What Could Hit the Spot Right Now

It's a hot, sweaty night which has followed a day of oppressive temperatures and a glaring sun. You tried to take refuge under a tree, but the strong, hot wind wasn't afraid of the shade and you were not safe even there.

You are tired, legs burning, aching. Your calf muscles are fighting a losing battle to stand their ground. The house is quiet, children sleeping, air-conditioner humming its welcome tune as it pumps out a stream of cold air that seems to instantly disolve in the humidity. The slowing spin of the ceiling fan mimics your energy level as you lower yourself helplessly into a dining chair. You squint as a slow drop of perspiration rolls quietly down the side of your face, through the crevices of your dry skin and crashes onto the floor in a micro-splash near your foot.

Your clothes stick to you, like an ill-fitting second layer of skin. Your shirt unpeels itself from your back, only to flap back onto your damp body to stick there for another while. Your damp shirt collar brushes against your neck as you shift your weight to slip your foot out of your sports shoes. A rush of cold air caresses your foot for a brief, but pleasant moment.

You know that you desperately need a shower but despite the vivid imagery in your mind of clean, cool water running over your body, you don't have the energy to carry yourself to the bathroom. Even your fingers ache. Your breath is hot and you can almost see it lingering in the heavy air before your face. Your eyeballs hurt when you look around but, surprisingly, your eyelids remain defiantly open.

It is well past midnight and the house is very nearly completely silent, save for refridgerator noises at irregular intervals. You can hear yourself breathing. Your heart beating.

Now is a perfect time to enjoy the feeling of an ice-cold beer, straight from the bottle, going down. You can feel the very soul of the cold liquid as it fulfills its ultimate purpose. A bag of lightly salted pretzels, a soft breeze through the fly-screened window and absolutely nothing in the world could hit the spot more, right at this very moment.