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I dreaded the news that I would again be accompanying my family to Naples for vacation. Now when you live in upstate New York, and your family invites you to Naples for a break from the winter cold, a person doesn't often say "no". But in my case, being an 18-year-old Senior in high school on Spring Break, I just wanted to hang with my buds. I had anticipated a whole week with my girlfriend without interference from my family, and I was secretly hoping that they'd leave me at the house alone. All my hopes were dashed when my Dad informed me that I'd be coming on the trip.
When my family arrived in Naples the third week of March, I was despondent. I was going to miss so much of what was going on back home with my friends. I was miserable, and I took every opportunity to make my family miserable as well. I guess the one bright spot was that my Dad had rented a nice house on the beach, and my room over-looked the beautiful gardens of the house next door. My two sisters had to share a room and my parents had their room downstairs.
For the first two days, I kept away from my family. My routine was the same. I'd don baggy shorts, a tee-shirt and head for the beach. I enjoyed walking the beach, and at least once a day, I'd do about a 6 mile run to work up a good sweat, and work off my frustrations. It was after one of these runs that I was about 100 yards from the house and stopped to catch my breath, my chest heaving a bit in the Florida heat.
"Would you like a cold drink? You sure look like you could use it." I looked up to see a man about 50, slim and all tanned stepping off of his back deck with a large glass of ice water. I was flustered for a second, but I was thirsty too.
"Uh,,hi,,you know that does look good." I took the drink of water and enjoyed its coolness in my throat. "Wow, thanks. I think I needed that." I handed him back the glass smiling.
"You need to be careful of heat stroke here, son. I can see that you are in great shape, but nonetheless you need to keep your fluids up." His tanned face showed genuine concern. I looked at him more closely. Yes, I'd say mid-forties to fifties, but he was in great shape. His shoulders were muscled, but not musclebound, his stomach was taut and flat, like a man much younger, and his thighs were large and powerful looking. He wore a red speedo style bathing suit that showed off his tan magnificently. "Feeling better?" His white teeth glistened in the sun and his bleached gray hair was startling in contrast to his golden tanned skin.
"Uh yes,,,fine now. Really thank you for the water." I reached out and shook his hand in thanks, and started off down the beach towards our vacation house.
"Ok, you take care now. See you tomorrow." Tomorrow? What a strange word to use. Not "later" or "sometime", but "tomorrow", as if there existed a plan to get together. I didn't think another thing of it, and went back to my house for the rest of the day, but I could not get the image of him, and his wonderful smile out of my mind.
When I returned from my run the next morning, I made sure that I walked by the mysterious man's house. It was dark however, and I couldn't see any life. I was about to walk past when I heard a greeting. "Hey, good morning again." I turned and could see that that man had been sitting on his porch, but hidden behind some plants, that shielded out the sun from the porch.
"Oh, hi" I replied, and waved, pausing in my walk, rivulets of sweat dripping down my back.
"Nice to see you again. You ran early this morning."
"Well, I wanted to take your advice about avoiding heat stroke." The man laughed a hearty laugh and got out of his chair. I could see that he was naked except for another Speedo bathing suit. This one was purple, and briefer, I almost mistook it for underwear until I saw the familiar Speedo logo.
He opened the door, "C'mon in. The juice is freshly squeezed." Again, the welcoming smile. I paused and looked at him for a moment, and then I passed by him through the door and onto his porch. He invited me to a chair and sat opposite. There was indeed a large pitcher of freshly squeezed orange juice on the table. I quickly drank down one glass, and then poured myself another.
"My name is Ben by the way." And he reached out his hand.
"Hi, I'm Todd." I replied shaking his hand firmly.
Again the warm smile. "You are down here on vacation with your family?"
"Yes." My short reply and the scowl on my face were obvious.
"Okay, let me guess. Most of your friends are having a way better time wherever they are hanging out, and you are down here with your family?"
I laughed and looked over at him. "Yes,,,well, that about sums it up Ben." He laughed.