Lessons of Life Pt. 04

Author's note:

I would like to apologize in advance to my readers. In the retelling of this story it sort of took on a life of its own. Normally my tales are fairly brief and concise, this one however seemed only to grow as I put pen to paper. (Figuratively speaking). Since it did turn out to be rather long I have decided to break it down into several smaller portions both for ease in posting and for reader consumption. That said... I hope you enjoy this long winded tale. It is a true story, all of this really did happen.

Life is a tapestry, a cloth woven of many different threads that create the whole. This story is a thread, one of many, contributing to the waft and weave that is the Whole cloth, being Jim.

Being Jim Ch.6 Lessons of Life

By Frodov

This story is based entirely on true experiences from my past. Names and a few details have been changed to provide anonymity for those involved. Discretion is a precious commodity and is becoming rarer and rarer every day.

Sometimes to better understand the "whole", the big picture in its present state you must pick a thread and follow it back through the weave to earlier times or events, to see the interactions that colored that thread or created it. Often one thread is formed from multiple smaller connected threads, much like the cloth is woven from many threads. But isn't that life? This story reaches back to my time in college. I was working full time mostly in a part time job delivering pizzas to pay for my gas and insurance to allow me to commute to and from school and home. Remember this all happened before cell phones and the internet, cable TV was still in its infancy. The 80's big hair bands, big hair, a different time.

-Part Four-

Sunday morning dawned early the next morning. Well, no earlier than usual but it seemed early to me because I didn't sleep much that night. Getting home around three thirty in the morning after closing Dom's, then laying in my bed staring at the ceiling lost in thought until finally at some point falling asleep. I might have gotten an hour or so of sleep before the damned roosters started crowing. Who needs an alarm clock when you live on a farm? I rolled out of bed already looking ahead to this afternoon even as tired as I was. I tended the animals and did a couple of little chores I needed to do before returning to the house and cleaning up for breakfast with my family. I was getting looks from everyone. Maybe it was written all over my face, my excitement and anticipation I don't know... but I know I could never be a poker player because I couldn't hide anything. My mom was the one who finally asked me what I seemed so happy about. My sisters, both of them tuned in all ears, my brother was oblivious but my dad just glanced at me and grinned and then pretended not to be interested. I told my mom that I was going to meet a girl this afternoon. Of course I had to back up and fill in all the pertinent details after that. Who was she, where did we meet, what did she do... on and on and on. Every time I looked at my dad he seemed to be hiding a chuckle, he knew I was getting the third degree. Simple female curiosity. Well, okay not so simple, this was my mom wanting to know what was going on with one of her babies... even if this particular baby was nearly a twenty year old college student. Eventually my dad spoke up and told my mom to let me be, well, he suggested it nicely anyway. I silently mouthed 'thank you' to him and rolled my eyes when my mom wasn't looking at me. He stifled another chuckle. I helped clear the table after breakfast before going to change my clothes. It was still early so I told my mom I was going to lie down and take a nap before time to leave. She ran her fingers through my hair and commented that I was just about ready for a haircut then ruffled my hair. She smiled and gave me a hug. I don't even remember lying down.

I woke up a little after one. I washed my face and brushed my hair before grabbing my keys and heading out. I passed mom in the kitchen and she smiled and told me to have fun. I stepped out onto the back porch to find my dad sitting with his feet propped up on the railing enjoying a glass of iced tea.

"Headed out?" He said smiling at me in a fatherly way.

"Yeah, leaving a little early, never know what the traffic is going to be like around the mall." I said not quite making an excuse but covering my apprehension a little. Dad nodded sagely glancing at me and looking away with that smile again.

"Yeah, better to be a little early than even a minute late. Women don't like to wait, they prefer to be waited on." He said with a chuckle. He reached into his breast pocket and then extended his hand to me. "I know money is tight, so I thought this might help, if you need it, if not, save it for another time." He slipped a folded up twenty into my hand, and then brushed my hand away as I started to give it back to him. He just smiled and shook his head then said.

"Have fun. What was her name again?" He asked.

"Michelle... Thanks dad." I said as I slipped the twenty into my back pocket. I smiled all the way to town.

I wasn't far off about my prediction of traffic around the mall, it was kind of heavy today, but I still managed to get a parking spot and arrive at the food court by half passed two. I found an empty table near the entrance to the theater and had a seat to wait for Michelle. As I waited I remembered what Jules had said to me last night as we left Dom's and I began to look around the different vendors to see if anyone offered lemon ice or a slushy. I spotted one at a booth selling pizza slices and calzones. That settled I sat back and just did what I usually did, people watched. People can be entertaining just being themselves. It wasn't long though before I saw a familiar head of curly auburn hair come through the entrance doors and enter the food court. Michelle was a few minutes early and was looking around trying to spot me. I waited till she glanced my way before I waved a hand to get her attention. Her face lit up with a nervous smile as she headed my way. She was dressed in a baggie dark blue wool sweater with a loose cowl collar over faded blue jeans. Her tennis shoes looked brand new and practically gleamed they were so white. I stood up and held out a chair for her. She smiled and accepted. I sat back down next to her. I could smell a faint hint of something floral, perfume or something in her hair maybe? Whatever it was I liked it.

"Hi." She said.

"Hi yourself... you look great! And you smell good too." I gushed. Damn! 'you smell good too'? I asked myself... really?

"Thanks." Michelle said and blushed a little as she smiled, her blue green eyes sparkling with those little gold flecks catching the sun shining through the entry doors to the mall. Wow... I was captivated, again. "Been waiting long?" She asked.

"Not really, but I didn't want to be late and I knew that the traffic around the mall can be a bitch sometimes... I mean busy... uh..." I stammered thinking that I had slipped and the crude language would not be appreciated even if tolerated.

"Sorry..." I started.

"I know what you mean." Michelle laughed. "I've lived in this town all my life I know what the traffic can be like." She added smiling brushing off my awkwardness.

"Are you hungry?" I asked motioning around the food court. Michelle looked around.

"Nah, not really. Besides I might want to save room for some popcorn." She smiled and looked back to the theater entrance.

"That works for me. I guess we should go see what's showing and when huh? Shall we?" I asked as I stood up and offered my arm. Michelle stood up and looked at me curiously for a moment and then smiled and slipped her hand in my arm and we walked to the theater. We checked the movie listings and times before deciding on a recent romantic comedy. As it turned out we were just ten minutes early for the next showing so I bought our tickets and we stopped at the concession stand for a big tub of popcorn and a couple of drinks. Michelle passed on the extra butter saying that it was really just warmed butter flavored oil. It turns out that she had worked in this very theater one summer a couple of years ago. Being early for the showing we had first pick at any seating we wanted, Michelle led me all the way to the top to the last row of seats just under the projector window in the back wall.

We settled in and traded stories of the years between our high school typing class up until this year when we met again. Where we had worked, places we had been to, things we had done. We shared the classes we had enrolled in at University and others that we thought we might explore next. We talked through most of the previews until the lights went all the way down and the movie started. At some point during the movie I found that Michelle had slipped her right hand into my left. I glanced at her but she was focused on the movie playing on the big screen. I just smiled to myself and let it be. I noticed a short while later though that my palm was now warm and damp from sweat. Perhaps she was as nervous as I was. I tucked that little bit of information away to think about later. The movie was fairly predictable as romantic comedies go, boy meets girl, boy chases girl, girl plays hard to get. They get together only to have some sort of misunderstanding and fall out only to come back together after clearing up whatever confusion there was that happened, then boy and girl move on together... happy ending. A typical feel good movie, of which I was not going to argue about as the feeling carried over to most of the movie goers too. Michelle seemed to be all smiles and wistful sighs after the credits started rolling. She squeezed my hand before releasing me when she and I stood up to make our exit. I didn't say anything about it but I unobtrusively wiped my sweaty palm off on my jeans. I'm sure Michelle did as well.

As we exited the theater I thought again about the lemon ice that Jules had suggested and I steered Michelle and I towards the booth that sold them. I told Michelle I wanted one and asked her if she would like to join me. The look on her face was priceless, a look of surprise and a delighted curiosity. I bought one for each of us and we found an empty bench to sit on as we enjoyed them. We sat and watched people go by and commented on them as if narrating a movie. Each person or groups had their own stories that we made up. Michelle and I were soon laughing at one another's imaginations and narratives. At some point though, thoughts that we both had in the backs of our minds about our mutual associations with our teachers finally could not be denied. It was Michelle that finally breached the subject.

"Jim? I know we're not supposed to talk... about things... but I can't stand it! I have to talk to you about it." She began, clearly troubled by her own promise to be discrete that she had made to Maggie and Penny. I all but bit my lip, brows knitted and a serious look on my face I turned to study her. She was looking at me much in the same way, her eyes showed a hint of anxiety.

"I know, I have been biting my tongue so much it's any wonder I can still talk at all." I admitted and gave her a sheepish grin. "I take the promise I made to the ladies seriously... but you made the same promise and we were both told to 'use our better judgment'... If you think about it, and I have, if we talk to each other we're not talking to someone outside the house as it were. Right?" I ended with the question that had been bouncing around in my head for over two weeks. Michelle's eyes widened, her brows relaxed before they shot up together, her face slowly split with first a slight grin but kept growing until it was a dazzling and very excited smile.

"Of course! Jim! You're a genius! Why didn't I think of that?" Michelle all but shouted in an excited whisper. She bounced her feet excitedly as if she were running in place while sitting on the bench and tucked her head and raised her shoulders briefly. I thought it was adorable, the obvious joy she was displaying, it was infectious, I found myself grinning like I had just shared a juicy secret. Noticing that both I and Michelle had finished our ices, Michelle stood quickly and told me to sit still that she would be right back. I watched as she tossed out empty cones and returned to the booth that I had bought them from and ordered two more. She brought them back and as she sat down she straddled the bench so that she was facing me, I got the hint and copied her so that we were indeed face to face.

We sat there and started talking. We traded stories of the various lessons and exercises that the ladies had worked with us. We shared out 'assignments' and how we did with them. Things got a little more awkward when we both shared maybe not in great detail about our interactions with Maggie and Penny over the time we had been with them. We shared our thoughts about each of them and agreed almost on every detail about their different styles and personalities. Michelle got a kick out of me telling about Penny joining me in the shower that first time totally unexpected by me. I told her how I honestly nearly freaked out. Michelle shared some rather intimate details about her interactions with both of the ladies and since she knew I was aware of their 'preferences' and was both accepting and not judgmental of them she admitted to me that she had enjoyed her times with them. She looked me dead in the eye and went on to tell me that while she had enjoyed them she was not solely interested in other women. I told her I was happy to hear that even if it wouldn't make any difference what I thought. She smiled warmly and told me that maybe she did care what I thought then glanced away shyly. I told her I thought she was a wild card, that nobody was sure what she would do and that was fine with me. I also told her that I would be willing to help her out with any lessons or exercises she might want to work on in the future. Michelle awarded me with another one of those dazzling smiles that made her eyes sparkle with light.

After a third lemon ice, and probably another hour of trading notes and stories we realized that it was getting late in the day. Since we both were going to be meeting Jules at the teachers' house in the morning we decided that maybe a good night's sleep would be a good thing. We walked to the entrance arm in arm till we were outside. Michelle turned to face me she looked up into my eyes and smiled.

"This has been fun Jim. Thank you for inviting me out." She told me in a soft voice.

"Yes it has been fun, and very educational as well," I told her, "and thank you for coming out with me. It wouldn't have been the same without you." I said with a smile. I debated fiercely in my mind whether I should take her into a hug or not. I wanted so badly to sweep her up into my arms and just squeeze her. Before I could make a decision what to do however it was made for me by Michelle. She literally leapt onto me throwing her arms around my neck burying her face in my neck at my shoulder. My own arms wrapped around her out of reflex but in a heartbeat were holding her tightly to me in a gentle but firm bear hug.

"I was told that you might be too much of a gentleman to make the first move, I guess it wasn't wrong." She whispered into my ear. "Be bold I was told... I hope I'm not being too bold." She added as she pulled back just enough to allow us to look one another in the face.

"Not at all." I told her, "I'm not offended or scared off in any way." I smiled then swallowed a nervous lump in my throat. "Would I be too forward if I asked to maybe try that exercise again from the other day?" I asked and unconsciously licked my dry lips. Michelle bit her bottom lip and nodded her head with a nervous bob.

"As long as you're not afraid that I might eat your lips off your face or something." She said with a grin.

"I'll take that chance." I said with a smile as I leaned in closer. Our noses brushing lightly along one another just before our lips connected with a soft collision. My eyes were half closed but I could have sworn I saw fireworks in her eyes, or rather eye as we were so close her two eyes appeared to be just a single eye from my perspective. But there were fireworks in it, those golden flecks standing out against the blue green background of her irises. My perceptions were soon overwhelmed and swept away by the sensations I received from my lips however. Those tender moist pliant lips that I had been dreaming of were dancing on mine, a gentle hesitant exploration. Her lips traded pecks and brushes with my own as we nipped and pulled at one another's lips. There was no tongue action in this kiss, but there was a promise of things that might be. Pulling back once more we looked intently into one another's eyes seeing a new fascination and understanding, and yes desire in each other. Michelle licked her lips and smiled impishly.

"That was nice... but I think we might need to practice that some more in the near future." She said in a low soft voice.

"I agree." I said as I tilted my face down and let my forehead touch hers gently. "In the near future." I added. Michelle grinned and released her arms from around my neck and we reluctantly parted. She walking off with a bouncing halting gait swinging her arms in that oversized baggy sweater glancing back at me numerous times smiling with that big radiant smile. I tucked my hands into my back pockets just to keep from waving my arms around like a windmill with all the excitement coursing through my body. I wanted to shout to the world and howl like a wolf. I watched Michelle till she climbed into her car and drove off. I then turned to go to my pickup truck and head home myself.

I got home to the farm just after sunset that evening. Early for me for any day of the week really and it was another one of those rare occasions that I could sit with my dad and this time my mom as well on the back porch and spend a little time with them. Mom of course wanted to know all about my 'date' but she didn't ask a single question other than if I had had fun. Dad just smiled and stayed quiet about it. I knew that I had to offer up at least some small bits of interest for my mother so I gave her a rough outline of meeting with Michelle and the movie we saw, I told her about buying lemon ices and us sitting and watching people go by as we ate them and talked about school and stuff. I also mentioned that I was going to be starting on that painting job in the morning and would be leaving early. That seemed to be enough for mom so she was happy when she said good night and went inside to check on my siblings before getting ready for bed. My dad finally broke his silence after the mom went inside. He told me the lemon ice was a nice touch. He told me to remember that little things like that would mean the world to most girls and he smiled knowingly as if remembering things from his past.

"Did you get a kiss?" He grinned and gave me a sidelong glance as he sipped his tea.

"Yeah... wow..." I said softly with a smile sitting there in the dark on the back porch but in my mind I had my arms wrapped around Michelle and her lips were dancing on mine.

"Good..." was all my dad said as he took another sip before he stood up to go inside. He patted me on the shoulder as he stepped past me. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight dad." I said as I sat there on the back porch watching the moon rise on the horizon. My eyes were seeing the moon but my mind was seeing two blue green eyes with little gold flecks. At some point I got up and went in the house and to bed.

Up early the next morning and tended to the animals, before having breakfast with my siblings. They started back to school today, I'd be starting classes in a little over a week myself at the university. After breakfast I hopped in my truck and headed to town and to the teachers' house to meet with Jules and Michelle to begin the painting job in the apartment. On a whim I stopped by a doughnut shop that was near my old neighborhood and picked up a dozen assorted doughnuts and pastries. Pulling up to the house I saw that both Jules and Michelle were already there. I grabbed the box of doughnuts and went to the front door and rang the bell. Almost before I could pull my hand back the door opened and I saw a smiling Maggie who ushered me inside. She was dressed today, not normal house dress but in a dress suit, a light wool jacket of light grey over a white blouse and a light grey skirt that fell to just below her knees. She had on stockings of course and some low heels in black. Maggie's hair was in a bun but not her usual loose pinned style but rather a bit more refined with some sort of beaded cage wrap to secure it instead of her chopsticks as I had come to know them. Her glasses hung from her neck on a gold beaded chain. Her nails were the same wet looking glossy red that I had seen two days ago, and they were as usual, flawless. I noticed that Maggie had put on makeup too, a dark plum lipstick highlighted her thin lips and a modest amount of eye shadow made those golden copper eyes just pop! I was momentarily speechless openly staring in admiration. Maggie smiled perhaps a little self consciously as she realized that I was staring at her.