Beating the Heat
Summer, 1985
Saturday – 7:30 a.m.
“Well, we’re in for another scorcher today everyone. It’s going to be hot and steamy…again. This heat wave doesn’t look like it’s going to release us from its relentless grip any time soon. Though forecasters predict the front that has been hovering over us will move out by the middle of next week, giving us a chance for some much needed rain and cooler days.
The temps are already knocking on the door of 80 degrees, by noon we’ll be hitting 100, and the high today should top out around 105. This summer inferno has been the hottest the area has seen in over seventy-five years.
So if you have to go anywhere today, I suggest you do it now. Try to stay cool and hydrated. Drink plenty of water and stay indoors, if possible. Don’t forget to check on your elderly neighbors, too. Now, on to sports.”
Amanda tuned out the sports announcer as she placed the last plate in the dishwasher and closed it. The doorbell rang.
“That’s Tommy.” Phillip ran into the kitchen carrying an overnight bag.
“Did you remember to pack clean underwear?”
“Aww. Mom.” Phillip stared down at the tile floor.
Amanda tussled his hair. “How about your bathing suit?”
A car horn blared.
“Come on,” Jamie said as he entered the kitchen. “Tommy’s mom is gonna leave without us, she has to pick up Johnny, Mike and David, too.”
“She won’t leave without you.” Amanda told her younger son. “Now did you back your toothbrushes?
“Yeah,” both boys said at the same time.
“Okay.” She kissed them both. “Have a good time at Tommy’s house. I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon.”
Amanda waved to her sons from the front stoop as Tommy’s mother drove off. The Jackson’s had recently installed a built-in swimming pool and invited several of Tommy’s friends over for a pool/slumber party.
Just standing outside, Amanda could feel the oppressive heat weighing heavily in the air, draining her energy. She felt sorry for anyone who had to work outside in these miserable conditions. She didn’t know which was worse - working in this type of heat or in extreme cold. A drop of sweat slid down the back of her neck, she brushed it off with her hand.
Sitting down at the kitchen table, she took a sip of her iced coffee and wondered how she’d spend her day. Her mother had left yesterday for a long weekend with friends in the mountains and with the boys gone, she didn’t know what she wanted to do.
“Listeners, if you’re anywhere near The Arlington Pool Plaza drop on in. They’re having a ‘Beat the Heat’ sale. All inflatable pools are now half price. They range in size from kiddie to ones large enough for entire families to cool off. So come on down. And if you tell them you heard about the sale on our station, they’ll throw in a free air pump. They open at 8 a. m., so hightail it down there as soon as you can. At those prices, they won’t have many in stock for long.”
A pool. On sale. Half price. It wouldn’t hurt to go look.
Amanda glanced at the clock, five minutes until eight. The Pool Plaza was only a short drive away. Without hesitating she grabbed her purse and car keys.
An hour-and-a-half later Amanda had the pool unboxed and laid out on the ground. She attached the nozzle of the pump to the valve stem, switched it on and the pool began to slowly inflate. She’d decided to buy one of the bigger ones that would be large enough for her to stretch her long legs out in and lie back to read a book. They’d had models blown up on the showroom floor and she’d been able to test one by sitting in it.
She pressed on the sides checking the firmness as the instructions indicated. Sweat rolled down her back making her shirt stick to her. Maybe she should’ve set the pool up under a tree. Except anywhere she placed it, it’d be in the sun for at least part of the day.
Wait a minute.
There were two beach umbrellas stored in the garage. It didn’t take her long to locate them. As they were both brightly multi-colored, they weren’t hard to miss. She staked one at each end of the pool, so that she could adjust them to whatever angle to keep the direct sunlight off her. While searching for the umbrellas she’d found a small wicker table and placed it next to the pool. She’d have a place to put a cold beverage and whatever book she decided to read.
The last thing she needed to do was fill the pool with water. She laid the hose in the middle of the pool and turned on the water. While the water ran she went inside to make lemonade. While she waited for the water level to rise to a respectable level, she went inside to make lemonade. Not a prepackaged mix. Fresh. She squeezed the juice from the lemons and added water and sugar to the pitcher. After stirring, she poured a tiny bit into a glass and took a sip. Her lips puckered at the tart taste. It definitely needed more sugar. When she finally got the combination of tart and sweet to her liking, she emptied a tray of ice cubes into the pitcher and placed the cooled mixture in the refrigerator.
She first checked the amount of water in the pool, before turning off the faucet and going back inside to change.
Sun glistened off the water; the umbrellas shaded some of the pool from the direct glare of the sun and its intense rays. She’d moved a chair next to the wicker table so she’d have a place to put her cover up and a towel. On the table she’d placed a small radio that she’d tuned to a relaxing station of light music and one of her mother’s romance novels. She stood and admired the tropical retreat she’d created.
“Perfect.”
“What’s perfect?”
Amanda startled at the voice behind her. Lee. She wished he’d stop doing that.
She turned around and placed her hands on her hips. “What are you doing here?”
“I was in the neighborhood and thought I’d stop by to see what you were doing. I know you’re going to be alone all weekend. Didn’t want you to get bored.”
Amanda smiled. Yeah. Right. He wasn’t there to check on her boredom. He was the one that was bored. She was on to him. “So you have nothing to do and you’re bored.”
“No.” He looked down at the ground. “Yeah. The AC in my apartment building is on the fritz. They don’t know when it’ll be fixed.” He admitted.
Amanda watched a drop of sweat roll down the side of his cheek. She didn’t relish anyone having to stay inside a home or an apartment where they couldn’t get cool. More sweat beaded on his forehead. Taking a closer look at him she noted that his hair seemed lifeless and clothing not as crisp. He really looked miserable.
“Want to join me?”
“Where?”
“Here.” She stretched her arm out indicating the pool.
“I don’t have a swimsuit.”
“Wait.” Amanda bit her lip.
“What? You plan on skinny dipping?” He winked at her.
“No!” The nerve of that man. “Are you wearing boxers or briefs?” Amanda recalled the time she’d seen him wearing a pair of blue boxers. She didn’t know if that was his usual undergarment or not.
“Why the sudden interest in my underwear?” He wiggled his eyebrow.
“Get your mind out of the gutter. I was going to say if you’re wearing boxers then they’re just like a swimsuit.”
“Boxers.” He grinned widely. His hands reached toward his belt buckle.
“Not here – in the house.” She pointed to the back door. “You can get undressed in the laundry room.”
She took off her cover-up, placed it on the back of the chair and stepped into the refreshing, cool water. She sat down and let the coolness wash over her. Heavenly. She placed her arms on the sides of the pool and leaned back; the water level came up to her breasts. She felt energized now. No longer did the heat zap the strength out of her body.
When she looked up she saw Lee staring at her, smiling.
At that very moment the song ‘A Yellow Polka Dot Bikini’ began to play on the radio.
Lee began to laugh.
Amanda felt her face redden and it wasn’t because of the sun. Her swimsuit wasn’t a bikini, but it was yellow polka dotted. She splashed him with water, getting his legs wet.
“Two can play that game.” He got into the pool and splashed her back.
Soon they were both laughing like a couple of kids. After a while, they took up positions at opposite ends of the pool. Just relaxing.
“Looks like we need to add more water.”
Amanda didn’t want to move. The energy she had before had disappeared and she just wanted to lie there basking in her pool. “The hose is right there.” She pointed to the hose lying on the ground a few feet from the pool.
“I guess that’s my signal to do the job.” Lee rose and water sluiced down his legs. He grabbed the hose, placed it in the water then walked over to the faucet to turn it on. As he walked back to the pool, Amanda couldn’t help but notice how the wet boxers clung to him, giving her a magnificent view of the package hidden underneath.
Oh my. She ducked her head under the water. The pool was supposed to be a way to beat the heat. Not make it hotter.
The End
Story Notes:
Disclaimer: Scarecrow and Mrs. King and its characters belong to WB and Shoot the Moon Productions. No infringement is intended. This is written for entertainment purposes only. Please do not redistribute or reproduce this story without my permission.
Notes: This story is in answer to a challenge by Charlie to have Lee and Amanda ‘beat the heat’ of a scorching summer.
Notes: This story is in answer to a challenge by Charlie to have Lee and Amanda ‘beat the heat’ of a scorching summer.