Glen lay on the lounge on his patio enjoying the sunshine on a beautiful late spring day. He had spent the afternoon doing yard work and now just wanted to relax. At 73 he was still in pretty good shape, but the afternoon's work had sure given his old muscles something to think about. He took a sip of his beer, just as that song came on the radio.
"I got my first real six string, bought it at the five and dime, played it til my fingers bled, it was the summer of '69...."
The song always made him feel nostalgic. 1969 had a special place in his memory, and that summer had been one that had changed everything in his life. He had been eighteen and had just graduated from high school. He was off to university in September, his first time away from the small town he had grown up in. He thought of the how his whole life would change, the many possibilities, living away from home, meeting new people and experiencing new things.
As his mind drifted back to that idyllic time, he could not help but think about Jenny and how she and the summer had changed his life completely. He and Jenny were best buddies. Their families were close and they had known each other as long as he could remember. They had played together as little kids and had continued their friendship right through high school. Both of them were smart kids who excelled in school. They often studied together and both were on the honour roll. And they were both a bit introverted and relied on one another's friendship because they didn't make other friends very easily. They were considered nerds by many classmates because they focused so much on scholastic achievement and not partying like many did. They both loved reading and enjoyed going to movies together.
He thought about how he had always been the "skinny kid" and not much into sports or physical activity. But the last year of school he had started working out a bit in his basement where his dad had weights that he used all the time. By graduation, he had been quite proud of himself and his body had filled out and while he was no Charles Atlas, his muscles had developed quite nicely. Jenny had always been what one might call a chubby girl. She was tall, just a few inches shorter than his six feet and while she never showed her body off because of the loose fitting clothes she always wore, she had developed very ample breasts and had a very curvy bottom. And she had a totally angelic face with beautiful big brown eyes. He had taken notice of her body, especially when they had gone swimming together at her parents cottage at the lake. And while he did have some fantasies about her, he never pursued them as he did not want to say or do something to screw up their friendship.
That final year of high school had been hectic. Both he and Jenny were trying to get the highest marks possible to insure that they got scholarships to university. Social life was something others did, the two of them working hard together to achieve their goals. While most of their classmates were wrapped up in planning for prom and graduation, Glen and Jenny had a much different focus and both excelled in all their subjects. While others were out partying, they had been studying together, and their friendship had become even stronger. When it came time for the prom, the two of them decided to go together as friends, Glen not feeling comfortable in asking anyone else and Jenny being a bit shy had said no to the one other boy who had approached her.
And now here it was summer, classes were done and both of them had found summer jobs to make some extra money for the fall. Jenny was working as a receptionist at her uncle's dentistry office, filling in for a lady who was having a baby. Glen had found a job through a friend of his Dad, working on a crew paving roads. It was hot hard work, and he was glad he had built up his muscles over the past year.
On the weekends, he and Jenny would get together and talk about going to university and how it would be so different from what they were used to. He remembered exactly the moment that their conversations had taken a dramatic turn. It was mid July and they were sitting in the back yard at Jenny's place eating a pizza and drinking sodas. Jenny had looked at him in a funny way and blushing had asked, "Have you ever had sex Glen?"
The question took him completely aback and he stammered, "I, I... no I haven't, I am a virgin."
Still blushing, she replied, "So am I, but do you ever think about it?"
Wondering where this conversation was going, Glen took his time to respond, "Of course I do, I am pretty sure all guys do, what about you?"
Jenny smiled a coy little smile and responded, "Well, I sure have this past while, I was so busy with school and trying to get high marks that I never had time, but I have had thoughts and I can't talk to my parents, but you are my best friend and I wanted to talk to you about it."
"I don't think I am much of a reference, I have never had any experience either and only ever dated one girl back in grade ten and except for a few kisses, I never did anything."
"Yes I remember, Tammy Franklin, I was sorta jealous when you two went out."
"Really, why?"
"I like you, silly. You are my best buddy and I kinda have always had a crush on you, but never said anything because I was afraid it would change our friendship."
"I have felt the same way about you Jenny."
"We are both heading off to college in the fall Glen, you are off to become an architect and I am heading to pre med. And we will be so far apart. And I am sure both of us will meet people and things might happen. And I don't want to be a complete nerd about it. I mean, look what is going on in the world outside our boring conservative town. The social unrest, the summer of love, that Woodstock thing that is coming up... all that stuff we read about, but never experience. And I have thought about it a lot and there is no one else I want to be the first than my best friend."
"You mean us doing it?" Glen gulped.
"Yes, we could learn together, if you are up for it."
"Jennifer Wilson, you are trying to seduce me, aren't you?" he said trying to mimic the line from the Graduate that we had seen together a year or so before and lighten the conversation.
"Moi," she replied, pretending to fan herself and giving him a wink, "Whatever do you mean Mr. Green?"
They had both laughed, but then the reality hit him, Jenny was really talking about having sex with him. He hesitated for a bit, feeling conflicted. His mind was telling him it might affect their friendship, but his body was urging him to go for it.
"How would we do this, where would we get the privacy?"
"This has been on my mind for awhile, but I waited until now because I knew my parents and my brother would be gone to the cottage at the lake for two weeks. I could not go this year because of my job, so I am home alone for two weeks. We have all the privacy we could ever want."
"So, like when were you thinking we could, you know?" he stammered.
"What about today, we could start with some kisses and see what happens. Unless you have better plans?" she said with a twinkle in her eye.
And with that she got up from her chair, walked over to him, leaned in and brought her lips to his for a soft sweet kiss. And whatever inhibitions he had felt quickly melted away by the feel of her lips on his.
As she broke the kiss and stood there looking into his eyes, he said, "Perhaps we should go inside, don't want the neighbours to see."
So hand in hand they had gone into the house. Glen had asked to use the phone and had called home telling his mother that he would be having dinner with Jenny and then they were going to watch a movie at nine on TV that they both wanted to see. His mom had just said, "have fun, we won't wait up."
He put down the phone and turned and saw Jenny on the sofa, smiling and patting the spot beside her. He felt a nervousness come over him and just stood there for a moment, but then took a deep breath and joined her.
"We'll start with just kissing,' she said, "Sounds like neither of us has much experience with that,"
