Chapter 5: Emancipation

Curtis had retreated towards his own family’s RV. He had a lot to think about and process. At their site, he saw their car, and his father, were gone.

“He must be getting bait for fishing and other stuff. Mom was probably around the back enjoying a sunbath.”

Shari intercepted him, putting her book down. “What happened to you? You don’t look so good. Your clothes are crooked, and you’re stooped over, like you’re depressed.”

“I met a girl.”

“Isn’t this a good thing?”

“Yeah, to start. I found her up that way; there’s a creek. She was just sitting on a log, dangling her toe, and enjoying the shade. Actually, she was hiding from the sun, she’s whiter than teeth, blonde, and blue-eyed. We got to talking, friendly casual stuff. She’s up here with her family of four, like us.

“I’m thinking, it would be nice to have a friend up here in the forest. We were talking, she was interesting, and we were getting along good, I mean, well.”

“So far, brother, I’m not seeing the problem. Except maybe, eyestrain. ‘Whiter than teeth’?”

“I’m getting there. We broke for lunch and met again back at this creekside log. The thing is, we are back to our conversation, but I’m having a little trouble talking because she’s naked. Totally nude. She and her family are practicing nudists.”

“Oh, SHIT. Curt, you’ve got to stay away from this crazy pale bitch. Ick! People have to wear clothes. That’s what’s wrong with this creepy campground. It’s driving me crazy. I have to keep myself hidden here by the RV, so I don’t run into some lunatic with everything hanging out. Male or female, no thanks. It’s bad enough that Mom is naked back there behind the RV right now. Sorry, you were telling about this, uh, person.”

“Well, Shari, after lunch she was telling me about her brother. He’s our age, he also does weight training, and he has a basement full of equipment. Their site is pretty close to us, actually.

“She was pushing for me to come to their home and work out with her brother. But they are all nudists, so she was trying to get my clothes off today, to, I guess, prepare for a visit? We ended up quarreling, and I had to leave.

“I was really disappointed. We were having a great time talking. You know how often I meet and hang out with girls. Yes, zero. And she was so much fun to talk to. I couldn’t believe it. In the middle of this semi-wilderness, I meet a hot and friendly girl. Everything’s going so well; until it wasn’t.”

“Except, Curt, your clothes are messy. You’re not telling me the whole story, are you? Were you naked with this slut?”

Angrily, “Don’t call Anja a slut.”

“Anja, is it? She’s stark naked in the middle of the day, she’s a slut! People have to wear clothes!” Shari was winding herself up. Her voice was louder, more strident, and pitching up the scale.

Trying to defuse, Curtis said, “Look, we just met today. I didn’t have sex with her! Calm down!”

From many unhappy experiences, Curtis knew his sister could fly completely off her handle when anything touching on intimacy was discussed around her.

“She convinced me to take off my shirt. I can take my shirt off on a warm day. There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s perfectly normal.”

“Bullshit! You’re alone with a naked young woman, a 19-year-old virgin man.”

“You don’t know—”

“Curt, no one on this planet knows you better than me. You’re a virgin, alone with a slut. The result is inevitable.”

“Fuck! Stop calling her a slut, just because she was naked! I wasn’t even hard!”

“BULL. SHIT. Don’t you lie to me!” Shari was screaming now, fists at her hips.

With the incredible timing all mothers are known for, Abbie appeared from behind their RV, pulling on a robe.

“Stop it! You two idiots are disturbing my sunbath. Why isn’t Curtis hard, and who was naked?” (Obviously, Abbie thought, it couldn’t have been Shari.)

Her daughter was still spitting mad. Curtis’ mind was stuck, trying to imagine discussing his erections with his mother.

“I’m waiting. OK, fine. We can all discuss this with your father when he gets back soon.”

That broke the log jam, and Abbie was brought current.

“They don’t cover this in the mom manual, but I think I have my arms around it. Shari, what Curtis did, or didn’t, do with this young woman is entirely not your business. If you don’t like his answer, don’t ask the question. You have no right to know either way.

“And Curtis is free to talk to girls, as many and as often as possible. He’s been a wallflower; it makes no sense for you to scream at him like that.

“Now, I don’t see why we have a problem now. Curtis and this girl started off well, but they had an argument. He won’t see her again, end of issue.”

He spoke up then, embarrassed. “Actually, I’m meeting her again in the morning.”

This caused another explosion from Shari, which Abbie struggled to tamp down. “Why?”

“I agreed to return, because we were getting along so well at the beginning. And, as both of you have so supportively pointed out, I have no social life, and I’m lonely.”

Abbie’s look of frustration changed to sympathy. Shari, on the other hand, erupted all over again. It was finally clear to both mother and son—she was jealous of her brother—almost insanely jealous. Because Shari felt unable to date, she had fixed all her attention on Curtis.

“Curtis, you have to recognize you’re an adult now. Instead of being so tightly tangled with Shari, you should be looking outward. If your love life is troubled, Shari shouldn’t be your confidante. That’s my job.

“God! I love you both to pieces, but your socialization and dating skills are awful. You two together—it’s the blind leading the blind. This cannot continue.

“I am going to talk to you, individually. Until I say otherwise, you two are getting a divorce. There will be only minimal and casual conversations. Only what is necessary. Without having any obvious bad intentions, you two are tearing each other down, and I’m not going to stand for it. Understand?”