Where We Long to Return
The place where women shape-shift into seals
Earlier this year, for my birthday, my friend Roxanne treated me to a day at the Olympus Spa in Tacoma, Washington. “You’re going to love it,” Roxanne said. She and I have been friends for 29 years, so I trust her to know what I’ll love. What she didn’t mention was that there was a good chance the experience would transform me.
The spa is located along a nondescript suburban stretch of outlet malls and auto dealerships. Tucked next to a Mexican food joint, the unassuming façade could be easily missed; the only indication this is a place of modest local fame is the wooden signboard with cutout head-sized holes, behind which Roxanne and I took turns posing to commemorate the experience. Once inside, no phones or cameras would be allowed.