Chapter 1
Two mothers sat at a reserved corner window table in Meg's Coffee Shop engaged in earnest conversation about Muriel's son Archie.
Cathie said. "Muriel, I wouldn't worry about Archie being shy. I know he's almost nineteen but some teenagers, as well as males, take longer than others to indicate the coming of adult maturity."
"I realized that but the problem is, his shyness is selective. He's only shy of females and Dan and I don't believe he's gay. He just becomes tongue-tied and appears even backward when females are around, and he relates to Dan more naturally than he does to me. I'm worried that in not going out with females around his age, he'll miss out in having a smooth full-on connection in sex with females."
"My first recollection of emerging shyness occurred when he was seven and he began asking me not to come into the bathroom when he was in the bath. I remember being so shocked that tears began flowing as I though I was losing my boy at a far too young age. Dammit, he's so feekin' shy.
"Don't worry, Muriel. It will pass. An assertive female will soon take a liking to him and she'll have the pants and underpants off him before he knows it and he'll be excitedly thinking what now?"
"You're hallucinating, Cathie."
"Okay, perhaps I am, love. Here's what I'd do. Does he drink liquor?"
"Yes, he likes beer and before dinner he usually has a can of beer with Dan, and Lucy and I have a gin."
"Then try this one night when only you and Archie are home for dinner. Offer him a second can and insist he accepts, and after he's had a few sips, begin talking to him quietly about your concerns that he appears unusually shy of females. Importantly, don't allow him to back off but at the same time avoid bullying him to engage. Keep at it and he'll begin to participate as he relaxes, especially if you keep relaxed and really appear to be chatting rather than lecturing him about this hiccup in his development."
"It can't be that easy, Cathie."
"No, it's probably not but who knows? Just talking about it, probably for the first time, could steer him on to the normal course for engaging in balanced male to female relations. Just think, all you have is the opposite that some mothers have with their young bucks who appear to becoming sexual maniacs and are fucking any female around similar age who shows an interest in their son."
"Omigod, Cathie. That puts my worry into a proper perspective. Thanks, love."
"That's my pleasure, and if your efforts don't bear fruit, take Archie to a specialist consultant."
* * *
Archie wiped his lips with the back of his hand and waited until Muriel had put down her glass after sipping gin.
"What is this mum, one of those mother-son talks we've had from time to time."
"I simply said most of the lads you hang about with now appear to have girlfriends and I asked to you have a girlfriend yet."
"You mean for the purpose of having, you know..."
"Meaning sex?"
"Yeah, well the answer is no."
"Why not?"