Dinner at the Quicks
Tom Quick was excited. A week ago he and Alice Elton had fallen in love. It was a whirlwind romance, as they say, starting with the mutual recognition of the Tom's and Alice's enormous common interests. They were both possessed of uniquely rich sexual imaginations, razor-sharp intellects, straight-on honesty, and the ability to accept sex for what it was, no more but certainly no less. Their first date was so frankly and openly sexual that, outside of their common openness to any form of sexual expression, there was little else they knew about each other the day after the date. But they did know that they wanted to get together for another sex session as soon as possible. That would be the next night. As Hemingway says in For Whom the Bell Tolls, the earth had moved for them.
The next night, it moved again. Only this time the connection between them blossomed. As they each got to know more about who their sex partner really was as a person, they bonded so strongly that on the third day they were both saying - and meaning - I love you. They were both in a permanent state of euphoria and had managed to convince Alice's parents to let Tom sleep over in Alice's bed. It is a mark of the obvious depth and commitment of their seemingly sudden attachment that Alice's parents allowed Tom into their home and into their daughter's bed so readily.
Meanwhile, Tom had not seen a great deal of his own family for the past week. He saw his dad at the Mobil station that his dad owned and where Tom worked. He explained that he would be hanging out at the Elton's for a while and his father just smiled. He had never seen his son in such a state but he was glad to know he was in good hands. Mr. and Mrs. Elton were very decent folks. Mr. Elton was, in fact, a captain of detectives at the Axlerod PD and respected by all. If he was not concerned by the rather unusual arrangement "the kids" had requested, it was an index of his regard and respect for his daughter as well as his correct judgment that Tom was indeed a fine man. Mr. Quick knew his son would soon bring his family into the new situation when he recovered from the shock of the "bolt of lightning", as the French call this sudden and deep attachment.
It was Saturday and the two families were to meet at the Quick home - Bernie Quick, his wife Susan, his elder son Stan, their next door neighbor Angela and Henry and Marge Elton. And, of course, Tom and Alice. They had waited for Saturday evening so that Susan, with Angela's help, could put together a nice company dinner. Susan had gotten a ham for the eight of them. She would serve it with baked yams, green beans and salad. She had ice cream for dessert. Tom had slept at home Friday night, but not without a long, late night call to Alice. They agreed that having to go without sex Friday night was painful but they resolved to redouble their efforts Saturday night. Promises were made about amazing feats. They were looking forward to starting with the postponed Friday night session. Then, as Jack Nicholson says in "Chinatown", they can drink some tea and go out and look at the moon. The second act could then begin. A short peek at the moon would refresh them for the coda. That was their plan. Anyone knowing their sexual capacities could easily believe them.
The dinner was to celebrate the rather unusual event of the amazing attachment between Tom and Alice.
It was 5:15 PM and Bernie Quick and Tom had just arrived home from closing the gas station for the night. They went upstairs to clean up and change for dinner. Susan Quick was bustling about the kitchen while Angela got out the good china and tableware and began to set the table for eight. Tom's brother Stan was in the living room watching the news, but she called to him for help.
"Stan, there are only six chairs in the dining room. Can you get a couple of folding chairs for me? I think they are kept in the cellar."
"Sure, Angela. Be right there with them."
Stan got up and disappeared down the cellar stairs.
In a couple of minutes Bernie appeared in the kitchen and kissed Susan on the neck. He cleaned up a lot faster than Tom since Tom had taken over most of the messy jobs at the station.
"Nervous?" he asked Susan.
"A little. We know the Eltons, of course, but we have never been close friends."
"Well, judging by what Tom has been saying, that is all going to change. He calls Alice his soul mate."
"That's fine. They are good people."
Angela overheard her father and asked "What's really going on, Dad?"
"Tom seems to be head over heels in love, sweetheart. Do you know Alice Elton?"
"Not really, Dad. She's a senior and I graduated two years ago . Everybody seems to like her and she is super smart."
"Must be", thought Bernie. "How the hell did she convince her parents to let Tom "sleep" in her room?" but he said "That sounds good."
At this moment, Tom came bouncing down the stairs and into the kitchen.
"Hi, family. How is everybody?"
"Hello, darling." said Susan "Are you ok?"
"Couldn't be better, Mom."
"Hi, Tom" said Angela. "I hear you are on cloud 9."
