I know it's been quite a while since I've published anything new. But if my readers enjoy this, I'll keep going with more chapters. So it's up to you, my friends, if you want more. I guess I'll see what happens. If it's a no, I have some others partly written, so maybe one of them can be next. Hope everyone is well. Peace to all.
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Just about every young man, younger than 25, hopes to have a relationship with an older woman before he gets beyond his mid 20s. It doesn't often happen, but when it does, it can be very special. Sometimes it's a hot, steamy experience. Other times, it can be tender and beautiful. And sometimes it's a combination of both. I had my experience when I was 19 and Linda was 31. It was one of the best summers of my life, even to this day, even now that I'm 60. I remember it like it was yesterday, and I hope I always will.
A little background first. I'm Dennis, and back in the summer of 1985, I was 19. I spent my summers as a kid at a day camp run by the local 'Y', the YMHA-YWHA (Young Men's and Women's Hebrew Association), which was centered in Queens NY while the campgrounds were on Long Island, over 300 acres shared by 6 'Y's' and Jewish Community Centers in Queens and Long Island. It was bucolic, lots of trees and grass fields, softball/kickball diamonds, tetherball etc. And a complex of pools. As a kid it was a great way to spend the summer, and over time I moved up to a Counselor in Training, Jr. Counselor, Sr. Counselor and, at 19, I was a Division head, responsible for 18 staff and about 130 nine year old kids. It was a lot of responsibility but it was also very rewarding. And since I planned to become a teacher, it was the perfect way to spend the summer as an college student. It was a lot of hands on experience.
It also had the advantage of being a great place to meet girls for the summer. Some of the girls I saw come back year after year, like me, and were among my 'summer friends', and others came and went each year. A few of those summers I had a girlfriend from the staff, relationships we both understood were likely to be short term flings. I had my first sexual experience when I was 17 (no, I won't talk about that) so I went to college upstate with some knowledge of women, and learned a little more during the year. By the time I was 19 that summer, I was fairly experienced, though not exactly a stud. I was in good shape, 5'10'', wavy brown hair and brown eyes, mustache, about 170 pounds. As orientation for the summer began one Sunday two weeks before camp started, my male friends and I talked somewhat jokingly about what the summer 'talent' looked like (I know, we were pigs). We brought the staff to the campgrounds that Sunday to familiarize them with the camp and to run some classes on how to work with children, most of all for the benefit of the younger, inexperienced counselors.
That morning, before we all boarded the buses, I was in a meeting early on with the camp director, Sue, and the other Division heads. That was when I met Linda. She was a teacher looking to make extra money for the summer, 2 kids, divorced and very cute. Not beautiful, but cute and pretty. Short dark hair with dark eyes, medium skin tone with a nice tan and a smattering of freckles, a pleasant smile, a little extra weight but far from heavy. She did have two children and worked full time, after all. She was petite, about 5'4", and she definitely was attractive. But I was really looking for someone my own age, if it worked out.
Linda and I became friendly right from the start. She had a good sense of humor and she was great with the kids. We sat together on the bus out to the campgrounds and talked and joked like we had known each other for years. It was fun and a little bit flirty. I caught myself thinking about what it would be like to kiss her, and maybe more, but I dismissed it as unrealistic. I was too young for her and I was sure she thought she was too old for me. Still, it was fun to fantasize about, and I did a lot of that over the next few weeks, especially once camp started and we were working close together every day.
We got to talking when we had time, like when we ate lunch, or sometimes I caught a ride with her in her car on the way home (supervisors could take their cars to the grounds if we wanted). Over that first week, I rode with Linda twice and her story came out. Her ex was a doctor, a good father from what she said, but he had a bad temper which he directed at Linda, which ultimately was the cause for her to file for divorce. He never hit her (she said) but he yelled at her quite a lot and he could be menacing to the point where she feared for her safety. That pissed me off. I wasn't a violent person in any way; I always sought to avoid a fight whenever possible, but I despised men who hit, or even just threatened women and children in any way. I still do.
On our way home that first Thursday afternoon, July 2nd, sitting in traffic on the Long Island Expressway, I took surreptitious glances at her legs, not thin, but nicely toned and with a nice tan. I must have looked once too often, because Linda caught me and smiled, then chuckled. I was busted and I blushed while chuckling myself.
"It's nice to know I can still draw a man's glance, even with these fat legs." Linda was joking, but there was the hint of her insecurity in there as well.
"That's silly, Linda. You have very nice legs. I wouldn't be looking otherwise, would I?"
"You're 19, Dennis. I wouldn't say you'd look at any woman, but I would say you're not exactly particular. Too bad you didn't know me when I was your age. I had runners legs." She smiled wistfully at the memory. She had two children, a boy, Michael, aged 5 and a girl, Sandy, 3. "Before I got married and had my children, that was. Having children kind of changes a woman's body. But I love my children more than anything. I hate when Dave (her ex) has them for the weekend, like this weekend coming. He has them for the entire July 4th (Saturday) weekend. I'll miss them terribly."
We got kind of quiet for the rest of the ride, but before we got to my home, where she dropped me off, I scrunched up my courage. "Linda, if you're not busy Saturday, would you like to go into the City (Manhattan) for the day? We can find something to do during the day, get some dinner, and go watch the fireworks over the East River. Next day is Sunday, so it's no big deal getting home late."
Linda smiled, playfully, with a sparkle in her brown eyes. "Dennis...are you asking me out on a date?" She was flirting, a little anyways, but I couldn't tell if she wanted it to be a date or not.
I turned red again and stammered a little. "Umm, no, of course not. I mean...we could go as friends, right? I enjoy hanging out with you." I really did want it to be a date, but I tried to be as casual as I could.
"As friends? Sure, why not? Beats the hell out of sitting around, missing my kids for three long days." The next day, Friday, camp was closed, part of a 3 day weekend. "Pick me up at noon Saturday? Friend?" Linda smiled warmly. She gave me her address and so our 'date' was set.
On Friday, before I went to spend the night having some beers with some friends, I spoke to my dad privately, aside from my mom and my 15 year old brother, Tom. "Dad, I'm going to be gone all day tomorrow. I'll be with a lady, we're going into the City, do some things I don't know yet, get some dinner and go to see the fireworks. And there's a small chance I might not come home until sometime Sunday." We looked at each other and he knew what I meant, clearly.
"Where would you go to spend a night with the young lady? Any girl you know must live with her parents as well for the summer. And since when do you call a girl you're seeing a 'lady'?
I had to be honest with him. "Dad, she's older. She works full time as a teacher as well as working at camp for the summer. She's divorced, a mother of 2, and she has her own apartment."
