The Elements of Snow
Eli picked up the tire iron from the bed of his truck and carried the bag of groceries to the porch. He set the bag on the steps then pried the weathered planks off the side entrance. After he leaned the last board against the cedar siding, he brushed his dusty hands against his jeans, then collected the grocery bag and went inside. The screen snap shut at his heels as he flipped the switch, lighting a room covered in dust and cobwebs that dated back to his adolescence. Eli coughed.
He settled the bag of groceries on the kitchen counter then turned on the faucet letting the pipes heave air and water in intermittent blasts until it ran steady and clear. Eli peeked inside the stove top percolating coffeemaker then dismantled it into the sink, the soot washing to gray the icy clear water. He felt like an archeologist as he cleaned the relic parts from a long forgotten kitchen appliance then reassembled the parts in pursuit of a decent cup of coffee.
He poured a cup, black as crude oil then leaned against a beam on the porch peering into the fog of daybreak as he blew across the top of the mug. A breeze pulled the steam away from his cup towards the river. He took a gulp, bite down then hiked through the dew covered bracken, his boyhood fishing spot tugging him and the steam from his coffee.
He picked up a stone and smoothed his thumb over the river rock then threw it as far as he could, his eyes tracking the stones journey almost to other side of the river. As the stone plunked into the water a brunette sprang to the surface wearing nothing. It was like the magic trick of his adolescent dreams. Frozen, Eli held a swallow of coffee suspended beneath wide eyes as the brunette stood waist deep in water, shampooing, unaware of him. Eli swallowed then choked, turning his back to her as he bent over crouping bitter coffee until it leaked from his nose.
He wiped his sleeve across his face then glanced back as the skinny-dipper grabbed for her towel.
“Sorry!” he called to her as he turned away again.
“Asshole!” she shouted, marching towel-clad up the embankment.
Eli sat down hard dumping the remaining coffee onto the rocks feeling embarrassed that he watched, then he wondered if she bathed nude in the river every morning.
