"Unless it's immoral, I think you should try just about anything," she had told him earlier. It was a good philosophy, he agreed. He still had three or four morals left -- but aside from those, he'd try just about anything.
They had been sitting on the couch, watching the movie for the University of Indianapolis course. It was pretty slow, but the scene had raised Jen's curiosity and she asked Jeff the question. She did it because she was feeling a little wanton, and thought it would be a good icebreaker to a little sexual play.
But she didn't expect the answer she received.
Jen leaned forward, her eyes widening at the comment.
"You're kidding, right?"
"No."
"You've never masturbated?" she asked him again. Her head was leaning to one side like she was a curious animal in a zoo. And this statement raised her curiosity. "Why not?"
Jeff was uncomfortable with the questioning. For 22 years, he thought he was not dirty because he didn't touch himself, and now this friend of his was making him feel like an idiot for not taking in the self-pleasure.
"Never felt the urge, I guess."
"Never?"
He looked around the room for some kind of comforting reference point. Perhaps a movie poster of a flick they both liked or a band they both listened to. But only tapestries were hung in the television room -- like the ones he'd seen while stationed in the Far East.
He never talked about his masturbation habits -- or more accurately lack of -- to any of the girls over there. Jeff had a lover and that was that. Good, hard sex the old fashion way -- with her climaxing four times before he came once.
And this girl -- what was she even 19? -- wanted to talk about him and his desires to break off a piece.
"No. I swear I don't."
"I thought every guy did?" she asked confused. "I know my brothers did. Hell, I think my dad taught them."
"Yikes. That might fall under 'TMI.'"
"TMI?"
"Too much information."
She laughed. "I don't know that he did. We're not an incest family, but I always assumed every guy masturbated. Most girls do. That's a little secret we don't like to share, though."
"Well, not every guy. Like 90 percent of men do, if I recall a survey right. Hell, I was raised Catholic. The way I was brought up, I'm not even supposed to know I have a penis, much less a prostrate and testicles."
"So, what, you walk around with blue-balls all the time?" Jen asked, trying not to laugh.
"No. Blue balls is a myth. I mean, when I'm not in a sexual relationship, I still have 'moments' where things are drained."
"Things? You mean your cum, spunk, sperm, right."
"You know, you're kinda crude. Kinda evil."
"I know," Jen smiled. "But I'm honest."
"I guess." He felt boyish talking to her, and it annoyed him. He was far from a boy.
Jen and Jeff met in Modern Theatre 101 at the University of Indianapolis. She was a member of the tennis team there, while he had returned home after spending four years in the Marine Corps as a combat photographer. They were watching some artsy European movie where the lead actress started satisfying an urge -- all underneath the letterbox border -- when the topic of masturbation came up.