Geezers

Hey, folks get older over time, despite all their best efforts. We did the same thing - we being my wife G and I, along with our friends Jim and Phyllis. We were university friends, double dated back then, attended each other's weddings within a year, and have mutually vacationed, visited, kept in touch over the years, despite our careers taking us to homes hundreds of miles away - me in the small town South, he in the big city North.

We're now in our early early-retirement years and kid ourselves that we've attained "geezer" years (in some opinions), while not feeling that way at all. We're all in pretty excellent health, if you disregard the usual minor aches and pains. We stay active, albeit less active than we used to - no more tackle football on the lawn, and our tennis games have morphed into pickle ball, sigh. None of us is overweight enough to matter, but G and I are on the slim side, while Jim and Phyllis could each stand to lose ten pounds - my opinion only - they may just think we're anorexic. My G is classic slim brunette - 5'7', long fingers, long neck, graceful shape, wears her straight blonde hair relatively short, and has let it go to graying without pretense.

She makes clothes look good, and sometimes in warm weather I find myself up in the dark hours, just watching her body with the covers kicked off, the skin smooth, the curves curvy. I haven't tired of that yet, after 30-plus years of her company, and don't expect to any time soon. As for me, I'm just the lanky sidekick in my view - still amazed to have "married up" in so many ways.

Jim's Phyllis, on the other hand, is more zaftig, in fact, maybe the essence of zaftig - think Mae West in her very slightly slimmer days but very brunette - with a Mae West personality at times as well. She's "a hoot," according to our neighbors who've met her. Jim is also an extrovert compared to G and me, not as much as Phyllis. The two of them can command a conversation all night long, not in a bad way, just in a manner that G and I sort of sit back and watch in bemusement at times. I'm sure that we two couples end up appearing mismatched to the outside observer, but we're fast friends and who cares about outside observers anyway! Oh, and we're all Caucasian, Jim and Phyllis harking to their Italian sides, G and I more Germanic.

Last summer we got together in Memphis, eager to sample the legendary barbeque and music. It was hot, naturally, and we were fine with that. Day 1 was dedicated tourist day, so we took in Graceland, ate at the Rendezvous, strolled Mud Island, and hit Beale Street. Graceland was just not our thing, and we didn't expect it to be - just something one should do once in one's life, and Elvis was definitely one of a kind, so it was fun. Beale Street was a letdown, having turned into a tourist hell of rip-off drink prices, too loud music, way too young (for us geezers) a crowd, and a tinselly vibe that made me think of, but not in a good way, Bourbon Street. Anyway, it was a good day, fun most all around, and it was a relief to get back to the downtown classic Peabody Hotel, where we'd sprung for the high priced lodging Later, it became advantageous that the hotel had put us in next-door suites, way up high, with great views and plush furnishings.

Day 2 was much more sedate, a drive-around the area, more barbeque for lunch, and a baseball game in the downtown stadium in the early afternoon. Very Americana. Semi-stuffed from hot dogs and beer, we agreed to pass on a dinner and just order in some light room service in Jim and Phyllis's suite. We'd made sure we stocked the place with a run by a wine & liquor store along the drive, to avoid room service rates for drinks, and with ice bucket full, we were all set for the evening.

Except it became clear, after some snacks and several rounds of drinks, that we really had no plan - that was fine, but watching TV seemed too blah, and we just weren't up to going back out. We knew how to small talk and had done plenty of that already.

Finally, Jim suggested we have a shot at playing a game of something. No cards around, and board/card games not really being our thing, Jim suggested something he'd heard about that folks played: "Never Have I Ever." G and I had, like lots of folks I suppose, seen various online popups and postings scoring how many of various activities one had done or not done - places visited, thrills sought, that sort of thing.

Jim said, "From what I can glean, we set a penalty - a drink, say - and we rotate turns around the table. The caller has to say something he or she really never has done. If it's my turn, I might say, 'Never have I ever ridden an elephant,' and if someone, or 2 or 3 of us, actually has ridden an elephant, all who've done that have to take a drink. If nobody's ridden an elephant, everybody has to drink, and then it's the next person's turn."

"I've probably had enough beer from the game and wine since, thank you," said G, with only a slight slur to her voice, "and I sure don't want to start doing shooters or something!"

"Hey, ok," I interjected, "how about just sips of wine or whatever - you can drink as much or as little as you like. Besides, you're always saying you've led such a sheltered life, you probably won't drink much at all - it'll be Jim here who gets wasted!" I laughed, then added, "besides, it's more a life-story sharing thing than a drinking game."

"Just to spice it up," Jim said, "If nobody's done it, in addition to the drink, we all pledge to try it, or something close to it - and no dangerous activities allowed - at our next opportunity - how about that? That'll keep the caller from trying out something he or she wouldn't do anyway."

"So if no one's ridden an elephant, we all drink now and then try to find one to ride as soon as we reasonably can?"

"Yeah, and first one to do whatever it is reports back to the group and gets adventurous bragging rights!" Jim laughed.

I chimed in, "I'm not sure about that part, but ok, I'm in - Phyllis, you've been silent, your thoughts?"

"Oh, I'm used to Jim's antics, so yeah, I'm in - he's harmless, and I think this will be both harmless and maybe even fun - not much else to do anyway."

"G?" I asked.

G looked at Phyllis, Phyllis nodded encouragement, and G said, "OK, ok, I'm in" - not very enthusiastically, though.

And so it began, after a break for nature and for Jim and I setting up wine glasses all around, white for the ladies, red for us guys. Regathered, Jim kicked things off with "I've never parachuted!"

"I have," I admitted, having a long, scary story about having tried that once, and having sworn off since. G and Phyllis hadn't. I think all 3 had heard my tale at one time or another, so it was a setup by Jim, but I took it in stride and took a healthy swallow of wine.

The turn passed to G, who was puzzled, still trying to digest just how the game was played. "Uh, Never Have I Ever... ah... had a baby girl!"

Our kids were both male, and we knew that Jim and Phyllis had a son and a daughter, so G was safe, as was I, and the two of them genially quaffed some wine.

"Sort of almost not quite cheating there, G," Jim said, chuckling. "Let's try not to do setups, ok?"

"Says the guy who hasn't parachuted!" I laughed, exposing him at his own game. We all laughed, but we all pretty much accepted that we'd try to avoid things we already knew about regarding the others.

Over to me for a turn, I challenged: "Never have I ever... been in a car wreck that was deemed to have been my fault." I carefully worded it, and waited for the replies.

"OK," Phyllis said, taking a drink, as did Jim, as did G.

"G! When and how was that?" I asked, not knowing anything about it.

"It was back in high school, I'd just learned to drive, and rear ended a guy at a stop sign while I was tuning the radio, looking for some better music. I learned my lesson, and it was a cheap one in the long run!" she said.

As if to avoid further discussion of her own driving history, Phyllis interrupted with "Never have I ever indulged in... anal intercourse!"

Whoa! Talk about upping the ante! That was something G and I had never done - she'd announced early on that it was off limits to her. But I had with an earlier lover, and I couldn't recall I'd ever admitted, or denied, that part of that relationship to G. What to do - keep quiet, in other words lie about it, and have G call out my dishonesty if I had in fact told her at some time? That would both kill the game and possibly some trust among our friends. Or, fess up and risk retribution/shock/judgment/resentment from G?

While I was thinking, Jim took a big slug of wine and said, "Yeah, but I don't miss it!" smiling at Phyllis, who smiled back - clearly, they knew each other's backgrounds on that issue. I swallowed hard and took a drink.

"Robert!" G exclaimed. Dang, shoulda kept my mouth shut, I thought.

"Long time ago, not my thing either," I answered, lamely I thought. Trubba plenty - rats. When will I learn!?

Jim tried to come to my rescue, no doubt having registered the shock in G's voice. Immediately, he called out, "Never have I ever... " we waited as he paused. "Swapped partners with friends!"

Yikes. OK, cards on the table now. We all immediately knew what kind of swap he was talking about. I'd never done that, although I'd come close to a swap before I was married, something of what they call a "soft swap" among friends back in my roaring twenties. But "soft" wasn't specified as part of the definition, and I hadn't actually fucked the girl, or even done more than some mutual manual petting, not even to orgasm, so the Watergate lawyer wannabe inside me gave me a ruling and said I was safe. I figured G never had, since I never had, and she'd never been married before. So, what about our friends? Jim had just denied, and I expected Phyllis to follow suit, although this was a second marriage for both of them, so maybe...

Silence around the table was distinct. I didn't move, nor did G. Jim didn't, and we all turned to look at Phyllis.

"What?! Not me!" she cried, laughing nervously, as she realized we all thought that maybe she'd be the one who might have done that at some time.

"So," Jim continued, I thought maybe a bit smugly. "Nobody's done that, right?" He paused to allow any second thoughts to be voiced, but no one said a word. He continued, "So, it behooves us first to take that drink," and he paused while each of us did that.

A moment of silence followed, and it dawned on me what was also behooved. Jim continued, "and now for us all to do that swap, each and every one of us, at our first reasonable opportunity!"

"You are devious, my dear - devious!" Phyllis chortled.

"I can't imagine what you mean," he feigned innocently.

"At our first opportunity, huh?" I said, clarifying for the ladies in case either or both of them had missed it. "Well, I think that means this is a ladies' choice."

It took another moment for it to dawn on G - I knew Jim intended it, and from what he'd said earlier, I figured Phyllis would go along, even if she weren't in on the plot. It would be up to G.

After another silent pause, she exclaimed, "Oh!... OH! You mean we, tonight, us?!"

"Give us a moment," I said as I held my hand out to G. She took it, standing, and I ushered her out of the main room, into Jim and Phyllis's bedroom, and closed the door. I put my arm around G and spoke in a low voice, "Nothing you don't want to happen, but we're friends, and we're all a little drunk, so we have alibi's built in for tomorrow, and if there's ever anyone or any time that this would work, I think it's now."

"You really want to do this?" she whispered back. I know we've teased about that kind of thing - ok, you've teased me about that kind of thing, but this is sudden - an hour ago we were watching baseball with friends, and now you're suggesting we do this?!"

"Well, yeah, I guess so. But I only want to if you do," I answered.

"I'll do it for you, but you'll owe me," she said, slightly slurring her words again.

"Sweetheart, I owe you my life already, but you have to be for it - maybe not ALL for it, but at least ok with it, ok?" I said back, still just between the two of us.

"Mmm. Well, from what Phyllis has said, you might regret this," she giggled.

I was glad she was laughing quietly - at least she wasn't mad! "Regret?"

"She says he's pretty well equipped!" she whispered, and giggled again. Oh, great, I thought, hoping that was just girl talk and that we weren't in for a donkey show. But, if that's what it took in her mind to justify the playing around, I was more than willing to let her mind play it out.

"So - you in?"

"OK, but just tonight, and we sleep with each other afterwards, not with them, ok?"

"Absolutely - I want you back before the night is over!" I said, and kissed her, warmly, and she kissed back, and things were going to be all right.

I took her hand again and we went back into the other room and rejoined our friends. "OK, we're in," I announced.

"Hooray," Jim answered, but not shouting it. I figured he was joining me in being pretty delicate about things for a while, not to have G change her mind - it was apparent that this was her call, that the three of us other players were all for it.

"G, you come with me - guys, we'll be back," Phyllis stated, leading G back out of the room and back into their bedroom.

"OK, I give up - what was that all about?" I asked Jim, nodding at the closed door.

"Hell if I know, but I'd bet that Phyllis is just trying to find out if G is really for this, or if she's feeling pressured. I know you wouldn't do that, but I also don't really know what G feels about it, so whatever, man - can I get you a refill?"

"No thanks, I'm good - if we're going to do this thing, I don't need any further depressants, of any functions."

"Yeah, good point," Jim said. "And along that line, do you happen to have any, ah, pharmaceuticals in a blue? I'm fresh out, and it may, ah, enhance the proceedings."

"Yeah, I'm well stocked - back in our room. How do you see this playing out, assuming that the ladies return all for it?"

"Uh, yeah, let's see - we've got a king-sized bed, so how about if we head in there, then just see how things go? You know, just see how it goes, then wing it. Sex is a lot about winging it anyway, right? The hard part's going to be seeing you naked!" he joked.

"Same for me, but I'll try to keep my attention elsewhere! But ok, on the winging it - too late to come up with anything really inventive, and I doubt either of us will be lacking motivation, with two lovely ladies at our beck and call, or disposal, or whatever." I answered uncertainly. I'm more of a planner, less spur of the moment than Jim, and our respective ways have always worked for us - we'd see how my playing by his rules worked out.

The girls returned after a long five minutes or so of mostly silence on us guys' parts. Whatever Phyllis had said or done seemed to have been just right, though. They were both in a happy mood, grinning conspiratorially.

Phyllis led off, clearly running the show now. "OK, guys - your idea, but our rules! First off, showers all around! Jim, you grab a change of clothes and you guys go shower in their suite. G, you go grab new duds and come back here. G and I will clean up here, and we'll all meet again here when more, ah, amenable for close friendships! Besides, if we stayed with mates for showers, we might never get back to the main event. Make it quick, but get clean - sweating through a ball game does not for romance make! OK, now, go!"

I couldn't argue with her logic, and G and I headed for the door. In our suite, G insisted I not watch what she quickly chose for clothes, then she was out the door again, just as Jim came in carrying with what turned out to be loose, mid-length gym shorts and a t-shirt. Hardly sexy, but easy to get rid of.

In out bathroom, I grabbed my shaving kit and retrieved a couple of pills, offering Jim one. He and I swallowed, and then I offered Jim first shower, and he started to strip as I exited the bathroom. I picked out some camp shorts and a Hawaiian shirt - more stylish and still no trouble to doff.

I heard the shower turn off about 5 minutes later and turned to see Jim coming out of the bathroom, naked, dripping somewhat, carrying a towel along with his old and new clothes. That view confirmed to me that he was indeed well equipped, as G had relayed. He was also circumcised, as am I, so that part wouldn't be a novelty to G, although he was notably larger at the head part as well. Grower or shower? I wondered, and reflected that I didn't really know if I hoped for one or the other - these details hadn't occurred to me in the lead-up to all this. Then, it hit me that as a result, I might be a disappointment to Phyllis., but we were committed at this point, so I passed by him and took my own shower, but dried off and changed still in the bathroom, emerging dressed, my shirt open to one extra button's worth.

Jim and I went back to the other suite. Entering, we saw G just coming out of the bathroom, closing the door to the sounds of the shower, that Phyllis was apparently already in. G was dressed in a very simple one-piece beige V-neck pullover thing - not tight or belted, but revealing some nipple definition, which just enhanced the look and said "no bra" loud and clear, and hinted at nothing else underneath either.

We poured some fresh wine and waited for Phyllis. Finally, she emerged, clad in a simple khaki skirt and a spaghetti-strap camisole top, also simple and not alluring per se, but doing the job even so, and also with her nipples outlined and inviting, and her bigger breasts swaying - hooray for the sway!

"OK, here we are," I said, nodding to Phyllis so she could continue her instructions.

She did so, "Basically, we mirror everything, at the same time. That way, nobody misses anything, or misses out on anything. Think you can handle that?" This was directed at us guys - obviously, she and G were already in cahoots.

"No problem," Jim and I chimed back, in unison, unplanned. Putting Phyllis in charge was going to be great - that way it wouldn't be the guys' faults, I concluded without basis.

"OK, then, proceed," Phyllis ordered.

Jim and I looked at each other, and I suggested, "Jim, whichever of us has an idea to do or to shift to, or whatever, just announce it, and the other can either turn that down, or we'll immediately do it."

"Sounds good," he answered, and added, "In that case, hugs and kisses, right here! For openers!"

I held out my arms, and Phyllis came to me, as did G to Jim.

I heard "mmm's" all around as we fitted our bodies to each other, individually checking out just how the new partner felt compared to our steady. For me, Phyllis was a soft armful. I noted that she was bigger around, and that was fine. Then I noted that I could feel her full breasts mashed into me, which was extra fine. I leaned over to move my hand down to cup her ass, and got just enough of a feel in to enjoy its bigger size when she moved my hand back up. "That's beyond what was called," she whispered, breaking the snog, and then we went back to kissing. She was an aggressive kisser, something G was not. I could coax G into tongue play by initiating it, but she never took the lead. Phyllis was searching out my tonsils, it seemed, right away - another new experience - not what I thought I want as a steady diet, but this was definitely not going to be a steady diet night!

Breaking my concentration, but not our embrace or kissing, I maneuvered Phyllis a couple of degrees around so that I could see Jim and G - they were likewise arms around each other, and Jim was looking very happy indeed, with him and G at practically the same height - definitely something new for him, since Phyllis was notably shorter than G.