Satisfaction Pt. 01: Ch. 01 to 07

"Enough? I can get more."

"No. Perfect. Set the tray aside and join me here." He patted the bed.

Jan moved the tray to the floor and lay down beside Glen.

"What took you to Switzerland?"

"My parents. My mother is Swiss. My father worked for the Red Cross and Crescent as some sort of high-powered administrator and organizer. We lived all over. Everywhere from Iran to the Philippines to all around Europe. I picked up languages easily. Have about ten under my belt. Eventually he moved over to the UN in New York."

"I speak two languages. Good and bad English, and I'm not certain of the first. I'm super impressed."

"So, what's your story?" Jan was genuinely curious.

"Short or long version."

"I've got time. Don't shirk on the details."

Glen paused for a moment to organize his thoughts before he started. "Let me go back to my grandparents."

"Sounds like a good place to start."

"In the second world war my grandfather travelled from Jamaica to fight with the British Army in North Africa and stayed on after the war in Scotland to work in the shipyards. There he met my grandmother, who I am sad to say I only met once. She was a Glaswegian -- straightforward with a wicked sense of humor, as I remember her."

"My father, Glen Senior, was born and grew up in Scotland. As a young man he managed to snag a five-year apprenticeship as a tool and die maker. He received his papers but found prejudice kept him out of the good jobs. His dark, half-caste skin closed doors. In a strange way this worked for him. When Scotland and northern England did not want him, he looked further afield and found that his skills opened up the opportunity to emigrate to the US. He settled in New Jersey and quickly found work. Dad never fully lost his Scottish accent, but the twang of his accent seemed to help in his advancement. Maybe a bit of the brogue rubbed off on me?"

Glen sipped finished the remainder of his coffee before continuing. "My dad continued the habits he established when he was an apprentice and continued study at night at a local community college. He was wise enough to know that education and knowledge were important. He eventually found himself on the cutting edge of numerically controlled die-cutting. Don't ask me to explain that. This knowledge gave him the opportunity for advancement. Eventually he found a job in the Mid-west at a big agricultural manufacturer at twice the wage he had previously received."

"A year after the move west Dad married Mom -- she was a raw-boned farmer's daughter who worked as a secretary to one of the bosses at the firm. Norwegian ancestry. She wasn't quite as tall as Dad, but closely matched his six feet in height. Mom's family was suspicious and anxious about her marrying a Creole boy. They were good people though, and over the years they accepted him as one of their own. Dad was always kind and gentle, brought home a very good wage, and produced two children -- my sister, Daisy, and me. We both have faces that are more European in character than our African roots and we were light skinned, as you can see. Hey, the blue-grey eyes helped too."

Jan jumped in, "You've the color skin everyone should have. Mocha. Mahogany. Magnificent."

"Thank you, ma'am. Anyway, to continue. Football became my obsession from an early age. I was always the biggest kid in my grade. Without trying to brag, I could throw the football further than all the others and became the go-to quarterback with all the teams I played for. I garnered attention at high school when the team won a state championship. I was awarded a full football scholarship to attend Rice. Academically I also did OK. Managed to stay in the upper third of my classes in high school and managed to do the same at university even though Human Biometrics was not a soft option." Glen was on a roll, and found he enjoyed introducing himself to Jan who looked raptly at his face as he spoke.

"In the first game of my final year at university I was selected as the university's team quarterback. My frigging offensive line had not gelled well, and I was sacked hard four times in the first quarter. The last sack knocked me out completely. Only time I've seen stars in the daytime."

"When I recovered in time for the next game, the coaches pressed me to play, but a great doctor laid it out for me in stark terms: one more hit like that and you may well become a simpleton for the rest of your life. I did the toughest thing I have done in my life. The whole issue of concussion was only just beginning to be recognized at that time. I gave up playing football. The same week I walked away from the football field I met Josie. At the end of the year I graduated with a good degree."

"Josie and I married two weeks after graduation. Josie quickly found a job in her field, corporate communications. I attended teachers' college. When I qualified, we moved back to my old hometown. I returned to my old high school to much fanfare as the physical education instructor and football coach. Josie quickly found a new job locally. We decided to hold off having a family for a few years."

"After five years, with the high school team regaining the state championship under my coaching, and Josie receiving regular promotions, all seemed good to me. The only hitch was that the increased responsibilities of Josie's job involved more and more travel."

Glen's eyes looked off into space, "One day almost seven years to the day after we married, Josie announced, quite out of the blue, that she was leaving me to go with her boss and planned to eventually marry him once we were divorced. As you may imagine I was devastated. We discussed how we could avoid the breakup, but Josie's mind was so clearly made up. I knew that she was gone from my life, although that took time to really sink in. After months of heart-rending agony, I agreed to a divorce. We parted on reasonably amicable terms."

Jan reached over and took Glen's hand in hers. "Any regrets?"

"Mainly over it now. The occasional reminder happens when I'm in a mall and pass a shoe shop. Josie had a fetish for shoes. She must have accumulated well over thirty pairs. No. I'm good."

Glen's faraway look belied his words. He continued. "About a year after the divorce, I received an offer from the school in town here, at considerably more pay, and with more time on coaching. I took the job and moved here. That's me in a nutshell."

"I'm not sure what to say. Like all of us you've had your fair share of hurt." Jan leant into her lover and stroked his brow.

"Glen, I have to go out later this morning. Let's have a leisurely fuck. Missionary for a bit of variety." Jan grinned as she stripped off her long tee shirt.

They kissed like lovers and slowly caressed each other before Glen moved on top of Jan and fucked her slowly and with great attention.

They lay silent for a full five minutes with Jan's head on Glen's chest, his arm around her.

"Glen, this has been wonderful. I have something to tell you. When I went down this morning to make breakfast, I checked the mail as I waited for the coffee to percolate. There was brief letter from my fiancé with a first-class airplane ticket to Paris, France for next Thursday. The note is a bit cryptic. He's either going to call our engagement off, have a rapid marriage, or just give me a good holiday. I'll just have to wait and see."

Glen could not resist making a comment. "I don't expect you'll be sharing your recent experiences with him."

"Of course not, silly. This is just between us two. Once married I will be much more circumspect as to my favors. As it happens, last night was maybe a just-in-time, mind-blowing conclusion of an era. On the other hand, it may have been simply an interlude to be resumed. We'll see."

"I must get ready soon. I have an annual commitment at the church for next Saturday that I am going to have to renege on. It's their annual fund-raising event. I organize and look after a stand there. I have to meet the vicar's wife, Wendy, at eleven this morning to see if they can find someone to take over from me at such short notice. All the advance work is done just the management of the stall is needed."

"Can I help?"

"That's a generous offer. I suspect Wendy would prefer to have one of their congregation do the job, but I'll mention your offer and hopefully get back to you before I leave. By the way, you'd like Wendy. She's gorgeous and kind. Like you."

"Time for you to leave, lover."

They disentangled. With brief peck on Jan's lips Glen rose and dressed. Jan was in the shower once more as he left.

Chapter 3

A Helping Hand

Three days later, Glen had just completed the bottom to top clean of his condo, which he sadly neglected as the end-of-term pressure had mounted, when the phone rang. It was Jan.

"Are you free in an hour?"

"Sure, If I can make myself stop housecleaning. What's up?"

"The church couldn't find anyone to take my place at the fundraising bazaar. Wendy wondered if you stood by your offer. Do you?"

"Of course. Sounds interesting and I haven't yet decided what I am going to do this summer."

"Meet me at St. Simon's church in an hour? I'll introduce you to Wendy and sort out what's needed. OK? Oh, by the way, I gave Wendy a verbal thumbnail version of the bio you gave me. Hope that was no problem."

"No problem. I'll see you in sixty. Bye."

Glen only lived about a ten-minute drive from St. Simon's. This gave him a chance to shower and iron a white summer shirt to go with Bermuda shorts and high socks.

Jan met him in the car park. He gave her a friendly hug with a subtle extra squeeze as they parted.

She smiled widely, "That's my boy. Let's go meet the Mistress of Ceremonies."

"As a minister's wife let's hope that's all she's a mistress of."

"Naughty, naughty. Behave."

They moved inside to the office and met Wendy Durant. After the hard time Jan had given him about being clueless, he really studied Wendy and quickly took in her appearance.

Glen saw a tall woman, at six feet in fairly low-heeled shoes. He reckoned five ten actual height. She carried her floral, sleeveless summer dress with considerable poise in her upright stance. Her narrow waist was emphasized with a tight wide belt. The pinch of the belt also enhanced her bust line as it stood proud. Her dirty blonde hair was bunched high on her head. The hemline of the dress sat just below her knees and she wore totally inappropriate frilly ankle socks inside her red pumps. He could not judge her legs or her ankles. There was a strangely retro look to the woman which Glen found both reassuring and attractive.

Glen caught Wendy doing a reciprocal, subtle assessment of his appearance.

After formal introductions were made, Wendy took over.

Looking at Glen in the eyes with a soft smile she spoke. "It is very good of you to step in for Jan. I expect you'll want to know what's involved. It's not too onerous. We'd like you here by seven on Saturday morning to set things up. Looking at you we might even get you to do some of the heavy lifting on more than just your stand. We'll see how it goes. Any questions so far?"

"Two things: parking. Any special place your parking lot? Second, dress code?"

"Park right at the back if you would, please. Sharp shirt like the one you are wearing, and maybe long trousers. Can't have the ladies swooning over your knees." Wendy gave a delightful giggle.

"Got it. Now what's the stall all about? And what do I have to do?"

"First off you must bear in mind this is our major fundraiser of the year for the church. The forty-first year the church has done this. We've done it enough times to know how to pull it off. We have about thirty stations set up in the great room below the church to sell stuff. Great cakes, cookies, homemade jams, honey, wood carvings, all sorts of craft things, mainly done and donated by our talented parishioners and local artists. That's the general scheme of things." Wendy paused.

"As far as you are concerned, we have one unique stall that has sealed boxes each containing ten items donated by congregation members. This is the stall you will oversee. People buy the boxes blind -- they have no idea what is in them. There is a silent auction that closes half an hour before the end of the bazaar. Most of the boxes are well-decorated to attract attention and higher bids. Some of these boxes are really heavy. Your obvious strength will come in very handy. I think that covers it."

"Doesn't sound too complicated. Will you have time to run over the bidding cards and the process again on Saturday morning?"

Jan jumped in. "I've done this for the last five years. It's even easier than it sounds. You'll cope just fine."

"I will show you the bidding cards now, and we can do a dry run. I have no idea what crises I will have to cope with on Saturday morning."

They went through the process twice before wrapping it up. Wendy gave Glen her card with the phone number and then asked for and wrote down Glen's phone number, "in case of problems."

As they parted, Wendy held Glen's handshake longer than necessary. Looking him directly in the eyes she thanked Glen profusely.

As an afterthought Wendy added, "Maybe we can persuade you to join our congregation."

She caught the cloud pass over Glen's eyes as he questioned in his mind if he had been set up. She backpedaled, "Of course that is just a thought, and totally unconnected to your generous help."

As they walked to their cars Jan sensed that Wendy's last statement had upset him.

"Glen, this was not a setup. Wendy overstepped the mark with her ham-fisted attempt to recruit you for the church. I just think she'd like to see you again after the bazaar is over."

"Really? Why would she do that?"

"Being clueless again."

"She's the minister's wife."

"She's human. I bet she gets horny like the rest of us."

"OK. I'll buy it for now." He shook his head at his ignorance of how the female mind worked.

Jan chewed her lip for a moment. "Glen can I have your email address? If I want to contact you, I don't want to use the school's email. I'm sure it gets monitored."

"I have a Gmail account." Glen gave her the details that she entered directly into her cell phone. He also told her his phone number.

They hugged. "See you in four weeks. Have fun in Europe."

"I could be home much earlier. I'll let you know what's happening. And you have fun too. Don't behave yourself too much. Bye." Jan turned towards her car and did not look back. She gave a cursory wave from the window as she drove out.

****

Glen arrived at St, Simon's at ten to seven on Saturday morning to find he was the sixth car to arrive at the back end of the parking lot. Keen he thought.

He saw Wendy as he came in and waved. She gave a small wave back and continued with what she was doing. Glen took in her deep blue dress pants and white cotton blouse. Glen was surprised she had chosen high heels, but they did give extra height and he supposed apparent authority.

He helped set up the tables and was directed to the location of his station. Using a dolly, Glen brought the thirty donated boxes of all shapes and sizes from a storage room to his table. Wendy was right, some were heavy, whilst others seemed as though they had very little in them.

Glen was rather proud of the way he arranged the boxes in color schemes reflecting the way the boxes were wrapped. Only three were without any outside decoration. One was huge, which sat on the floor to one side of the table, and the other two looked rather orphaned at the extreme other end.

He asked and was given some balloons that he inflated and tied to some of the boxes, once more following the color scheme he had created. It livened the table up to make it look more attractive.

It took longer than he thought to label the boxes with numbers and set out the bidding cards, finishing only minutes before the doors opened.

The crowd proved to be much larger than Glen expected. He concluded it had become a go-to event over the years. He had been able to make a quick tour of the room and saw that much of the craft and food was of very high quality.

Glen was surprised to find that he was enjoying himself. The crowds were friendly, with quite a number recognizing him as the high school phys-ed teacher. Many came up to just chat only to find Glen had talked them into making a bid. Most of the boxes attracted a lot of increasing large bids, but by the end of the day two small plain cardboard boxes numbered thirteen and twenty-seven were left without attracting any attention. Both had ten-dollar minimum bids.

One of his fellow teachers bought number twenty-seven and left number thirteen. Glen bought the remaining rather shabby item and cleared the table. He raised seven hundred and forty dollars. It felt good. The church minister, John Durant came up to thank him. A haggard-looking Wendy also came and thanked him profusely for the highest sum ever raised by that table and expressed surprise that no boxes remained unsold. A few asked whether they would see him at church the following day. He politely declined.

Glen went home to his condo clutching his box. He was surprised to find he was quite tired. "You're out of shape," he told himself before going to sleep in his comfy chair. When he awoke, he pulled out his laptop to check his email for messages. He laughed at the Viagra spam. Along with all the other unwanted emails he had a mass delete. Moving to the kitchen made himself supper, had a bath and went straight to bed thinking of Jan. He had not heard from her and had no way of contacting her.

After breakfast Glen sat looking at the sad brown cardboard box that he had left sitting on the kitchen table. The box showed signs of having a rough history. Areas of its outer skin had been ripped off along with the labels that once told some of its story. The dented corners spoke to its mistreatment. Three different types of tape sealed the flaps and kept the box from bursting open.

Using a kitchen knife Glen opened the top of the box. The first thing he found was a Bugs Bunny table lamp. He screwed a bulb in it and found the lamp worked just fine. He had a spot for the lamp in his workroom. Next came out an unopened jar of dried rosemary. He undid the lid and sniffed it. He could use that. Then came a paperback about Napoleon, a pair of tweezers, a toilet roll, a somewhat-faded second-hand linen dishtowel, an old slightly bent Phillips head screwdriver, another book - Pride and Prejudice, a condom still in its sealed foil, and finally, at the bottom, a thick sheaf of papers clipped together.

Glen spread all the items out on the table. He looked for a pattern and could discern nothing. He saw just some random things that once cluttered someone's house. He stacked the screwdriver, used dishtowel and the two books to one side for disposal. The rest -- the lamp, the tweezers, toilet paper and rosemary he could use. He held the condom up to the light and even though he could not see any pinholes threw it straight into the garbage.

He flicked through the sheaf of papers noting that there were, in fact, six separate stapled groups of papers, each with a heading. Glen organized them into alphabetical order; Andrea, Ava, For Art's Sake, Jim, Helga and Hans, and Sara. He placed them on the side table by his comfy chair without really looking at them.

Chapter 4

A Pleasing Surprise

Later that day Glen sat down after supper to read the stories the box had offered up expecting a bunch of morality tales. Within a few minutes of starting into the first story he was gob smacked. After reading all of the first story, he read random samples of the remaining stories. There seemed to be an erotic theme to all of them.