Cold Water

One summer day our hot water heater went out. At the time, it was not so bad .On a hot day in Texas I could think of a lot worse happening.

My family consisted of four females: Momma, my two sisters and I.We lived on a small farm where everyone had to do manual labor.We worked hard , we played hard and we fought hard.

We really did not socialize with anybody outside the family unit. For the most part, I always thought we were the normal everyday family.

We did not have the money to get a new hot water heater at the time. So, we learned to live with what we had.

Cold baths were very exhilarating at first.Then it just became part of our routine. Being the youngest, I would have to wait up to an hour for a go at the bath tub , but no more! Who is going to soak in a tub of cold water? I was thinking," This is great."That thought changed pretty quick around November.

The screams could be heard all through the house. With a sense of dread you knew your time was coming.It would take all of fifteen minutes to bathe, put your clothes on, and get back to the part of the house that was warm.

Another thing, the bathroom was not heated.If it was twenty degrees outside, it was the same in there.I still believe this had something to do with my oldest sister getting married so fast.The man she was in love with had all the necessities of modern life, including hot water.

We finally fixed the heater but when people complain about silly things in their life, I just remember that cold tub of water.