Nightswimming

At the end of an extraordinary evening, with an extra spring in my step, Radar and I laced up to patrol the lake. After sprinting across the main road and a couple blocks of sniffing later, we settled into our normal night walk stride; a midnight mosey. The heat of the day is gone, all that's left of it is a thin layer of fog on the water. Peepers peep and crickets creek, interrupted only by the wail of crotchrockets a few avenues over and the hum of fluorescent light every 40 paces. We're the only ones around for half a mile, keeping watch through spider web fuzz and mosquito buzz.

Radar took his slack once we hit the boat ramp at the far end, went in like a ninja and was neck deep before I knew what he was doing. I didn't lock the leash, just let him go, and within seconds was watching him putt around with only his nose and ears showing.

I watched. I stared. I called his name and he disregarded. I smiled. I looked over each shoulder and took off my shoes and socks. The lake was like bathwater that had been left too long. Radar was 16 feet out, putting around silent as a Minnkota. I slid my shirt over my head, threw it on top of my shoes and strolled in, giving Radar more slack. The first few feet are deceiving, once chest deep the water was cool enough to take my breath away. Radar came by in silence and I unhooked the leash. I don't think he even noticed, he just kept swimming around me in wide circles, till I finally lost the bottom. After a few seconds I came back up and rolled onto my back. Suddenly the stars were incredibly apparent.