April & May 2019

parting thought By Diane Stopyra
occasionally, this magazine runs a series
called My Perfect Day, in which we speak with
Cape May locals about their ideal 24-hour
period on the Cape. We kicked off the column
expecting to hear about refreshing cocktails
and indulgent meals, beautiful beach days and
breezy walks through the historic district. And
we did. What we didn’t anticipate hearing over
(and over)? The details of how these people
shower.
We’re not talking soap brand or loofah technique.
It’s not so much what happens during this
daily ritual that matters — it’s where it happens.
On the Cape, cleanliness is next to godliness…
at least when that cleansing happens al fresco.
In other words: If you’re not showering outside
in Cape May, you’re likely aspiring to be
— saving up for a Pinterest-worthy, cedar-shakesided,
waterfall-spicketed setup that “embodies
the romance of a summer day.” That’s how The
New York Times described the outdoor shower
experience in a 1993 article titled “Spray from
Heaven.”
“It is the Garden of Eden with soap and a
towel,” writes author William L. Hamilton. “If
it isn’t original sin, it feels like it could be: a
stream of water falling through the air, like the
warm voice of a snake. It’s outdoors when it’s
supposed to be indoors, and one never forgets
that fact. The unlicensed thrill is as fresh as the
water, every time.”
This isn’t just a practical indulgence, efficient
for washing off sand after a long day
of sunbathing or bodysurfing — no trekking
through the house necessary. It’s become a
self-care sanctuary. The experience is sun-dappled
and multi-sensory: Imagine a soft breeze
against your water-warmed skin. The natural
aromatherapy of ocean salt and fresh-cut grass
and grilled burgers in the air. The familiar call of
a gull or the buzzy musical stylings of a nearby
warbler. The tranquil sight of wispy pink clouds
drifting overhead at dusk.
Showering may be the most mundane thing
you’re likely to do in a day. Some would call it
a chore. But take it outside and suddenly the
experience becomes a metaphor for life in
Cape May: Simple. Calming. Rejuvenating. It’s
exit zero 136 april-may
also just a touch risque — it allows for, according
to The Boston Globe in a poetic ode to this
summer pleasure, a thrilling yet “mild form of
exhibitionisism.”
But outdoor showering is not all unicorns
and zen. As with all the best things in life, the
experience is, for many of us, a fleeting one.
“Oh, how I plead with the clock to slow
down its ticking,” writes screenwriter Marion
McNabb. “Let me languish here in all this humid
glory! I’m begging! For when the bell tolls and
I must return from my island oasis to urban
reality, that one marvel of modern engineering
— the greatest invention ever made — will
be placed on stand-by until late next spring. I
am of course talking about the wondrous outdoor
shower. Have you ever enjoyed one? It is
a life-affirming experience, at once scintillating,
sensual and serene.”
But for now, at least, we are at the very
beginning of a long, hot, glorious summer awash
with opportunity to, well, wash. Here’s wishing
you many moments under the sun and stars in
your personal Garden of Eden.