Pool Party

We can't take the patio heat any longer. It is draining the life right out of us. Something has to be done. We look at each other and we know. We have no other choice. We share a brief kiss (An embrace is simply out of the question. It is just too hot for full body contact). We turn and, standing side-by-side, we face the mural on the patio wall. I place my left hand in Charlie's right hand. We don't speak. We don't look at one another. We just stare straight ahead at that mural. Charlie squeezes my hand and together we jump. We jump right into that mural. Splash!!! Oh had we only known, we would have done it three days ago. Cool refreshing mountain spring water. Relief! Zoe and her family are running down the mountain. They left Dallas as soon as they heard we were in the mural. Matt hands Zoe to Grandpa so he can help Ike and Angie. I hear laughter and I see all the children running down the mountain. Christy, Scott and Ava drove to the mural from Colorado with Wendy, Troy and Cale. Zach came from Norman with Christen, Glen and Blake. Joe, Lisa and Isabella rode with Scott, Aimee and Cydney Grace and Tara, James, Jeremy, Corey and Nathan followed in their van. They all jumped and now the hills are alive with the sound of our beloved family. This is our respite, our time to rejuvenate. It is long overdue. We know there is a time for everything and we know that we will all return to our own places in the real world. We don't know how and we don't know when. We've never entered a mural before. Sometimes, dear friends, we just have to jump.