A detailing shop came with the recommendations of friends. Great attention to the small stuff, honest with the time it takes to get the job done, and a fair price point. As we walked through the two shop floors, I found myself admiring the quality of their detail work, and getting caught up in my admiration of the toys enjoyed by their patrons.
As we discussed the detailing for the car and the motorcycle, the client manager gently landed a hook on the level of detailing I wanted to go into.
“Are you interested in us touching up the scrapes on the two panniers and the front?”
The conversation did not take much time. For a small incremental cost, the bike was going to be restored to its original condition. Given the years since the last treatment, there was no doubt in my mind that this was the target.
On the day of the pick-up, I woke to a typical Dubai summer day. Hot, humid, and mostly sun. I did not think much of it until I arrived in the dusty industrial section of Dubai where the shop was located. I realized it was hot, 49 degrees Celsius, 120 Fahrenheit, and 55% humidity kind of hot. I did not realize how hot it was until I experienced a new and extreme level of thirst and dehydration.
The vents on my helmet were wide open. The riding jacket was high tech and designed to let as much air through as possible. As I rode with pride, even with the wind at speed, I found my energy draining without any respite.
As I parked the bike, I found myself stumbling towards the apartment, desperately looking for water and cool air. The scene in the psalmist’s prayer had a different context with this ride; “Stretched out my hands to you, as thirsty for you as a desert thirsty for rain.” (Psalm 143.6).
May my thirst for Divinity always match my thirst and longing on a summer day in Dubai with a wind-chill temp of 99 Celsius (200+ Fahrenheit).
