May 30, 2008 23:59
It was true that Luda hadn't bathed in a while, but this was not because she was lazy or disliked cleanliness; it was simply because she disliked being cold. After being submerged in a bath that was warmer than the air, she found getting out unbearable. Freezing. Freezing. Shivering. Groping for a towel. Shaking. For some reason, the cold always filled her with panic. If only there were a way not to freeze afterward, she wouldn't mind taking a bath. Really. If, for example, there were somebody waiting for her with a large, thick towel held out in his arms....
The New Yoker by Lara Vapnyar