I did not owe anyone a streak.

The receipt in my bag was for a peach ice cream. Outside, rain was blowing against the kitchen window. I had apparently left enough time between bathhouse visits for both the weather and the dessert menu to change.

Work had changed, then family plans had changed, then several ordinary weeks had gone by. I had enjoyed the previous visit. I simply had not organised another one.

Before booking, I caught myself preparing an explanation for the gap. Nobody had asked for it.

I checked what mattered now.

I read the current booking details instead of trusting what I remembered. Did the time on the confirmation mean arrive then, or be ready to begin? What should I bring? I checked those two things before putting the booking in my calendar, including time to change afterwards.

The towel was clean, the bag still worked and I found both flip-flops without a search. This was a more useful preparation than calculating how many visits I thought I should have made.

I chose an ordinary available afternoon. I did not promise myself a new weekly schedule before I had even left home.

It could be one visit.

At the desk I began, "I have been before, but it was a while ago." Then I heard myself moving towards the explanation about work and stopped. "Could you show me the locker again?" That was the part the person helping me could actually answer.

In the changing room I put my blue towel on the bench and found the ice-cream receipt again. I left it in the bag. After checking the current room instructions, I took the visit a part at a time. I could remember enjoying the heat without remembering every step of the route.

After changing, I sat down to put my shoes on instead of trying to do it standing with the bag over one shoulder. I had left myself enough time. When I checked my calendar, it was to find out when I needed to catch the streetcar, not to fill the next four Saturdays.

At home I emptied the damp things from the bag and put the flip-flops where I could find them. The old receipt went into the recycling.

The next time I opened the bag, I wanted to find a clean towel rather than something I needed to explain. I put it back on its hook. Making another booking could wait until I knew when I wanted to go.