I'm not sure when it started, but some of my neighbors practice a very unusual ritual that I was initiated into a year ago when my husband and I moved into the area a few months previously from New England. The neighborhood was a middle class mix of blue collar and white collar professionals and my husband and I were delighted by the friendliness of everyone. One evening we were having dinner with our new friends, Tom and Lisa, when they mysteriously referred to a "special event" we might like to attend.
"What do you mean 'special event?' we asked, very puzzled at their hush-hush manner.
"Well," explained Tom, "are you into sharing partners?"
The question was a bit of a shock, coming out of no where, but Jim and I are open-minded and were not offended.
"No," I answered, "we've never done anything like that. Have we, Jim?" I gave him a nudge and a sidelong glance.
"No, but you were fantasizing about the delivery boy once and I was lusting after the hot slut next door!" said Jim
"What Tom is talking about," continued Lisa "is experimenting with things. Like going to a party where something unusual will happen but you don't know for sure what."
"But something sexual?"
"Yeah," he said, "but you don't have to participate. Just watch?"
"Just watch and get really excited," giggled Lisa. She had a dreamy look in her eyes that aroused my curiosity about the party.
Two weeks later we attend ed a pot luck supper with Tom and Lisa. There were about twenty couples. It started like a regular party. Everyone shared the dishes they had brought and the beer and booze flowed freely. There was music and dancing and lots of socializing. Everyone was friendly to Jim and me, but because we were new, they seemed almost to be examining us. Or at least it felt that way. I sensed that most of the men and quite a few of the women too, were appraising my physical attributes. It was subtle, not leering, but it was there. And curiously, I wasn't uncomfortable with it. I rather enjoyed it. Modesty aside, I consider myself attractive, and if someone wants to check out my chest, which is substantial, let him. I look great in a bathing suit and at 30; I'm still at the peak of my good looks. So I don't mind if someone pays me a compliment with a smile or a look. Since I've been married, though, a compliment is all I've let anyone pay me.
After everyone had eaten, the party split into two groups, men in one room, women in another. Though Lisa was with me, she was very coy and wouldn't ex plain what was going on. She wanted all the surprises to just happen. The women discussed who among the men should be chosen. Several names were bandied back and forth and finally they took an informal vote and came up with a name. When everyone rejoined in the living room there was an air of excitement and conspiracy among each group. The women kept the male choice a secret, as did the men for their choice of a woman. And no one could be certain that one of the choices was not him or herself.
The man the women selected was a dry-wall con tractor who did a lot of hard physical labor. His arms and chest were huge, his waist was trim, and his face was square-jawed and rugged. I fantasized for a moment what it would be like to be carried naked to the bedroom by him. THEN FOR A STARTLING MOMENT I WONDERED WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE TO HAVE EVERYONE WATCH HIM SPREAD ME AND FUCK ME. But they wouldn't have picked me. Tom and Lisa said they wouldn't pick newcomers. I was, none the less, intensely curious about the outcome of the evening.
The "happening" was scheduled for eleven o'clock. In the meantime, everyone continued socializing and drinking, but with a heady air of anticipation. It was a strange party but not a dull one. Almost every man talked to me and most of them danced with me. All of them were courteous, some charming, and a few were forward. One asked me my bust size. Another patted my ass when I danced with him. Some of the guys, like the contractor, I let dance a little closer than others. I rested my chest against his and let him park his erection against my tummy.
At eleven o'clock the room went black. The men began whistling and cat calling. The host came to the front of the room, where one lamp was used as a sort of spotlight, and begged for everyone's attention. The men were re quested to move to one side of the room, and the women to the other.
"It's the bewitching hour of eleven o'clock and we re quest that everyone take a shot of tequila." Several bottles were passed around the room amid hooting and hollering. I took a couple of healthy swigs. I felt Lisa at my side. She took the bottle and downed a shot or two.
"I wonder who it is' she said nervously.
I looked at Lisa, who seemed to be trembling slightly. Her tousled brown hair, turned-up nose and perk breasts were very appealing. I imagined her naked for an instant.
"Who do you think it will be?" I asked.
"You want to know something?"
"What?"
"I've never done this before."
"What? I thought you and Tom—"
"This is only the second time we've been here."
