An Aquatic Evil

 How did it all begin? Chris was never sure, but a promising friendship one day ended in bitter tears.

 From then on, he never felt safe going into the bathroom alone. Whenever he stepped over the threshold the vile Mr. Tub lay in wait. The struggles were terrible at times.

 In desperation, Chris approached his wife for help and advice. That's when she mentioned that 'Better Witchcraft Through Chemistry' ad they'd both seen on the TV.

 Revelling in his newfound powers, he practiced day and night to increase his skills

Feeling confident after six months of solid training, he ventured into the bathroom to do battle with his dreaded foe. It was a gruesome and bloody battle but Mr. Tub was vanquished.

What Chris hadn't reckoned on was that tubs travelled in packs.

Owner of a Broken Heart

Three months after his painful breakup, poor Howie was still in a funk.

Lucia continued to cause no end of drama at his front door. She’d ‘washed her hands’ of him and of their daughter but she kept coming around.

Even complete strangers were not immune to her emotional rampages.

Howie knew he could call up a few buddies for the latest bad jokes and other moral support and on his good days, things were cool at the pool.

But on his bad days, Howie felt that his life was in the trash and all he could do was play the blues.

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 The dawning winter brought little joy for the Ficus clan. Once again Andrew gave himself over to the deadly rake and spent untold hours in service to the pile.

 When he wasn't raking he was working. Until the day the news came in the mail that he'd earned his Magic 80 and he could retire. On his last day at work, he hobbled to his car, keenly aware that this was a major change in his life. Perhaps it was time to make other... changes... in his life.

 Through the next four months his craving for the rake waxed and waned. Kath became his greatest supporter. She brought him to his first RA meeting and watched him take the pledge with hope shining in her eyes. It was very hard at first.

 And even after distancing himself from the park with its temptations Andrew still wrestled with his yearnings.

 But that night by the water got him thinking. How liberating it would be to relax and let go of his fears; surrounded on all sides by the buoyant comfort of the ocean. He started small with the hot tub Pam bought him to celebrate his retirement.

Early one morning, in the bracing chill of late spring, Andrew pulled on his bathing cap and threw himself into the ocean with wild, delighted abandon. Such freedom! Such a thrill!


And in the Fall, Andrew hires the kid next door to rake the lawn now.