Chapter 26: Bathed in the October Sun
October 18, 2015
A heat wave struck Erie, blowing in from the southwest. I couldn’t believe it was almost Halloween and the temperature had touched ninety degrees, baking the autumn leaves, left behind dry grasses of a lost summertime, and confusing acorn-gathering squirrels. The heat was soothing and just what we needed since the stairway to my attic room was complete; some promised relaxation with the help of the blistering sun was desired, and some personalized alone-time was needed with each other.
It wasn’t expected that Carl invited me to an afternoon behind his garage/studio, enjoying his private beach all to ourselves. There, with an almost-forgotten summer around us, we lay on beach towels and wore sunglasses. And there, becoming pinkish un
