This story contains bondage and smoking. If you don't like stories where the women are dominant and the men submissive, go find another story.
* * * * *
I clicked on the Submit button, yet again. I'd written and rewritten my relationship listing so many times; I was tired of reading it. Yet, I held out hope that there would be someone out there that wanted the same kind of unusual relationship I wanted.
The day after I posed my relationship listing on Craigslist, I got two quick responses. Usually, these were people trolling for email addresses. I responded to both emails, on the off chance that they were serious replies. They weren't.
I forgot about the listing until a response came a couple of weeks later. The message was short and to the point:
I saw your listing. It sounds like the kind of relationship I want to experience. Send me a picture and your number.
Whitney
The email came from an .edu address, which was unusual. I replied, hoping it wasn't another troll. I'd sent my picture a few times in response, only to not hear from the woman again. I guess they didn't notice in the listing where I put my age, 47.
I was pleasantly surprised to come home from work one day, and find this message in my email.
I've been thinking about what you wrote in your listing. I'm pretty sure we would be compatible in the bedroom. I would like to meet you and see if we have other mutual interests. My phone number is 555-8503.
Whitney
I called Whitney, and we talked on the phone for about an hour. Her voice was pleasant, and the call consisted mostly of her asking me questions about my life, my experiences, and to fill in some of the details about my Craigslist listing. I was happy that someone who sounded interesting had responded to my listing. Her background didn't matter to me as much.
I asked her to meet me for dinner Friday night, and she agreed. Since she knew what I looked like, she agreed to wait for me in front of Fortunado's, an Italian place a few miles from my townhouse.
I didn't think too much about my date the rest of the week. Sure, I was happy, but I'd had so many disappointments before. I figured that I'd have a nice time talking with Whitney over dinner, and that would be it.
I was pleasantly surprised when Whitney introduced herself in front of Fortunado's. She was a young, pretty, black woman. Her hair was kinky, but her demeanor was calm.
"Hi, I'm Whitney. Are you surprised that I'm black?"
I smiled. "I'm more surprised at how young and pretty you are."
Whitney smiled, and said, "Thank you." I followed her into the restaurant. We sat down, and the waitress came to take our order.
I ordered first. "I'll have the Shrimp Fra Diavolo."
"Ooh, that sounds spicy. I'll have the Scallops Alla Sambuca."
After the waitress left, I asked Whitney, "So, tell me about yourself. You already know a lot about me."
Whitney smiled. "I'm a college student at Spelman College. I work at Hooters to pay for college. I want to be a novelist."
I smiled, imagining Whitney wearing a Hooters top. "Oh, what do you want to write about?"
"It's complicated." Whitney took a sip of her water. "I want to write a novel about a black man growing up in a poor neighborhood that succeeds in spite of the odds against him."
"Oh, a fantasy," I quipped.
Whitney gave me a dirty look, and suddenly looked sad.
"What's the matter?" I asked.
"I've been studying the black community for a couple of years, and you're right, it is a fantasy for most black men."
"A couple of years? Didn't you grow up in the black community?"
Whitney took a sip of her water. "No, I didn't. I grew up in a middle-class area of Durham, North Carolina. I was the only black in my elementary and middle school. My first exposure to the black community is when I moved to Atlanta to attend Spelman."
"Oh." I took a drink of my water. "So what keeps black men from succeeding?"
"Well, the community has poor role models, for one thing. The drug dealer is the most respected man, but not everyone can be a drug dealer. Black men grow up in fatherless homes. Who's supposed to teach these boys how to be men, the mothers?"
"Those are good points. What about the effect of government programs?"
Whitney didn't miss a beat. "You're right. Most girls know that when they're 16 and they get pregnant, the government will set them up in their own apartment. Other women try to tell them that a baby is a huge responsibility, but they say they want someone to love them unconditionally. They should get a dog."