.

I think the heat got to me. I said, “Have fun.”

I think I wasn’t thinking ... but the automatic alarm went off.

“Everybody out,” I said.

The pond isn’t like rolling in snow. Snow is cold. The pond is about 40. We all ran down the short path and dove in.

When Mr. Marcos scooped out the pond, something happened. Maybe he cracked the bottom. I don’t know ... don’t care ... the water temp dropped ... and it wasn’t slow about it. There had been a lot of debris ... dirt, decomposing leaves and dead trees. It made quite the pile. He hauled the pile away and sold it, Dirt and Loam. That’s how they make it. Leaves, chipped up downed trees and top soil. Dump it in dumptruck sized piles, stir and help it rot. Price it high and sell it to new McMansion subdivisions.

After the splash I cooled off enough to equalize and headed back to the barrel. Once more into the heat. All of us looked clean, felt clean and this time it was a cool down in the hundred and twelve degree hot tub ... then the on deck shower and a bit of direct sunlight.

College kids ... melanoma is for old folks ... we tanned.

“SPF40? No thank you ... I just flushed that stuff out. I’m not putting it back on.”

Warmed, I suggested Coke. In Texas carbonated non alcoholic beverages are Coke ... no matter what is in the bottle or can.

It turned into a weekend party. Alcohol? Under age? Nope. The cops couldn’t find a thing.

“Just keep it down,” they said.

“Officer, I own from 973 to Bud Field. Who will we disturb?”

Monday, Daddy showed up with Marsha. Marsha showed her new wedding rings.

I’m going to be a sister!