Chapter 5: Meggy

All was quite business as usual for a few weeks just trying to keep my investments and other projects in line. The only thing close to a job was my work in real estate, but being an independent I could work when and where I liked, but I kept a “soft of” schedule with that. One night I got home and my wife was at the door waiting for me, scowl on her face.

“Who is Meggy? Why is she calling here for you? She says you left her reminder behind. How long have you been seeing her?” She demanded.

She caught me off guard and I truly had no idea what or who she was talking about. My dumbfounded look must have made me look guilty, and to be truthful, I was shocked that she took such care.

“Dory, I truly have no idea who this person is, or why they called. I DO NOT have a girlfriend!” I insisted.

“She sounded like a young girl on her message. I hope she knows you could be her father, or maybe grandfather. Is she why you get the fancy haircuts with the squared off back and all that? I see your eyebrows trimmed. Do you suppose she knows you use that stuff to darken your hair? End this right now!”

I was sort of amazed that Dory even noticed I had been seeing a stylist, not a barber anymore. Larry Chisholm, a real estate friend, brought me to his girl to show me how good she could make me look after I complimented him on his haircut.

Dory ranted and raved for another 20 minutes about keeping girlfriends and spending money on another woman while I could barely get a word in. Finally I was able to get on top of the conversation and say, “I don’t have a girlfriend, but with the amount of intimacy I get in this house, who would blame me?”

She stood stunned and stared at me. “Do you think we’re still 25 and can frolic in the bedroom? We got old and lost interest, our bodies changed!”

“Who lost interest? Not me,” I said. “I’ve tried to get close to you for a long time. I’m still interested Dory. I love you. Yes, we have changed, but all the parts still work.”

“Don’t be silly Alex. I talk to our friends and they are just like us.”

“Dory, we’re in our fifties. Men and women remain sexually active into their 70’s, even if it’s just masturbation. Don’t you know you turn me on enough to want to masturbate? Even if you just watched.” I insisted.

“That’s sick, Alex. We’ve gained 40 pounds between us since we turned 40. Our bodies don’t look like anything anyone would like to fuck, or even touch.” She said walking away, but then she turned back to say, “If you think another woman would be interested enough to sleep with you, she hasn’t much taste. Come to bed you crazy old man.”

Now I see myself in the mirror when I shower and I don’t think I look that bad. Yes, I’m a bit pudgy around the middle, but my butt doesn’t sag, I don’t have man-boobs, and my arms and shoulders still show some muscle. Dory has a pot belly, but still looks good from the back, and she’s always had great tits. She still looks great when she dresses right.

So, off to bed I went and tried to move to Dory’s side with some gentle sexy talk, but she was not hearing any of it.

I began to drift off to sleep when suddenly I remembered who Meggy was, the girl who cuts my hair. She gave me an appointment card because I told her I didn’t put things in my phone, too complicated. I must have left it there. I was going to nudge Dory and tell her, but, screw it. Let her think what she likes.

I made my rounds the rest of that week, calling on my medical supply customers, financial guy, seeing Eli (and Lainey – no after thoughts or regrets from either of us) and I spent time at the real estate office trying to match customers to potential houses. While at the office I saw Larry Chisholm and it reminded me to cross the street to the Man Cave Salon and get the appointment card from Meggy.

She saw me come in and she jumped up, “Oh I got you in trouble, didn’t I. Your wife or girlfriend thought I was after you, or something. She didn’t give me a chance to explain.”

She fumbled through a drawer and produced an appointment card for me.

“Here is your reminder. I should be so lucky to have a handsome guy like you interested in me.” She said cutely.

“Oh please, Meggy. What do you want from an old guy like me?” I asked.

“Respect, politeness, and a lot of other things the men my age don’t have. Plus, you guys know what you’re doing with a woman.”

I shook my disbelieving head and turned to walk out when she got her last words in.

“Being choked and slapped isn’t what I call a good time. I don’t have time to build a relationship right now between this place and my son. I just want to feel like a woman every once in a while.”

“Are you throwing me a line? I could be your father.” I said with a chuckle.

“I saw the way you looked at me, checked me out. There are mirrors all over here. You’re handsome, confident, and you take care of yourself. I get guys in here who pinch my ass, paw my tits, and try to look down my blouse. You acted differently, and I saw you had thoughts about me, in the mirror with your eyes, and in your pants when you would adjust things.”

I kept a blank stare on her as she finished her proposal of sorts and continued out the door, but not before hearing, “My number is on the back of the card if you ever need anything.”

I flipped the appointment card over as I walked back across the street.

“555-0009, outside salon hours.”

Was this happening to me? Did I have something women want? Why didn’t Dory feel this way? I mean I had been picked up, propositioned and targeted by 3 women in the last 3 or 4 months. Now this gal, Meggy, was hinting, almost blatantly, the same to me.

I went back into the real estate office and Larry said. “That was quick, was she busy? I could just go over and watch her work, if she would let me.”

“Oh, I was just making an appointment, actually just confirming the one I made with her. I forgot the date.” I said casually.

“She’s a little hottie,” Larry said, “She had a guy she lived with, they had a kid, and he split. Too bad, she’s a nice gal. Her son, Toby, is 3 or 4 and is her pride and joy. But, it keeps serious guys away from her. Imagine, a cutie like her, and guys stay away when they hear about the kid.”

“How old is she?” I wondered.

“She’s 24, the kid stays with her Mom while she works, except Saturdays when she has to bring him in with her. That’s why she has a problem renting a booth out, and also that she wants to cater to just men. She’s overbooked a lot.”

I was in and out a few times during the day and each time I came back Meggy was sitting out in front of her salon and she waved to me with a smile. She was definitely scouting me out.

I wrapped up my sales day, even moving two houses to a bid stage, and Larry and I closed up. As soon as Larry pulled out of the lot I was putting my car in gear and a car pulled in next to me. I looked and it was Meggy. She rolled down her window.

“Want to stop for a drink, it’s been a long day and I could use one? My Mom took Toby to a movie, so I’m free until 8 or so.”

I sat and thought for a minute and held up a hand to show her to wait a moment. I called Dory: “Honey, I’ve got a showing for 6:30 across town so don’t hold dinner, OK?” She said “Sure, no plans.”

I nodded to Meggy and she said “Follow me.”

She pulled out of the lot and drove just down to the 1st corner to Kellys Irish Pub, a place I was familiar with. She got out and we went in.

We sat in a corner I got her a Pina Colada and Scotch neat for me.

Before I even took a sip, she leaned up on her elbows a bit and spoke in a low tone, just for me. “I don’t proposition men as a practice, it’s just that the ones who hit on me are not the guys I want to be with. They want an easy roll in the hay and could care less about me. I want to be taken care of and treated like a woman. I’m not shopping for a Daddy for my son. The right guy may come along eventually, but I have to think of Toby. In the meantime, I have to feel like a woman sometimes.”

“So, why am I such a prize?” I said with a self deprecating chuckle.

“I think you’re sexy, you take care of yourself. You’re married, you won’t chase me around, you have more sense, and you’ll treat me like a woman. I can tell.” She said, convincing even me.

“Uh, your place?” I asked nervously.

“So, . . . . you want me?”

“What man wouldn’t, Meggy? You are an incredible looking woman, not mention you work hard to take care of your son and that makes you a good Mommy. You own your own business to control your own destiny. Men should be lined up at your door.”

“If only I could find men who think like you. . . . . . and NO not my place, my Mom will end up there. I have a girlfriend who lets me use her place, she’s out of town a lot. I sort of keep an eye on her condo. It’s close by. She used to have a chair in my place. She sells HBA for independent shops like mine.”

“OK, it’s your call. You’re sure you want this to happen?”

“Let’s finish our drinks and go, . . separate cars. Go right down Hiawatha to the light, turn right and pull into the first drive, 300 Euclid, number 16. Just follow me.”

She was nonchalant enough for me to think she had done this before. I still couldn’t figure why a 24 year old “hottie” would want ME. The thought of sex with me made my wife sick, yet here I was about to get “picked up” for the 3rd time in 6 months or so. When I was eligible many years ago, I never had a problem getting laid. But I was young and handsome and a, sort of, famous local athlete. Now my wife acted like I was aberrant. Maybe that was a strong word, she’s affectionate and always makes it obvious she loves me, but . . . . any hint of my wanting intimate relations and she’s running the other way. Maybe it’s “the change”, but it’s clearly a mindset that we are too old for such things. Clearly from the women I had been with in this “cheating” phase, I still had it, and damn it, I was going to use it.

We were off in a few minutes and I followed her to a turn off and gated area. She put some sort of code in the reader and the gate opened for both of us to pass and she pulled into a spot numbered 16 and at the end of that line of numbered slots were two slots designated as “guest”. I followed her up the steps and into #16. It was a nicely furnished condo and she showed me in and asked me to sit, pointing to a sofa, as she turned on the A/C, ran some water and flushed the toilets, and seemed to check on a few plants. I was growing wary that she may have had second thoughts, she seemed to be stalling. She came to the corner of the kitchen cut-out and reached for a key.

“Let me check her mail box, and I’ll be right back. This will be my weekly check up.” She said seeming to impatiently hurry.

She was back in a flash with a handful of letters and store ads. She set them in a basket on the dining table and came to stand right in front of me.

“Hi handsome, don’t think I’m a tease, but I promised to take care of things for her. She knows I use this place for uh . . fun.”

She extended her hands wanting me to stand up and she put her arms around me and snuggled her head into the crux of my neck.