the slide (23)

Five minutes up the road,

ten thousands years

deeper into the past,

where a stream runs under

a heavy timbered bridge

they stop once more,

lean on the low railing

and look down into

a sunlit pool below.

see them? them? where?

trout. behind that boulder.

No. Wait! I see them,

How graceful they are.

Indeed. And delicious.

You catch them?

Sometimes. Not today.

A big golden drifts out from 

the shelter of the boulder

glides to the surface

and snatches a floating

insect. A flash of the fish’s

sunset reds and yellows

as the it arcs and dives

deep into the current.

What a gorgeous creature.

you’re right, this is very

special too, thank you.

This? Oh this isn’t the place,

just the appetizer.

The main course is up there.

Points to a gap between

two boulders where a path

begins beside the stream.

Rocks and manzanita

crowd the narrow trail,

Henry threads the way.

At the top of one last rise

he takes her hand and says,

almost there, close your eyes.

Two more steps, now stop.

he moves around behind her.

Okay, you can open them.

She sees a foaming torrent

funneling through a channel

carved through the granite

by thousands of snow melt

fed floods tumbling

boulders, pebbles and sand.

The stream spills over the broad

lip of a slab in a smooth sheet

into a deep pool at the foot.

She fills her lungs with the rich air,

as they stand at the brink admiring

the molten glasslike flow hissing white

where it hits the deep pool below.

This was worth the climb. It’s…..

like something God dreamed.

Yes, it is. Better yet, it’s a slide.

You mean for people? Down that?

Yeah. It’s for us. Want to try it?

Is it safe? Looks kind of dangerous.

It’s safe. I’ve done it lots of times.

Alright then. Show me how.

I bet you’re gonna enjoy it as much

as I do. It’s exhilarating. They climb

down to the top of the slide, stand

side by side at the lip gazing down

at the sleek curtain. Henry reaches

into the gap under a boulder and

pulls out two pieces of carpet

about a foot and half square.

Strips down to his boxers and

lays out his clothes on the rocks

beside the slide, tucks his glasses

into the pocket of his shirt.

Ruthie takes the opportunity to look

him over, he looks better than he moves,

less like a scarecrow and more like a man.

He turns around grinning, okay, here

we go. Puts one of the carpet squares

in the shallow water above the brink.

Sits on it and pushes himself forward,

lets gravity and the water propel him

down the slick face of the slide.

 A slight up curve at the bottom sends

him out into the pool. He lands butt

first then lets go of the carpet, turns

round in the pool, treading water.

See! It’s easy! Ruthie ain’t so sure.

Easy for you, you’ve done this before.

Yeah. But it was just as easy

the first time, you can do it.

Are you sure? Absolutely.

She takes a deep breath.

Alright. Tell me what to do.

Take off your dress.

I see what you’re up to.

You wanna get my clothes off.

Well if you don’t mind getting your

dress soaked and trying to swim

in it, keep it on. You don’t need

to take your underwear off.

Ruthie shakes her head in amused

disgust, turns her back to him,

undoes her dress and lowers it

slowly, pausing at her hips

as if changing her mind,

then lets it drop around her feet.

She reaches back to unhook

her bra and pretends

to fumble with it.

Henry calls up from the pool,

Need some help with that?

You a brassiere expert, Henry?

Nah. Just a dedicated amateur.

With girls you brought here before?

Shakes her head, takes off her bra.

She thrusts out her breasts. as if to say

go ahead, like them as much as my legs?

She picks up the other carpet square,

wades carefully out to the slide.

Ok, lover boy, what do I do now?

Just sit down on the rug and push

yourself forward, the water will

do the rest. She lowers herself

carefully and inches up to the brink.

That’s it, just come forward

and let the water take you.

She takes one last lung full and……

Wooooooooo!

she hits the water fanny first

with a big splash, comes up

flashing her breathtaking smile.

Henry swims over to her, showing

all his pearls too. Well? did you like it?

Oh yes indeed!! This is so fun!

Wanna do it again? Yes! a hundred times!

Sure beats swimming in a irrigation ditch!

I thought you might. Let’s go back up.

They climb back up to the top of the slide.

Wanna go first this time? Yeah!

She wades out confidently this time,

no hesitation and shoots down the slide,

yelling out once more, this time in sheer joy.

Henry quickly follows, joins her at the

shallow end of the pool, where she

stands and waits for him, seemingly

unaware of how cold the snow melt

water is. Her body is speckled with

goose bumps, but she is radiant,

full of the animal moment.

You promised surprises. This is wonderful.

She pulls his mouth to hers by his ears,

then leans back and grins. You’re the surprise.

He looks at the goosebumps on her

arms and the water droplets hanging

like crystals from her nipples.

You going to just stand there staring?

He touches her nipple with his finger,

breaking the surface tension, the water

flows into his palm. He brings it to

his lips. Ruthie shivers and says

touch the other one please.

He does. She shivers again.

That’s very stimulating, sonny boy,

but I want to ride the slide some more.

Me too. Want to try it together?

Can we? Yeah, let’s do that.

They slide down holding hands.

Sometimes they slide together,

Sometimes Henry does cannon balls,

The two of them, playful as otters.

Want to warm up for a while? 

We can stretch out in the sun

on the rocks. Okay. 

Henry lies down with his hands

behind his head, Ruthie stretches

out beside him, the sun feels good.

In a few minutes they’re dry.

Henry reaches for her hand.

She squeezes it and rolls towards him.

They lie facing each other, not touching,

desire arcing the gap between them

until Henry’s thigh touches hers

and Ruthie snuggles in, skin to skin

thrilling their bodies, sun-warmed.

 and refreshed, igniting fires within.

Resulting in the usual reaction,

his erection presses against her warm belly.

She says, I don’t suppose you brought,

you know,……protection? No I didn’t.

Because, I don’t want to get in trouble.

No, that wouldn’t be good. But I’ll be

real careful, I know when to stop.

I don’t know, that’s kind of risky,

are you sure you can? I’m sure.

You have to promise me. No mistakes.

I promise, baby, I won’t. Okay, Henry.

But can we move off this rock?

Yeah. Lets bring our clothes up

there under the trees, It’s nice and

soft up there on the leaves.

They gather up their clothes and

spread them on the thick layer

of leaves under a mountain oak.

Ruthie lies down on their makeshift

bed. Better? Perfect. Get down here.

The fallen leaves of the oak crackle

under them, and the bear clover

beside them perfumes the air

with it’s heady musk,

The lovers edge up to the top of a slide

far more ancient than the rocks of this canyon,

and push themselves over the brink.