Tuesday, August 15, 2017

Mud Bath

Mud Bath
California
February 2017


I've had a mud bath before and thought that one time would be enough for a life time.  But the opportunity came up again and I thought I would try it again.  And now I think I have had enough mud baths for a life time.

Maybe it was 35 years ago that I had this bath.  I do know that I was much more agile than I am now. And it was a struggle being in that tub years ago.  I wonder why I didn't remember that as I started this bath.

After a quick shower, I was instructed to slide in to the tub that was filled with hot mud.  I stuck my foot in first and then shimmied my way in until I was submerged up to my shoulders.  I don't remember the mud having the consistency or odor of manure.  But it did today and I had to really concentrate on straying away from this ugly thought.

I lingered in the mud for thirty minutes and then it got too hot for me.  So I attempted to hoist myself self up. It was really a struggle to get out from under all of this mud.  I was stuck. I didn't have the strength to pull myself up from all of this resistance.  I indicated to the woman in charge and hoped that she would offer to help or maybe get a crane to pull me out.  But she offered neither solution.

"Just keep trying.  Move your whole body to the front and pull up."  I felt like saying, "What the hell do you think I'm trying to do in this shit hole?"  But I didn't because I still needed her more than she needed me.  So I kept trying and finally, finally, I was able to pull my legs out and let them dangle over the sides.  It was a welcomed relief. And then I was am to sit up on the side and get out of this shit hole.  And then I went home in my journal and wrote "Finished. Never again."

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