My best friend Jerry had been trying to set me up with someone ever since my divorce nearly a year ago. At first, I'd agreed to meet at least for coffee with one or two of the women he'd introduced me to. But so recently after my separation from Cheryl my wife of nearly eleven years, the idea of getting into any kind of committed relationship again seemed far removed. And so far, each woman he'd set me up with had talked specifically of marriage, having children, and settling down. Something I no longer wanted nor was looking to find anytime soon either.
And lets face it. The last thing most of the women wanted that I'd met recently anyway, was a wolf in sheep's clothing. I really am a nice guy all things considered. But after eleven months of dating my hand periodically, short of painting lipstick on it, I was hoping for a little excitement as well as a little softer flesh than I was becoming used to.
I'd all but given up hope of meeting anyone who might just want to enjoy a reasonable friendship "with benefits" as we sometimes called it, when Jerry's wife Suzanne approached me. Even then I was hesitant, but at least it wasn't Jerry's idea. And Jerry seemed genuinely surprised when Suzanne mentioned to me over dinner that she might know someone who was looking for much of the same things I was. Provided that "Keri" would feel comfortable around me. I wondered what she meant by that, and Suzanne explained.
"Keri's been coming to my beauty shop for several years now. Twice a month, once to get her hair cut, and once for a facial and pedicure. Needless to say, I've gotten to know her fairly well."
Suzanne went on to explain that Keri had gotten divorced quite some time ago, and had had several really bad experiences with men since then. Because of it, she'd grown very cautious about meeting anyone, and like me, wasn't looking for any real long term relationships unless the absolute right guy came along. So far, none had. And so far, all the men she'd met were either phony, which Suzanne explained she hated more than anything. Or...that all they wanted to do was jump into bed with her. And not that she wasn't interested in sex herself, she was according to Suzanne. But, she wasn't looking for a couple of one-night "quick-fuck, wham-bam thank you mams" either.
Still, I was hesitant to meet her. After what Suzanne had told me, I envisioned this Keri as giving me the once-over, perhaps merely judging me in a single glance as just another guy looking to get laid. Which I was of course, but I was also willing as well as hoping for a little more than that. Not much perhaps, for now, but at least someone that I could go out and have some fun with, and then perhaps sleep with for no other reason than to have a good time. Like that was ever going to happen.
"Well? Think you might be interested?" Suzanne asked me.
She'd already given me a general description of her earlier. Average height, long dark auburn hair that she wore much of the time in a ponytail, slim, though Suzanne had added after the fact, having nice "tits" as even she'd called them. Though I know that was specifically designed to peak my interest. Which it did of course.
"Well, maybe. Yeah...I guess," I finally said making up my mind. "Why not?"
"Oh...there is just one more thing," Suzanne threw out at me as though having forgotten something.
I was already hearing the "but" in her comment. Obviously it wasn't the fact she wasn't at least reasonably attractive. Suzanne wouldn't do that to me. And I trusted her judgment enough, at least to know she wouldn't set me up with some homely lonely woman.
"Yes?" I questioned worriedly, wondering now if Keri had spent any prison time for anything. She laughed, seeing the expression on my face, which made the worried look even more pronounced as I began to wonder what the "but" was.
"Keri's blind," she said simply.
"You mean blind as in can't see at all? Or blind in that she wears coke bottles for glasses?" I asked, not at all sure if either one was much of an improvement over the other.
"Blind as in blind," Suzanne said, amusement no longer etching her face. "That's something that you really shouldn't let bother you, she really is a very beautiful and intelligent woman," she finished.
Though all I heard was, "And she really does have a nice personality!" Which is what half the women Jerry had set me up with didn't have.
"Shit Suzanne, I don't know," I said rethinking my earlier stance. "It's not that I really have a problem with that, but shit...that really sort of puts a cramp on the kinds of things we can go out and do together you know? I mean...it's not like we can go out to a movie together, or even bowling, or something like that."
"Why not?" she asked me point blank.
I stood, staring at her stupidly. "You can't be serious!" I exclaimed. This time at least she was smiling again.
"Be creative," she suggested. "Think of it as a challenge, something to get your mind off the normal women you've been seeing and dating recently. You just might be surprised at how interesting she really is, and how fun she can really be if you let yourself."
I thought about it. "Well, I guess she still eats," I thought aloud, sounding silly even as I said it.
"Yes, I'd imagine she does. Though I think she'd know the difference between a Big Mac and a New York steak," she stated sarcastically.
"Very funny Suzanne," I retorted, though to be perfectly honest, I truly was at a loss as to what to do, or suggest in doing with her when and if I called her.
"Oh Dan? I told her you'd call her later on this evening by the way. Might I suggest taking her out to Antonio's? I happen to know she really, really loves Italian."
#
Actually making the phone call had been easy enough, though it had taken me nearly twenty minutes to screw up the courage to do so, and only because of Suzanne's continued prompting until I finally did. And she did sound really nice over the phone. But so had my ex-mother in law, a viper with a nice smile just before she stuck her fangs into you and turned your skin black.
"Well?" Suzanne asked having left me alone once I'd actually said hello.
"I'm picking her up at her place at seven tomorrow evening," I said proudly. "We're going to Antonio's for dinner!"
#
I found myself nervous as hell as I began getting ready for the evening. I picked something out that I knew I'd be comfortable wearing, the last thing I wanted to do was sit there and sweat. But I also wanted to look nice for her too. I shaved, making sure I'd not missed any spots and left any rough patches of skin, combed my hair again, which made me laugh at myself. Suzanne had once nicknamed me "Every hair in place". Every time I went over there, she'd greet me by first running her hands through my thick head of dark hair mussing it up slightly.
"You look more attractive and sexy if you let it be just a little wild," she'd once told me. "Otherwise, you appear as though you'd just stepped out of some fashion magazine, which believe it or not, most women really don't find all that appealing," she'd added.
I'd lost a little weight because of the divorce, and though I'd never been on the heavy side anyway, flattening out my gut as well as removing the love handles that had begun to show was perhaps the best thing that could have ever happened to me. At least I had a better self-image as I stood staring at my face in the mirror. Which is when I realized how silly I really was being.
"Good hell, she's blind for Christ's sake! She could care less what I look like, or even how I'm dressed!" I realized, wondering once again if this really was such a good idea after all. "I could show up in my favorite tattered white tee-shirt, patched Levi's and she'd never know the difference!" Though I did have to admit shaving my face a little closer might not have been such a bad idea after all. Already I was imagining her later on during the evening running her hands all over my face, trying to get some sort of an idea as to what I looked like perhaps. The thought of which sent shivers running up and down my spine. I couldn't help but wonder how good she really was with her hands, amongst other things.
Still, I gave myself a final once over glancing at my image in the mirror, realizing it would for the most part be lost on her. I quickly ran my hands through my hair leaving the strands to fall wherever they felt like it, before grabbing my keys and heading outside towards my car.
"Shit Suzanne," I said to myself as I pulled out onto the street. "What HAVE I gotten myself into anyway? I mean, after all...what the fuck do we talk about? Oh hi Keri, beautiful day today wasn't it?" I would ask, and she of course would say something like, "How the fuck would I know? I'm blind you idiot!"
Half an hour later I was nervously pulling up in front of the secure apartment building where she lived. She'd already notified the doorman who stood waiting outside for my arrival, greeting me and accepting my keys though I assured him we wouldn't be long.
"I'll keep it waiting for you here then," he told me as he opened the door after first pressing the intercom announcing my arrival to her.
"Come on up!" Keri said enthusiastically. "I'll leave the door open, just come on in when you get here," she added.
It was a unique set-up where she lived. Each floor, of which there were twelve units had its own key to the elevator, and once inserted, would only allow you access to that particular floor of the apartment building provided a certain code was input along with the key. Keri had done so as the doorman had inserted his own card into the slot of the elevator, informing me I'd be getting off on the tenth floor. "Beautiful view!" I imagined, then realized once again, that I'd best be careful from making any such comments around her. No doubt, saying something like that might make her all the more aware that she'd never seen such a thing for herself. That, and asking stupid questions such as "So...what's your favorite color?" or something as idiotic as that.
As the elevator doors opened on her floor, I stepped out tentatively, noticing when I did that as she'd stated, the large doublewide doors to her suite were open. Crossing the short distance across the hallway, I stepped just inside the doors prepared to knock when I noticed her. Across the expanse of an elegantly furnished living room, which surprised me that she would surround herself in such a way, I saw her standing just outside on her balcony.
A slight breeze was stirring. The white floor-length lacy curtains billowed back into the room, parting just enough that I could see her as she stood out on the small porch as though catching the setting sun. Her hair long, free, played about her head as though a lovers hands were caressing it. I merely stood staring towards her, taking my time to check her out a moment more before announcing my arrival. At that very moment, she turned however, one arm coming up to feel for and find a portion of the curtains as they teasingly eluded her. Certain of her positioning, she entered the room.
