All Dried Up
by L.B.K.

	My name is Mark. Now that I'm 15 years old, I can look 
back and laugh at the summer a few years ago. It had 
definitely changed my life, probably forever. Fortunately 
it didn't last long but some of the things that happened 
have stuck in my mind. Now that I can look back, I'm 
somewhat glad it happened.
	It all started early that spring. Unseasonably warm 
weather had come early. And with it, barely even a drop of 
rain. Normally I would have enjoyed baseball season playing 
little league. But this year, it was hot and dry and just 
about miserable to have to play. The ball would skip across 
the dirt causing a cloud of dust. And when the wind was 
blowing, like it always did on the plains, you either had 
to take cover, or close your eyes till it stopped. We lived 
just outside a small town and there were only two fields 
for all the teams. By the time school had let out, the 
grass still wasn't growing and most likely was dead. The 
coaches and parents had a meeting and decided it might be 
best to delay the season until there was some rain.
	Two weeks before school had let out, was when the 
problems at our house started. The well had started going 
dry. We had already resorted to buying bottled water for 
drinking and cooking. And, instead of the long shower I 
liked to take, I was forced to use a sponge and a small 
bucket of water. We lived about 15 minutes from town. 
Although the people in town had water provided by the town, 
we only had a well. We weren't even allowed to flush the 
toilet if we only had to pee. That was done only once in 
the evening before bed.
	Almost immediately after school had let out for the 
summer, was when the well, as dad put it "All Dried Up". 
Mom and Dad had some good friends in town that allowed us 
to get some bottled water in a whole bunch of milk jugs so 
we could continue to bathe and use the toilets. But only 2 
weeks into the summer, the town started water restrictions 
of their own. Mom and Dad's friends would have had to pay 
fines if they used too much water or were caught wasting 
it. They offered for us to come every other day to bathe 
though. They didn't want to get caught by anyone seeing us 
carrying milk jugs of water from their home. Mom and Dad 
had to make a decision about what to do next.
	Buying bottled water for drinking and cooking was one 
thing. But it would have been very expensive to fill a 
toilet tank with it, much less take a bath. There were four 
of us. Mom, Dad, Me and my little brother. I was twelve 
years old going on thirteen. My little brother Josh was 
only seven. Since mom had started working again at the end 
of last summer, it was now my job to look after Josh during 
weekdays through out this summer. Little did I know how 
much work it was going to be.
	My parents discussed several options. Including 
sending me and my brother to a relatives house. But all our 
relatives lived on the other side of the country. And when 
mom and dad called to ask them, the didn't seem too keen on 
the idea. None of them had children of their own. They also 
discussed taking a vacation somewhere for a couple weeks. 
But, the drought would probably last much longer then that 
they thought. The only hotel in town was now booked solid 
with other people who had been in the same position as we 
were.
	Mom and dad didn't have as much of a problem as Josh 
and I would have. They could bathe every other day at their 
friends house and use the toilets at work during the day. 
Josh and I could survive on bathing every other day. 
Actually we could have gone longer then that in my opinion. 
But being without any toilets was a definite problem.
	It didn't take mom and dad to long to realize that 
there was only one serious problem and that was using the 
bathroom. Dad had suggested we could all just start going 
outside. But mom wouldn't hear of such. She had never 
allowed Josh or I to urinate outside before, and she wasn't 
going to allow it now. She called it "primitive behavior". 
That's when dad issued his decision. "Unless anyone else 
has a better alternative, I don't see that we have any 
other choice", he said. I can remember those words to this 
day but what came after that from my mom is what I'll 
remember for a lifetime. "What about using diapers?", she 
said. I couldn't believe my ears. I just stood silently 
thinking about it as did dad. He was the first to speak 
after the long silence. "That means all 4 of us", he said. 
"I figure it would only cost about 30 dollars a week for 
diapers", mom said. "You and I would only have to wear them 
at night and on weekends and it's certainly less expensive 
then filling the toilets with bottled water", she said.
	I couldn't believe it. Dad was actually going to go 
along with this. My heart sank at the thought of having to 
wear a diaper again. I still remembered having to wear them 
till I was about 6 years old because I wet the bed. Josh 
had worn them till he was about 5 for the same problem. 
Then it hit me, It wouldn't be just at night and on 
weekends like for mom and dad. Josh and I would be in 
diapers all the time. And to make things worse, I was the 
one who had to take care of Josh while mom was working. I 
voiced my opinion to mom and dad, but it did me little 
good. The only good thing I got out of it, was mom 
promising to raise my allowance since I would be changing 
Josh's diapers.
	It was settled that night before dinner. I was asked 
to watch Josh for a while after dinner while mom and dad 
went shopping. I knew what they would return with but Josh 
did not. He hadn't been in on the conversations. They came 
back within an hour. They immediately took all the bags to 
their room. Everything was in brown paper bags so I 
couldn't see what they had bought. Josh was the first to be 
called. They would have to explain the situation to him as 
best they could. I listened from outside their door. Josh 
seemed to take the news rather well. I only heard him whine 
once. Then, to my surprise, he seemed almost happy to be 
doing it. "I think we ought to let Mark go ahead and see 
how this is done" was my moms suggestion. Then came the 
usual holler, "MARK" she screamed. I startled her as I 
opened the door to their room before she had even closed 
her mouth.
	As I entered the room, there on the bed lie two 
packages of Pampers diapers. After taking a minute to 
undress Josh, she pulled a diaper out of one of the bags. 
She showed me how to do everything. She explained about how 
important it was to put powder, lotion or oil on. She 
diapered Josh as he laid there, then proceeded to remove 
the diaper as if it was dirty in order to show me how to 
clean up. Then it was my turn to try. It only took a couple 
times before I got it right. I think Josh loved every 
minute of it. He just laid there with a smile on his face 
not saying a word. Josh was sent on his way only wearing a 
diaper. He ran out of the room as if it were Christmas 
morning and he had just got the best present ever.
	I on the other hand wasn't so enthusiastic. I knew 
better then to not cooperate though. Mom helped me undress 
and instructed me to lie on the bed. She picked up the 
unopened package of Pampers in order to open it and remove 
one. It was then that I noticed they were a different size 
then Josh's. The package for Josh was a size 5. The package 
for me said "New Size 6" on the front. She started with the 
baby lotion just as she did for Josh. Then she lifted my 
legs and slid the diaper under my bottom. The diaper fit my 
skinny frame almost perfect. After taping it up, she told 
me I would have to learn how to change myself since she and 
dad wouldn't be available to do it while they were working. 
I removed my diaper completely and then tried putting it 
back on. It took several attempts to get it adjusted right. 
But I eventually found that it wasn't too much trouble.
	Later that evening before bed, I wet the diaper. Mom 
told me to change myself to get more practice at it. I also 
had to change Josh too for the same reason. After that 
night, whenever mom or dad were home, they would change 
Josh and I. I found myself somewhat enjoying the task of 
changing Josh. I didn't even mind changing him when he 
pooped. The first time I pooped in my diaper I had to 
change myself. It was difficult cleaning up the mess, but I 
managed.
	Mom and dad would put their diapers on when they got 
home from work. They always wore clothes over them. I knew 
they were wearing them, but I never got to see them in just 
diapers. Josh and I on the other hand often wore just a 
diaper. Being that it was a hot summer, that only made 
sense.
	It took two whole months for the rains to come. It 
rained for over a week straight. The well was working now, 
so there wasn't a need for diapers anymore. At the time, I 
was glad to give them up, but Josh wasn't too pleased about 
it. Mom put the diapers away in a closet and that was the 
end of it.
	The left over Pampers sat in the closet for a while. A 
few weeks later Josh's were used some for a while since he 
had started wetting the bed again. I'm not so sure it 
wasn't on purpose. He seemed to really enjoy the diapers. 
Mom and dad continued to buy more for him. Occasionally he 
would ask to wear one during the day. At first Mom had told 
him no. But at least a couple of times in the evening, a 
few hours before bed, she would allow it. I on the other 
hand had no interest for a while.
	Once I was left at home by myself and happened to come 
across the diapers. It was Christmas time. In fact, I was 
actually looking for hidden presents. I took a diaper out 
and put it on without really thinking about it. I knew 
right then that I was hooked. Over the next year, it wasn't 
very often that I would get the chance to wear one. I knew 
mom and dad probably knew since I ended up using up all of 
the Pampers in my size. They never bought any more, but I 
resorted to using some of the ones they had bought for 
themselves. They were really a little too big and they 
weren't quite as nice as wearing a Pamper. However, they 
were the best I could get. One day I went to get another, 
and they were gone.
	Now every time I go to the store and see a package of 
diapers I dream of that summer. I keep looking for a new 
larger size Pampers that might fit me now. I hope one day 
soon they will make them. If they do, I may even ask mom to 
get me some. I'll have my license soon, so maybe I'll be 
able to go get my own.
	One thing I find myself always thinking about every 
time summer comes around. I always am hopeful that maybe 
this summer there will be another drought.

The End.