Writer's Home Spa

[Teresa]

She pats my cheeks and eyelids with a pink ostrich feather, torn from the butt of a bird pen that has run out of ink.  

 

She puckers her moist pink lips then asks me to do the same as she applies "lipstick" with the dented tip of a plastic strawberry.  

 

Various swatches of patterned fabric are applied to my forehead, nose and chin like cool compresses to "clean away the day". 

 

She uses the orange lid of a juice cup as a "stamp" on my left forearm to identify me as "Client #146".  

 

Her small warm hands glide over my arms, long velvety strokes from wrists to shoulders and back again, "Does that feel good?"

 

The pure heaven of a green sparkly My Little Pony brush through my hair makes it difficult to stay awake, then she stops brushing, leans toward these words on my monitor and says, "Mommy, I see 'butt'." 

[Jamie Hogan]

I think I read this with my eyes lightly closed. Or maybe by the time I stopped reading they were. Then I looked down and G had beaten me to my first thought. And it didn't matter because I'd nearly been rocked to sleep, and I may be asleep typing this. Dozing at least, the ghost of a feather lingering at my face.

[Travis Smith]

This is excellent! I love those moments - it makes it easier to smile when one of them is bonking a different one with something other than a feather.

[Cath Barton]

Fab!

[FlowerChild]

Saw it. Loved it. Wonderful!! :)

[Cita]

Oh... I hope FlowerChild reads this.  In fact, I am going to insist.  We made our own memories not too long ago.  Bravo, T.  Great write. 

[Angela]

While I read the first time, I imagined myself receiving these services, and was delighted and renewed.  Then I read again and just became a quiet observer, which was also truly lovely.  Then I read again and remembered the special joy of being cared for by my own little person, who is grown and far away.  My whole experience of this piece was layered and rosy.  Loved it, and faved.

[Mike Handley]

Even though I saw this coming (being the father of a once-little daughter), reading it was like being stroked with that feather. This is one of your finest, T.

[Gita]

The fact that she trails her hand up and down your arm tells me you have caressed her, and the fract that she touches your face with special objects tells me that she has been loved. Children give back what they get, so it's a testament to your mothering.

(when you've taught her to give foot rubs, I'm coming for a visit.)

[bolton carley]

this is a great 6 about pretending.  i could picture all of it.  amazing how little kids can do that so easily in mimicking us, but so many people say they have no imagination when they're adults.

[Teresa]

Thank you everyone.  If any one of you lived with me you'd get the same treatment.  She loves to pamper and love.  @Stephen ~ I have a 22 and 24 year old who might point out the "Great Tits!"  All four keep me grounded.