The Continuous Race

When I was little, I used to shower in my parents' bathroom. They have this big walk in shower, so it was a real treat. After each shower, the glass door into the shower would steam up and I would draw pictures on it. I would trace my fingers through the steam, making the glass showing through the steam the image. Much like when you draw a negative in art- the absence of a medium creates the art, rather than the medium being the art. It's always intrigued me. What intrigues me more, however, is what I always drew. I drew the same image over and over again on that shower door, every night of my life. I drew a man in a race car, with a hat on, smile on his face, but the race car just before the finish line. The guy never won the race. Every night, his tires were a few centimeters from crossing the checkered finish line. I drew lines flying by the wheels and the car, detailing how fast the man was driving. But the guy never won. The one thing I did always change, was the design on the car. Some nights it would have lines, others dots, and the most popular was a big lightning bolt on the side. But, the car always was moving to the right, and it never crossed the finish line.

Once my oldest brother went to college, I moved into the sibling bathroom to shower in there. I was in fifth grade. That bathroom is small and does not have a door to draw on. I haven't drawn the image since.

Today, six years later, my bathroom is being renovated. Therefore, I had to shower in my parents big bathroom again. I love that shower, but I was heartbroken to learn they took down the glass door and replaced it with a curtain. The image is lost forever. But maybe that's a good thing. Maybe it means the guy finally won. I certainly hope so.