Snarkattack

As my brother and I entered adulthood a decade later, it occurred to me that none of the family took those gloriously indulgent soaks that I recalled from when we first arrived here. No one ever had time – not even for a yearly one. There were some explanations offered: “I’ll have one on my day off, when I can enjoy it more,” or “It’s too much trouble to clean afterwards,” or “Too many things to do today,” – very grown-up reasons, I thought.

Or excuses, perhaps?

Were we really that busy that we all had our ready-made excuses for avoiding the chance to melt our worries away in nice, warm water and get clean simultaneously?

My mother is easily the busiest person in our family. She looks after most of the housekeeping, works part-time as a nurse (not the easiest of occupations) and has a family overseas that she also looks after, both emotionally and financially. She’s always exhausted and aching. Despite my continuous begging, she never consents to taking a relaxing bath, which is sad. It could do so much for her mood, and replenish her energy levels. Not to mention loosen tight, knotted muscles. Sadly for both our sanities (alas, she is not the most…serene of persons to live with at times), she never takes the time…to take time out.

Well, I did. In fact, it became something of a necessity for me. I constantly experimented with it till my personal bathing ritual was just perfect. Admittedly, I had a bit of help. I had had a serious relationship with a fellow from Japan while still at uni. It’s amusing to think that despite my (largely) Asiatic origins, compared to him, I was a total Westerner. It was through him that I was introduced to various aspects of his culture.