It was a streamy south Florida evening, the kind when even the trees look like they are sweating. The insects fly wildly around the streetlights but the birds do not want to exert the energy to go after them. My mother, who lived not far away, had been having trouble with her air conditioning. I had called her three times and got no answer and I began to worry.
It was only about a ten minute drive from my house to hers. The entire way my head was filled with grim scenarios of what I might find. Had her heart given out? Had she tripped, broken her hip, and could not get to the phone? Had someone broken into her house? The longer I drove, the worse the thoughts became. I finally pulled into her driveway. I could see through the window in the garage door that her car was there.
I knocked several times on the front door and again got no answer. Finally I used my key and opened the door.
"Mom...mom, are you here?" Oh crap, where is she? I made my way through the darkened house which was uncomfortably warm. Obviously her air has not been repaired yet. I arrived at her kitchen where the range hood was the only light. Through the glass door of the lanai I saw movement. From the lanai I could see mom in her screened-in pool. I opened the glass door.
"Mom, are you all right?"
"Hello honey, yes I am, why are you here?"
"You didn't answer your phone and I got worried."
"Well bless you. The house is still so hot that I spend a lot of time here in the pool."
I walked to the side of the pool and sat in a chair. "I noticed that they still haven't been here to fix your air."
"I called again today and they told me that with the heat wave, they are all backed up. They'll get to me as soon as they can. She told me that they can't even make a schedule because they are going as fast as they can but they can't be sure when they can get here."
"Then why don't you come and stay with me until they get here?"
"Because I don't want to miss them if they show up here."
"Then at least come and stay with me over night. You can't sleep in this heat."
"Honey, I have a fan over my bed and I'm sleeping just fine, other than going to the bathroom three times a night."
"Mom, you are so stubborn."
"Thank you sweetheart, I love you but I am not going to put one of your kids on the couch so grammy can sleep in their bed."
"The kids love sleeping on the couch, it's an adventure for them."
"It's not an adventure for me, did you ever try to sleep in a kid's single bed after getting used to sleeping diagonally in a queen size?"
"All right mom, have it your way, but please bring the phone with you when you are out here in the pool."
"That I will do. I usually come out here in the evening. This pool was the smartest thing I ever did. After the sun goes down I can come out here and swim or soak. I bring out a pitcher of mom-aritas and do the 'sip & soak'."
"Isn't that 'margaritas'?"
"Not the way I make 'em baby, tequila is king. Come here, taste."
I walked to the edge of the pool where a sweating pitcher filled with white liquid sat beside a half-filled inverted bell-shaped glass. I picked up her glass. One sip was enough to take my breath away. I sputtered and coughed.
"Mom, that's straight booze."
"No it's not. There's lime juice, and ice, put it all in the blender and it's an icy treat."
I had to laugh, my mom was a unique character. "I'm surprised that you're not hosting a naked pool party."
"I would in a minute, but those old poohs from the senior center go to bed at eight. Maybe I need to find younger men. In fact, why don't you join me, at least I can finally say that there's been a penis in this pool.
"MOM!"
"Oh shut up and join me."
"I don't have a bathing suit."
"Just come in wearing your underwear. You can take them off and wear your pants home."
The water in her pool shimmered in the moon light and looked so tempting. It had been years since I had been in a pool. I thought about what mom had said.
"You know, I can do that." I took off my shirt and shoes before removing my pants. Now in my 'tight whites', I made my way to the pool steps and eased into the water. It felt wonderful against my skin.
"Mom, I can see why you like this."