Beauty is the ONLY Distraction!

“Don’t you think that Beauty is a Distraction?” I ask DL as we float in the hot tub.
She pauses for only a moment, then a slow grin creeps up, “Beauty is The ONLY distraction!”

We both crack up. Of course she’d say this. What other answer could she give? She’s Italian. And she’s Beautiful.

“It’s so true,” I manage, after a few moments of giggles. “I knew when this young woman asked to share my lane tonight that she was beautiful. Even though my foggy mask, I was distracted, you know?”
DL nodded. “Oh, yeah….”

“And so my entire swim, I was so distracted. I just had to keep trying not to stare……”

Sinking into the steamy bubbles, I fall into Distraction Reverie.....

She’d asked to share my lane about half way through my swim, shy and professional. “Can I share your lane?” she’d asked simply enough. But already, I was thoroughly distracted. She was one of those young EthBeauties. You know, the dark hair, dark brown eyes, chocolate skin, swimmers compact frame. I was smitten, so of course, no problem, she could share my lane even though usually I send out the Hostile Don’t Even Ask To Share My Lane Vibes.

“Sure,” I’d answered.
“Do you want to just split the lane?” she’d asked.
“Okay,” I’d grinned. “You look super speedy.”
She’d demurred some appropriately humble response, then jumped in and yeah, sprinted down the lane.

Sigh.

I think I was that speedy once, but no more.


Later when I’d told Sandy about the sharing lane Beauty and how fast she’d been, she’d remarked, “Get used to it.”
We’d all laughed, but then Sandy had continued, “You probably didn’t mind sharing with her. I’m sure she could hold her lane.”
“Hold her lane….” I repeat. “I like that…..”

I didn’t mention that the real reason I didn’t mind sharing was her Beauty. “Yeah, she could. Unlike this one woman I encountered a few months back who right at the onset had announced to me “'I have to warn you. I can’t swim in a straight line.'”

“She probably had a license to drive too,” Sandy had quipped.
“Oh, yeah, I’m sure she did,” I laughed.

I close my eyes, letting the heat envelop me, and for a moment, thinking of nothing but this soothing warmth.
A creak of the door, and DL is gone. Another creak of the door, and someone slips in.
I open my eyes. Is it her? EthBeauty?

For a moment, I hold my breath, thinking of my good fortune. Here’s The Distraction come to sit next to me in the sauna!
But no, it’s not. Yet, it doesn’t matter. She’s beautiful and a distraction. Because when I’m in Utopia, everyone is beautiful.

And everyone, as you all know, is a Distraction.