Adultery was in the air. Sherry's interviews were over and she had the freedom to sample the Big Apple all by herself. Now, how far would she allow herself to go? Would she even have the nerve to go all out as a married woman on the make in the big city?
After all her marriage had survived, and survived well, for fifteen years, without one extramarital affair -- at least on her part. Would one night on the loose be worth the risk?
When she accepted the assignment to travel to New York to do an interview for her magazine, she had not planned on any such thing. She would merely do some sight seeing, perhaps go to some places she'd missed when she traveled there with her husband.
Then she shared the news with her old sorority sister. Jody, as usual, found an extra enticement to what looked to be an already exciting trip. "Hey, you can finally hit a singles bar by yourself. Snag a buff dude. It will be your big chance to prove to yourself you're still a hot babe."
Sherry wasn't shocked at the innuendo. After all Jody was the wild sister in the sorority, and Sherry still loved her enough to forgive all her innuendos. "Jody, my husband knows I'm a hot babe. We've been married sixteen years and I haven't felt the need to prove anything." She gave her friend a wry smile and continued, "And I already know I'm a hot babe!" .
"Fair enough old friend, but in case you feel the urge to check it out, your hotel is right next door to Tony's Midtown Club, the wildest swinging singles bar in Manhattan. You won't even have to take a cab to get to it. Your room and a nice bed will be waiting just a short walk from Tony's
Sherry's answer was a bit slow in coming and a little less vehement, but she still insisted, "I'm telling you, I do not need to check myself out. I'm very satisfied with what I have. There's no need to conduct an experiment in a wild swinging bar."
Jody took note of her friend's slightly muted denial and softened her own suggestion. "Look, my best friend, we are both nearing the dreaded four-oh. Don't you still wonder if you 'got it?' "
"Oh hell, even if I did want to test myself, I wouldn't know what to do or even what to wear."
"Sherry, make it easy on yourself. To start with, wear your wedding ring. In a singles bar a ring is an advertisement, and it works wonders. Guys love to nail a married woman. It's good for their ego and if they knock a girl up it's her problem. But that's not the whole story. Every woman has a secret yen to be the ultimate sex object. Wear something sexy. Actually it should be something new and sexy. When an Adonis hits on you, your self esteem will soar."
"Oh and be sure to take the pill."
Sherry realized her old Pi Delta Epsilon sister knew what she was talking about when it came to sex, especially extramarital sex. Jody had bragged how she banged all the guys in the men's Pi Delta Epsilon fraternity plus half the journalist professors at USC. After she was married -- all three times -- Jody still maintained her reputation for being "available," and she reveled in it.
Although she never admitted it even to herself, Sherry started looking at her trip to New York in a different light. That week she made a "business trip" to Los Angeles and bought a new dress. It was red, expensive, made of silk, low cut, and had a slit skirt. Then rather than have it sent to her home she had the boutique send it directly to her hotel in the big city along with instructions to hold it until her arrival. Somehow she didn't want to explain to her husband why she needed a dress like that to do research for a magazine article.
Now the story was done, and the finishing touches on it would wait until she returned home. Would she go through with it? During her week's stay, she walked past Tony's several times, even imagined herself making an entrance at 9 p.m, the hour the "real action" stated. Live music from 8:30 to 2 was advertised by a sign near the door.
By pretending to be gathering information for a possible story she asked questions from a friend in New York who wrote for a gossipy tabloid. The columnist explained that when an unattached woman walked in the door she was considered "fresh meat." Usual etiquette was suspended. Many women were predators. The rest were assumed to be on the make when they came in. All sorts of fondling, touching, wild kissing, and sexually charged dancing wads were de rigueur.
"It's hot. An evening at Tony's is considered foreplay," the columnist told her.
Sherry rationalized she could visit it just for kicks and leave with her virtue intact.
That afternoon she had her hair coiffed, and her nails were painted to match her red dress Then a few dabs of Chanel # 5, a few more dabs of talcum powder in her nether areas. She put on her thigh-high hose and her panties.
Then the dress! She pulled it over her head. A check in the mirror confirmed that she did indeed look sexy. She bent over and pulled the bodice away from her body. Most of her boobs and the tops of her nipples were visible. Then she rubbed her hands on her butt, she could feel her panties. Sherry hesitated, then pulled up her dress and slid her panties down and off. Now she truly felt sexy. She took a deep breath and walked to the elevator. Downstairs she went.
Another deep breath at the door to Tony's Uptown Club, and she walked in. Was it her imagination or did conversations stop with her entrance? For sure, all eyes were on her. She felt a moment of panic and was on the verge of heading back to the safety of her room when she saw an empty stool at the bar. She sat down, and ordered a Martini -- stirred, not shaken, and three to one.
A glance around satisfied Sherry that she had made a splash. Guys, mostly younger than she, were looking and whispering. Ere long a virtual parade started. One after the other asked her to dance, or offered to buy her a drink. Each had a witty comment: "Hey, I know there's a God. He sent me an angel." "Make me the happiest man in the world by dancing with me." "I like mature women, they can teach me so much."
Nothing worked for the young men. She politely got rid each in turn. Then "HE" came in, a big man, not a callow youth. He was good fifteen years Sherry's senior. At six feet tall and trim, he exuded authority, as befits a man expecting to get his own way. Best of all, he was as bald as Yul Brynner. Sherry considered Yul to be the epitome of strength and authority. The fact that he didn't deign to wear a wig proved he was self confident. If things worked out, the new dress would prove to worth the cost!
She sipped her second drink, and was feeling the results. Ron had always told her she was several degrees hotter after a two or three Martinis. She picked up her drink in her left hand, the wedding ring sparkling in the flashing lights from the dance floor, and looked over the rim at the handsome, buff man. He was looking, and obviously liking what he saw. Mr. Clean blew an air kiss at her.
She wanted to keep the flirtation going, but didn't want it to turn serious and scare the guy off by being too serious. Sherry sat the glass down and made a face at him.
Her third Martini arrived shortly. "The gentleman in the black sweater asked me to give this to you," said the bartender. Sherry answered, "Tell him I said thank you very, very much"
Soon he was standing by her. His opening remark wowed her. "Hello," he said.
Well, that was different than "God sent me an angel." She kept it light with a broad grin and, "Hello Yul Brenner. Thanks for the drink. I'm Sherry visiting town from San Diego."
"I'm Harvey, in town on business from Moline, Illinois. Looks as if we're both far from home. May I sit down"
"Please, Harvey," She answered. Then, "Which annoys you more, the jokes about being Harvey, the imaginary rabbit, or comments about the green and yellow tractors built in your home town?"
The conversation was witty, topical, and a bit glib. The bon mots continued. Each was feeling the other out as in a fencing match. Both felt the game was afoot and knew what was at stake. On the next round Sherry had a ginger ale. This was exciting and she wanted to enjoy it with a clear mind, not one dulled by too much gin. \