The Bend in the Road

Prologue

He was not concentrating properly. As he rode his motor bike down the wet winding road from the hills to the city plain, he took a sharp bend wider than he anticipated. The front wheel hit the slippery white line in the middle of the road; the bike slithered, went out of control and hurtled towards the steep drop at the side of the road. Patrick went over with the machine. They bounced down the slope and crashed against a rock at the bottom. A flash of light went through his brain, and then oblivion came.

The Lovers

Patrick had been wild throughout his teenage years. He had been an endless worry to his parents, and more than once had come to the attention of the police. He had made a complete hash of his school life and it ended by his being expelled.

He was a good-looking boy, abounding in energy, most of which was wasted in living as riotously as he could. Girls were drawn to him because of his daring and defiant ways. There had been a number of sexual relationships, all of which Patrick engaged in with the same casual attitude he took to the rest of his life.

Then when he was twenty-two, Patrick met Sally.

He had applied for a job with a steel fabrication company. He had little chance of getting the job because he lacked reasonable educational qualifications, and the few casual jobs he had managed to get had not trained him for the position he was applying for.

He had approached the reception desk with the sort of bravado often used by swaggering youth, to try and demonstrate that he did not care one way or the other. There at the desk was Sally.

Companies that have some semblance of intelligence know that their front desk receptionist is vital to them. She – it is usually a she – is often the first contact with a potential customer. Sales and contracts can be won and lost according to how they are met initially. The "Steel and Engineering Company" for which Sally worked, knew they had a star.

Sally was twenty when Patrick first set eyes on her. And let me be frank, she was not fantastically beautiful, although not plain either. I shall at this time skip the usual statistical details, and simply say, that when Sally smiled, she seemed to light up everything around her. The recipients of her smile, no matter what there mood, whether fair or ill, suddenly felt that the world was a better place than it had been a minute ago.

One other feature I should like to point out to you, are Sally's eyes. They are hazel with long eyelids, but it is their intelligence and compassion that I should like you to bear in mind.

Patrick's usual survey of a female was centered on whether "She did, or didn't, " and whether he fancied her or not and whether he was, as he put it, "In with a chance."

Swaggering up to her desk, Patrick suddenly found his world turning upside down. She looked at him and he was transfixed. She smiled at him, and he was lost. She said "Hello," in her soft contralto voice, and he was struck dumb.

I have said that Sally was not particularly beautiful, by which I meant, not in the TV soapy and mush magazine sense. But let me be very clear, in that moment of first meeting, for Patrick, she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. He could not see her legs under the desk, nor did he look at her breasts, which were usually his first port of visual call on meeting a new girl. He was simply…well, need I go on?

Because this tall good looking young man was apparently struck dumb, Sally asked, "Can I help you?" Patrick started to stammer out, "I…I've come…" It was Sally to the rescue again. "Are you the young man Mr.Walters is expecting?" Patrick managed to get out, "Er…yes." "He's expecting you, I'll just let him know you've arrived," said Sally. She picked up the telephone, pressed in a number, and spoke. Meantime Patrick remained in his semi-paralysed state.

Patrick was escorted to the office of Mr.Walters and invited to sit down.

Now a very odd thing happened in the interview that arose out of two factors. First, Mr.Walters is intelligent and perceptive. Second, Patrick's meeting with Sally had brought about something of a personality change in him. For once, the bluster and swagger had disappeared, and something like the real Patrick had emerged, even if only in embryonic form.

Patrick, while still in swagger mode some days before, had applied for a job well above his existing abilities. Mr.Walters was quick to perceive this and in his mind ruled Patrick out as a viable candidate. On the other hand, he saw something in the young man that had apparently escaped his parents, teachers and the police. Lord only knows what it was he saw, but whatever it was, it led him to make Patrick an offer.

"Look," he said, "I can't possibly offer you the job you've applied for, it's well beyond your training and experience. But there is something I can suggest and if you care to take it up, I think I can promise that you could move on in the company. Do you want to hear my suggestion?" Patrick nodded enthusiastically. Meeting Sally, and now being treated as if somewhere inside him was a worthwhile human being, was both daunting and inspiring.

What Mr.Walters had to offer was that Patrick start work in the steel bays. This was a hard labouring job, "But," Mr.Walters went on, "If you care to take an interest, keep your eyes and ears open, then as other positions come up I shall keep you in mind."

Patrick at that point asked his first bold question of the interview. "You really mean that? You will keep me in mind?" Mr.Walters looked into Patrick's eyes, and said, "Yes."

Getting a little ahead of myself in the story, I wish to point out that Mr.Walters' "Yes," always meant, "Yes." His "No," always meant, "No." Strange, is it not?

And so Patrick exited from Mr.Walters' office with a job, in consequence of which he was walking on air. On the other hand, he was also partially paralysed from his meeting with Sally. A very complex emotional condition, wouldn't you say?

So on the following Monday Patrick made his start in the steel bays. It was hard, and at times dangerous work, but for Patrick it became a challenge. Some time he had to make good or go under, and this time he was going to make good if he died in the attempt.

As he got to know some of his fellow workers, and hoping he sounded as if he was making a casual enquiry, he asked "What's that girl's name who works in reception?" The men laughed, and one of them, in elegant manner, said, "Don't get your hopes up there. A lot around her have tried to get their hands up her skirt, and got nowhere."

Patrick was not unused to this sort of assessment of girls, but when used in relation to Sally, it was different. He could have hit the speaker, but refrained because he now had a larger target in view; his future in the job.

It was strange, but in all his behaviour, both at work and outside work, Patrick began to measure his words and deeds by Sally. Put simply, almost unbidden there arose in his mind the thought, "What would Sally think?"

Patrick's parents began to notice a change in him. His old aggressive swagger was replaced by an easy self-confidence, and he was even known to be considerate of other's needs and feelings. At first they thought he might be sickening for something, but finally decided it was because he had managed to hold a job for longer than a fortnight. The Sally factor was still hidden from them.

The "Sally factor" was, of course, founded on the one and only meeting with her. Working in the factory he rarely saw any of the office staff, and he had not set eyes on Sally since he began the job. She continued to exist for him as an unattainable being, a sort of angelic wonder.

One day, things changed just a little. The factory supervisor told Patrick Mr.Walters would like to see him, and he was to go to the office straightaway. Patrick made his way to the office and approached the reception desk. His heart was thumping as if it would break out of his chest. As he reached the desk, his heart ceased its agitation and fell. It was not Sally sitting there, but another girl.

Patrick blurted out, "Has the other girl left?" "No, she's having lunch," responded Sally' substitute.

Patrick lived again.

The substance of the interview with Mr.Walters was that the factory supervisor had been sending in good reports about Patrick's work and attitude, and a vacancy had come up in the machine section. If Patrick would like the position, training would be provided. Patrick leapt at it.

Once more, he exited Mr.Walters' office on air. This was really his lucky day. As he walked down the corridor there came towards him, Sally. She stopped in front of him, smiled and devastated him with her eyes. "Hello, how are you getting on?" she asked. "J…j…just g…got a sort of promotion," he stammered out. "What?" asked Sally. "I'm moving from the steel bays to the machine section," replied Patrick, now sufficiently recovered to be fully coherent. "Good Lord," said Sally, "You've only been here three months. It usually takes about eighteen months for that move. You must be doing well." "Hope so," Patrick responded enthusiastically. "Well good luck," smiled Sally, "I hope I see you soon." She walked on.

With those slightly ambiguous words from Sally, I should now like to turn to her side of the story for a moment.

Like Mr.Walters, Sally was perceptive. On the first meeting with Patrick, she had seen something she liked in the staring, stammering young man. I do not suggest she fell desperately in love with him on sight, but he did keep popping into her mind. She hoped they might run into each other again.

This is the bind some young people find themselves in. Take for example, Patrick. Had Sally been the sort of girl he usually consorted with, he would have known just how to deal with her. Most likely he would have dated her and screwed her in the back of the car the first night. Sally was a very different prospect, and he knew it. Thus, he was in no way equipped to approach her with a view to a closer relationship.

Equally, Sally had no idea how she might to get to know Patrick better. She was not, shall we say, "the brazen type," and in any case had never had to approach any male for a date. Dating offers there had been aplenty, and she was well equipped with reasons for not accepting most of them. The central point is, Sally would like to be asked out by Patrick, but had no idea how this could come about. But the gods were on the side of Patrick and Sally, and they provided the means for the fulfillment of the young people's desires.

Patrick and his younger brother Stephen (a much more stable youth than Patrick had been, and two years younger) were invited to a birthday party. You have guessed it. Sally had been invited as well.

The meeting was to say the least, momentous for the pair. First, they had a legitimate reason for conversation; to wit, "I didn't know you knew Audrey." "How long have you known her?" "Do you know her brother, Ken?" And so on.

Secondly, if Patrick was able to muster his courage, there might just be an opportunity to ask Sally for a date.

Patrick did muster when, at the time of the party breakup, and shaking with anticipation of rejection, he asked Sally to accompany him to see a film later that week. Sally, in her straightforward way, said, "Yes. I would like that."

In romantic movies, this is usually the moment when the strings sweep up with a triumphant melody. I always think it sounds ridiculous, but at Sally's "Yes," a mighty symphony with double orchestra soared on high. Shall we say it was Patrick's "Symphonie Romantique"? It continued its soaring in the coming days.

For Sally the moment was a little less noisy, taking on more the sound of a Chopin nocturne that reverberated across her days and nights.

In trying to describe that first date, we have to take account of a couple of circumstances. Let me begin with Patrick.

When dating girls in the past Patrick's main objective was what happened in the back seat of his car sometime towards the end of the evening. Nine times out of ten he "scored." Most times when he failed it was due to bad timing in the girl's menstrual cycle. Any refusal to perform on other grounds meant no more dating.

In Sally's case, she was accustomed to attempts to get her into the back of the car, and having to make repeated demands that she be taken home. Sturdier means of repelling the forceful youth usually resulted in his having a severe pain in his nether regions and a walk home for Sally.

So you see, Patrick and Sally approached their first dates from opposite ends of the spectrum.

It is difficult for me to give specific details of this date, but even given the above, I must say first, that Patrick very badly wanted to make love with Sally, but had no intention of doing so. Sally wanted to make love with Patrick, but hoped he would not try.

Given this difficult situation, they both managed very well. Patrick did not even try to hold Sally's hand, and not once did Sally behave in a coquettish manner. They actually found that you could have an interesting conversation between a man and a woman without it ending with sexual union.

Here I would like to point out the dangers of this situation especially where young people are concerned. You see they might start to respect each other, then they might fall in love, and this can be followed by the even more deadly malady of loving each other. This in turn can lead to a lifetime commitment, and is this not a sad outcome? Well, is it or not?

On other occasions, I have found my distinguishing between "Falling in love, "and" Love confuses people By my definition, "Falling in love," refers to that mad time when two people are all in all to each other. When they are so wrapped up and obsessed with each other that for a while they tend to exclude all other relationships.

"Love,' or "Loving," is for the longer haul. It is the caring; supporting, companionship and that bond which can include others, especially their children.

So all these dangers stood in the path of Patrick and Sally. Perhaps Sally understood these matters better than Patrick, women often do. If she did, for the time being she kept them locked in her heart, and accepted another invitation from Patrick. Patrick saw her to the door of her parent's house up in the hills, bid her goodnight without even attempting to kiss her, and got into his car with the symphony orchestra going at it hammer and tongs. Sally entered the house accompanied by Chopin.

Date now followed date, but it was not until the fourth date, and what is more, at Sally's urging, Patrick kissed her. As they sat in the car outside Sally's home she said, "I'm not made glass you know, you can touch me. When do I get a goodnight kiss?"

Patrick placed his hand on her cheek and turned her face towards him, and very gently, kissed her on the lips. "About time too, Patrick," said Sally, "Goodnight." She laughed her throaty contralto laugh, and was gone.

After that the "In love" stage had definitely been arrived at. Patrick was lost. Sally was elated. They no longer needed specific reasons to be together, it was sufficient to be together. Then towards the end of their third month came those most sinister of moves in the progress of love, meeting the parents.

Patrick's parents were amazed at their son's audacity in courting such a lovely girl. His brother, Ken, considered whether he could ever capture such a prize. Should they ever marry, which Patrick's mother thought unlikely as Sally was sure to discover how awful Patrick was, Sally would have no problem being accepted into their family.

Sally's parents were a little less enthusiastic. Her father played the old fashioned dad and asked about Patrick's prospects. Their attitude is understandable in that they knew what a prize the man who married Sally would have won. On the other hand, Sally did not see herself as something to be won. She was too straightforward to play those sorts of games.

There came the night, sitting outside Sally's house in the car when Patrick said words he had only ever used before to manipulate some girl into getting her knickers off. He said, unhesitatingly, firmly and with utter conviction, "I love you, Sally."

Sally smiled a secret smile, and said, "Good, because I love you. When do you think we should get married?" Patrick was confounded. He protested, "I'm supposed to ask you, and I was just going to." I know you were," replied Sally, "So I thought I would save you the trouble." She flung her arms round Patrick's neck and kissed him. She finished by saying, "By the way, you haven't said 'Yes'." They both burst out laughing.

Now there followed those mad whirlwind things that seem to need doing at the approach of weddings. Parents meeting parents, this and that to book, measurements taken, dresses ordered, clerical gentlemen to be interviewed by, and the myriad other details to be attended to.

One week before the wedding Patrick and Sally had the house to themselves. Sally's parents had gone to see an opera. Patrick, decided that as he would be travelling on his own, he would ask brother Stepehn if he could use his motor bike. Patrick liked an occasional spin on the bike, and he and Ken used each other transport from time to time.

Now it may amaze you to know that no sexual intercourse had taken place between Patrick and Sally. It was not that they did not desire to come together, on the contrary, but, at the risk of sounding corny, it was something to be treasured. The time had to be just right for that fulfillment of their love. They had not even discussed this, it was just something each knew the other understood.

On this night as they sat on the couch in front of the fire Sally, without preamble, said, "Patrick, I think now is the time." Without her having to say more, Patrick understood what she meant. He said, "Yes." Then he took her in his arms and kissed her long and hungrily, and began to undress her.

Finally, she stood before him naked. There was no giggling modesty; she simply stood proudly before him, wanting him to see her.

Patrick was overwhelmed. He had never seen her naked, and he cried out, "Oh God, you are so lovely." She helped him undress. He touched her very tenderly, running his hands over her breasts as if they were the most precious things in the world, which or course, in that moment for Patrick, they were. He laid her gently on the couch and explored her clitoris with his finger. As he felt her become ready he started to enter her, and felt her wince. "Did I hurt you, my love," he asked. "I'm still a virgin, Patrick," Sally murmured.

Patrick was astounded. They had never talked about this, even though he had confessed his own past. He had just assumed somewhere in the recesses of his mind, that at some time Sally had…but he was to be the first."

He stopped penetrating her and buried his face in her hair. "Oh Sally, I love you so much, I don't want to hurt you." "Go through, darling, please go through quickly, I want you to, but be quick."

Patrick made a sharp thrust into her. Sally gave a cry, and then said, "Oh my love, my darling. I'm so glad you are the first." Patrick was deeply moved, and felt tears pressing against the back of his eyelids. "Sally, my lovely Sally, you'll never know how much I love you," he gasped out. "I do know," said Sally.

Patrick came into her.

Afterwards they lay together for a long time saying nothing, but holding on to each other. About eleven o'clock they dressed. Shortly after Sally's parents returned and Patrick prepared to leave, putting on his motor cycle gear.

At the door, Patrick and Sally held each other in a long embrace. Patrick went to the motor bike and started it. Sally ran over to him for one more kiss, then he moved down the drive and onto the road. It had been raining.