Mark One
My name is Shirley and at the time I had been a widow for nearly eighteen months. David and I had enjoyed nearly 45 years of a somewhat unconventional marriage. I didn't sleep with other men, I slept with my David. My David didn't sleep with other women, he slept with me. That which we did, jointly and severally, whilst we were awake was another matter entirely.
Just before My David passed he told me that I should continue to enjoy myself and that he would be with me every step of the way. It took me a while to get things organised but finally I'm on my way, retracing the routes we enjoyed together. Hopefully rediscovering the pleasures we had enjoyed en route. I am back in France with our camper van, remembering the past and looking for new adventures. My David is with me.
Please enjoy the previous chapters for details.
It was another bright, sunshiny day and I decided to work on my all over tan. The beach beckoned. Not the beach a short stroll from my door but part way to my next night stop at St. Valery-en-Caux. The little beach just past Dieppe was calling to me and at less than 40 miles it didn't need to call very loudly. It took all of two hours but then I didn't rush. I was on holiday.
Taking the D75 from Dieppe I was soon headed down the Gorge to the little, empty, car-park. Not a good sign but it was still a beautiful day and only about 100 yards to the sandy beach. I chuckled at the thought, Sandy the dog and now the horny bitch is on another sandy beach, hoping to find a friendly cock. Maybe it was a good omen?
Reversing into a parking space facing the entrance, it's much easier to drive out of a parking space in a bigger vehicle than trying to reverse out if the car-park is busy, I changed from my almost respectable driving clothes and into my easy to remove beach wear. A simple, short dress with strappy shoulders that I could slip off in a moment. No undies of course.
With the essentials sorted I set about preparing my picnic lunch. As I was filling my shoulder bag with the required goodies for an afternoon on the beach a VW Split Screen camper van with a Belgian number plate pulled into the car-park. I wasn't too sure if it was a guy or a girl driving as the hair was long, from the side view. It reversed in beside me, left hand drive and the good looking lad turned to smile at me through my big side window. I smiled back and gave him a little friendly wave which made him laugh. I say lad because that is what he was. Had I had any children he could easily have fathered a Great Grandchild for me. So, late teens very early twenties. He definitely had the student look about him. His VW was way older than him and probably older than his parents unless they started very late. 1965/1967? Not much younger than me and in just as good condition, if I say so myself.
I timed my exit to coincide with the opening of his side door.
"Good afternoon," he greeted formally in perfect English, "did you come over on the early ferry from Newhaven to Dieppe?"
He obviously knew his cross channel ferry routes.
"No, came over on the train to Calais a couple of days ago. Were you on the ferry?"
"No, ferry Dover Calais yesterday morning. Granddad met me in his car. He lives in De Panne, know it? He gave me Betsy, he's had her from new, for my eighteenth a couple of years back. Much easier to keep her over here and a good excuse to visit my GP's regularly. Live in Canterbury so dead easy. Name's Mark."
He was a good looking lad, as I've said. Looked fit, nice tan, happy smiley face.
We shook hands.
"Shirley, very pleased to meet you Mark. Are we going to the beach together or shall I go alone?"
"Have you been here before Shirley?" he laughed.
"Yes, many times. Used to be a regular stop off when my husband was alive. Planning on reliving old times now."
"Sorry to hear that, 'bout your Husband that is. Have we got a minute for me to throw as few things together? Lunch? Or are we planning to come back here to eat?"
I liked that. Offer, acceptance and confirmation in a couple of simple sentences.
"I've got a picnic, planned on staying until it's time to leave. I can wait, no hurry."
He'd clearly had a lot of experience of being in a small camper-van. Very efficient. Knew were everything was and tidied up as he went along. Impressive, considering his age... very impressive.
"So, how come a good looking lad like you doesn't have a beautiful girl travelling with him?" I laughed nosily.
He snorted.
"Yeah! That was the plan. Blew me out at the last minute, she got a better offer."
"Blew you out when you'd much rather she'd just blown you?" I teased.
His grin, as he looked at me, started small, almost half hearted then it grew into a big smile.
"Yeah! Something like that," he chuckled, "I'm about done, we ready?"
We were. I slung my beach bag over my shoulder. He grabbed his beach mat and bag, closed the side doors and locked up. We headed for the beach.
"How far do you like to go?" he asked as we stood looking at the long, wide empty beach.
"Oh, I always like to go all the way," I giggled wickedly, "mind seeing an old lady naked while we walk?"
He did no more than raise his hand to his forehead, to shade his eyes, then scanned the beach in both directions.
"Checking to see if anyone will see you?" I laughed.
"Nope! Looking for an old lady," he chuckled.
"Silly bugger. You gonna undo me?"
I turned my back to him.
"See? That just proves it," he exclaimed delightedly, "if you were the old lady you claim to be you'd be well able to unzip your dress yourself. So you must be as young as you look and haven't gained those skills yet."
"Silver tongued smoothie," I laughed, "I can undo it myself but I'd feel so much younger if a handsome young man did it for me."
"Does that mean I'd have to personally check how much younger you feel after I've undressed you?"
I felt his fingers at the back of my neck. He slid the zip down easily.
"I think you should, don't you?"
