After my dad died in a farm accident, mum tried to make ends meet by leasing the farm and renting a house in town.
Mum worked hard as a receptionist in the local real estate office, and I had a part time job, working at the hardware store on weekends and after school.
I agreed with mum that if I could finish my last year in high school, we could have more money coming into the house once I had a reasonably paid job.
Mum was the prettiest girl in school when she was growing up and in all the school photos her light brown hair and pretty blue eyes caught everyone's eye. For those who missed those details, her body made everyone else look plain.
But now the mother of two grown adults was beginning to show the wear and tear of being a farmer's wife. The death of dad hit her hard. There was no sign she would ever drop her bundle and lose everything dad worked for, but she had to keep fighting hard to make ends meet.
We all assumed that my older brother Mort would return from the city and run the farm. But he seemed to think he was close to getting a break in his acting career. He thought if he made it, we could hire as many people as we liked to work the farm for us, and we could travel the world as long as we liked. His dreams never really materialised, but like mum and dad, he never gave up, which really meant he never came home where he could be of real help.
When I left school, I was hired full time as a check out girl and customer help at the local Hardware Store. Two years had passed and we were never really able to save for holidays or to get reasonable presents for birthdays and Christmas for one another, or our friends. I was 19 years old and started to think my life was going nowhere. Mum must have felt worse.
One day after working at the hardware store, I met mum at the cafΓ© and we sat down to a cup of coffee and she asked me if she would mind if we let out Morty's bedroom to a boarder.
'Have you got anyone in mind?' I asked her.
'Tyler Gordon, the new manager of the Supermarket.'
'Have you spoken to him mum?' I asked.
'I haven't met him yet. One of the agents at work said he would ask around for him to see if there was anything available. I wanted to talk to you first Ariel. There would need to be some changes made. You might not have the same privacy and you might need to keep a lid on the noise and so on,' mum explained.
'I don't think it will make too much difference to me mum,' I said. 'He seems to be popular and sociable. I don't mind.'
Mum said, 'I'll talk to him this week and see what happens.'
Mr Gordon moved in three days later and he kept to himself, mostly eating at one of the diners in town. At the beginning we didn't see him very much. He was often home in the house on Sundays, Monday afternoons and Tuesdays, which was some of the time he was not required at work.
My mother was busy on alternate Sundays at the Real Estate office, assisting with auctions or consulting at inspection homes.
Mum seemed to get on well with Mr Gordon. I guess she enjoyed male company and he seemed to be very charming in a smooth practised way. People in sales and promotion probably become practised at that after a while. He was friendly toward me and always smiled when we saw one another in the house, particularly in the mornings. He was cheerful when he woke, not grumpy like my dad was, but I think his life was a lot easier than my dad's.
After he had been boarding with us for a few weeks, mum started quoting Mr Gordon about different things, and he made sure she knew what he liked and didn't like. She seemed to like him a lot and told me he was such a nice man.
'Good for you mum,' I said. 'It's not too bad having a man in the house is it?'
I think he charmed her almost off her feet.
On a Monday, about 2 months after he began lodging at our place, mum went to the city to visit my brother for 2 days. I told mum I would be OK and to enjoy having a break from work.
At work that afternoon, I was moving some stock around in the hardware store when I lost my footing and fell down and hurt the top of my leg. I limped to the doctor's surgery, about six shops away past the hardware store. When the doctor had examined me, he prescribed rest for 2 days and then light duties, meaning no lifting, until another appointment the following week.
I caught a taxi home, stopping at the liquor shop to buy 2 small bottles of rum and cola, and as the weather was very pleasant with a clear sky, I decided to lie in the back yard and read. I stripped naked, left my clothes inside and settled on an inflatable double mattress to read and doze off as the mood led me.
I had finished one can and was half way through the other one when I dozed off. I must have slept for a few minutes when a cool breeze woke me. I opened my eyes and saw a small cloud casting shade over the area.
I heard Mr Gordon's voice say, 'Hi Ariel. Are you enjoying the sun?'
He was smiling, obviously enjoying the view of my naked body. I was shocked to see him leaning against the back door, which of course I had to go through to retrieve my clothes. I had nothing to cover myself up with and was very self-conscious.
'Could you pass me my clothes please Mr Gordon?' I pleaded with him. 'They're just inside the back door.'
'There's no need for you to dress for my benefit, Ariel. I'm not offended.' Then he added, 'Why are you home. Don't you work on Mondays?'
'I'm very self-conscious with my clothes off Mr Gordon. Could you get them for me please?' I pleaded.
'Don't be self conscious Ariel,' he said removing his shoes and shirt and socks. 'Would it help if I join you?'
'No! I should get dressed,' I said very nervously. 'I thought I was alone. It's usually private out here.'
He removed his pants and stood with his white underpants still on. I was in mild shock at Mr Gordon's almost bare body. He was holding a large tube of Sun-block which he must have had in the pocket of his pants, but the shock was watching his penis change shape in his shorts. I was fascinated to see a change in a person's anatomy with nothing apparently causing it. It was like it was another creature with it's own life. .
I could see that he would not cooperate with me so I got up, not caring that he could see my bare body. I raced for the door and found it was locked.
'The door is locked. I left it unlocked. Where is the key?' I demanded.
'I have it. It's safe,' he said with a wicked grin on his face.
'Can I have it please Mr Gordon?' I pleaded.
'Sure. In a few moments.'
I picked up his pants and felt in all the pockets. He did not object, nor did he try and stop me. All his pockets were empty.