36. John and Penny – Bruise
He's got a bruise the size and colour of an apple on his left shin. That was all Penny could stare at as he walked by. She was lounging by the pool, shaded by the soft fabric of the cabana. She shook her head and set her book aside. Clad only in a pair of swimming shorts, the difficulties of readjusted to life on earth were painted across John's canvas.
"John, I really rather think you ought to wear some knee and elbow pads – and perhaps a helmet to boot!"
He stopped in his tracks and turned, grinning from behind his wide-rimmed sunglasses.
"Maybe," he said.
He had marks all over his pale skin, ranging from the darkest of reds to the lightest sheen of green.
"You really are peppered!" Penny said.
Instead of heading to the pool as he had intended, John doubled back and sat on the lounger nearest to the cabana.
"It's hard to remember that gravity exists sometimes," he said. Then he sat up straighter and gave a perplexed laugh. "Now that sounds weird."
Penny chuckled and smiled.
"Actually, it doesn't," she said. "It's sort of like jet lag, I suppose. Your body needs time to adjust to the new rhythm."
"I guess that's a good way of looking at it," John said. "I just wish it wasn't so painful!"