Our neighbors Ted and Sarah Benson had moved into the house next door almost 5 years ago this week. Over the years we've come to know them very well. Spring and summer evenings had seen us having coffee on our patio or theirs. Colder evenings saw us together in our house or theirs.
At 50, he is employed as a mechanical engineer, a job he has held with several employers for about 28 years. His wife works in HR, just not the same company, although they did work at one time work for the same employer.
They're a handsome couple. He stands 5' 8. Brown hair with a touch of gray frames a diamond-shaped face. He has blue eyes, a trimmed beard, full lips, a straight nose and high cheek bones.
At 5 6,140 pounds Sarah, age 49, admits to have gained weight since college, though I would not say that she's heavyset. Her blond hair cascades past her shoulders. Her eyes are the color of the sky. Bow shaped lips are often painted red.
A warm evening in July would bring a surprise. She was wearing a sleeveless green mini dress with a notched neckline. My eye was drawn to her right upper arm. An upside down pineapple wearing dark glasses and flashing a toothy smile emblazoned her flesh.
"Interesting tatt," I quipped.
Her hand with the cigarette stopped halfway to her lips.
"I got this a year ago when we, that is Me and Ted, got into the swinger lifestyle."
"What do you tell the kids," I asked.
"We just say that we're visiting friends. They're long past the age where we have to bring them along."
"So they are in the dark," I replied.
"Pretty much," Sarah replied in a matter of fact tone.
She took a pull from her Salem and smoke streamed from her lips making a cloud.
Her 16 year old and her 17 year old will probably learn of it sooner or later. The question is how will they react.
The setting sun painted the sky with purple, orange and bits of yellow. Birds were chirping, their songs filling the air. After strolling about the lawn checking out the flower beds the four of us took seats on patio chairs around the white plastic table under a closed umbrella.
I was reminded of another lifestyle, one which my husband and I have never considered.
"My sister Caroline and her husband are nudists. One Saturday not too long ago we visited them. She was lying naked in her chaise lounge on their deck. Her husband was sitting in a lawn chair. He was naked as well."
"Nudity is common," said Sarah.
"We stayed for a couple of hours but we kept our clothes on. After a while it just didn't bother us."
"Why should it," Sarah asked.
Over the next several days I had secretly entertained the notion of swinging. I thought about my taste in men and about moves I like. Where does one even find a swingers club? How old is the typical couple? Wait, I love my husband. Is swinging not infidelity? Maybe it's not cheating if we both meet the other's partner and do it on the same night. Maybe he'll have moves I haven't seen.
A Friday afternoon in late July at the dinner table seemed like a good time to put the topic out there for discussion. I swallowed the last bite of chicken off the breast then spoke.
