The Bath by Joel Oppenheimer he will insist on reading things into her simplest act. her bath, which she takes because he wills it so. her bath she takes to cleanse herself. ritual. ritual always in his life. she takes her bath to ready herself. and himself more often than not decides she wants him unbathed. manlike. what he is most pleased about is her continued bathing. in his tub. in his water. wife.