This is a little tale about an experience I had a while ago. But first, let me introduce myself, and also mention that all characters herein are consenting adults. The names have been changed in an effort to circumvent unnecessary persecution.
I’m an ‘older’ guy, recently retired, living on a barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico, off the southwest Florida coast. I enjoy leading an active life, and try to stay fit by walking, bike riding, swimming and sailing on the calm blue-green waters. Community affairs and environmental concerns also occupy a good portion of my time.
Anna Maria Island is rather small, extending only about seven miles north to south and not even a mile wide at its broadest point. Once the snowbirds return home as the weather in the North thaws out, all the natives left behind here know one another, at least by sight if not by name. That is where this story starts.
On a very pleasant spring morning, I stumbled out of my townhouse heading toward the dock, dragging a wheeled cooler with one hand and hefting a satchel in the other. Sue, a friendly neighbor who was walking along the path, asked if I wanted a hand. I could have easily managed it on my own, but something about the way she was smiling at me prompted me to take her up on the offer. I nodded and Sue grabbed the cooler pull-bar and we continued to walk along together.
Although we have been living in the same community for a few years, I really didn’t know Sue very well. Sure, we attend the community meetings and potluck suppers, and occasionally swim in the pool at the same time, but I have never gone out of my way to develop a friendship with her. What I do know is that Sue is married but lives here alone most of the time because her husband is in the military and stationed I do not know where--I’ve only seen him a few times. As we started onto the dock, Sue said, “Hey, Dan, looks like you’re off for a little sail. Need a crew?”
“Sure,” I replied. “I’ve seen you crewing before on some neighbor boats. It looks as if you know what to do. Seeing that we’re neighbors, we should get to know each other better and a sail might be just the thing--fun and relaxing.”
She replied something to the effect, “Fun but no monkey business. I suppose my husband and your wife would agree, don’t you?” With that, she laughed a little and helped carry the stuff to my boat; a 32-foot sailboat that I can handle myself but find sailing with a companion more enjoyable. The boat has an open cockpit, with the helm toward the stern, and a nice cozy cabin forward with a galley and head. She is capable of accommodating a couple of friendly persons on overnight and weekend cruises.
I told Sue that I would probably be out for five hours, and that I was planning on grilling fish for lunch--if any were biting--when I got to Egmont Key, then taking a swim there in the surf and relaxing some before heading back. I asked if that schedule would work for her. She said it would be fine as her husband was away and she really had nothing planned for the day, but that she would need to go home for her bathing suit if we were going to swim. I told her that I never bothered with swimming attire, except when at the mooring and at times when young kids are onboard, adding that there might be something aboard that she could wear. Sue grinned, gave a nervous little giggle, and said she could make do. I welcomed her aboard, ready to begin our adventure together.
We stowed the provisions we brought aboard and I set about showing Sue the various lockers where life-vests, sails, lines, winch handles and such are located. I then started the engine to maneuver us around other boats and into the Intracoastal Waterway and headed us south. As we were puttering along through the no-wake zone, I placed a call to Marie, my wife, to tell her that I had crew on board (just in case of malicious gossip), and gave her Sue’s name and phone number. Happily for me, my wife did not answer and I was able to just leave the information on the machine without having to answer any prying questions.
Unfortunately, the drawbridge was closing as we approached and I knew that there would be almost twenty minutes to wait for the next scheduled opening. That is where an engine is very helpful, especially in the channel that was created sixty years ago by a hurricane that changed one long barrier island into two smaller ones. While we were waiting, I could see that Sue had something on her mind so I asked her if she wanted to say something--and suggested that as we were going to be alone together on open waters that we should both feel free to speak and say whatever was on our minds.
With some initial hemming and hawing, Sue told me she wanted to ask about my wife and if it would bother her now that she knows that I was off on a cruise with another woman, stressing, “Just the two of us, un-chaperoned.” Sue went on to mention, “A month or so ago when I sat with you, your wife and a few other couples at the pot-luck I couldn’t help noticing how little you and Marie interacted with each other. I have spent time with your wife at various women’s social events, in the pool and stuff like that, than I’ve spent with you, but I don’t feel that I know her as a real person.”
I said, “Marie is very slow to warm up to people—something I can’t really explain, or really understand myself.”
And then Sue said, “I feel more relaxed and comfortable with you even though I barely know you. By the way, thanks for inviting me to sit with you folks that evening.” Then Sue hurriedly asked, “Does Marie treat you as coolly in private as she appears to do in public, and is she just a cold and unfriendly person?”
It was now my turn to laugh a little as I told her that Marie and I had been married for more than forty-five years, that we sleep together in the same bed almost every night, but I’d not been allowed any intimacy with her for many years. I also said, feeling somewhat embarrassed, that I sometimes wondered if she assumed that my ‘needs’ had dwindled and were satisfied solely by being with and talking to other women -- without touching. In other words, just by normal social contact. Finally I said, “No, she wouldn’t object to me being with you. She trusts my judgment. And, no, she is not really cold…just a different kind of person.” I also told Sue that our grown daughter has also observed the same thing and has told me that she wonders how I can put up with “your wife’s” coolness. As kind of an afterthought, I said, “Wow, I knew we would have plenty of friendly talk on our excursion, but I never thought that I would burden you with my personal dilemma.”
In a very comforting tone Sue said, “Dan, that’s what friends are for, to listen, to comfort, and to lend a helping hand. And yes, I would like to be your friend.”
I then mentioned to Sue that she must be rather open-minded as she volunteered to crew when it was obvious that there would be only the two of us on-board, and well away from land and other people. With a blush, Sue told me that she gets terribly lonely with her husband away for so many months at a time, but that over the years she had developed a great deal of independence and was able to take care of herself. She went on that she had seen me around the community often, and, thinking that I could be fun, wanted to get to know me better--and also that she was looking for some excitement. Then she immediately repeated her, “Fun, but no monkey business,” line.
“Agreed,” I replied.
The bridge opened and we chugged through, unfurling the jenny as we cleared the surf. I hoisted and set the main, cut the engine and headed out about a mile while gradually turning north. Seeing Sue comfortable and relaxed, I asked her if she would like to take the helm for a while. When Sue took control of the boat I baited and trolled a couple of lines off the stern, fixed the lines, then took a seat opposite her where I could watch and relax.
The breeze was comfortable and allowed us time to relax and talk about a hundred-fifty different things--our thoughts, ambitions, our lives, a little of our histories and our wants. Sue told me about her husband--that they have been married for twenty-six years, but that they never have many days together because of his career. I told her about my life, my wife, kids and grandkids and even with all that I still have lonely times. Amazing to me how we came together so completely in such a short time--honestly sharing ourselves in our conversation while also hauling in a couple of nice sea trout, which I cleaned and prepped for the grill before putting them on ice.
Of course, while sitting and talking, I engaged in the manly art of observing Sue’s physical form. She is about five-and-a-half feet tall and I guess about 130 pounds, with enjoyable womanly curves, and a very pretty and engaging face. Her physical being is as attractive as her personality. It was amazing, too, how similar our tastes were and the ease with which our conversation deepened and became more intimate as we hinted at, and then talked about, one of the methods we both use to satisfy a necessary human need that was lacking in both of our marriages.
We both spend much (too much?) time on the internet visiting sites like ‘Lush,’ and yes, we exchanged user and internet chat IDs, agreeing not to mention our private and very personal leisure activity to anyone else. We talked about stories and chat topics that we find exciting and the kind of stuff that turns us off. I became open enough to confess to Sue that I am easily aroused when chatting with certain women. I blushingly told her that our increasingly sensual talk was arousing me and Sue laughed, leaned back, used both hands to push up her boobs while spreading her legs a little, and said, “I wanted to have some fun today and it looks as if we will have some fun today--but just remember to keep it in your pants!”
I could see now that we were within a mile of where we would anchor for lunch, so I gave the helmsman--actually, the attractive helmswoman--bearings for a rather secluded southwest beach, and then I set about lowering the main, furling the jenny and preparing to drop anchor.
