It was the busiest part of the day at the Festival when I was standing under the rusty brown leaves of the liquidambar trying to keep away from the busy throng of people trying to buy their lunch from one of the harassed vendors. It was then that I noticed a woman not much older than myself dressed in a loose-fitting kaftan her dark sultry eyes burning into me. I had the uncomfortable feeling she was actually undressing me.
I am thirty-two of Chinese descent and barely five feet two in my socks. I am wearing a black knee length dress with a yellow Indian Cotton shirt which disguises my small A cup breasts. Looking once more into the smoldering eyes that are stripping me of my dignity, I tell the woman to stop staring at me, but she simply smiles saying 'I like what I am looking at'.
"Oh, please stop you are making me very uncomfortable and anyway I am not a lesbian."
"I know you are not lesbian that is why I am liking what I see."
Her voice was soft and seductive, yet it also made me understand that she was in charge of the situation. Although she was covered in the loose-fitting cloth of her kaftan I realized that her face was quite beautiful with a broad smile showing white even teeth with a small dimple on her lower left cheek.
"Hi, I am Beth it's short for Bethany but not being that religious I have abbreviated it to Beth. You intrigue me you see I am attracted to small-breasted Asian women. So, tell me: what's your name?"
"I am Summah which I spell with an ache at the end ... please, will you stop staring at me you are really making me very uncomfortable."
"The bush dance is about to start I love dancing ... let's go."
"I am not lesbian."
"I already know that any way we are talking about dancing, not sex."
It was as though I was in a trance as she took my hand in hers leading me down the street to the old Community Hall where I could already hear a bush band. I love to dance especially to traditional folk music but I had the uneasy feeling that Beth was not just interested in dancing.
Although there were quite a lot of people in the hall not many were dancing, and Beth led me over to a small bar where beer was being served.
"Here, have a beer it will help relax you ... all I want is to get to know you. So, tell me your story."
"I am Summah Jackson and of mixed race, my father coming from Hong Kong and my mother from Germany they died in a horror car crash when I was nineteen. Since then I have been moving around the world searching for happiness. I have had a number of lovers, but they have either mistreated me or left me feeling used."
"Us girls are different why not swing to the other side of the street?"
"Maybe so but as I have already said I don't do lesbian: it's unnatural."
"Well Summah I am lesbian and though I have felt different for many years I only put a name to it after I turned eighteen. You say it's unnatural, but I say that I was born this way. Anyway, we can discuss this later: the Bush Band is about to start. Let's dance."
Although I love traditional folk music, I didn't think I would enjoy dancing with Beth because she still made me feel very uneasy ... in a way I felt as though Beth was stalking me.
The band was already in full swing although there were only three couples on the dance floor ... it seemed most of the action was around the bar. I love dancing and was amazed at how good Beth was because we both moved very well to the loud music and I found myself enjoying Beth's company. When the music slowed, she led me off the floor to get a beer: although I am not a big drinker, I accepted the beer she offered me eagerly.
Finding a seat by the old stage we drank our beers in silence. The hall was quite special with its old cream painted timber walls with the edges of panels picked out in a rustic green color. Two of these panels one at each end of the stage displayed the names of the men and women who gave their lives in both world wars. The five-piece band was on the stage and two large vases of blue hydrangeas decorated both ends. Although the band had returned to its usual fast pace Beth seemed quite happy to sit out the dancing.
I started as Beth took my hand and helping me stand led me outside explaining that it was quite cool in the unheated hall. The sun was bright and with a light breeze roughing the autumn leaves we made our way to a park bench not far from the Halls side door. After sitting Beth turned towards me and taking my hands in hers told me that she was very attracted to me. As I began to protest, she placed a finger on my lips firmly shushing me.
I did stop talking although I felt uneasy that I was allowing Beth to take control.
"Summah don't close your eyes when I tell you how beautiful you are. So far at the dance, we have connected really well."
As she said this, I again felt helpless as her deft fingers undid the top buttons on my shirt while the fingers on her other hand slid softly down my cheek ... slipping across my closed lips.