Saturday 23rd August, 1969.Ìý With violins in our sunset, it was time for a rest.ÌýJanis slowed the Lincoln to an eventual standstill, taking a final puff on her cigarette, before tossing it from the window.ÌýAs it fell, the embers and splints of the old stogie crackled and sparkled against the twilight backdrop, like tiny pearls taking leave of their captivity. I looked out of the front.ÌýCheek Lake was only about ten minutes from where we had stopped.ÌýJanis seemed tired and in need of a rest.ÌýIt was not possible to park right near to the lake, so we left the car and walked up a small hill and across a grassy bank.ÌýIt was stunning.Ìý The lake was silent and where the still cloudless sky was reflected in its waters, it was impossible to tell where one ended and the other began.ÌýBehind us, the sinking sun was nestling itself in between two duvet-like knolls; it felt to me like someone had put their arm around me, so affectionate was its warmth.ÌýFrom out of nowhere, Janis fashioned a picnic rug, laid it on the ground and surrounded it with several spikes of tree. These were our candles and she lit them from a lighter procured from the cardigan wrap she wore around her shoulders.ÌýI emptied the bags onto our makeshift spread. Janis rearranged the contents so that soon, they resembled not so much the baloney, pumpernickel bread and assorted fruits and potato crisps that I had bought, but more a hastily prepared light meal for two; just perfect for a night by the lake.ÌýSeems, she did have a lighter touch, after all. "You see that, Peaches?" she said, pointing up towards a nearby rock face.Ìý"That is Todd Knob.ÌýGetting' up there'll give us a hell of a view."
"What about your food?ÌýYou must be hungry."
"Food'll keep, honey.ÌýThe light ain't gonna pitch it in for too much longer though.ÌýWhat d'ya say, baby?"
"Sure, it doesn't look too high."
"First though... a swim."
"A swim?"
"You betcha, Peaches.ÌýThat water's just calling out for us to ripple it a little."
"I...Ìý er,"
"You what?ÌýAin't got your costume?"
"Something like that." I knew where this was headed.Ìý Janis stood up; pulled off her cardigan and tee shirt and then bent over to slip out of her skirt.ÌýShe wore panties, but no bra.ÌýThe outline of her body was slender; almost lean in fact, except for her backside, which curved elegantly into her thighs.ÌýHer breasts were small and somewhat sagged, her nipples dark and perfectly round.ÌýHer eyes shone out radiantly from beneath the mop of hair, which itself cascaded down upon her now naked and pale shoulders, like a weeping willow into a milky lake. She stood over me, hands on hips, confidence seeping out of every part of her upon which the orange sun shone.Ìý"Now you ain't gonna go shy on me, are you Irishman?" she laughed.ÌýShe lashed her tongue from one side of her mouth to the other in a display of sheer bravado.Ìý"Too late," I stuttered. Janis ran off towards the water and waded in.Ìý"Hail to Jesus!" she wailed as it filtered up to her waist and beyond.Ìý"God damned beautiful, Peaches.ÌýGet that little British ass of your's in this lake right now.ÌýD'ya hear me?"ÌýI undressed down to my underwear and made my way down to the water's edge, checking around our clothes with typical British reserve, to make sure that nobody was going to run off with my trousers. Janis was right.ÌýThe water was lovely.ÌýIt caressed and stroked against my skin, teasing open my pores and finding its way into my very heart, slowing and calming my mood like birdsong on a Sunday morning.ÌýWe swam in that lake for who knows how long; it may have been an hour, it may have been a day.ÌýWe didn't speak to one another, but it felt as though we were sharing an ocean, a lake and a bathtub, all at the same time.Ìý Memories are made of such delights. Some time on and Janis waved to me and pointed up to the rock face again.Ìý"Before the sun goes down," she shouted.ÌýI swam back for as far as I could and then waded the rest of the way.ÌýJanis joined me on the bank and we put our tops on, leaving our lower halves to dry in the air.Ìý"What's the terrain like?" I asked.Ìý"Is it a climb or a walk?" "It ain't too bad, honey.ÌýYour tough ole' feet'll do fine and dandy." I looked at her feet. For someone who never seemed to wear shoes, Janis' soles were remarkably delicate.Ìý That was her all over though; a mass of contradictions.ÌýWe set off and in what seemed like no time at all, found ourselves approaching the rock face from the Southern side. It was exhilarating.ÌýI couldn't wait to reach the plateau and survey the lake from on high.ÌýJanis took the lead and scrambled up to what looked like the perfect place to rest. I followed closely behind, watching as she lifted her body over a cleft and then arrived at the summit.ÌýI had to concentrate to keep my footing.ÌýThen I heard it.Ìý"Son of a bitch," came a cry from above me.Ìý"You poor bd!"
"Janis?" I shouted.
"I'm okay, Peaches," she replied.Ìý"You might not wanna see this though, baby."
"See what?" I groaned, pulling myself over the same cleft that Janis had just negotiated, before seeing her discovery with my own eyes.ÌýI had to hold back my own vomit.Ìý"What the hell is it?"
"A dead hobo," said Janis. | 
