Car rides and waterslides

At first, the thought came in passing: Fun Mountain. Rows of green slides snaking down the man-made hillside, concession stand hot dogs wet with ketchup, and bathing suit bottoms ripped sliding too fast across the ridges of the Dragon.

We decided to take a car full. Soon plans snowball, counting in friends and co-workers until the outing warps into a summer staff Christmas party.

Come Monday we meet under the canopy, then charge up the sweltering black ashfelt path towards the wood towers, bare feet burning. Our bodies shoot back down hard plastic into tiny landing strips of piss and chlorine.

Water fills the nostrils and chokes the throat. I whip into a curve, drop down, slip further and fly out, fully submerged and eyes burning. Shake wet hair, eye a two-person tube, and rush back up the mountain to ride again.