The Locker Room Shower
I first met Sean on the driving range of my club. He was playing in our group that day as my guest, arranged through a friend and former member, Fred. Sean lived about two hours away, and he was in town for a principal's conference. Only 32, he was already the principal of a middle school.
Like me, Sean was a an avid -- and scratch -- golfer.
Also like me, Sean was coupled. To my great surprise, his boyfriend was over twice his age, nine years older than my 56.
I knew what Sean looked like before I met him on the range. When Fred asked me to host him and Sean, I googled Sean and learned:
He was from a small, outstate town.
He was the son of a golf professional.
He was an accomplished high school athlete, mainly basketball and golf.
He taught sixth grade before becoming a liaison and then, at 30, a principal.
He was studying for his doctorate.
By clicking images, I learned:
When he graduated college, he was a bit of a chunk.
Since, he had transformed his body and was now lean and muscled, clean and cut.
After clicking the images, I texted Fred: "Sean's hot." Fred answered: "Wait until you meet him."
Fred was right. When I met Sean on the range, I immediately concluded even the updated google images did not do him justice.
About six feet tall, Sean had dark brown hair and eyes, a prominent nose, Russell Tovey ears, a thick goatee surrounding thick lips, sparkling white teeth, and a very cut jawline. All in all, his face was at least a nine.
His body was a ten. His skin was dark, almost swarthy. His arms were muscled and veiny. His chest was full, and the bubbles of his Travis Matthew shirt meant course chest hair. Like his arms, his legs were muscled and veiny, the thighs rippled and the calves ridged.
Nobody in the group played well, but we had a fun day. I'm snarky and snide, and I used both on Sean about his play and, once we were comfortable with each other, his butt, or lack thereof.
"Do you normally leave your butt behind when you travel?"
"What?"
"Your butt. It's missing. I assume you left it at home."
He smirked at me, his brown eyes twinkling.
Sean was obviously a helluva guy. I bet everyone who met him liked him.
When we were finished, he had to go. His boyfriend of 12 years was waiting for him at their hotel. Before leaving, he asked for my mobile, and he texted himself from it.
I lunched and went home to my husband and a nap.
When I awoke from my nap, I had a text from Sean that said only, "Hey handsome."
I don't think of myself as handsome. When I was Sean's age, I did. I had loose, dishwater blonde hair, intense green eyes, a Roman nose, full lips, and -- according to my husband -- a "severe" jawline (he meant "chiseled," but he used "severe"). Standing only 5'7", I had a tight, little body, like a gymnast, only I wasn't one. I was a shortstop and, then, a golfer.
But, I was no longer Sean's age, and the meantime had impacted me. My hair had greyed, my eyes were lined, my neck looked like a turkey's, and my body was much, much softer. I had vowed for ten years to "turn back time" and get back into shape, but it was a vow I repeatedly broke.
My wedding vows were not. When I met Sean, I had been married to Dale for ten years, and I had never strayed.
My husband and I had married after almost twenty years together, so we were in it for almost thirty together. We were best friends, but no longer lovers. We hadn't had sex in over a year.
I answered his text, "I think you have the wrong number."
He answered quickly, "I don't."
We spent the afternoon texting back and forth, him being flirtatious and me being snarky and snide.
Him: "Fred said you are the most observant person he's ever met. What did you observe about me?"
I decided to meet him head on: "You didn't have your teeth straightened. You bite your fingernails, but within reason (i.e., not to nubs). You hang to the right. You weren't wearing underwear."
Him: "Spot on. How did you know about the underwear?"
Me: "Your shorts were snug, and there were no lines. And, at times, the contours of your bulge."
I had started drinking on the golf course and had resumed after my nap, switching from G&T to red wine. By dinner, I was drunk.
Him: "Are you playing tomorrow? I can play, if you'll have me."
Even in my state, I thought his text had a double meaning. Still, I didn't otherwise have a game, as the following day was Mother's Day, and wives didn't generally tolerate golf on Mother's Day. I was also intrigued by the double meaning.
I checked the tee sheet. "We can go at 8:21, but it'll just be the two of us."
"Perfect."
I called it a day. According to my husband, I was "smashed."
I slept like shit. I always do when I'm smashed.
I awoke on my own at 5. I needed water. Red wine always airs me out.
I foundered downstairs, chugged about a half gallon of water, and checked my mobile. I had one text, from Sean. "Do you and your husband play?"
I didn't answer the text.
Sean was on the range when I arrived at 8. I concluded I was not hung over, but was instead still a little bit drunk.
"Can we ride?" Sean asked.
"Sure," I answered. I never rode. Ours was a walking club.
"My lazy assed guest wants to ride," I told the bag boy, handing him my clubs.
"I thought you said I didn't have an ass," Sean chided.
"You don't."
"What's the game?"
"Scratch," I answered, "twenty-twenty-twenty," meaning twenty for the front, twenty for the back, and twenty for the total.
"Sure, unless you want to play for a blow job. Sometimes, I play for blow jobs." I didn't answer, but I thought, "and we're off."