Chapter 1

I was already waiting at a table halfway down the side of the bar when Linda came in. I recognized her by the striped cotton blouse she'd said she would be wearing. I stood and smiled and she came over.

"Hi, Linda" I said. She looked at me and smiled back, but I could tell she was nervous. Considering that we'd never met in person, that was understandable.

"Hi, Alan," she said, using the name I had given her. "You don't look anything like I imagined." That was the Linda I knew from her e-mails, direct as hell.

"Nor you," I told her. "For some reason, I thought you might be... taller."

In fact, one of the possibilities I had considered was that she might turn out to be overweight and homely, but I wasn't going to say that. Linda was just the least bit plump, but I've never minded that. On the contrary, in my experience, painfully thin women were literally that. I considered her nicely proportioned. She was small, maybe 5'5" and, to my surprise, prettier than average. She had brown hair and brown eyes behind glasses.

I held her chair as she sat down. "I'm sure you expected a fatty," she said, watching my eyes.

"I really had no expectations," I said, which was true. I had considered possibilities but had intentionally not arrived at even a best guess. "I told you, part of the fun is that we committed to this sight unseen. I was prepared to accept almost anyone. It's nice that you're attractive."

I'm reasonably good-looking, I guess -- not a hunk by any stretch of the imagination, but not bad. I'm six feet tall and a little thicker around the middle than I'd like to be, but not enough to call me overweight. My hair's brown going gray and my eyes are hazel, if you can see the color through my gold-rimmed glasses. I used to have a lot of red in my beard, but it went gray in my late thirties, and my goatee is almost white at the bottom now.

I asked, "What did you think I'd look like?"

"Older. You said you were 55, but you don't look it. I was expecting a granddad."

Linda, we had established in our e-mails, was just shy of 22. Several weeks before, she had written a note in response to one of my stories, and we had chatted back and forth since then.

I've lost Linda's first note, but I remember it. She mentioned a story I had recently posted in which an older man had initiated a teenage girl. In the endnote, I had referred to another of my stories involving an older woman and a teenage boy. She asked if I would send her a copy, since she was thinking about breaking in a 16- year-old boy. She signed herself "CrazyLady," but her address showed her name as Linda.

Well, I don't mail stories to people I don't know on general principles, but I wrote back explaining how to find it on DejaNews. I ended my note with a postscript:

> PS And what about OLDER men?

She wrote back:

 > Older men?
 > *laugh*
 > if you think you could handle me....
 > 
 > Crazy

So I sent back this response:

 > Oh, I could probably HANDLE you all right. I'm not 
 > entirely sure I could keep up with you, though. 

 > So what's the craziest thing you've ever done? I once 
 > took part in a three-way with my brother and his 
 > wife, who was my ex-girl, on acid. 

She wrote:

 > craziest thing Ive ever done eh?
 > *laugh*
 > only thing I ever did on acid was...play sonic the
 > hedgehog. I did have a group thing with 3 guys on pot
 > though...
 >
 > *smile* whats your purity score?
 >
 > I'm at 29% but I still have a huge to-do list.
 >
 > And I love anal sex, you did a very good write up on
 > it. Only thing you didnt mention, I LOVE playing with
 > my vibrator on my pussy while getting it up the ass. 
 > Im sure that would drive most any woman wild.
 >
 > I've never done a group thing with another man and
 > another woman, but I want to. A girlfriend of mine
 > and I got drunk one night and decided we wanted to 
 > see what it was like, going down on another woman.
 > *laugh*
 > so, done that. 

I was enjoying this. Understand, at this point I had no thought we'd ever get together. My favorite correspondent, for example, is an Australian woman, and chances are slim that we'll ever meet. So I was just having fun with a slightly wicked conversation, and I wrote back:

 > Well, darlin', I don't know what my purity score is. 
 > I saw the test(s) a while ago, but as I remember 
 > there were a bunch of different ones. In any case, 
 > that was on my computer at work and I'm no longer 
 > working there, so... If you can send or point me at 
 > the same one you're using, I'll tell the truth. (I 
 > always tell the truth.)
 >
 > I'm not too terribly pure. At my age, if I haven't 
 > done it, it's because I didn't want to, couldn't 
 > afford it or haven't heard of it. I suppose there are 
 > a few things I never had the opportunity to try.
 >
 > Never been seriously tempted by the gay thing, and I 
 > don't much like pain. Play rape is something else, of 
 > course, and a high percentage of women seem to like 
 > it. Something about, politics aside, a built-in 
 > response to dominance, I suspect. Plus, that way they 
 > can get things done to them that they don't have to 
 > *agree* to. I've been tied up myself but didn't enjoy 
 > that as much (not that I didn't enjoy it), probably 
 > because my partner wasn't that inventive once she got 
 > me tied up.
 >
 > You're exactly right about combining a vibrator with 
 > anal sex, and I'm amazed to realize I've never put 
 > that in a story. (Hmmm...) If she slides it in, it 
 > works for both partners, if making the guy blow it 
 > *way* too soon can be considered working. Have you 
 > ever tried a real vibrator as opposed to a dildo-
 > vibe? I mean one of those heavy-duty plug-in kinds 
 > not meant to be inserted. The vibrations are several 
 > times as strong and *very* effective.

> Out of curiosity, where are you? I'm in Los Angeles.

She wrote:

 > *laugh*
 > ohmy, well, seeing that you're local I better be 
 > careful, eh? I usually tell people Im in Los Angeles, but
 > since you live here you prolly know the area. I live
 > in Pasadena. I'm a CIS major at CSLA. I have another 2
 > years till I graduate and make my fortune. *grin* 
 > Yes I figured out how to use deja news. I had never
 > been to the site and didnt know of it. I'm a bit of a
 > linux fanatic. Its sort of a joke between my friends
 > and I. No, sex isnt the only thing on my mind, I
 > think of computers just as much. And if my computer
 > had the proper periphrials, I'd probably marry it
 > *evil grin* So 'by your age', exactly how old are
 > you? And you mentioned cheating on your wife in the
 > 'learning the ropes' story, are you still married? 
 >
 > http://www.nmt.edu/~kscott/purity/
 > thats a site you can go to and do an online version 
 > of the purity test. The 500 question one is usually
 > considered standard. 
 >
 > I will agree with you, most women like to be
 > dominated. But I enjoy doing the dominate thing too
 > sometimes. One of my fav experiences with that was
 > with my ex-boyfriend. I handcuffed him down
 > and then masturbated with my vibrator (handheld one, 
 > no Ive never used plugin) right up on his chest, so 
 > he could see me, and watch me, but couldnt touch me 
 > or lick me....and came on his chest. 
 > That was fun *smile*. 

Pasadena? I couldn't believe it! I was in the adjacent suburb. I told her:

 > Don't throw a rock, you might hit me. I'm in South Pasadena 
 > - well actually just south of it.  I'm staying with friends
 > while, to answer another question, my divorce gets settled. 
 > And while I wait to get re-employed in the computer 
 > biz, which I've been in nearly as long as you've been 
 > alive.
 > 
 > I'm 55, or will be in less than a month, which makes 
 > me as I calculate it almost precisely 2.5 times older 
 > than you. I can see your face sagging and your jaw 
 > dropping. (Shit, a *really* old fart!) Well, that's 
 > the way it is. I've tried getting younger, but it 
 > doesn't work. So I'm too old for you. (You like 
 > younger guys, remember?)
 > 
 > This has been my third and last marriage. It lasted a 
 > little over 10 years, which was a record. For some 
 > reason I (obviously) don't understand, I pick the 
 > wrong women. Either that, or all the good ones are 
 > taken. As for the reference to cheating on my wife in 
 > the note on 'Learning the Ropes,' that was my first 
 > wife and the only time I ever did that. Really. I 
 > played around quite a bit between marriages but 
 > played it straight within them. I think I feel a 
 > 'play around' phase coming. I'll ride it out until 
 > the equiment fails.
 > 
 > That was very naughty of you to masturbate on your 
 > boyfriend's chest and not let him play. I hope you 
 > made it up to him later.
 >
 > Next session on line, I'll check out the purity test.
 >
 > Tomorrow, however, I have to prep for a session with 
 > soon-to-be ex and her lawyer. Brrrrr.
 > 
 > PS  I took the purity test and only scored 50%.  That's
 > scary.  You've been a very naughty girl.

I waited impatiently for her next e-mail. This was beginning to get interesting. She wrote:

 > South Pas, eh? Thats kinda cool. Most of the people I
 > talk to on the internet live no where near me. And no
 > my jaw didnt drop when you said you were 55. I
 > thought it was kind of funny. Just cause you dont
 > 'act' like your 55. Or how society says a 55 year old
 > man is suppose to act. Its not that your to old for
 > me, its that Im to young for you. And Im sure you've
 > heard this before, but age is just a number. One of my
 > best friends is 40 and if she doesnt mind having a
 > friend who is half her age, why should you. *evil
 > grin* 
 > So tell me, do you feel guilty at all having casual
 > sex? Ive had sex with someone the first day I met him
 > once, really liked him and it blew up in my face. 
 > Other than that, never really have. *smile* but
 > sometimes I get so horny I just wanna go throw myself
 > at someone. 
 > anyways, about me being nauty, my ex didnt seem to
 > mind at the time. And I made sure I tasted him well
 > before it was over *licks her lips* Most of my sexual
 > experience was when I was with him. He was my first. 
 > I lived with him for a year and never EVER once wasnt
 > in the mood *evil grin*
 > Im sorry things didnt work out with your wife and
 > stuff. Ive never been married so cant really relate.
 > But Im sure it must be an awful experience. 

 > So if you had one night to make my dreams come true,
 > what would you do? (besides lose a few purity points,
 > haha, maybe I need to teach YOU a few things)

 > talk with ya later

Oh, boy. Can you picture me rubbing my hands together? One night to make her dream come true? Hmmm...

 > No, casual sex doesn't make me feel the least bit 
 > guilty. I have little use for guilt. Some of my 
 > favorite episodes have involved sex at the first 
 > meeting, although it wasn't exactly 'casual.' I don't 
 > regret any of them.
 >
 > If I had one night with you, I would give you a night 
 > you would still remember when you're old and gray. I 
 > would kiss and touch and lick you all over and fuck 
 > you every way possible until you came long and hard. 
 > That's the least I would do. There would be other 
 > things, of course, but I'll let you anticipate them.
 > 
 > What would you do for me? Would you devote yourself 
 > equally to my pleasure? Would you trust me enough to 
 > give yourself over to me completely for one night, 
 > letting go of all inhibitions, opening yourself to 
 > me? This is easier to say than to do, but it is what 
 > I would expect of you.
 > 
 > Does the thought make you wet? Let's see how brave 
 > you are.
 >
 > At the end of this note is a list from the purity 
 > test. Some are things I haven't done; others are 
 > things I might like to do again with you. I haven't 
 > bothered to include most of the obvious ones. Copy 
 > the list, delete anything you're unwilling to do, and 
 > send it back. You can add things from the test if 
 > they're not on the list. Not all of these will 
 > happen, of course. Just be sure there's nothing on 
 > the list you send back that you won't do.
 >
 > You can ask questions. You can set limits if you 
 > think you need to, and I'll respect them. You can 
 > trust me not to harm you and to practice safe sex. I 
 > may play-act sometimes, I might challenge you a 
 > little, but I'll stop if there's anything you really
 > don't like.  Otherwise, I'll expect you to be mine for
 > the night. 
 >
 > We won't meet until then. You'll have to commit, 
 > sight unseen, as I'm doing. We'll talk by mail, 
 > perhaps even on the phone, but we'll meet as 
 > strangers. Of course, I'll know you intimately by the 
 > time we part. But you won't know my full name, I 
 > won't know yours, and we'll probably never see each 
 > other again.

I checked my e-mail twice a day for the next two days. Nothing. On the third day, on the second check, there was mail from Linda. My heart was racing as I opened it. I knew I had taken a big chance. Would she bite?

She had sent back the list unchanged. At the end was a note.

 > You decide.  Can you meet me at Jack and Jills on Saturday, 
 > 7 pm.  Ill wear my striped cotton shirt.

I confirmed the date and time and started making plans.

So, here we were, meeting for the first time at a wine and coffee bar. We had come to knock at least three items off our respective purity test scores -- sex with someone whose name you didn't know, sex with someone at least 20 years younger or older, and sex with someone just to reduce your score. Anything else was gravy. There was, of course, the unstated possibility that either of us might call it off. But I could tell from the way Linda looked at me -- a mixture of relief and excitement -- that we were already past that. If I didn't blow it, it was going to happen.

I had been thinking about what I wanted to do with Linda since she had first raised the question. What would I do if I had one night to make her dreams come true? It wasn't the kind of question that came up in the usual kind of relationship. Oh, you might speculate whether you'd make love on the first date, but not much beyond that. Further explorations might follow, but they could wait.

This was entirely different. In this case, making love was a given unless one of us bailed out, but I had promised a night she would remember. To do so, I figured, I'd have to press the envelope a little, but not too much.

The truth is, I'm not particularly kinky. Oral sex is pretty standard, in time if not at first. I like anal sex, if the partner is willing, and Linda was already on record on that subject. What else could I do? I had consulted the purity test and made my plans, hoping I could carry it off.

A waitress was hovering.

"Would you like a glass of wine, or would you prefer coffee?"

"Wine seems more like it, don't you think?"

"Yes, indeed. White?"

"Sure."

I ordered two glasses of Chardonnay.

"I have to confess," I said after the waitress left, "that I've never done anything like this."