Chapter 1: - "Restaurants"

"Bruce, can you see that couple sitting in the corner booth from where you are?" Teresa, my date, asked. She took a sip from her wine glass and then carefully set it back onto the white linen table cloth.

Teresa, because she was sitting between the couple and me, was blocking my line of sight. I couldn't see and told her so. "No, you're obstructing my view."

We were in a small, family operated, Italian restaurant having dinner. Candles providing the only light, it was dark inside. There were two rows of booths which ran down a single long isle from the front to the rear of the restaurant. Our booth was near the back. Except for one other couple sitting in the very back of the restaurant, other than the employees, the place was empty.

It was our third date. The first one had been a movie and the second a concert.

I asked, "Are they celebrities?" I don't know why I asked.

"I'm not sure." Almost hypnotically, her eyes were transfixed on them. She started to say something, "They're ... he's ... oh my! You've got to see this."

She had me curious, "Why? What are they doing?"

Teresa moved to her left slightly.

"There, can you see them now?"

The couple's reflection appeared in the mirror. While I couldn't quite make out their faces, I could tell it was a man and a woman. He was Caucasian and she Hispanic. From what I could tell in the near darkness, they were kissing. It looked as if her tongue was in his mouth. "Yes, that's better."

"Is that his left hand on her breast?" Teresa inquired. She seemed fascinated

It was. "It looks like it to me."

I watched them for a few seconds. The show they were putting on was very arousing.

"What's that he's doing now?" Teresa asked.

It felt as if I were spying on them. "He appears to be lowering his left hand."

"Why?"

I wasn't sure. "I think so he can..."

" ... pull up her dress?" Teresa finished for me. Forgetting about our meal, like voyeurs we both continued watching the show. "Look! She's not wearing any panties!"

I could see but, did not respond. The man was moving his right hand between his date's legs.

"Now what's he going to do?"

I decided to be diplomatic and suggested, "Do you want to leave?"

"Not unless you do. We're all adults here. As far as I'm concerned, what they do is their own business." She paused. I assumed it was to give me time to consider what she'd said. "How do you feel about it? Do you want to leave?"

Grinning, I told her, "I think we got twice our money's worth."

"I don't follow you?"

I explained, "Not only are we having dinner but, we're got a couple of real swingers giving us a live action performance of 'Sex And The City' at the same time!"

Teresa looked at me strangely. It was a look that told me I'd said something that surprised her.

"Do you really think they're swingers?" She said almost expressionlessly.

I admitted, "I don't know. It's possible. If they were, they certainly wouldn't broadcast it though."

"Would you?"

When she asked it, I had been paying more attention to the couple in the corner than I was to our conversation and didn't understand the question. I asked, "Would I what?"

"Would you broadcast it? I mean, if you were a swinger, would you tell anyone."

There are critical times in a person's life when if they say the wrong thing, it can change their life forever. Something told me this was one of them. "Not in this day and age."

"Why's that?"

Trying to focus on our conversation, I explained, "Because this is the 'Land of the Free and Home of the Brave'. What it really means is that you're 'Free' to go along with the majority unless you're 'Brave' enough to do otherwise."

She said nothing. Just when I thought I'd offended her she began speaking again.

"Bruce, do you like to 'Party'?" Her eyes were upon me.

I looked at her and replied, "Sure ... but only with the right people."

"Do you think you would enjoy partying with me?"

I was ready for a night out on the town. "I'd love to." Then I asked, "Do you know any good clubs?"