My cousin Ruth was something of a wild child. She was always getting into minor trouble in high school. She dabbled with pot and dated the bad boys in her small town. Although Ruth is a year older, we were close as kids. This was despite the fact that her parents would occasionally nag her to "try and be more like your cousin Ryan".
Her parents wanted her to go to college, but she wasn't interested. Ruthie was bright, but preferred music to class work. Although she was talented, her parents thought music, especially rock, was a waste of time. Of course, that just made her want to pursue it more.
After high school, she move to the city, took a job waitressing and tried to get singing gigs in local clubs.
While she was trying to get a start in the music biz, I headed to college in another state. Her parents still hoped she would change her mind about getting a degree. They wanted her to visit me to "see how much fun college is". I wasn't enthusiastic about taking the job to persuade her. I liked Ruthie and kind of admired her independence and having the courage to strike out on her own. Especially since school was particularly boring this semester. However, when my Mom pressured me to invite her to the campus, I agreed to ask her to visit.
I contacted Ruth and told her the truth that the 'rents had twisted my arm to be the good cousin role model for her. We laughed about it, but I said I'd really like to see her. I told her that she'd be helping me out by saving me from another dull weekend. Promising to show her a good time, I sealed the deal by convincing her she could check out the clubs near school for future singing prospects.
A couple weeks later, Ruth arrived for a weekend. She brought her guitar. Rather than the gangly kid I'd known growing up, she had the look of a mature and confident woman. But, still with a touch of the rebel in her eyes. We quickly got over the initial awkwardness of not having seen each other in a while and reverted to the teasing rapport of the summers we had spent together.
I gave her the standard campus tour and she sat in on one of my better classes. As luck would have it, the professor was dry as dirt. It did nothing to convince Ruth that college was where she should spend the next four years.
The Friday night parties with my friends turned out better. She hit it off with them and they were all impressed with her talent when she sang some songs. As usual, Ruthie's energy, spontaneity, and sharp humor charmed everyone. She is a natural at making people feel comfortable and relaxed.
On Saturday, we wandered the city and got a chance to catch up. Although our lives were different now, we came from the same background and had shared interests. More importantly, in addition to being cousins, we were friends.
After dinner, we connected with a couple of my buddies and planned to visit a bunch of nightspots. Ruthie got into the scene, talked to some managers, and got some potential booking leads. She seemed to be getting friendly with Gavin, so I begged off the last clubs to give them some space.
I was reading in bed when she returned a couple of hours later. My roomie was away for the weekend, so Ruth was using his room. Seeing that I was awake, she dropped into mine. She was excited about the evening and the job prospects. Loosening her raven hair and shaking it free, she threw herself across my bed and started to describe the different talent she'd seen. It was clear Ruthie had a good and honest ear for ability. She described some of the singers she'd heard as not nearly as good as her. She appreciated others had some very special skills. She wasn't jealous. Instead, it seemed she saw it as an opportunity to pick up new tips and develop new skills.
To get more comfortable, she kicked off her shoes and pulled off her hoodie. The more we talked, the more her passion for her music and her life became evident. When I asked her questions, she seemed appreciative to have a sincerely interested listener. She opened up about what was exciting and what was scary. Her hands waved with energy.
While talking about her song writing, Ruthie casually reached inside her t-shirt and removed her bra out her shirt sleeve in a yoga type move that seemed like magic. She shook her shoulders and looked pleased to be freed from the constraints.
Her stories were riveting and exotic compared to the academic routine of my days. She bubbled with exuberance when talking about her small successes. Her self-deprecating style even transformed her setbacks into minor obstacles that served as learning opportunities for improvement. Although she wasn't in college, she was obviously getting an education. And one that appeared to be more practical and full of life than my more insulated existence. I felt a touch of envy for the excitement of living on the edge.
Entranced by her energy and willingness to take risks, I was also attracted to her unadorned beauty, scent, proximity and protruding nipples. It was a sexually lethal combination for someone who hadn't been with a girl for a while.
