Today, Memorial Day, I went on a day hike in the light to moderately heavy rain which poured down on my bare shoulders as I walked the trail. We got to the top and the rain stopped. Despite the rain, there were several other hikers and even some rock climbers.

On my way home in my friend’s car, a lady in the front seat was sleeping with the seat up, so I crossed my legs and laid her seat back so she could be more relaxed. Later in the hour drive, she moved her head from laying on the left side of her face to trying to hold it face up, but her head kept losing the strength. I logically thought she needed a headrest, so I anchored my left hand to the seat and cupped her head, mostly hair and the top of her left ear. Still asleep, a slight smile spread across her face and after a few seconds, disappeared as quickly as it had arrived. She relaxed her neck muscles and I felt the combined heat between my palm and her head.

After a while, I gazed off into the rain clouds and the downpour of heavy rain, while praying for our safety on the flooded road top and for visibility. I forgot about my hand’s position except to re-adjust it every time I felt it slipping or a bump in the road which would have made her head rock back and forth, which I would alter the direction of the thrust to reduce the rocking motion of the “headrest.”

I wasn’t counting. We must have traveled for thirty minutes before arriving at our final destination.