The water I swallowed was dry, hard in my mouth. It was cool and smooth and pure, but it had no relief to me, as though I was already sated. My mouth felt dry and thick, and my tongue had the bouncy sensation of rubber sneakers pressing against the roof of my mouth. Running the unlikely shoe sole along my teeth, I realized they tasted sour and sweaty. I could feel the plaque, the gritty particles lodged on the austere stone sides of my little calcium bones.
Trying to wash the feeling and the grit out, I took another sip from the 3o% reduced-plastic bottle. I finished that bottle, wondering what the difference between saliva and water was. Some enzymes, I know, but there must be something else, too. Something to make it sticky thick. Bacteria, sugar, protein? Everyone's heard that the last sip of a bottle is mostly backwash. But why does it taste different from the bottle--still a beverage--then it does in your mouth?
Do other people's saliva, the flavor of their lips and mouth, taste any different from my own? I'm not talking about the food or aftertaste left in their mouths, I'm speaking literally, their saliva. Do I have a special blend of enzyme and bacteria, unique among all others?
I read somewhere that each person has a marginally different mix of bacteria in their mouths. So, kissing another person could marginally boost you immunity. The irony of this is obvious--loose girls are normally the ones who get the colds, mono...and worse. But according to this little tidbit, they have higher immunity, and I have very little.
But I don't care about this. I think. I just want to know; does it change the taste? The texture? Does pure, unadulterated Jenny taste different, better or worse, sweeter or more bitter than Luna saliva?
It's just not something people normally check for. I can't even imagine Luna possessing anything as inglorious as spit and grit. But if we all do taste different, I think my flavor would be kind of bland. Like unseasoned mashed potatoes, congee, or yogurt.
