Chapter 31: Trainees

MEL

I read the nine letters resulting from my talking to Sarah’s two summer sociology classes – a combination of two classes, one undergrad and one graduate. Four were from men and five from women in the class.

I carefully read each letter and made notes about comments that I wanted to make back to them. A few had asked questions.

The letters had a number of common themes, besides explaining each person’s personal situation:

• Deep need to love and be loved • Wish to be close to a group of other socially-minded friends (both sexes) • Feel that sex with others is an important necessity • Believes that sex is vital part of most relationships • Wish for intellectual stimulation from a variety of partners • Hope to find soul mates – people that think like me • Belief in karma, and desire to participate in positive way • Sees self as rebel, non-conformist, • Thinks out of the box • Active in helping others succeed • Don’t believe in double-standard for men and women • Embraces the idea of compersion

Those were most of the major common points. I was impressed, also with the apparent ease with which each writer addressed the sex issue. Many could have avoided it all-together, let alone write paragraphs about it.

There were such common threads, even in the backgrounds of some students, that the obvious answer was hard to dismiss: these people should form their own group. They wanted into our group, but we were already at seventeen, and several of our dear friends had started to talk about capping the group sometime soon if not immediately.

Saturday morning at our usual coffee club, I talked about the letters I’d gotten from Sarah’s students, and my idea to help them form their own group. The teens in our group (Cindy, Trish, Wendy) immediately volunteered to help. Wendy was in the class, and as a group they knew a few others who’d written.

Of course, the issue about how to get them started with the sex component of a new group got raised by Lisa. Mandy, our newest member, suggested that we lead by example. She said, “Why not bring them two at a time to our group, see how they do, and let them fuck their dear little organs right into the night. In a month, you’d have done everyone and it would be time to get them together in their own formation. Maybe you and Dave join in, even with a couple of us. I’m sure that Neal would love to get some co-ed pussy.” She laughed.

There were variations on that theme suggested, and those became the blueprint for what I would do. I enlisted Dave that afternoon. He was a little skittish, but after reading a couple of the letters, he was convinced.

I reached out immediately to two of the students that had both sent a picture of themselves and given me their phone number. I invited them to the coming evening cocktail, dinner, and ‘whatever’ party. I emphasized that neither should feel that they had to stay for the sexual activities where we celebrated our relationships, and didn’t ask for a commitment one way or the other. I did say they could watch, if that was all they wanted to do.

Dave texted the men in our group that we’d have a couple of students joining us, so to enjoy the new company, but be sensitive to the newbies.

At five o’clock, Leon Burton and Marie Hawkins showed up. As I’d suggested, they were casually dressed, had brought swimsuits, and were ready to meet a whole group of new people.

Leon was a serious graduate student in art and design, about twenty-four, with a stocky appearance and a friendly demeanor. I sensed no judgments from him as we really met for the first time and as I did introductions to the others that were around. I gave him some bridge lines to get him started, and he fit right in.

Marie was a slight young woman about nineteen – a sophomore. She had described herself as a rebel, and I could feel those vibes as she seemed to test one thing after another to see whether this was something that she should push against.

Marie also seemed to need some liquid courage to help her get started socializing with the group. I got her some wine, and then another glass five minutes later. After that, she seemed to calm down. I think she realized we all wanted her to succeed in being with us and in being with the others in what would be her group in about a month. I’d laid out my overall plan for a spin-off group in my phone conversation with her and Leon.

I’d agreed with Dave earlier that he’d host Marie, and I’d oversee Leon. The implication and expectation had been that sex was included if they wanted.

Dave swept in and in a low-key way befriended Marie. Leon was a little more receptive when I suggested that he stick with me and join in conversations as he saw fit.

I teased Leon about the group – nineteen people that day including the newbies – about referring to the group as the Sex Club. His eyes jerked around from person to person, and I guessed he was evaluating them as sex partners – at least the women.

I’d re-read his letter only an hour or two earlier, so I asked him what he meant about a few terms that seemed generic in his note. I asked what his idea of the perfect relationship was like?

Leon thought and then talking about shared values and goals, being flexible, supporting and trusting each other, respect, mutual respect, and intimacy. He thought the partners should work to sustain the relationship, and I found it refreshing that he didn’t think of a relationship as only two people. He said, “That’s the meme – two people – but why limit the concept of a relationship that way?”

He asked me about how I’d left behind a traditional marriage and relationship, and together with my husband ‘broken out’ of the conformity in today’s society. I bumbled around answering that, and ended up talking about our martial dry spell and seeking to do something radical and revolutionary to get some sex and loving back in our lives – the intimacy side of things.

DAVE

As Marie assessed the backyard cookout, she expressed her embarrassment at not having brought anything to contribute to the meal. I said, “Everyone gets a bye for their first outing. If we do this again, and we probably will, you’ll think of something. Don’t sweat it today or even if you forget in the future. We end up with more than we can eat.”

Marie was tense and I guessed she was thinking about the sex. I finally pulled her aside and said, “Look, about the intimacy that we share with each other. First, you don’t have to participate. You can just leave after dinner – no harm, no foul. Second, we insist on positive consent – from you – that you want to engage. You can also set boundaries.

“Just to give you an idea of boundaries, what parts of a sexual encounter do you not want to happen to you: Intercourse? Anal? Oral? Cum inside? Use of a rubber? S&M? B&D? We swap partners often? You tell one of us, and we’ll make sure it’s communicated clearly and relevantly to the others. You can set those with each of us – some clear statement of any boundaries we should respect. No one will make you do anything you don’t want.”

Marie’s mouth had dropped open. She stuttered, “Oh ... I’m so new to this that I’m not sure what to say. I don’t have a lot of experience ... I’m not a virgin, but ... I’ve only been with two guys.”

“We will respect you, regardless of any limits. We just don’t want to violate you in some way by doing something you don’t want.”

“Thank you. I think at this stage, I want to keep it simple and ... people call it vanilla. Nothing kinky until I learn more about everything.”

I nodded. “Clear enough, I guess. That word is concise and understandable. We’d all understand the use of a safe word like ‘Red’ or ‘Yellow’, too.”

“Red or yellow? Safe word?”

“Red if you want to stop and disengage completely and suddenly. Yellow if we’re getting too close to one of your boundaries and you’re sending out a warning to back-off slightly. Stop and wait a second will work, too.”

“Oh, certainly. How often do those get used?” She looked around at the overall group.

“I’ve never heard them invoked. We respect and are cautious about being with each other. You can expect the same treatment, and as new with us, even our being more solicitous.”

“Wow, you people all have it together in a big way.”

I led Marie to the table with a spread of hors d’oeuvres on it. She displayed great affection for the shrimp cocktail and the mushroom caps stuffed with crab meat.

I got Mike to join us in conversation. He was a going to be a senior to Marie being a junior. He was also laid back and didn’t come on strong. Marie needed to see that no one was going to overpower her as the evening went on. We talked about his coursework versus hers, and then got to talking about golf – a new hobby Mike was exploring.

Dinner went smoothly. We served buffet style and as usual had enough food for twice as many people. I’d made cookies earlier in the day, so the plate was only one of the popular desserts when the time came.

Coffee and tea got served. Marie had been drinking wine, but had tapered way back, so I felt sure she was alert and making good decisions. I adjusted the music playing from my iPhone through the patio speakers. I also explained about the romantic dancing or swimming and how those were each a way to start the physical intimacy with other people.

I didn’t push her. A few people stood and started to dance. Sarah and Brad went into the pool, but not before stripping off their clothing. Right near us, Trish gave me a wink, and then removed her thin top before starting to dance with Evan. He had tossed his shirt aside, and they made a show of her rubbing her generous breasts all over his chest before they just stood while he sucked on each breast and fondled the rest of her body.

Further afield, Mel had also gotten half-naked and was coaching Leon about her breasts and the sexual arc of the evening. His eyes were bugging of their sockets as he watched not only Mel, but also the others around him as they removed clothing and got romantic and sexual.

Marie was licking her lips profusely, and then licking them, and then she announced, “I want us to do some of those things with each other.”

I wasn’t sure which things, but I started by pulled her into a kiss. I felt sure that she rated me as ‘safe’ by then. She got right into the kisses and then some fondling as I carefully explored her upper body and then her lovely butt.

A foursome formed near us: Neal, Ron, Cindy, and Bridget. They were laughing and the cocks in the girls’ pussies changed every minute or two. Marie was fascinated and couldn’t tear her eyes away.

As this was going on, I’d been stroking and feeling all over Marie’s body. She was not only compliant; she was getting into the scene. I’d unbuttoned her blouse and pushed her bra up. Finally, she realized she should be paying attention to what we were doing. Her demeanor changed and we started more kissing and she felt me.