1961 - A Truly Meaningful Year

1961 - A Truly Meaningful Year

After over sixty years, the momentous events of the year 1961 are still vivid in my mind, both from a historic perspective as well as from a personal one. Historians will recall that in April of that year efforts were made by the U.S. government to overthrow Fidel Castro in the debacle that was to be known as the Bay of Pigs invasion. One month later, the U.S. launched Alan Shepard into space as a first step on Kennedy's much-heralded path to a manned moon landing. On the personal side, 1961 also marked the bright dividing line that separated my childhood from my adult years, a line unexpectedly drawn by a friend and neighbor.

Darlene and Thomas Pearson lived a few houses down from our old wood-framed, one-story home, that was located on the east side of Dallas in a neighborhood developed by the men who had returned from World War II to purchase a piece of the American dream. The neighborhood was very Texan - middleclass in both appearance and in attitudes of the long-term residents. You could find very little pretense in that old neighborhood, and if one had the gumption to develop a little, there was always someone present to remind you of your own humble origins. Darlene and Thomas were the newcomers to the neighborhood.

The couple had moved the previous year from Atlanta, Georgia. Thomas was a salesman who traveled quite a bit due to the demands of his job and generally was home only on the weekends. Darlene was a secretary employed at a small metal fabricating shop who tended to keep to herself during her off time. Given their jobs and the fact that they had only recently moved in, neither were well known, not even to Edith Pratt who seemed to know everything about everyone - the J. Edgar Hoover of the neighborhood. I suppose that out of everyone there at the time, I was the one who came to know the couple best.

With my high school graduation just completed in May and college not beginning until September, I had the entire summer to earn as much money as possible in order to prepare for my freshman year. The lawn service that I had built up over the previous two years provided me with a steady trickle of income that had actually built up fairly quickly since my cash outlays were negligible. Girls were not a part of my life at that time since I was too shy and insecure to work up the nerve to ask any out on a date, which actually worked to my advantage in my efforts to horde cash.

I first met Darlene and Thomas toward the end of May that year. As I pushed my lawnmower down the sidewalk one unseasonably hot Saturday afternoon, I observed a tall, good looking man in his early thirties just finishing his own yard work. Sweating profusely, he waved me over.

"Hi. My name is Thomas Pearson," he said politely, extending his hand in greeting. "We haven't been in the neighborhood all that long and I still don't know too many people, but I understand that you are the neighborhood yard man."

"That's me. My name is Keith, and I'd be happy to take care of your lawn if you're interested."

With very little small talk, we got down to business and agreed to an every-other week cutting with a one-time shrub and tree trim thrown in to seal the deal. As I was about to walk away a pretty brunette wearing a pair of tight white shorts strolled over. She was about 5'5" with a cute figure and short dark hair that framed her very attractive face. Her long shapely legs grabbed my attention and probably caused me to stare a little too long.

"Keith, this is my wife Darlene," Thomas said by way of introduction, smirking a bit at my distracted gaze. "Honey...Keith is going to be doing our yard work from now on."

"And you're sure to do a better job than Thomas," Darlene said, playfully slapping Thomas' arm. "I'm lucky if he cuts this lawn once a month, and even then it looks like the work of a drunken sailor on a three day binge." Thomas laughed and gave his wife a quick hug. "Don't be doing that," she chided, "you're too sweaty."

After the quick meeting I left with the impression that this was a couple who were truly in love and thoroughly enjoyed one-another's company. Nothing I would observe over the next few months would change that initial assessment.

As the weeks went by, I found myself over at the Pearson's house quite often. At first my time there was due only to the agreed-upon yard work, but later I began to visit as an invited guest. Why they took an interest in me, their junior by twelve years or more, I will never know. Perhaps it initially was out of pity given my obvious shyness, or maybe they just genuinely liked me. Whatever their motivation, I found myself at their house once or twice each week.

Thomas enjoyed barbequing, a hobby at which he had few equals in our neighborhood, and one for which I had great appreciation. I looked forward to those outdoor sessions each weekend and would often steal a few of my dad's beers and share them with my newfound friends. All went well until that fateful day during the last week of July. I first heard the news from the ever-present Edith Pratt as I was returning home from a long day of yard work.

"Keith...Keith," Edith called stepping down from her porch and waving wildly as she hurried down the steps toward me. "Have you heard the news about Thomas Pearson?" That got my attention and I left my lawnmower on the sidewalk and ran too her. "Thomas was killed in a car accident this morning as he was driving to Tyler."

"Oh dear god," I exclaimed in disbelief. "I just saw him yesterday afternoon. I can't believe it." I stood there for a moment dumbfounded before continuing. "I wonder how Darlene is doing. Has anyone heard from her?"

"She left a couple of hours ago to go to the hospital where they had taken him, but I heard from my niece who works there that he had died shortly before she arrived."

I spent the remainder of the afternoon in a gray fog of despair. Regardless of the age difference, I truly considered Thomas to be a friend and mourned his loss. The next few days were a blur ending in a sparsely attended gravesite service during which I held Darlene as she wept uncontrollably over the loss of her beloved husband.

The next few weeks went by quickly for me; although, I am sure they dragged by for Darlene. I stepped up my yard work at her place just so I could be there more frequently to check on her, but even so only saw her once during the first two weeks after the funeral, and then she merely gave me a weak wave, and without a word, went inside and closed the door. During the last week of August I finally worked up the courage to knock on the back door to check on her.

"Hope I'm not...uh...bothering you," I stammered, my unpolished adolescence on full display. "Just wanted to...to make sure you're okay since I haven't seen you much over the past few weeks."

Darlene gave me a quick hug and replied, "Thanks for coming by Keith. I suppose I'm okay given the circumstances. I'm just having difficulty deciding what to do now. I want to move back to Atlanta to be near my family, but I'm stuck having to sell this house, and as you know, it's not in the best of shape. When Thomas and I moved in we got a deal on this place because it was kind of rundown. It was all we could afford at the time. Thomas was going to get it painted and fixed up, but...", Darlene's lips started quivering and a single tear rolled down her cheek.

"Tell you what," I began "I have one week before class starts. I can spend all this next week painting and fixing this place up so that you can sell it."

"Keith, that's so sweet, but because of the funeral expenses I really don't have any money to pay you."

"You and Thomas have been my friends. I'm not asking for payment. If you can buy the paint, I'll scrounge up everything else we need and fix this place up for you." Overcome by emotion, Darlene was speechless, and just managed a quick hug and a quivering, "Thank you."

I don't believe that I had ever before been so motivated to complete a task. With only one week before my freshman classes were to begin I knew that my task was daunting, but I was determined to see it through to completion. I started work the next morning at 6:30, preparing the surface of the house to be painted. I scrapped off old paint, fixed loose siding, and replaced rotted wood on the porch. During that week I worked every day from early morning until it got too dark to continue.

Darlene would often come out to help me, and assisted with the painting of the porch. After she was done with the painting she worked in the flower beds in an effort to make the place more attractive to prospective buyers. During her lunch hour each day she came home and made sandwiches which we enjoyed together on the porch. Focusing on the project was to Darlene a healing balm. Day by day she began to return to her former outgoing and energetic self. The day before my classes were to begin, we finished up and went out to stand on the front sidewalk together to admire our work.

"Keith...it's beautiful. I don't know how I can ever repay you for your kindness. Thomas would be so pleased and grateful. I know I am."

I beamed at her heartfelt thanks as we stood together admiring our handiwork. "Well it was a team effort. You certainly did your fair share of the work. There's no doubt in my mind that you'll get a buyer now."

My prediction turned out to be true. In only three weeks time the house was listed and a solid offer made and accepted. Two weeks after that, the first part of October, Darlene was to move back to Atlanta. During that time I made it a point to go by for brief visits nearly every day. During those visits I helped her pack for the upcoming move. I found myself sitting on her kitchen floor one Sunday afternoon, the day before the movers were due to arrive, feeling very melancholy, and apparently it showed.

"Keith...is there anything wrong? You're sort of quiet today," Darlene asked.

"Nothing really. I'm just going to...to miss you. That's all."

"Well...I'm going to miss you too. You've been so very kind to me over the past few months. I don't know how I could ever have managed without you." I looked up at her and noticed a brief and odd expression on her face which quickly disappeared and was replaced by a broad smile. "Well...the packing is all done now. Let's go pick up something from the Chinese restaurant and have a bite to eat."

"Sure. I'll run over right now if you want," I offered.

"Well you're not going looking like that. You've been up in the attic getting those last boxes down. You're filthy...and quite honestly you stink. You need to take a quick shower before we go. You can wear one of Thomas' old shirts when you're done."

I looked down at my shirt, laughed at my appearance, and immediately got up and made my way to the bathroom, undressed, and stepped into the shower. I had only been in the shower for a minute or so when I heard what sounded like the bathroom door opening. A few seconds later I was startled when Darlene's face appeared, peering nervously around the shower curtain. I involuntarily covered myself in surprise.

"Sorry to startle you, sweetheart. I've just been thinking that with all you've done for me...I need to do something...something meaningful for you." With those words, a totally naked Darlene Pearson stepped into the shower with me. "Have you ever seen a woman naked before?" she asked hesitantly.

Eyes bulging, I honestly shook my head no.

"Well here you are then," she added smiling as she opened her arms wide and slowly turned in place. "Take a good long look."

Darlene had perfectly proportioned breasts for her size, with delicate pink nipples that were fully erect. My gaze slowly traveled down her body and I noticed the gentle swell of her hips that led to a dark triangle of pubic hair and long, lithe legs like those of a dancer. As she turned I observed the most perfect ass I could ever have imagined, a sight that would remain with me my entire life. Her skin was a pale alabaster in contrast to her dark, nearly black hair. My erection was immediate and throbbing. I covered myself in embarrassment.

"That's okay love...you can take your hands away. There's no need to be embarrassed," Darlene said in a sweet reassuring tone. I slowly did as she suggested, exposing my fully erect penis that was pulsing against my stomach. "I'm so glad to see that you find me exciting," she added softly and sensuously, gazing fixedly at my swollen penis.

"Wha...what are we going to do?" I asked stupidly.

Darlene giggled at my obvious discomfort before explaining, "I'm going to teach you how to make love to a woman. We're going to spend the rest of the afternoon exploring all the ways a man and a woman can make love. If that's okay with you."

Unable to speak, I gave her a wide-eyed, deer-in-the-headlights look, and nodded my head vigorously in approval of her suggestion. What happened next was both tender and sensual as Darlene took a washrag and began to wash every inch of my body, and then coxed me into doing the same for her. It turned into the longest, most intense shower of my life. Drying one another after the shower was nearly as good as the shower itself since I had the opportunity to very closely inspect every part of her glorious body; a wondrous opportunity since she was a young woman in the prime of her sexuality. All-the-while, my eighteen year old dick remained rock-hard.

When we were done in the shower Darlene led me to the bedroom, whereupon she turned down the blinds and lit several small candles on the nightstands, providing just the right level of subdued light for what was to come. She then stepped over to me, placed her hands to either side of my face, and proceeded to give me a long, open mouthed, sensual kiss before pulling back the bedcovers and lying down with her legs opened just enough for me to catch a glimpse of her moist vaginal lips.

"The first thing every man needs to know is that lovemaking should be a slow, tender process. It generally takes a woman longer to get ready for sex than it does a man. Now sit on the bed here and let me show you how a woman wants to be pleasured."

Darlene then opened her legs and gave me my first glimpse of sensual nirvana. She parted her vaginal lips for me and showed me how to locate her clitoris, then with her fingers, began to demonstrate what motions brought about the most pleasure. I watched transfixed as she worked her fingers slowly up and down and in circular motions. She moaned a little and opened her legs wider, giving me a complete view of her most private parts. My excitement was at a fevered pitch. Without direction, I began to gently stroke her perfect thighs. My erection throbbed to the point of being painful. Clear seminal fluid dripped down my virgin member.

"Would you like to touch me there?" she asked coyly.

"Yes...yes I would," I stammered.

I reached out my hand and she guided my fingers, rubbing them slowly and gently up and down her vaginal lips.

"Now insert a finger into my vagina...slowly...not too deep just yet. See how wet I am. That means I'm getting excited, too."

"You are?" I asked incredulously, stunned that she might actually be sharing my excitement, for that thought would never have crossed my mind.

"Yes I am," she said in a reassuring way. ""Now I'm going to show you something that you may or may not want to do. One thing that really feels good to a woman is to have a man's tongue gently lick her down there. Is that something you might like to try?"

"Yeah...I'll do anything...anything at all," I answered breathlessly, willing to literally do anything that she suggested that might please her.

As I lay face down between her legs, I brought my tongue to her vaginal lips and as instructed, began to lick softly and slowly. In doing so, the thought crossed my mind that I was actually tasting Darlene's very essence. It was a taste I relished. The slippery fluid had a slightly sweet yet musky taste. I kept licking and kissing for several minutes before Darlene finally said, "Here...lick right here," pointing to her small yet engorged clitoris.

I did as she asked and within another minute or so her stomach muscles contracted and she began to moan. Another few more seconds and she experienced a long, sustained, and quite loud orgasm.

"Oh god," she exclaimed, "I'm cumming...uh...uh...uhhhhh." When she was done she lifted my face up and said, "That was fabulous, love. Okay. Now it's your turn."

Darlene reached over to the one of the nightstands and pulled out a package of condoms. "Here. I need you to wear one of these rubbers." She reached over to my throbbing penis and giggled, "You're so wet, sweetheart. Look...you're dribbling everywhere," noting the seminal fluid dripping down my rock-hard penis. She gently placed the condom over my erection and situated herself on her back with her knees elevated and legs spread wide open.

"I want you inside me," she said seductively. "I know you won't last long this first time, but that's okay. We have all afternoon."

While I positioned myself between her heavenly thighs, Darlene took my penis in her right hand and guided it to the lips of her wet slit. I inched my way in and gave an involuntary gasp of unmitigated pleasure at the sensation of entering her. "Oh that's it baby," Darlene whispered as I entered her and began to thrust.

As Darlene predicted, I didn't last long that first time. In fact, I doubt that I lasted more than ten thrusts before I experienced an explosive orgasm. I buried my face in her hair as I came. She tenderly kissed my cheek and neck all the while. After a few moments I rose up and stared into her beautiful hazel eyes. Darlene kissed me tenderly on the lips and slid my now semi-erect penis out of her, taking off the condom in the process.

"Oh...you really filled this thing up, sweetheart," she said with a giggle. She tossed the used condom on the floor and continued. "Are you ready to quit yet?" I shook my head from side to side vigorously. "Good. Me either. Now I'm going to show you the quickest way to get hard again."

With that, Darlene forcefully pushed me onto my back and inched her face down to my still semi-erect penis. To my stunned surprise, she took it into her mouth and began to suck gently, then used her tongue to lick up and down the shaft, looking me in the eyes seductively while doing so. Within seconds, my dick sprang back to life and once more became rigid.

"Well that certainly didn't take long," she said as she moved her hand up and down the shaft, and then once again placed the throbbing purple head back into her mouth. To my utter delight she continued to lick and stroke my hard member until I was on the verge of orgasm once again. Sensing my impending orgasm, she abruptly stopped.

"Okay...now I'm going to get on top of you and show you another position. This one is good for deep penetration and allows the woman the ability to control the pace."

Darlene retrieved another condom from the drawer, placed it on, straddled me, and carefully guided my penis back into her ultimate bliss. She closed her eyes as she gently rocked back and forth, lost in the wonderful sensations that we were both creating. I caressed her breasts softly as she rocked, enraptured in her beauty and sensuality. Before long she began to moan and her facial expression changed to more of a grimace as once again she neared orgasm. Seeing her so excited, I climaxed followed only seconds later by Darlene. As with the first, her orgasm was long and loud.

"Oh...I'm cumming baby...I'm cumming," she cried, and then began to moan and gasp, "Ohh...uhh...uhh...uhh."

Darlene fell into my arms, laughing and exhausted. She kissed me once more, her tongue moving in my mouth sensuously.