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.