There's Nowhere to Hide

Summer’s temperatures in Idaho often climb well above one hundred degrees Fahrenheit
(38F). A walk in the sun compares to working in a steel mill. With the low humidity, shade
provides a welcome relief. It’s much different than in the south, where the humidity is high.
Shade doesn’t help in the humidity. There’s no place to escape summer’s wrath. There’s no place
to hide.

High humidity reminds me of life’s trials. There’s no escape. My job is in danger. Like
the humidity, I can’t escape the inevitable. I wait and sweat. Will it end tomorrow? No one
knows.

I have been through tough financial times. Bill collectors never stopped calling. My
phone rang unanswered. I didn’t want to hear from them. I was afraid, hid in the shade and
sweated with anxiety. There was no escape. They always found me.

There is no place to hide from the heat of life. Even in the closet, with the door closed,
the lights off and my head covered with a blanket, life will find me.

I don’t try to hide anymore. I don’t fight the currents. Instead, I go with the flow. Like a
kayaker, I let the currents take me. I paddle enough to maintain control. In time, the rough
waters will subside. I’ll paddle on smooth waters again.

At this time, with my job in jeopardy, I don’t hide. I’m looking for work within this
company and others. The water’s rough. I paddle hard, because there’s nowhere to hide.

Michael T. Smith

Story ID:	7645
Written by:	Michael Timothy Smith (bio, link, contact, other stories)
Story type:	Musings, Essays and Such
Location:	Caldwell Idaho USA
Year:	2011
Person:	Life