It was wintertime 1941. I was eighteen, tall, thin and shy around girls. I would graduate from high school in the spring.
Aunt Polly, one of those ageless women, had a solid, mature beauty about her. She had one of those bodies that had mellowed without growing soft. She harbored a genteel sensuality belying her age that often twitted the curiosity of this eighteen year old though I would have never had the nerve to try anything her sidewalk. From the year I got my driver's license, I started driving her places, in her perfect condition '39 Pontiac, to the store for groceries, to church meetings, and any other place she needed to go. She always paid me though I protested it was not necessary.
Aunt Polly had probably reached her mid-fifties. She dressed nicely and applied only enough makeup to appear attractive without overdoing it. Except for being a bit on the hippy side, which I counted a plus, she was compactly but nicely built. A devout church goer, Aunt Polly, attended services most Sundays and occasionally went to prayer meeting on Wednesday night. She did not like driving in bad weather or at night so I drove her to those evening meetings and picked her up later for which she usually handed me a dollar.
It was late February and snowing. She called right after supper and asked if I would be willing to drive her to church that night. Of course I agreed.
Because of the weather and not knowing how long it might take to walk over, I left early and arrived at her place sooner than expected. Like always, I opened the side door, stomped the snow from my feet at the landing and shouted, "Hello. It's Jay. Are you ready?"
Hearing no answer, I moved down the hall toward the living room. A light reflected brightly from the open bathroom door.
Aunt Polly, round, naked and shimmery wet, stepped from the tub and reached for a towel. We stood frozen, staring, not knowing what to do. It seemed hours though it was probably but seconds before she thrust the towel in front of her.
I had glimpsed few totally naked women in my young life. I was spellbound. Aunt Polly's body, inspite of her salt and pepper hair, was absolutely fascinating. Her small breasts were rounded and pointy tipped with very little sag. The large, pinkish-brown nipples, being wet and chilled, extended in excitement. The triangular patch of wet, wiry curls, plastered dark brown, at the base of her belly, also revealed a sprinkling of gray. Her legs were smoothly tapered and the rump I had thought of as hippy projected firmly into two full globes that rounded out to become the nicest part of her.
"I, I'm sorry," I stammered. "I didn't know you were in the shower."
Aunt Polly slowly wrapped the towel around her. "I'd appreciate it if yo'd wait in the living room."'
"Yes Ma'am. I'm sorry.'
"Couldn't be helped." Aunt Polly, sounded far calmer than me.
When she emerged fully dressed and ready to go, our little mishap was not mentioned. As we drove to her church, she tried to keep the conversation going, but we soon talked the weather to death and my school work was covered almost as quickly.
Most of the short ride passed in silence.
I fooled around up town, killing the hour and a half until time to pick her up. I loafed around the Smokery and read magazines off the rack. I kept one eye on Billy Barnes behind the counter so he would not notice me leafing through the latest issue of Sunshine and Health, picturing people of all ages, nudsist camp naked. Checking them out, I found not one photo of an older woman who looked nearly as sharp as Aunt Polly stepping out of that tub. Reliving that scene caused me to throw a boner.
Driving home, our accident obviously weighed on Aunt Polly's mind. I kept my mouth shut. I had no idea of what to say. We pulled into her garage and I turned off the headlights. She gripped the handle but did not open the car door on her side. We sat there a long time without speaking.
Finally, I said, "Im sorry I barged in on you. I wish it hadn't happened."
I barely made out her smile in the darkness. "Do you?"
Aunt Polly was always nice to me. I could not lie. "I thought you were beautiful."
Her voice was a strangled whisper. "Now did you really?"
"Yes ma'am. I did for a fact."
She thought about that for a while before asking, "Would you like to come in for a cup of hot chocolate?"
"I'd like that. I don't want you being mad at me."
Aunt Polly unlocked her door. "I'm not mad, Jay. What happened, happened."
She shivered as I closed the door behind her. She turned and allowed me to remove the heavy cloth coat from her shoulders. "You hang the coats. I'll warm some milk."
I became aware of her perfume and the feminine softness of her as the coat slid from her shoulders. "All right."
She poured milk into a pan and lit the gas burner. I went to the hall closet. The milk was soon simmering. She poured it into two big mugs over thick Hershey's syrup. We moved, with our mugs, to her living room and sat opposite each other, she on the couch, me in the big easy chair.
"Jay, look at me."
"Yes Ma'am."
"We won't let one embarassing little incident ruin our friendship."
"I hope not."
"Have you seen a naked woman before?"
I nodded. "Sort off."
"Would you tell me about it?"
"It wasn't something I should have done."
"You peeked at someone?"
I nodded.
Her voice became confidential. "I won't tell. Who was it?"
I could not look at her. I mumbled, "My older sister."
"You saw her naked?"
I nodded
"Where?"
"Through a keyhole in our bathroom."
"More than once?"
I nodded again.
"I bet that was exciting for you."
"Sort of."
"And that's all?"
"A girl and me. We played If you show me yours, I'll show you mine."
Aunt Polly smiled wryly. "I remember that game. Did you enjoy it?"
Lurlene Gargan from Tennessee had been visiting Mrs. Foster across the street. We sneaked up to the barn loft behind our house. "I liked it fine."
How old were you?" "Twelve or thirteen, someplace around there."
"Do you like girls."
I nodded. "I'm too skinny. Most girls don't want anything to do with me."
"You don't know that."
"I've always had trouble talking to them. I freeze up."
"What were you thinking when you saw me?"
"Like I said, I thought you were truly beautiful."
Aunt Polly smiled. "Would you be very upset if I told you that seeing you could be beautiful for me."
"Men aren't beautiful."
"I think so. Would you tell on me if we played that game?"
"You mean showing it?"
"Wouldn't that would be exciting."
"You're kidding."
Aunt Polly rose, moved to the window. She pulled the drapes, then moved to stand behind my chair. She squeezed my shoulders. Her voice was unsteady. "I'd enjoy, very much, seeing a healthy, young man that way."
Again I said, "You're kidding."