Chapter 2

While we were cleaning up, I said to Becky, “Are you sure your father won’t hit me across the head by asking the personal questions in our project?”

“After my and your parents, it can only get easier Ricky. Maybe I should always ask the men in the survey and you can ask the women?” she suggested.

“Great idea, Becky – He won’t hit his own daughter, will he?” I said with a smile.

“No, I don’t think so,” she said, smiling so big her dimples were showing.

“Punkin ... I am ready to answer those questions now,” a voice came from the living room.

We walked into the room. Her dad sat back down, looking at the sports section.

She cleared her throat, too loudly.

“Yes, dear – it works for your mother as well. Go ahead.”

Becky started, “Mr. Knowles, we are doing a Research project, and we have a series of questions to ask you. If there’s anything you don’t want to answer, it’s OK.”

“Go ahead.”

“Since you are a boy, how old were you when you first met a girl that you think you liked?” she asked.

“Hmmmm let me think. I was ... ten when I met Sandra what’s her name. Next?”

“How old were you when you first met a girl that you think liked you?” I asked.

“Nine years old,” he said sounding proud of himself.

Becky went on, “The next couple of questions are quite personal, don’t answer if you don’t want -- At what age did you go through puberty?”

As with Norah, this one surprised her dad. After thinking about it, he answered, “I was almost eleven, not quite.”

She looked over at me, had a nervous giggle, then looked straight into her fathers’ eyes and asked, “How old were you when you first experienced vaginal sex?”

“Whoa, Becky – that’s a very personal question, I don’t know – Norah, did you answer these questions already?”

“Yes, I did – now you, Honey?” she said walking into the room from the kitchen.

“What did my wife say?”

Becky was ready for that, “I’m sorry Mr. Knowles – all answers are private and confidential. Mother – please leave the room – Daddy has a right to privacy. Go ahead Mr. Knowles – Please answer the question, if you wish? Your answers will not be published, per se – we hope to ask at least fifty couples these questions.”

Real quietly, he said, “Thirteen.”

Becky appeared shocked, but gathered herself up and admirably said, “Thank you Mr. Knowles for your cooperation.”

On the trip back home, Becky and I held hands in the back seat as Norah said, “I assume that you are next questioning your parents, Ricky?”

“Yes Norah; I want to thank you and your husband tonight, for your frank answers. I’m already thinking that we have got a great project, as long as we can get through the questioning. Here we are – this’s my house. Could you wait just a minute, please? My mother wants to meet Becky.”

Norah asked, “May I come in as well, Ricky? I would like to meet her, since our kids have gone to school together for years – I believe it’s time we meet.”

“Sure.”

I opened the door, surprising both my sister and my parents.

Everyone was introduced to everyone else. Tiffany and Becky seemed to become fast friends in the few minutes they talked.

“Becky, come on, we need to get home. It’s getting late,” Norah said.

“Just a minute, Mother,” she said. She walked over to me and gave me a buss directly on the lips.

She left, I waved -- I couldn’t move.

“Ricky, come inside, it’s cold out,” mom said.

“Yeah, Casanova – get inside,” Tiffany said with a laugh in her voice. “She’s way better than you deserve, but, good for you, little brother!”

My sister then did something that I didn’t remember ever happening before – she gave me a great big hug. She said, “Don’t let her out of your sight – she’s perfect for you.”

Then she stepped on my foot!

Mom suggested that I invite Becky over for dinner, so two nights later we had Chicken and Noodles for dinner, one of Moms best meals, and my favorite. She makes the noodles from scratch, I help ut as I can.

Afterwards, we asked my mother if she’d answer our questions, and she said ‘Yes,’ and the three of us sat around the dinner table. I started.

“Mom,” I said, “We are doing a Research project, and we have a series of questions to ask you. If there’s anything you don’t want to answer, it’s OK.”

“OK honey!”

“Since you are a girl, how old were you when you first met a boy that you think you liked?” I asked.

“Hmmm Ricky, that was a long time ago – Well, when I was eight I met Charles. He was eight also. I liked him, but I’m not sure about him liking me.”

“Thank you, how old were you when you first met a boy that you think liked you? I asked.

“I was twelve, and his name was Sam. Next question?”

I looked at my mom directly in the eyes and first said, “Mrs. Summers -- the next couple of questions are very personal, don’t answer if you don’t want -- At what age did you start your menses?”

The look on her face went sallow as she answered, “Nine years old.”

“Final question; How old were you when you first experienced vaginal sex?”

“WHAT?”

“Mrs. Summers, do you wish not to answer the question?” Becky asked.

“You’re actually asking both men and women that question? Are you sure that’s appropriate material for fourteen-year-olds to be questioning people about ... their sex lives?”

“Mrs. Summers, do you wish not to answer the question?” Becky repeated.

Flustered, but calming down, I saw Mom’s eyes flit back and forth between Becky and me.

“What exactly are you doing with the data you are gathering?”

“Mom, we need to conclude the questions, before we comment on anything you ask. Do you wish to answer the question?” I repeated this time.

“I have got to hand it to you two, this takes guts to talk to adults about such a personal matter. My answer to your question is fifteen.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Summers – you are very kind to answer our questions. Now about what you asked. We are hoping to get at least fifty couples, married or not, and ask them these four questions. We will then extrapolate the data and come to a conclusion, based on the data,” Becky said. “Your answers will remain private, we promise.”

“Well, two days ago I didn’t even know you existed Becky, I must say that you are both being quite the young adults, considering the nature of your questions. What are you hoping to get from this data?”