A Garden Bath

I clicked across the hallway tiles and squeezed through the cracked patio door into the wide open world. The wooden deck smelled of dry pine needles and warmed earth. Right next to a big terracotta pot, I discovered a shallow ceramic plant saucer filled with clear, sun-warmed water. I clambered over the smooth rim, tipped my heavy little body backward, and flopped straight in. The water rippled gently across my bare pink tummy, lapping against my seams while my stiff paws pointed up at the sky. It felt like the sweetest, warmest garden bath.