Chapter 49: Matt, Ivy, and Promotions

Sunday afternoon about two o’clock I got a strange call from Matt Chung, one of the younger men who frequented the swingers circle as a single guy. I knew little about him other than a few casual conversational tidbits around the barbecue grill or what the women had told me, basically that he was a good guy: considerate, loving, caring about each woman he made love to, and apparently well-off to some degree.

Matt wanted to meet, if I had the time, so we set a time to meet in an hour at a coffee shop in Harvard Square. After I hung up I asked Ivy, René, and the sisters if they knew why he might be calling. They all shook their heads in the negative, but expressed curiosity.

Fran speculated, “Last night it occurs to me, Matt made it a point to make love to each of us at some time during the party – René, Jane and Ivy too.”

Jane volunteered, “I remember him well. He was very nice and polite. I was rather taken with him.”

Ivy said, “I liked him. After we made love, we took a long break together in the kitchen and talked. I think he’s very smart and well spoken.

René said, “Yeah, I liked him too. I know he spent a lot of time watching the video that Sheila had made. I guess he was turned on by it, but I also felt he was analyzing the film in some way.”

An hour later, I had a sidewalk table just outside the coffee house. I’d gotten a diet coke, but Matt waved and appeared a couple of minutes later with a latte of some kind.

Matt started, “Thanks for seeing me. I have some questions ... well, this is kind of awkward ... I guess I expect you’ll tell me to go pound sand, but ... well, I had to ask ... otherwise I’d go through my whole life regretting my reluctance to talk to you.”

Matt blushed as he talked, and I couldn’t imagine what he wanted to ask or say.

I urged him along, “Go ahead, Matt. I’ll try to answer your questions. I know we don’t know each other very well, but I promise I won’t bite. If things are too personal, I do reserve the right to not answer or postpone answering for a while as I think on things.”

Matt nodded his understanding.

He took four deep breaths, and each time I thought he would start after his exhale, but he didn’t. Finally, he started on his fifth long exhale.

“Steve, I know you live with a group of women, and that you have an open relationship with them.” Another deep breath. “I’m hoping ... well ... I’d like to date the girls, and ... well, I talked to Aidan ... and I’d like to be like he is to your girls ... that is, if you find me worthy.”

My jaw must have dropped open because Matt looked shocked at my response.

Matt said in a hurry as though I’d expressed displeasure at his suggestion, “Of course, you’ll want to get to know me better before you decide. I know that. I mean, we’ve only met a few times at the parties ... and ... but, I’ve gone out of my way to meet and be with each of the girls. I really am a nice guy. I don’t smoke and I’m not into drugs; I have a stable job, and a nice car. My parents live in Rhode Island, and I have family down there.”

I muttered, “Matt, the girls aren’t ‘mine’ as you put it; well, maybe those that live with me are, but the others aren’t. They are each their own person, heck, even Fran. Dating them is a decision they’d have to make. We offer each other support and an outside voice to help make decisions, but we don’t decide for each other.”

Matt shifted, “I know I’m Asian, but I’ve been raised my whole life in America, and my parents have been here their whole lives, too. I hope my race doesn’t make a difference. At the parties when I’ve been with each of the girls it didn’t seem to bother them, but I’m proposing something more and maybe this won’t fly with them.”

I shook my head, “Your race doesn’t matter to me, and I doubt it does to the girls either. We are a pretty cosmopolitan group. We see people and not races, national origins, or for that matter religions, and so forth unless it impacts how they judge how we live and love. Again, though, the decision rests with the girls.”

Matt persisted in selling himself, “I went to MIT, and graduated with a 3.92 grade point average – almost a straight A. I’m spiritual but not religious. I’ve traveled to Europe and Asia. I enjoy the arts. My job is in bio-computing for Genelink Systems at the other end of Cambridge. I have a condo near work, and I’m a good neighbor. I like jazz and rock. I love to read, particularly fiction, and particularly erotica. I’m an independent voter, but I lean towards being a democrat in this state. I’ve had two long-term relationships in my life, and you could talk to each of them if you wish; we parted on good terms. I’m not currently involved now except with the swing group and, hopefully, you all. I’m a bit of a romantic at heart, and so ... well, I really like the women you live with. I could...”

I thought for a minute, holding my hand up so that Matt would stop talking. I liked him, and he was humble and self-effacing enough to signal to me that he would be a good friend that might indeed be nice to have around our circle more than he’d been at only the parties.

Finally, I spoke. “You don’t need to give me your resume, although that does satisfy some questions I might have eventually asked. More importantly, you mentioned Aidan. Aidan is a success with our circle because he loves each of us, AND he has no intention or inclination to try to win one of them away from the rest of us, including me.”