Rob and Gail

After looking around Gail asked what the sleeping arrangements were.

"You get the bed up in the loft. The sofa on the south wall is a pullout sofa bed and that's where I'll bunk."

She gave me what I thought was a contemplative glance and then carried her bag up to the loft. I fired up the propane stove and fixed us a simple dinner of chicken noodle soup and grilled cheese sandwiches after which we went out and sat on the deck to enjoy the view.

I pointed out a hawk circling off to the east and we watched it for a bit before it suddenly dropped like a rock.

"I guess it is his dinner time too."

I pointed out where my dad had placed a couple of salt blocks near the end of the property and told her that if we were lucky we might see a couple of deer before the weekend was over. The words were no sooner out of my mouth that two does and a fawn came out of the trees and approached the salt blocks. I looked over at Gail and she was enthralled. I kept my mouth shut and didn't distract her from what she was watching. After a bit the three critters wandered back into the trees and Gail asked:

"Does that happen often up here?"

Maybe one out of every three times we come up."

By then it was turning dark and the stars started coming out. There is nothing like a star filled sky when you are in the mountains at 8900 feet and with no city lights to muddy up the view. I pointed out the Big and Little Dipper and a couple of points of light that I knew were man made satellites and while we were looking up and airliner with flashing position lights crossed the sky. He was so far up that the sound of his jet engines never reached us.

"I wouldn't have any problem with living up here full time" Gail said.

"It is rather peaceful" I replied.

We sat there in silence for another half hour and then I got up and went inside the cabin and lit two propane lanterns and then pulled out the bed part of the sofa bed and made it up. Gail came in and I gave her one of the lanterns and told her goodnight. She gave me a funny look and then took the lantern and headed up to the loft.

The next morning I was up, had the coffee on and was fixing scrambled eggs and bacon when Gail came down the stairs. I poured her a cup of coffee and she sat on the couch and watched me at the stove.

"I can't believe how well I slept last night."

"The clear mountain air does it every time."

"What's on for today?"

"You enjoy yourself while I replace the five bad deck boards and caulk all the windows. Hike around, throw a blanket down and work on your tan, but if you do that use plenty of sunscreen. The sun can get intense in the thinner air up this high."

As we ate our bacon and eggs Gail asked me if I needed any help with what I had to do.

"I didn't bring you up here to work you."

"I would like to hike around, but I don't know the area. I'd rather you walked with me so if I can help you it will let you get done sooner and you can go with me."

"If you put it that way I guess I will let you help."

With Gail's help we finished around two and then took off on a hike that lasted a little over three hours.

"You hungry yet" I asked Gail when we were back and sitting on the deck.

"Famished."

There was a stone lined fire pit just off to the side of the deck and I got a fire going and handed Gail a two foot long sharpened stick.

"What's this for?"

"It is your cooking utensil."

I went into the cabin and came back with a package of hot dogs, a package of hot dog buns and a couple of cold beers. I slid a hot dog onto my sharpened stick and stuck the dog in the fire. Gail followed suit as I said:

"We have marsh mellows for desert."

We were sitting there turning our sticks to cook the dogs evenly when suddenly Gail said:

"Look" and pointed up. I looked up and saw a circling hawk. "You think it might be the same one from yesterday?"

"It could be. I read somewhere that hawks are territorial so it could be the one we saw or its mate."

We watched as it circled, but it didn't seem to be finding dinner.

After dinner clean up was quick and simple. We broke up the roasting sticks and tossed them into the fire and put the empty beer bottles in the back of the truck. I got two more out of the cooler and we sat on the deck and took in the view. It turned dark and the stars came out and after a bit Gail asked:

"Do you think there is life up there?"

"Maybe not as we know it, but yes I do believe there is life on other planets. I read somewhere that scientists have identified over eleven hundred planets that have the same relationship with their sun that we have with ours. Roughly the same distance from the sun they revolve around. If you accept the theory of evolution it would seem impossible that there isn't some kind of life form there."

We sat there in silence for another half hour and then I said it was time for me to turn in. Gail headed for the loft and I settled down on the sofa bed.

The next morning after another breakfast of bacon and eggs we went on another three hour hike and then we packed up and headed home. Gail was silent and spent a lot of the drive home looking out the passenger side window. When we got to her place she said:

"We just spent two nights in a very romantic setting, but you never tried to hold my hand, put your arm around me or try and kiss me. Why?"

I was silent for a couple of seconds and then said, "Fear."

"Fear? Fear of what?"

"Of doing something that might scare you away. Of doing something that might make you not want me around."

"You can't be serious."

"Of course I am. Don't forget our first meeting and don't forget that you have already said that I come across as a weirdo."

"Jesus! I can't believe that you wasted an entire weekend for something as silly as that."

She slid over next to me, put a hand behind my head and pulled our lips together. She gave me a scorcher of a kiss and when she broke it she said:

"Not bad. Needs some work though. I'm free tomorrow if you want to practice."

"You roller skate?"

"I haven't in years, but yes, I think I can keep my feet under me."

"My last class is at three so how about I pick you up at five?"

"That works for me as far as tomorrow is concerned, but it is still early. Pull up and go around the corner."

"What?"

"Get us away from the front of the house. I don't want my parents watching me make out."

I pulled around the corner and for the next half hour we did our best to steam up the windows of the truck.

++++++++++++++++++++++++

The next date at Skate City was followed by six more dates each followed by a steamy make out session. It all ended following a date at the Concert Hall. The date was followed by the usual make out session during which Gail rubbed the lump in my trousers and told me to find a motel room.

I don't think I will ever forget the stunned expression on Gail's face when I said no to her suggestion and then explained why. I don't think it was the 'why' that stunned her. It was more likely the 'no' that she heard. I doubt that any guy had ever said no to her.

She pulled away from me, tucked her breasts back into her bra and then told me to take her home. I walked her to her door and for the first time since I started dating her I didn't get a kiss or a "Call me."

She might not have said call me, but of course I did call her. Her mother answered the phone and when I asked for Gail her mom said she would check and see if Gail was there. I heard voices in the background and then her mother came back on the phone and told me that Gail wasn't home. She asked me if I would like to leave a message and I told her no. I mean what would be the point? One of the voices I heard while mom was 'seeing' if Gail was home or not was Gail's.

The next day I was sitting at a table in the cafeteria when Gail came in. She saw me and then turned around and left. The same thing happened the next day. Friday when she came in and saw me she didn't turn and leave. She did keep an eye on me as she went through the line and I wondered if she was going to join me and tell me what was going on, but I should have known better. When she paid the cashier she took her tray and headed for an empty table on the other side of the room.

As I watched her walk toward the table she had chosen I knew that there was no need for her to tell me what was going on because it had happened to me before. Twice! Two other times I'd told a girl no when she had wanted sex and both times I'd been dropped like a hot rock. I watched her sit down and when two other girls joined her I got up and headed for my next class.

+++++++++++++++

Gail may have dropped me, but she still had a hold on me that couldn't be broken. I still had the need to see her and so I started back up with showing up at places where I was likely to see her.

It was three weeks before graduation and I was wondering how I was going to handle my need to see Gail once I had graduated and was working full time.

I was at a party at Norm Miller's and Gail was there also. She was with a date and he had gotten smashed and had passed out. Some guy I'd never seen before decided to move in on her, but she wasn't having any of it. Every time he would go up to her she would walk away from him.

Then he fucked up. He walked up to her and started talking and Gail gave him a disgusted look and turned to walk away from him and he reached out, grabbed her arm and pulled her back, Gail tried to get loose from him, but he wouldn't let go. I walked up and said:

"I think the lady wants you to let go of her."

"But out dickhead. This ain't none of your business."

"I'm making it my business. Let go of her."

He let Gail go and turned toward me and swung at me. I hadn't had to use the judo my father had taught me since I was eight, but I remembered what to do and the guy ended up on the floor with my knee in the middle of his back and his right arm in a hammer lock.

"Are you going to leave the party quietly or am I going to have to break your arm?"

"Fuck you! My dad's a cop and when..."

"Okay. Broken arm it is" and I began to push his arm up. He yelled in pain and then said:

"Okay okay I'll leave."

"I'll walk you to the door."

I let him up and I could see that he wanted to take another shot at me and I set myself for it. I guess he noticed and decided that it wouldn't be a good idea and he turned and headed for the front door. I followed along to see that he did leave and I watched until he got in his car and drove away.

Once he was gone I decided that it was time for me to leave and I went looking for Norm, found him and thanked him for the invite. I told him that I'd had a good time and I reminded him that we had a golf date the next morning. He laughed and told me he was going to invite me to every party from now on so he would have some one to put out the trash.

I saw Gail watching us, but I didn't pay any attention to her and left the party shortly thereafter.

++++++++++++++++++++++

I didn't realize it at the time, but others had taken note of my infatuation with Gail and had also witnessed what I'd done at the party and the word had gone out that you should not mess with Gail if I was around. Not that you couldn't date her, but best that you didn't get pushy or grab her if she clearly didn't want it.

Over the next several days I'd be in the cafeteria when Gail would occasionally come in and while she never approached me she sat where she could see me and she watched me or at least it seemed to me that she did.

It was two weeks after Norm's party and I was at a kegger at the Kappa Tau house. We were having a pre-graduation party a week before the big day and an hour into the party Gail came in with Joel Mack. Joel was on the basketball team and he was good. Probably pro quality and he had an inflated ego. He thought he was King Shit if you know what I mean.

Joel proceeded to get drunk on his ass and the drunker he got the more he treated Gail like she was his to do with as he pleased. As his behavior got worse it was obvious that Gail was getting more and more pissed at him and it finally reached the point where he said something to her and she slapped his face. He yelled "You fucking bitch" and he went to hit her.

I'd been doing my watching thing as usual and as things had gotten louder between Gail and Joel I had moved closer and I was close enough that when he raised his hand to hit her I was close enough to jump forward and grab his arm. Keep in mind here that all I was thinking of was protecting Gail and wasn't thinking of anything else. Things like I was only five eleven and Joel was six eight and two twenty to my one eighty-five and even drunk he had good reflexes. The result was me on the floor on my ass with a bloody nose. Fortunately for me there were cooler heads present and they acted. A drunken brawl could put the house on probation and cause the star of the basketball team to be suspended so several guys grabbed Joel and hustled him out of the house.

I didn't look at Gail as I got up and headed for the bathroom to clean up and put a cold rag on my nose. I got the bleeding stopped and when I came out of the bathroom I quickly left the house. I didn't want to face the sneers and jeers I expected to be sent my way.

+++++++++++++++++++++

The party had been on a Friday so it was Monday before I was back to school. I expected some finger pointing and laughter and was surprised when I didn't get any.

I was in the cafeteria at lunch; sitting by myself as usual when Mike joined me.

"Hear you got into it with that idiot basketball player."

"Don't know how much into it I got. All I know is that my ass hit the floor."

"Whatever dude, but I hear that all the ladies there are thinking pretty highly of you right now."

"I doubt that. I must have looked like a clown sitting on the floor with blood running down my face."

"It wasn't what you looked like that got to them dude. It is what you did that got you put on the floor. You took on a dude twice your size to stop him from hitting a girl."

"Yeah bro; they will all flock to me now. I can just see it. In my dreams."

I changed the subject and a couple of minutes later I saw Gail come into the cafeteria. She saw me sitting with Mike and I expected her to find a table on the other side of the room, but when she left the cashier she headed right for my table. Mike saw her coming and said:

"I'll get out of here so she can sit with her knight in shining armor."

"Yeah! Right!"

He got up and left and Gail came up and asked me if she could join me. I was going to ay no? She sat down, looked at me in silence for several seconds and then said:

"How are you going to protect me after we graduate and the two of us don't go to the same places anymore?"

I didn't know what to say so I just looked at her. She waited and when I didn't say anything she said:

"We need to talk Rob and I don't mean a short conversation here at the table. Can you pick me up tonight around six? We can go some place for a bite and have a serious talk."

I sat there trying to think of what she was planning to do to me when she said:

"Come on Rob; say something."

I finally got myself together and said, "I don't know that we have anything to talk about. The way you dropped me pretty much told me where I stand with you. I don't know if I can put up with another put down."

"That's what we need to talk about. Come on Rob. A couple of hours with me won't kill you."

"That's what you think" I told myself. The truth was a couple of hours with her that ended like our last date did could very well kill me. Or kill my spirit anyway. But I was so hooked on her that regardless of what she might do I had to say yes just to spend some time in her presence. I told her I would pick her up at six and then I got up and headed for class.

+++++++++++++++++++++

To say I was curious as to what Gail wanted to talk about would be an understatement. The way she had dumped me without a word was sitting heavily on me, but then I had to remember the girl had a way with sudden surprises. I thought back to our initial meeting followed by her basically asking me out.

I had no idea of what to expect when I walked up on her porch and rang her doorbell. She opened the door, gave me a dazzling smile and said:

"Right on time as usual. I guess there is something to be said for someone so reliable. Where are we going?"

"This is your idea so I thought I'd let you choose."

"Then I choose Tricocci's. I like their Veal Marcella."

"On the way to the restaurant we talked about what we would be doing when we ended the school portion of our lives and the conversation carried on over dinner. Once the meal was out of the way and over coffee Gail said:''

"I really do like you Rob and my feelings were well on the way to being stronger - much stronger - than just like and then you hit me with the promise that you made your mother."

I started to say something, but she cut me off.

"Just let me talk Rob. You can speak your piece when I get done, but I want to get it all out without interruptions. You telling me that you wouldn't engage in love making until you got married caused me to pull back from you. I haven't been a virgin since I turned eighteen Rob and I like sex. Hell, I adore sex and I can barely go a week without having some. That's the problem Rob; I need sex and you just won't do it. If you were to ask me to marry you tonight and I were to say yes it would take my mom six months to plan the wedding and there is no way in hell that I could go six months without sex.

"Finger fucking and hand jobs are not sex as far as I'm concerned; they are merely foreplay. To be blunt Rob I need to be fucked and I need it on a regular basis and because of your promise to your mother I can't get it from you."

"That is why you wanted me to take you out tonight? So you could tell me this?"

"Yes. I guess you could say I'm trying to set you free."

"Trying to set me free?"

"It is obvious from what happened at Norm's party and what happened at the frat house that you are always going to try and be around me so I am telling you that you are wasting your time. You have no chance with me. Well, maybe one. If we could get married in the next three or four days, but that can never happen because my mom would kill me if I didn't let her go all out in planning the wedding.

"So what this date is about is my trying to keep you from wasting your time. Don't get me wrong. I think it is sweet that you care for me as much as you do and if it wasn't for your promise to your mother I think we would be good together. Actually I think we would be great together."

"You say you can barely go a week without making love, but you dated me for a couple of weeks and we didn't have sex."

"You didn't, but I did."

What that meant hit me right in the pit of my stomach.

"You mean..."

"I didn't go out with you every night Rob and I rarely stayed home on those nights."

She saw the look on my face and said, "Don't be that way Rob. We were just dating. We were not going steady or anything like that. We had no commitment to each other."

"No hope for me at all?"

"I'm sorry Rob; I really am. I wish I could say that there was, but there isn't. I know me too well to even try and go from now until we could get married without having sex."

I called for the tab, paid it and then drove Gail home in silence. I walked her to her door and when she went up on her toes to kiss me I turned my head so the kiss landed on my cheek and then I turned and left. When I got home there was a message for me on the answering machine. The gallery had called to let me know that my bid on the painting Gail had liked had been accepted.

"Great timing" I thought. "Just fucking great."