Blood Moon:
We arose Saturday morning slowly, but by noon, we realized a long list of chores that had been put off for too long. The patio, the grass trimming, the search for stored replacement of a handle for a fine old “Lifetime” pot buried deep in the storage shed. The sun was out in the first dry non-monsoon air that we had had in many weeks.
There is a taller fence next to the porch and a shorter gate, next to it. The storage shed is at the other end of the property. From the neighbors, if one is standing up looking, a person can see someone working by the shed from the waist up in a thin visual field.
DF organizing and searching in the hot steel box was of course nude. I was sweeping the porch when I noticed a young man with large sunglasses standing on the neighbor’s porch facing our activities. The new neighbor spends a great deal of time smoking on his porch and will entertain there. So, this friend was a voyeur. He just seemed to stare intently. I continued with my work and when I glanced again, it became obvious that he was still looking our way and not at his friend who sat in a chair to his right. I walked over to notify DF. She was surprised about this. It was an odd situation for anyone to stand there like that. It is reasonable that one would either just pass through that small porch area into the house, or sit down to talk with a friend. A reasonable person would respect another’s privacy, not gawk.
DF stood there stopping what she was doing, in thought. She looked, and I then showed her what was exposed. She thought another long moment and in disgust said, “Oh well, I guess that he just got his kick for the day.” She was not to be bothered.
I stood looking at him, like he wasn’t there. I took my broom and stretched with it, arms high above my head. I noticed a little girl that was with them. He stopped staring.
We dressed and went out shopping and dancing with friends in the Foothills that evening and then wondered out to Tortolita for the night. Sunday morning, I shot out of bed with my own pressing chores in mind, while DF slept in. I had eleven bags of nearly over ripe bananas that had to be frozen, or dehydrated into chips. After a pleasant breakfast and lunch in the patio’s shade and a dent in the to do list and we were off to the sweat.
There was no bother to dress. It is an easy country drive. I wrapped a kilt around me to pump gas and wash the truck windows. Arriving, we slipped on a quick garment to walk across the street to enter the grounds, before pulling them off again a minute or two later. The afternoon heat had increased, but was nothing compared to the instant drenching heat inside the sweat building. Our pores were cleansing themselves in an industrial strength manner.
Stepping outside was cooling. We each washed off in a cool shower, which prepared us for the difference in the cool swimming pool. I climbed down the ladder to the waist deep pond acclimating for a few moments, relaxing, before dipping the rest of the way for a swim.
I relaxed there talking with DF. A friend joined us. We relaxed, cooled, we re-entered the sweat for another round, and then another, attended a meeting and it was time to move on.
This evening, the sunset would join the super moon’s rise and share a full lunar eclipse. A very very special event. The astrologers, India mysticism, many woo groups have hailed this as a particular event. It is also a very good excuse for members of the Sweat Band to gather and make some spontaneous music.
In Tucson, there is a henge, approximately the size of Stonehenge. It is made of concrete block, set exactly to the equinox and solstices. A round bronze placard on the dead center shows the patterns like a user’s manual. At this point the perfection becomes evident as the acoustics make a distortion in the sound. With each evening, the sun setting or rising creates a rising path until the beam shoots through a small window on a monolith on the other side signaling the quarter year. The land is flat near the river, so there are wonderful views all ways.
We had gathered various drums and percussion, several didgeridoos and a gong. We found a shamanic astrologer and four companions there. We all introduced ourselves, gathered our cameras and created spontaneous music, as this captivating event took place.
There has been development of apartments overlooking the henge and the river walk hosts bicyclists, and walkers. This is not a place to remain naked. We had slipped on some appropriate garb after pulling up. The clothing was silly and uncomfortable. The day’s heat still remained until the sun went down.
After hours of this celestial gaze, meditation and prayer, DF and I found ourselves relaxing and alone basting in the intensely bright moonlight, relaxed and alone. We began to load up the truck with conga, washtub bass, and assorted extras, left over food and water, etc., taking more than one trip. On one, I found my hands free and looked around. Things were lit up like daylight. We weren’t even needing flashlights to walk amongst the desert shrubs. However, there were many shadows and stolen clarity. The park, I’d heard, was being closed at 10:00pm because of some sexual harassment problem. It was just before ten. Most likely no one would be around and the apartments are distant.
At first, I dropped the pants, thinking that would be enough, but then the air felt so good, I looked around reconsidering and just had to go the full distance. I immediately felt even more wonderful. I went back to the henge for another load, thinking that I would surprise DF. There in the bright moonlight, she sat, reclined in a folding chair, already with top off. We comfortably had this place to ourselves.
As we were about to leave, I suggested that we go for a short nude walk. There is a main paved path that links many parts of Tucson, by following the rivers through the strip of park beside them. There was also, here, the dirt road through the desert that runs parallel for a quarter mile or so. Anyone would be on the usual trail, not our route.
As we were wandering, I began to see the light of a bicycle coming up the usual path. There are occasional police bicycle patrols. We simply stood behind a bush in the shadows. Otherwise we would be seen as plain as day. He wore a full color yellow top, it was just a guy on a bike. In this desert patch, in this now more urban area with no back up clothing, we returned to leave.
DF disappeared; I thought to put something in the back of the truck, so I went to investigate. She was instead in a squat. I spoke a quip. She shushed me. Apparently at that moment, she had spotted a dog walker on the path. I had just done something that could have drawn that person’s attention to us and she was feeling exposed in the intense moonlight.
Well, with the moon roof open and the urban lighting, we casually, but alert, enjoyed a nude sail through the late Sunday evening traffic. The neighbor had already taken the community recyclables out, DF noted as we arrived at here driveway. We were tired and had had enough adventure.
Jbee
