Jay Mandal, prolific writer and best-selling author of Precipice, continues to experiment with the short-short story. This one is simply called "Bathe." Jay Mandal is from southern England. After grammar school, he joined a City bank and worked in Europe. He’s written over one hundred and fifty short stories, some of which are to be found in the collections ‘A Different Kind of Love’ and ‘The Loss of Innocence’; and two novels – ‘The Dandelion Clock’ and ‘Precipice’. Jay’s books are available from Bewrite Books at www.bewrite.net and from the usual outlets.

Bathe by Jay Mandal   Every day he would bathe naked in the pool. The water was clear and cold, and would make him gasp at first. Then he would lie on the grass and let the sun dry him.        His skin turned from winter white to cinnamon, his hair lightened and became streaked with gold. He felt his muscles relax and, at the same time, grow stronger.        After his swim, he would have breakfast: a roll, some cheese or ham, and a glass of orange juice. Then he would read until it was time for lunch. Salad and fruit.        In the afternoon, he played solitaire in the shade of a lemon tree. For supper, there would be chicken or fish with herbs.        And he would sleep. In the cool of the night, in the early morning sun or in the long, hot afternoons. It was a luxury he’d been denied too long. If he did wake at night, he sometimes went outside and walked barefoot on the grass. When he returned to his room, his feet would leave damp prints on the stone floor.   The End

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