"Why so glum Justine?" Ann asks after watching her best friend for several minutes realizing that something was amiss.
"I don't know. I think that there is something in life that I missed. You know being 55 years old you look back a lot and wonder...," replies Justine with an audible sigh.
"I don't understand. I look at you and see a beautiful, intelligent and incredibly talented woman. I know women 20 years younger that would gladly trade places with you, to have what you have and what you have accomplished," Ann tells her friend hoping to cheer her up.
"It is hard for me to see that. It seems that I have always been driven to do things. I mean I have never just let things happen, I always had to be in control even when it looked like I was just following. When you believe that you must always be in control it is difficult to let others introduce new things in your life as you must know everything," said a frustrated Justine.
"Aren't you happy with what you have accomplished? I think that there is something more going on. What is it that you believe you have missed out on in your 55 years of living?" Ann again asks.
"Sex," Justine replies.
"Sex?" Ann asks with a puzzled look on her face. "You have been married twice and have a grown son. Surely you have more then an adequate understanding and experiences with sex."
"You don't understand," said Justine. "I always thought that sex was mostly for the man. I have no problem with sex or with enjoying myself. It is just that I now realize that there are a million different ways to have and enjoy sex, and I have only tried just a few. And now it is simply to late."
"Justine my friend," laughed Ann, "it is never too late to explore sex. Never! Have you talked to George about your feelings, after all he is your husband."
"No," Justine says as she shakes her head. "George is pretty much set in his ways, he has his own interests now and it is not with sex. I almost feel obsessed with sex: what would this feel like or why didn't I try that. I almost want to cry knowing that I may have missed out on the most important thing in life."
"Hmmmmmm, well you will need to tackle this problem just like you have with any other problem in you life," reasoned Ann. "There is a solution to this if you want to find one. Unless of course you want to just feel miserable and that takes no talent but it also gets you nowhere."
"You're absolutely right Ann! I have just been feeling sorry for myself. Now let me see where should I start," Justine responds like her old confident self.
"If I put George out of the picture then that means I must find someone else. I must find a man that realizes that all I'm interested in is learning about sex. I want a mature man, a knowledgeable man, a sensitive man... Hell Ann I might as well be asking for the >6 Million Dollar Man!' Where in the hell am I gonna find all of that?" Justine laments.
"Justine, relax! What you are asking for is not that difficult. There are a million men out there that would die to provide you with what you want, the thing is finding the one man you want to do it with. Think about all of the men you know, I bet there are at least a dozen off the top that could provide you with all the knowledge you desire," Ann responds with enthusiasm. "You can do it girl!"
"Well let me think... Maybe... no, he won't do. Mmmmmmm... no. Mmmmmmm... I think I know a good place to start. What will I do if he laughs at me?" Justine asks.
"Simple, you just walk away and drop the jerk from your list. It is just that simple," answers Ann. "Do I know him?"
"No, I don't think so. His name is Dennis, maybe late 40's or early 50's. Nice man, but there is something about him that makes me tingle when he is near me, sort of electrical... I don't know how to explain it, but it would be nice if he was the man," states Justine.
"So tell me how are you going to approach him," asks Ann.
"I guess I will play it by ear next time that I see him at the office," responded Justine.
* * * * *
"Dennis," Justine breaths the name as she approaches him.
Dennis looks up from his work to see Justine standing in front of him. "Hello, Justine. How are you doing?" he asks.
"I'm doing fine Dennis..." Justine hesitates before continuing. "I was wondering if we could have lunch sometimes this week. I have a problem that I may need your assistance with."
"Well I have nothing planned today, and I would love to help you in any way I could," Dennis tells Justine never suspecting that what Justine had in mind had nothing at all to do with work. "Want to go now?"
"Why yes," Justine says, "Yes I would! Could we go to that little Mexican Restaurant down the street, you know the one that is out of the way."
"Sure, my treat," Dennis replies.