Chapter 6: An Unimaginable Problem

Lewis and Mike had had their usual busy Saturday. At Lunchtime Valerie had joined them to discuss the forthcoming wedding. Mid-afternoon Lewis had had phone call from a lad called Len. ‘Hi Lewis,’ he said, ‘You don’t know me, but my mum has a friend who gave me your number. Apparently, you helped her relative with a difficult problem.’

‘I have an old school pal called Georgina who has been struggling with a difficult problem for a few years now. I suggested that she should speak to a stranger about it. She agreed, so that’s when I asked my mum to get your number. I hope you don’t mind me ringing you.’

‘Not at all,’ Lewis said, ‘Can she come and see me at five o’clock today?’ ‘Yes, she said she’d come anytime to suit you.’ ‘Ok here’s where to come,’ he gave Len the address and warned him it was a video hire shop. ‘I get to use the back room after we close,’ he told him.

A few minutes later Lewis got a text. ‘Hi Lewis, thank you for agreeing to see me. I’ll be there for five. Georgina.’

During the afternoon Lewis told Mike he had a visitor coming when they closed. As five drew near a stunning looking young lady came into the shop but stayed by the door looking around as if a little lost.

Lewis finished serving his customer then went over to her. ‘Hi, are you Georgina?’ he asked offering his hand. ‘Yes,’ she said shaking it as Lewis introduced himself. ‘If you’d like to go through to the back room and make us both a coffee,’ Lewis told her. ‘I’ll be finished in five minutes, then Mike will be going home so we can talk in private.’

‘Thank you,’ Georgina said as she went through. Mike and Lewis served the last customers and closed the shop. Mike came through to collect his coat and said, ‘Hi, you’re in good hands,’ to Georgina before leaving for home.

Returning after seeing him out, Lewis sat at the table and had a coffee with her. ‘Can you tell me how you come to be here today?’ Lewis asked. ‘I’ve been suffering over an embarrassing problem and a life changing decision for over a year.’ Georgina told him. ‘Lately it’s got me very depressed.’

‘I haven’t seen Len, my pal from school since we left to start work. However, we have kept in touch on Facebook, and we talk on the phone occasionally. He realised how depressed I was getting so he suggested I should talk things over with a stranger.’

‘Then he told me that he was sure he remembered his mum talking about someone who her friend knew who was very young. ‘I’ll ask and get back to you,’ he said.’

‘Then yesterday he rang to say his mum had been in touch with her friend who had sung your praises. She gave him your number, so did I want him to ring you?’ ‘I said yes, and here I am.’

‘Good,’ Lewis told her. ‘Any problem has two major hurdles. First the person with the problem must admit to themselves that they do have a problem. Secondly, they must make the first move to do something about it. You have done both, so you’re well on your way. The only thing that will stop you succeeding now is if you give up trying.’

‘Let me tell you what happens next, then if you have any questions, I’ll do my best to answer them. Everyone’s problem is very personal and embarrassing to them,’ Lewis said. ‘So much so, it often grows in their mind to be far worse than it is. By relaxing and telling me about it, you will not only share your problem with me, but you will hear yourself talking about it. That often makes you realise it’s not as bad as you think. It can even make you see a solution all by yourself.’

‘Most problems also involve sex in some shape or form, so you will need to be very relaxed with me before we even start to look at your actual problem. When we start, we will not discuss your problem at all. I will ask you about everything else connected with you apart from that, so you gradually relax enough to be able to open up to me.’

‘An important thing for you to remember too, is that no one else will ever know anything you tell me. It will not leave this room. The front door is locked, and my keys are in the lock so not even Mike the boss can get back in. If at any time you decided you want to stop, you can just get up and go, you don’t need to explain. If you do, you can return at any time in the future should you wish.’

‘Do you have any questions?’ ‘You have no idea what my problem is,’ Georgina said, ‘What makes you think you can solve it?’ ‘I don’t want to sound big headed,’ Lewis answered, ‘But I’ve solved every one that has come to me so far. Most problems I have found just need someone else’s views of it.’

‘Ok,’ she said, ‘What do we do next?’ ‘When we have finished our coffee, Lewis told her, I’ll ask you to take your shoes off and lie on the settee. Then I will get to know you. All I know so far is your name and I guess your age is between eighteen and twenty. So, when you answer my questions please try and give as much detail as you can.’

Putting his cup down and noticing Georgina had finished hers, he said, ‘Ready when you are.’ They both got up and went over to the settee.

Georgina sat down, kicked her shoes off and lay down. Lewis sat on the side by her knees. She was slim, slightly taller than Lewis, wearing a T shirt and jeans and had small breasts.

‘In a moment,’ Lewis said, ‘I’ll ask you to turn over on your front. I will then massage your back from your head to your feet and back up again. Whilst I do, I will ask you all about yourself. Now as I don’t yet know your problem, if I ask anything that comes too close to it for you to feel able to answer it yet, just say ‘Pass’ and we’ll skip over it for now, ok?’ ‘Ok,’ came the immediate response. ‘Turn over when you’re ready,’ Lewis said.

Georgina turned over. Lewis rested his hands on her head. Her hair was quite close cropped, so his massage was almost direct onto her head. As he moved down onto her shoulders, he asked, ‘Tell me about where you live.’

‘I live in a flat,’ Georgina began. ‘It’s one bedroomed and in a three-storey block. I’m on the top floor. It has a kitchen, a bathroom, and a lounge cum dining room. I’ve lived there for twelve months, and I work from home.’

‘What do you do?’ Lewis asked as he reached her waist. ‘I’m a proof-reader.’ Georgina told him, ‘Publishing firms send me books they are going to publish. I have to read them several times and pick up grammar and spelling mistakes. It’s great when you like the book,’ she added, ‘But not so good when you don’t.’

‘Where did you live when you were at secondary school?’ Lewis asked as he moved onto her jeans to massage her cheeks. ‘With my parents and a younger brother,’ she said showing no signs of any problem with Lewis massaging her cheeks.

As he moved down the back of her legs, Lewis asked, ‘Why did you move to your own flat.’ ‘Pass.’ Georgina said. ‘How did you get your flat at your age?’ Lewis asked as if nothing had happened. ‘My dad was guarantor for my first flat. Then when I moved to my present flat my gran had died and left me some money,’ she said. ‘I was able to pay a year’s rent as deposit, so the landlord didn’t ask for a guarantor.’

‘That was handy,’ Lewis said as he started back up her legs again. ‘How often do you see your parents.’ ‘On average once a fortnight,’ she told him. ‘How do you get on with them? he asked as he massaged her cheeks once more. ‘Quite well,’ she said, ‘Much better since I moved out.’ As he moved on up her back Lewis asked, ‘What about your brother?’ ‘Not so good,’ she told him. ‘He’s better since I moved out, but we haven’t been close since I was around fifteen.’

‘Do you know why that is so?’ Lewis asked as he reached her shoulders. ‘Yes,’ she said but gave no more information. Lewis massaged her head then stopped. ‘Now I’d like you to turn over,’ Lewis said. ‘Then I’ll massage your front the same as your back with more questions.’

‘If you don’t feel able to do that yet, just say ‘Stay’ and I’ll go down your back again. Remember we move on at your speed, not mine.’ ‘Stay,’ came the answer almost immediately. Lewis put his hands back on her head and resumed his massage.

‘How did you get on with the other girls in your last few years at school.’ Lewis asked. ‘Not very well,’ she told him, ‘There were a couple who were ok, but I wouldn’t say we were friends.’ ‘What about the boys?’ Lewis asked. ‘There was only one,’ she told him, ‘Len was a good friend. He was the one who’s mum put you and me in touch.’

‘Was Len your boyfriend?’ Lewis asked as he reached her waist once more. As he massaged her cheeks over her jeans, she replied, ‘No.’ ‘Would you have liked him to have been?’ Lewis asked as he moved on down her legs. There was silence for a moment then she said, ‘Yes, that would have been nice.’ ‘Did Len know you felt like that?’ he asked as he reached her feet. ‘Yes, he did,’ she answered.

‘Do you know why he didn’t return your affection?’ Lewis asked as he started back up her legs. ‘Yes,’ she answered. ‘Can you share that with me?’ he asked. ‘Pass.’ came the reply.

‘Have you ever had a boyfriend,’ Lewis asked. ‘No,’ came the reply right away. ‘So, are you a virgin?’ Lewis asked as he moved up the back of her thighs. ‘Yes,’ came a firm reply. ‘That’s quite normal at your age,’ he said. ‘Plenty of time yet.’