Montana Jones

Skinny dip

I usually feel comfortable dropping my pants in my own home. Comfortable enough to create the mantra "Pants are overrated." It puzzles me that the same act of pants dropping can feel uncomfortable and out of place elsewhere. I once experimented with a theory that I would feel just fine being naked in other settings too. This theory did not hold up well.

On the shore of a mountain lake at 5:30 in the morning with the twilight starting to pink the sky and only trees and mountains as an audience, disrobing takes on a new sensation. It falls somewhere between bedroom comfortable and doctors office awkward. The motions are quick and deliberate, no reason to be timid, yet there is the nagging feeling of worry. What if I get caught? I try not to feel self-conscious as I walk down into the water.

Cool, but not cold I am hesitant about pushing more of my skin into the wet. Eventually my feet and legs adjust to the cooler temperature and I wade out deeper until there is nothing left but to pick my feet up and submerge entirely. I only spend a short time in the water. Dunking myself and paddling a little. Then with the first birdsong lullabying from the woods I drip my naked self up out of the water and over to the towel.

Drying and dressing are anti climatic. I feel like there should be more excitement when you get naked outdoors in a public place. I secretly wish that there were someone else to share the experience with, preferably a girl, to create a romantic setting. Being alone makes it boring. Getting naked and jumping in a lake was dull. Uneventful. Unthrilling. A mediocre event in my day.

In the end, being naked outdoors was no scandal. The water was refreshing. It felt ordinary. Perhaps my naked theory might still work out.

Labels: excitement, naked, outdoors, pants, skinny dip, swim, water

Posted by: Montana Jones / 8:25 PM