HAZARDS - PART II

Back from a brief holiday that involved a road trip, a convention, and a day off from work. At the convention, I purchased several writings from various authors. On the day off from work, I read some of them while enjoying the fresh air and sunlight available in my backyard. During reading pauses, I would admire the butterflies that drift from flower to flower, and would ignore the weeds that grinned evilly at me, knowing in their dark green hearts that they were safe from any retribution on my part.

I lost track of time, as often happens when I venture into other's worlds. After completing a selection of stories, I returned inside to continue productivity. It was not until my lover went to kiss the back of my neck that I became aware of the state of the flesh of my back. The fiery red, though not yet blistered skin of my back. The hidden skin under the straps of my top are as thin, bleached highways through a radioactive desert of bright rust-colored sand. Human epidermis should not achieve this vibrant a shade of red. At least not mine.

Which brings me to the topic of this post: sunburn, an often over-looked hazard of reading. And writing, although hopefully I will have learned my lesson from this little foray into the realm of abnormal skin color and not repeat the experience.

At least this summer.