Good Morning

Waking up I lay there just feeling how hot I was. Hot? How could that be, the Air Conditioner had been set for seventy five degrees the night before, I knew because I had set it. I didn't think my husband had gotten up in the middle of the night to turn it up or off, he liked it cool even more than I did. Even as I was thinking this I could feel the sweat rolling off my breasts and sliding down my sides to soak the sheets. I couldn't take it any longer, I had to find out what was going on.

Rolling out of bed I briefly debated with myself whether or not to put on my robe. Walking out into the living room then into the kitchen I looked blearily around, it took me a few minutes before I realized the power was out. Once I saw that I knew why it was so blasted hot in our apartment. I also knew that no matter how hot it was both me and my husband would want some coffee to help us wake up. I thought about how to heat the coffee for a few minutes before I remembered the old camping coffee pot hidden in the back of one of the cabinets.

Pulling this out I rinsed it then filled it with water. (Thankfully we were on town water so we still had pressure.) Filling the basket with grounds I walked carefully over to the slider leading out onto our patio. Gently, so I didn't spill the water in the pot, I eased the door open then stepped out into our screened patio. Setting the coffee pot down I dug through the storage closet for our camp stove and a can of fuel for it. Setting this up next to the grill I fired it up and put the coffee pot on one of the burners. By the time the coffee was perking I could hear Dave stirring sluggishly inside. Turning I called through the slider and told him to grab two cups and join me on the patio.

Turning back around so I could sit down in one of the chairs I watched as one of our neighbors walked past, doing a double take as he saw me sitting there watching the coffee pot. By the time Dave had wandered out holding two coffee cups and looking blearily around several more of our neighbors had walked by. Each time they did they did a double take. I couldn't understand this as they had seen us out on the patio before, and what was so strange about making coffee on a camp stove?

As Dave stood there looking around another of our neighbors came walking past, this time it was a young woman I had talked with on several occasions. I couldn't help it, when she approached the patio I stretched in a jaw cracking yawn. She actually stopped and looked at me for a minute before smiling shyly and moving on.

"At least there's a breeze out here." I thought to myself as my husband squeezed past me on the tiny patio. When he had finally sat down and lit his first smoke of the day he looked at the coffee pot and commented that it sounded as though it was done perking. Nodding to myself I agreed with him and grabbing the two cups lined them up. Squatting in front of the stove I turned it off before grabbing the handle of the coffee pot. As I poured the coffee I reveled in the feel of the breeze, nice and cool after the heat of the apartment. Done with this little chore I moved back to my seat and handing Dave his coffee wished him a good morning. He just grunted in reply.

As I sat back enjoying the feel of the air on my skin I sipped at my coffee. I wondered what had happened that we had lost power, and wondered as well when we would get it back. Dave must have been reading my mind, because he asked me to reach inside and pull out the portable radio we kept stashed next to the door. Sighing I got up again and turning bent over and reached inside for the radio. It took me a minute to find the radio by feel, (why I didn't just go inside and get it I don't know.) Pulling it out I set the radio on the small table between our chairs. When I happened to look up at Dave sitting there in his shorts I saw a strange look on his face. He didn't say anything though as he turned to the radio and tuned in a local station.

Sitting back down I wondered at how rough the padding on the seat was, and thought about our having to replace these weather beaten pads soon. As we sat there drinking coffee I casually threw a leg over the arm of my chair and listened to the radio announcer telling us about a large explosion and fire in the local power plant. That's why we didn't have power and they didn't know just how long the power would be out. As I heard this I noticed a car pass by us for the third time, moving slowly as the driver looked towards us. I also noticed several people, mainly young men walking by us again. I couldn't understand this, hadn't they ever seen a couple sitting on their patio drinking coffee and enjoying the morning?

After pouring and drinking a second cup of coffee while enjoying the warm morning I decided it was time to go inside and take a quick shower, there were things we had to do today after all. As I walked inside, I was again hit by the heat of the apartment. I couldn't wait for the electricity to come back on so we could cool the place off.

Stepping into the bathroom I knew the cool water would feel good. Setting my coffee cup down I reached into the shower and turned the water on. Turning I looked at myself as my hands came up to grab the shoulder straps which weren't there. With an involuntary shriek I realized why everyone had stopped or did double takes, not to mention why the breeze had felt so good. I had been out there wearing nothing but the thin chain around my neck. Shocked I stood there for a minute looking at myself in the mirror, remembering the shocked and surprised looks on the people as they passed the Lanai and saw me sitting there naked. Thinking about this I couldn't help myself. It started with a giggle but then changed into a full blown belly laugh as I thought about what those people must have been thinking when they saw me. It was hard for me to believe that I was laughing about it, but to be honest it had felt good to be sitting out there even though I hadn't known at the time I was nude, and to be honest with myself it still felt good. I knew then this wouldn't be the last time this happened, although the next time would be planned.