The clatter of pots and pans along with the smell of freshly brewed coffee intruded on a dream about a faceless young girl. I was definitely disappointed to be awakened before the dream had played itself out. I suffered, as all teenage boys suffer, the drive of excess of hormones and the absence of a suitable partner to share my awakening needs. It's a cruel world. There was no time for the obvious solution so I jumped out of bed and dressed.

I ate a hurried breakfast, gave Mom a hug for a goodbye and told her I might miss lunch if I didn't finish Mrs. Wilson's yard in time. I bolted out the door and hurried off whistling as I walked down the country lane with visions of money in my pocket before this day was out.

Mrs. Wilson had hired my brother, Jack, several years before and he had worked at odd jobs for her until he had enlisted in the Army. She had asked me if I would like my brother's job after he had left and today was my first day at work.

In a small rural community part time jobs for teenagers are scarce and the offer of a job that earned cash money was a treasure. If I failed to please Mrs. Wilson there were plenty of other boys to take my place. My parents gave me an allowance but after a movie on Saturday night I had little left. If I could work regularly I would have enough spare cash for a few luxuries.

I knocked on her door and heard, "That you Jeff?"

"Yes Ma'am.", I replied.

"Come on in; I'm in the kitchen."

I opened the door and walked through a neat living room following the noise she was making to the kitchen.

"Have a seat; let me get you a cup of coffee.", she said as she filled a mug. "Cream and sugar's on the table. Are you ready to go to work?"

"Yes Ma'am."

"My name is Mandy to my friends; Ma'am is something you call those dried up old biddies who gossip over the back fence. I haven't dried up yet and no one lives behind me.", she said smiling at me.

She poured herself a cup of coffee and joined me at the table before continuing, "I have a lot of things that need done. Can you stay all day?"

"I told Mom that I might miss lunch so it'll be OK."

"Good, I can tell you what I want done while we have coffee."

I listened and sipped coffee as she explained my chores. When we finished she said she had to do some errands and would be gone for a little while, if I needed a drink or the bathroom make myself at home. She drove away as I started mowing the front yard.

Back and forth I pushed the lawnmower and thought about the dream that had been interrupted this morning. I tormented myself with visions of the faceless girl until I finished with the lawnmower. With hand shears I began to trim the edges and shifted my thoughts to other things as I worked.

Mrs. Wilson returned as I was edging the front yard. She hadn't mentioned the flower beds and I asked her if she wanted me to weed them.

"Leave the flower for now and I'll show you how I want them done later.", she said, "Do you like lemonade?"

"Sure, it's OK."

"When you finish edging the front I'll have a pitcher made; take a break and have a glass with me.", she said and went inside.

The thought of cold lemonade made me thirsty and I hurried to finish. Moments later I pushed the lawnmower around back and joined Mrs. Wilson in the shade on the back porch.

"Sit down and take a rest.", she said as she poured me a glass of lemonade. "The front yard is coming along nicely; you've done a good job."

"Thanks, your place always looks neat and I'll do my best to keep it that way."

"Your brother was a good worker and I figured you would be too; that's why I asked you to work. Did Jack ever talk with you about his job?"

"Not much, he mentioned your pretty flowers and orchard a few times."

"I'll miss him; he was a nice boy but I know he had to move on. When do you finish school?"

"Three years, I just finished my freshman year."

"Do a good job for me, respect my privacy, and this can be a good job that'll keep you in spending money. You know how people are in this place; they love to wag their tongues."

"I know; my Mom says people will make a mountain out of a molehill.", I said laughing at a remembered family moment.

Mrs. Wilson laughed and said, " Isn't that the truth! Have another glass of lemonade."

She stood up to pour and when she bent over I couldn't help looking down the top of her dress. My eyes were riveted on two large mature breasts when her loose dress sagged open. After the dream this morning it didn't take much to arouse me and the view down the top of her dress started little feathery feelings in my jeans. I'm sure she noticed my stare but she gave no indication she had.

"Your brother always made good grades in school; it's too bad he couldn't afford to go to college."

"That's why he went into the Army. He said he would go to college on the GI Bill when he got out."

That's what he told me; a couple of years on his own might be for the best. How are your grades?"

"I'm doing OK; I made the Honor Roll a few times last year. English is my worst subject."

"I think everyone has trouble with English; you just have to plug along at it and memorize a million rules to get by. Do you have a girlfriend? Most boys discover girls and pay more attention to the girls than they do to their studies."

"No, no girlfriends. The girls are always acting silly and giggling whenever you try to talk to them."

"Young girls are like that. Did you ever consider that they are just as shy and nervous as you are?"

"I guess I never thought of it that way."

"Believe me; I know it's true. Even grown women have the same problem but we have a different set of rules.", she said and began to gather up the glasses and pitcher from the table.

The finality of her actions gave me an opening to excuse myself and get back to work. I finished my lemonade and said, "I'd better get busy; the grass is still growing."

"You're right about that. When you get through with the lawn I'll have lunch ready. Will sandwiches and potato salad be OK?"

"Sure, it's too hot for anything else."

I went back to pushing the lawnmower and Mrs. Wilson sat at the table on the porch writing what appeared to be a letter. The back yard was a large rectangle and I was pushing the mower in a spiral starting at the outside and moving toward the center. Mrs. Wilson was sitting at the table with her legs apart and when I got close to the porch I could see halfway up her thigh. I felt guilty about my voyeuristic impulses but I couldn't keep from stealing a peek every time I was in a position to take a look. Round and round the yard I went pushing the mower and stealing looks up her dress. When I was moving away from the porch I would replay the last view in my head. About the third pass by the porch she shifted her position and I could see all the way up to her panties. My imagination supplied the rest of the picture and I could feel my erection rub against my jeans with each step. I hoped the grass bag on the mower hid my condition from Mrs. Wilson's eyes.

She finished whatever she was writing and collected her things from the table. She called out to me and when she got my attention over the clatter of the mower said, "I'll fix lunch now; will you be done in say a half-hour?"

"I think so.", I replied.

She disappeared into the house and I continued with the lawn. When I finished mowing I began edging. As I worked I kept seeing two white thighs with a triangle of satin panties between them. I imagined sliding those panties down her round thighs and looking at the secret the thin satin had hidden. The flash of breasts from earlier this morning swam through my imagination and I wondered what they would feel like if I caressed them.

"Don't be stupid.", I told myself and with much effort pushed all the erotic thoughts from my head and concentrated on my work. When I finished I knocked on the back door.

"Come in Jeff."

"The backyard's finished.", I said as I entered the kitchen.

"Good, I'm just about finished with lunch; would you like to eat on the porch where there's a cool breeze?"

"That sounds nice.", I replied.

"The bathroom's down the hall on the right; get washed up while I set the table."

"Yes Ma'am."

"Try OK Mandy, Ma'am makes me feel ancient and I still have a little wiggle left.", was her laughing reply.

"OK Mandy."

"That's better; hurry now so we can eat; I'm hungry enough to eat a bear."

I found the bathroom and was amazed at how neat and orderly it was. At my house with two little sisters nothing remained neat very long. There were bottles and little boxes of feminine things in ordered rows on the shelves. Lilac perfume declared this was a woman's room and I felt like an interloper in a forbidden place.

When I joined Mandy on the back porch I noticed she had set the table with me sitting adjacent to her on her right. When I took my seat she flashed me a smile and asked, "Do you like ham and chicken salad sandwiches?"

"Yes, They're my favorites."

"Dig in I don't stand on ceremony; I eat alone most of the time. It's pleasant to have someone to share a meal with for a change."

It may have been just sandwiches and potato salad but the meal was delicious. I had worked up an appetite and Mandy had put huge portions on my plate. When I finished I said, "That was delicious; the potato salad was great."

Laughing she patted me on the hand and said, "Anything tastes good when you're hungry. Would you like a piece of cherry pie to go with the rest of your milk?"

"I don't know if I have room for it or not."

"I'll get it anyway; I'm sure you can find a place to put it."

As she picked up my plate she put a hand on my shoulder. It was only a friendly gesture but the warm touch stirred me and the feathery feelings returned. When she returned with the pie I felt a warm, soft breast brush against my back. I could smell her lilac perfume and I think she hesitated for a second or two longer than necessary as she placed the plate in front of me.

When she took her chair she said, "I enjoy sitting out here; the view of the orchard and flowers in the backyard is peaceful. There's nothing visible that hints of anyone else living anywhere nearby. Can you imagine that we are all alone?"

I looked at the view and she was right. The slope of a large wooded hill began at the far end of the orchard and garden and gave the impression that civilization ended at her back fence. "I could believe we were far away from anyone when I sit here. You have a wonderful view in back."

"I'm glad you like the view. I don't get to share it as often as I'd like. I've been lonely since my husband had the accident. I try to keep busy with little projects in the community and such but talking to the same women all the time gets boring. Your brother was a lot of company for me but he's gone now and I miss talking to a man."

"There are lots of men around to talk to.", I observed.

"Not for a widow woman in this town.", she said in a rueful tone of voice, "If I do more than say hello to someone's husband the wife gets jealous and if the man is unattached gossip burns up the telephone lines. At least I can hire a young person to help me around the place without causing a stir."

"I see what you mean Mandy. I remember some gossip about a woman in the next town. She had to move away."

"Exactly, that's why I have to be careful; I'm not ready to move away and live among strangers."

"I don't know what kind of pie you served for lunch.", I said laughing.

"I love your poor memory.", she quipped and patted me on the arm leaving her hand resting over mine.

I liked the feel of her soft skin on the back of my hand and I didn't dare move for fear she would pull away. After a moment she gave my hand a little squeeze and said, "Enough of a lonely widow's troubles for now. The weeds in the orchard need cutting and I need to take a nap. Thanks for being such a good listener. If you need a drink or the bathroom help yourself quietly; I'll be taking a nap in my bedroom. If I'm still asleep when you get done wake me. OK?"

"OK. It shouldn't take me too long to clean up the orchard."

She went inside and I got a sickle to cut weeds. Mandy had peach, apple, and cherry trees in her orchard. She kept the orchard as neat as her yard. It was cooler under the trees and a light breeze rustled the leaves over my head as I worked. I was about half finished when I needed the bathroom.

I quietly opened the screen door and walked down the hall. Mandy's door was wide open to allow the afternoon breeze to cool the bedroom. I couldn't help seeing inside. She was lying on the bed and her dress had worked its way up around her waist. I had a glance at her with nothing on but panties from the waist down. I hurried into the bathroom and closed the door.

When I flushed the commode I heard a sleepy voice ask, "Jeff, is that you?"

"Yes, it's me.", I answered.

She said something unintelligible and I didn't reply. When I came out she had rolled over on her tummy and the dress was still around her waist. I hurried back outside and resumed my job.

Other than pictures, I had never seen that much grown woman uncovered before. Mandy was a big woman standing five ten or more. She wasn't fat but she was big with wide hips and broad shoulders. She had big round cheeks with little creases where they met her thighs. Her thighs were round and tapered into calves and ankles that, while properly proportioned, looked like she could walk for miles. Later I would learn a word that described her, Rubenesque. As I tried to imagine making love to her I knew how David felt when he faced Goliath. Mandy had all the right curves in most places; she was just built on a different scale than most women. Her architect must have come from Texas.

I finished up the orchard and piled the trimmings on the compost heap. After putting the tools away I went inside and called to Mandy as I walked in the kitchen.

"Be right with you.", she answered from the bedroom.

"I'll be out back.", I replied.

In moments she joined me on the back porch and took a seat with me at the table. She looked out over the orchard and back yard. "That looks much nicer than it did before. You did a good job."

"Thanks, your place always looks nice and I'll try to keep it that way."

"Keep me happy and you have a job for as long as you want. Can you come back tomorrow?"

"Sure if you have anything for me to do."

"I have lots of things for you to do starting with the flower beds. How about planning to stay all day that way we can have lunch together. I'll help you with the flowers in the morning and I'm sure I can find something for you to do in the afternoon."

"Sounds good to me.", I replied.

"Excuse me a moment.", she said and disappeared inside only to return in a moment and hand me some money. "Here's for today. I thought you might need some pocket money."

I took the money and put it in my pocket without counting it. It was green and that was good enough for me. We had never discussed pay; that wasn't done around these parts. If you didn't like the pay you never took a job from that person again. Mandy had been generous with my brother and I figured she would do right by me.

It was time to take my leave but the moment's mood would make a simple leave taking awkward. To be perfectly honest I didn't want to go; I had enjoyed the time I had spent with this open and friendly woman. I had never felt comfortable around adults in a one on one situation but Mandy was different. At first I had been overawed by her Amazonian proportions but as the day progressed her easy manner and friendly laugh had won me over. I had discovered a person I liked to be around; I enjoyed her company. There had been suggestions of other things in her speech and actions that I couldn't ignore but perhaps the suggestions were just figments of my overheated imagination. There were innocent explanations that fit equally well.

"I really enjoyed working for you today and the lunch was delicious.", I said when the silence grew a little too long.

"I enjoyed having your company also. Perhaps we can spend a little time together tomorrow after we finish with the flowers. Do you like peach cobbler? I could make one for lunch."

"I love cobbler but that's a lot of trouble to make."

"Not at all Jeff, peach cobbler it is for lunch. I'll bet that money is burning a hole in your pocket so run along now and I'll see you first thing in the morning."

I walked to the little country store and post office that served our community and bought an ice cream. The store was the hangout for all the kids and there were always a few boys sitting in the shade of a big buckeye tree beside the store. Usually the subject of conversation was girls, sex, and cars not necessarily in that order. I joined them for a few minutes before I had to go home for dinner.

"Hi Jeff, how's the job with Mrs. Wilson? We heard you went to work for her today.", one boy asked.

"It's OK. She's tough but she pays good.", I replied.

There were more questions and I gave noncommittal answers to all of them. I tried to give the impression that she expected me to work hard and was a no nonsense person. Gossip about her would also be gossip about me. My answers would be repeated at dinner tables all over our little town tonight. Not much happened here and any tiny tidbit of news or gossip made interesting dinner conversation. It wasn't long until everyone lost interest in my new job and talk drifted back to sex or, more accurately, the lack of sex.

"Bill, I heard you were smelling girl's bicycle seats.", one boy teased another.

"If I did I got closer to a pussy than you ever have.", he replied getting a laugh out of the rest of the boys.

"Hell, I'm so horny I'd fuck a rock pile if I thought a snake was in it.", another exclaimed.

The conversation continued in this vein for a while following a well worn path.

"Jeff are you going into town to the movies Saturday night?", Bill asked.

"I hadn't thought about it yet but I'll probably go.", I replied.

"I hear there's a good western on at the Princess. Want to hitch into town with me?"

"Sure, why not?"

Bill and I were classmates and had been companions for several years. When we had pocket money we would hitchhike into town for a movie. Afterwards we would stop by The Malt Shop and hang out with the other kids. When the place closed we would hitch a ride back home. Once we couldn't catch a ride and walked the eight miles. We were a footsore pair the next day but it made interesting conversation.

Dinner was another round of questions from my family and I gave the same answers I had given the boys at the store. Mom thanked me for the money I had shared with her out of my wages. Jack had always given half of what he earned to Mom and I could do no different. I told them I had been asked to work the next day.

After dinner I took care of my chores around the house and helped my sisters with the dishes. The youngest was eight, not a lot of help, and the other sister was ten. My mother and father had expected all of their kids to have some responsibility as soon as we were old enough to be useful. Our tasks weren't onerous but they added a dimension of self-discipline and responsibility.

Now that I was earning a little money some of my chores would fall on my sisters. Jack had always given us change for ice cream or candy as a reward and I was expected to do the same. My sisters' eyes fairly sparkled when I gave each a quarter. They ran to show Mom their money and discussed what they would buy with it in excited voices. I was going to enjoy the older brother role.

That evening I fell asleep reading a comic book on the sofa and Mom woke me up and sent me to bed. I lay down and was sound asleep almost as soon as my head touched the pillow. Sometime in the dark hours I began dreaming but this time it was no faceless teenage girl, it was Mandy. She had breasts like mountains and in the dream she must have been three times my size. I was struggling to get her huge legs apart and she was teasing me by resisting my efforts. I remember her saying something like, "Get it if you can little boy." and opening her thighs. Just as I was trying to push inside I woke up with a mess in my shorts. That was a "wet dream" to remember. I changed underclothes and fell asleep thinking about Mandy and my dream.

When I knocked on Mandy's door the next morning I got a, "Come on in Jeff; I'm on the phone." I entered and walked to the kitchen where Mandy pointed toward the coffee pot and motioned me to a chair. I poured coffee and took a seat as she continued talking on the phone. I couldn't help overhearing her side of the conversation. She gave me a smile and winked conspiratorially.

"You don't say... That's unbelievable... Yes, he's here... I'll ask him."

Mandy put her hand over the mouthpiece and asked, "Did you say I worked you like a slave and acted like a mean old witch Jeff?"

"What do you mean?", I asked surprised.

"Just gossip going around; one of the boys you were talking to yesterday told his parents you said that when you stopped by the store."

"What's his name? I'll get him for telling a lie like that."

She laughed and returned to the phone, "He said he didn't call me a witch.", she said to her caller laughing as if she thought the whole thing was funny. "No... I think the whole thing was dreamed up in the kids imagination... Yes... The best answer is the kid was jealous or suffers from an overheated imagination... Of course... Bye."

"What was that all about?", I asked.

"Just the back fence gossip. I'll tell you where the story started if you promise me you won't hurt the kid. Will you promise?"

"I promise I won't touch him.", I said but that didn't mean someone else wouldn't.

"You know Tommy Barnes?"

"Yeah, he's a little weasel; he got caught going through the boys pockets while they were swimming a couple of weeks ago. He won't do that again."

"That's about what I heard on the phone. One of the mothers questioned her boy and he said you didn't say very much at all. Tommy has another black mark against him. I've had three phone calls this morning and Tommy is going to be a joke before this dies down. Gossip, gossip, gossip, at least Tommy's the object of this story. Lets forget about that and find something pleasant to talk about."

"The coffee's good.", I said and tried to smile. I was very upset about Tommy and I would find a way to get even without breaking my promise.

Mandy laughed at my lame joke and said, "That's a start. I have a nice peach cobbler ready to pop into the oven just before lunch so we can eat it while it's hot. Does that sound good?"

"I thought I was supposed to work not be a lunch guest?"

"Don't worry, you're going to work but the work goes easier with the promise of a good meal. Perhaps I have to prove I'm not a witch. Do you think I'm a witch?"

"No, I think you are a very nice person."

"I'm sure your opinion of me will change in time, at least I hope it does."

"I don't think so.", I replied.

"We'll see about that later; lets go weed flower beds."

She grabbed a big floppy straw hat as we went outside and adjusted it in front of a mirror in the hallway. Outside we began weeding, cleaning, and cutting back excess growth. We finished the front yard in about an hour. Several people stopped to talk as they passed by. Mandy would go to the fence and talk with them while I continued to work. When we finished the front she suggested we take a break before we started working in back.

We sat at the table on the back porch and sipped from tall glasses of iced tea and talked about whatever crossed our minds. Mandy told humorous stories about some of the women around town and some of the things were not very nice but the way she spoke of the incidents made them sound funny.

When we went back to work she continued to tell funny stories but little by little each story moved more toward subjects that weren't discussed in polite company. The way she told them made me laugh and the spice made me want to hear more.

"Does my gossiping shock you?", Mandy asked.

"A little but the way you tell it is funny."

"I know a good story on Old Lady Teasdale but I have to use some words that are a little beyond the pale. Want to hear it?"

How could I have said no? "Sure."

"Don't breathe a word of this to anyone, OK?"

I nodded my assent and she launched into a story about Mrs. Teasdale and a zipper in a pair of pants. The punch line was she had zipped up her bush in the zipper and was dancing around trying to get unzipped when Mandy walked in on her. Mandy mimicked Old Lady Teasdale's actions as she told the story and I couldn't stop laughing. We both laughed until we had tears in our eyes and whenever we would get almost under control Mandy would say, "Zip, zip.", and we would break up all over again.

When the joke wore out Mandy asked, "Still think I'm nice?"

"Yes but in a different way. I haven't had this much fun in a long time."

"There's hope for you yet. I can't tell stories like that at a ladies social and I like sharing a laugh once in a while. You're a good audience and I have a million stories."

"I like funny stories and you are a good storyteller. It's easy listening to you."

Mandy smiled and said, "Lets hurry up and finish; you can keep me company while I fix our lunch."

We both concentrated on the job and it didn't take too long before every flower bed met Mandy's strict standards. We stood and stretched the kinks out of our backs from so much bending. I watched Mandy bend backwards and when the fabric of her dress pulled tight in the front her breasts stood out like two round mounds. She must have seen me looking at her for she remarked, "Not bad for an old woman, huh?"

I was embarrassed to be caught staring and I could feel a red flush rise above my collar. "You're not old.", I managed to mumble.

"Keep talking like that and you will get us both in trouble. Lets get inside and cool off."

In the kitchen I sat at the table and Mandy busied herself preparing the cobbler for the oven. As she worked she gave a running commentary about things she wanted to do around her place. She had her back to me as she worked and I studied her figure from behind. Her broad shoulders tapered into a well proportioned waist. Her bottom swelled nicely round like two huge pears under her dress. The dress hid everything to the bottom of her skirt but I remembered what she looked like from my peek into her bedroom.

After listening to her stories this morning she didn't seem unapproachable. The mood between us had grown more intimate. Her estimation of me must have shifted for her to openly gossip about some of the events she had told me. Something was definitely different but I didn't dare hope for a repetition of my dream last night.

"Have a taste of the peach filling.", she said as she advanced toward me with a spoon full of filling. Instinctively I opened my mouth and she fed me a large bite. I could taste peaches, honey, and some unnamed spices. I was also aware that her thigh was pressed against mine as she stood waiting for me to comment. I carefully chewed and swallowed trying to decide which I liked best; the taste of the filling or the warm thigh pressed against my leg.

"That's delicious.", I said.

"Think you can stand potato salad again today with cold fried chicken?"

"Potato salad and chicken will be great."

"You're easy to please, I think I'm going to like making meals for you.", she said with a laugh and went back to the counter to finish the cobbler.

Where her warm thigh had pressed against me felt cold with its absence. Had she done that on purpose or had she just miscalculated and didn't move away to save us embarrassment? Things began to fall in place like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle; The pattern was just taking shape and I hoped I was putting the pieces together the right way. As I listened to Mandy with half an ear I began picking out little things she had said and done since yesterday morning and they all added up. The major piece of the puzzle was when I had gone to the bathroom yesterday and she had called out from the bedroom. She must have been awakened by the noise I had made but she made no attempt to cover herself. She had just turned from her side to her tummy and left her dress up around her waist. Had she meant for me to see her like that? I wanted that to be true. If she gave me an opening I would take it. Old, young, young, old, who cared; she beat sniffing bicycle seats by a very wide margin.

"Jeff... are you with me?", she said a little louder than she usually spoke breaking my train of thought.

"Huh. Oh, I'm sorry; I was just thinking."

"May I ask what you were thinking about?"

"I was just thinking about Old Lady Teasdale and her zipper. I can't quite picture that in my mind."