My newest short story is an exercise writing in an
unfamiliar (female) voice, and using fiction
as a medium to expose provocative ideas. Let me know if you think it succeeds at
either, or both.
Natalie, dear friend, I need your advice!...
I know you always told me that a girl had to be crazy to answer
those personal classifieds, but this one was just too unusual to resist:
male seeks female for completely non-verbal relationship
exploring activities together we both enjoy, quietly
no obligation, no commitment, just fun activities can include dining, dancing, walking in the sun and the moonlight and whatever else takes your fancy: we'll just make it up as we go along
but no words: nothing spoken, written, or signed just silent companionship
if you're interested send a photo by e-mail to --- and i will do likewise
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So I sent a photo (the one you took of me at the beach) and I got
back by e-mail a picture of him (I still don't know his name) and a
lovely 'invitation' to a date. The invite said he would pick me up at
Alfredo's on Fourth and we would just take it one step at a time. Anytime
I didn't like what he suggested I could just shake my head 'no' and
that would be fine, and that I was welcome to take the initiative to take us
somewhere or do something too. He looked kind of cute and a bit tousled
in his dress but he looked like he took care of his body so I said Why
Not, live a little.
So anyway he shows up on a scooter, with a flower that he gives me
and he shows me a map that he's marked where he's going, and hands me a
helmet and away we go. Turns out the destination is his house, out in
the country. So when we get there he takes my hand and walks me in and
shows me three bottles, a white wine, a red wine and water, and looks
at me to choose. True to his word, he's said nothing, and when I go to
speak he puts his finger to my lips to show me he just wants me to
point which one I want. So I pick the red and he pours two glasses and
gives me one and then motions me to the back door and we go out and
there's this awesome swimming pool and it's completely secluded,
surrounded by trees.
He went back in to get something and that's when I phoned you on
my cell and told you the address I was at and that I'd check in with
you just in case this got dangerous. When I hung up, he motioned me
towards the pool and I figured he wanted to go skinny-dipping which I
thought was a bit bold. But before I could shake my head 'no' he handed
me a gift bag he had gone back in to get and inside it there was a
bathing suit -- he must of guessed my size from the photo and he was
pretty close.
So I went swimming with him. We played volleyball and raced each
other and then just splashed around and he was so relaxed and smiling and laughing
all the time I figured he had to be OK. In the end as the sun was setting we played tag in the
water and the rules turned out to be that once you got tagged you also got kissed,
just a peck on the cheek at first but then when it was my turn I kissed
him quickly on the mouth 'cause I was really having a good time and it
was the only way I could communicate with him to tell him that,
you know?
And after we'd worn each other out chasing each other around the
pool he pulled me out and dried me off and then led me by the hand back
inside. And then he made me dinner! He gave us some more wine and then
he started filling all these wooden bowls with raw sliced veggies and cut
fruits and nuts and berries and all kinds of different breads and cheeses, and he made three sauces and
handed me a napkin and lit a couple of candles and we ate quietly at
the centre island of the kitchen on these tall stools. At first he
closed my eyes with his hands, really gently, and fed me raw veggies
with each of the three sauces and then let me open my eyes and looked
at me. And I picked up on his cue and we fed each other, indicating
with nods and shakes which foods and sauces we liked best, and he was
like really paying attention but without staring at me, if you know
what I mean. We were just learning about each other.
And then when we were full he took the two candles back outside,
and that was when I phoned you again and said not to worry everything
was fine. He came back and led me outside and he'd lit
lanterns all around the pool and it was absolutely gorgeous. He put on
some music out there and invited me to dance, and for the next two
hours we just danced all around the pool. I thought he was going to
toss me into the pool (we were still in our bathing suits) but he never
did. And after awhile we started kissing while we were dancing and I
was in heaven. It was just so different, you know? Here we were on a
date and we hadn't spoken a word to each other and yet it was the best
first date of my life.
He looked at me for permission (nod or shake) as he smiled and teasingly pulled on the
strings of my bathing suit top and, perhaps against my better judgement
('cause I wasn't sure how far I was going to go with him -- you know
what they say about what happens when you go all the way on a first
date) I nodded and pretty soon we were slow-dancing in the moonlight and lantern-light naked, outside. OMG
you have to try this sometime it's just so liberating and naughty and
absolutely delicious!
After doing this for awhile until I was completely weak at the
knees he took my hand and blew out the lanterns and candles and led me
back inside and I said to myself 'This is it, you know what comes next,
it's your decision'. He led me upstairs, both of us still naked, but
instead of going to the bedroom he took me into the bathroom.
He lit some
candles in there and ran a bubble bath and put some more music on and
then helped me in and we just sat there and looked at each other for a
moment and
then we laughed and hugged and kissed and he started washing me, very
gently and
smiling and pretty soon we were both laughing and washing each other
all over. And then he shampoo'ed and rinsed and dried and carefully
brushed my hair and I was a goner. He picked me up and carried me and I
don't have to tell you what happened after that or this
would be an x-rated letter. Suffice it to say that I just kept nodding
and while we didn't say a word to each other we made some other sounds
and didn't get much sleep.
In the morning (three hours ago now and I'm still tingling all
over) he woke me by blowing kisses at me and kissing my eyes. He had a
tray with coffee and tea and croissants with jam and another flower in
a vase. On the tray was another 'invitation' for another date tonight.
I nodded again. We ate quietly, still kissing, and showered together
with more kisses and then he drove me back to Alfredo's in lots of time
for me to change for work.
So there it is. I can't believe it. Tonight I'm going on a second
date with a guy I slept with on our first. And I know nothing about him
except I love his company and doing things with him and just being with
him. Since it's Friday there will be no rush tomorrow morning, so who
knows what's going to happen. This is scary in that it's happening so
fast but he's just so gentle and attentive and considerate and totally
cool with everything that I trust him. I wonder if this is how he gets
all his dates, and whether this is a well-practiced seduction scheme,
but I don't really care. We've made no promises to each other, and I'm
not expecting any. We'll just take it, as his invitations say, one step
at a time (oh, the second invitation told me to bring hiking shoes this
evening). What happens, I wonder, if some other woman shows up at his
house, wanting to know why she didn't get another invitation? Or even,
gawd help me, what happens if some other woman (or several other
people) are there tonight at his invitation, and he wants to try
something more exotic?
What would it take for me to shake my head 'no'? Let me know what you think -- you know I trust you like a sister. See you Sunday at Rob and Amanda's -- I think!
Much love,
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