Monday, July 27, 2009

Sultry


Do you ever go for days, discombobulated, disoriented, in disarray simply because you can't find the word to describe what you're feeling?

Maybe it's not you, it's the atmosphere.

The low moisture that never manifests.

The audible hum in the air.

The stickiness surrounding every breath you take.

The kids hosted a lemonade stand outside the porch of our Auntie this weekend, during our town's one and only "festival." Aquafest. Seems ironic that a celebration of all things water-related would take place on a weekend starkly devoid of all things water (or rain) related (other than the surprise! thunder showers which really only seemed to make it hotter).

The heat. Nothing brings out a thirst for lemonade served in a paper cup by a few cute kids like the heat. Especially if they have mastered all marketing strategies in order to maximize their profit.

Location? Check.

Signage? Check.

Price Point? Check.

Cute Factor? Check.

I sat, with the other ladies of the porch, sipping libations and fanning myself, watching the passersby. Once in a while I'd run to the curb and help the children, but mostly I tried not to move. Because we all know that moving in such heat only causes perspiration on top of the perspiration one may have already been experiencing, and I wanted nothing to do with that.

"Lemonade! Lemonade!" They shouted. "Ice cold lemonade for fifty cents!"

People stopped and smiled, they crossed the street to go out of their way to buy the lemonade from the hard working hands of my daughter and my son. Quarters were collected, "thank yous" were given, and the community spirit of filling the hope, the awe, and the anticipation of a few children was appreciated.

The hours wore on, more and more lemonade was served to weary festival-goers. Upon the third hour a woman approached Katie and asked for "one tall lemonade please." I held the paper cup while my 5 year old daughter carefully poured the lemonade.

"It's sultry," said the customer.

"Exactly!" I answered.

Sultry. Sultry is when your clothes stick to your body, when you feel like you're filling your lungs with water with each breath you take. Sultry is when you can feel your eyelids sticking together. Sultry is keeping a handkerchief at the ready and blotting your forehead every few minutes. Sultry is fanning yourself. Sultry is wishing you were old enough to wear a mu mu.

Sultry is this.

"Mama, what does sultry mean?" Katie inquired after her customer had left.

"This, baby girl," I said waving the heavy, hot, humid air around us. "This is sultry."

9 comments:

Becky at lifeoutoffocus said...

omg it's been so sultry here too...with it being almost 100 every freakin day. i feel for yall!

Kendra said...

Great word, and one that doesn't get used enough! Lately we've had a few days when it rains, and it's immediately just as humid as it was before the rain. That's just cruel--and sultry.

Fantastic picture, by the way.

Anonymous said...

I'm in MT, its 67 degrees...we seemingly don't do 'sultry'. :)

Momisodes said...

This is SO making me want a tall cold glass of lemonade. It's awfully sultry here today :)

Hope the stand turned out to be a success!

Kerrie said...

Sultry. Perfect description. I'm so glad we got A/C a few years ago. We are gettin' our money's worth!

Kelly said...

Sounds like the entrepreneurs did well!

Chelsea Linehan said...

That is so cute! Lemonade is always the perfect treat on a hot day. Sultry is exactly how I would put the weather lately.

kirida said...

Aww, I would totally buy lemonade from your kids, sultry weather or not.

Chicken Liver said...

I'd buy the lemonade I'm a sucker for those kinds of things.

P.S. I'm watching what I eat, and I want to eat your header sooooo bad.