There was a time in my life when some relevant questions tormented me. I wasn't sure that I'd ever answer them completely to my satisfaction, let alone to the satisfaction of others, but I had hope. I regularly wondered how I got to the position where these questions had used up more of my brain power than I would have liked them to. I hoped that I would ultimately get satisfactory answers before my head exploded.
The four diabolical questions that vexed me were:
1) Can one have a long-term physically satisfying sexual relationship with someone that you don't like -- perhaps even detest?
2) Does having a sexual relationship outside of marriage with someone that you don't like necessarily mean that you don't really love or respect your spouse?
3) Can having regular sexual liaisons with someone you don't like allow you to "blow off steam" so that you're a better worker, lover, spouse, and/or parent than you otherwise would be?
4) Can you still honestly believe, maybe even know, that you are not disrespecting someone you hold in high regard and still fuck their detestable spouse?
That these four questions bothered me came to fore only once my wife Cindy and I moved to a new area for me to start a new, great, job.
When I, Mason Burns, got married to Cindy, the love of my life, nine years ago when I was twenty four, I couldn't postulate that any of these four questions would ever confront me.
When I went to work for Malcolm West, the president of TTX, Inc., a large international corporation three years ago in my dream job I would have laughed if any one of these four questions was hypothesized to me; I would have bet my entire life savings that they would never have any relevance to me.
Just months before the seminal part of this story I was figuratively fat, dumb, and happy. Then I came to question many things in my life.
***********
I met Malcolm West's wife Melody shortly after I started working for him. I was hired by Malcolm because I had a very broad set of skills that were important to him. Malcolm had trouble walking so he often rode in a wheelchair. Because of my size and strength I had the ability to physically help him in any situation, including even carrying him in his wheelchair a short distance or over a barrier. I also had an MBA and understood his business so that not only was I a helper and body guard but I could intelligently discuss and help implement many sophisticated business plans, and I understood the business of TTX almost as well as anyone else in the company except for Malcolm. Malcolm had told me many times that I was indispensable to him and I believed him since he made me the third highest paid employee of TTX.
When I first met Melody I was surprised that Malcolm was married to her. There are many reasons for this.
One, Melody was probably my age of 33 when I write this story; maybe a year or two older, but about twenty years younger than Malcolm.
Two, Melody did not seem very sophisticated although Malcolm is one of the most sophisticated people I have ever met.
Three, Melody seemed most comfortable in organizing, attending, or participating in physical activities, whereas Malcolm seemed to treasure intellectual and artistic activities.
Four, Melody has a sharp tongue and while Malcolm is no-nonsense in business and has a strong character he never verbally abuses anyone in any way.
Melody has one feature that provides a rational reason that Malcolm married her. She is very good looking, with a sultry aura.
While my impressions of Melody were not favorable the first few times that we interacted, my wife Cindy was not as harsh in her view of Melody. In any event since initially I didn't have to deal with Melody on a regular basis, and since Malcolm seemed to be relatively happy in his marriage, I just stuffed my views in the back of my mind and didn't let them occupy any of my brain cells.
Then there came a first problematic event. For some reason Melody accompanied Malcolm and me during a business trip to Stockholm. I think that there were a number of well-known shopping areas there that she wanted to scope out.
Malcolm, Melody and I were leaving a high-class Stockholm restaurant where Melody had had too much to drink, although she wasn't actually drunk. Our plan was to walk back to our hotel with me pushing Malcolm's wheelchair. The plan was delayed when Melody stumbled -- probably in part due to her alcohol consumption, and in part due to her four inch spiked heels -- into a young man on the street. If she had just apologized we could have been on our way.
Unfortunately not only did Melody not apologize but she let loose a string of invectives normally reserved for drill Sergeants or prison guards. The wronged young man responded in kind.
Melody and the young male -- who spoke good English (as it seems that everyone in Sweden does) -- were soon in each other's faces while exchanging vile swearwords. I could tell that Malcolm was uncomfortable and I asked him if I should intervene and he enthusiastically indicated "Yes."
I walked between spitfire Melody and the young man and calmly said to him "I'm sorry if we've offended you. We're unaccustomed to the customs of your country and I hope that you could excuse us."
This irritated Melody and she snapped "He's the asshole here, I haven't done anything rude," as she pushed me to try to get to the guy. I turned to her and said "Please calm down, Mrs. West; let's just stroll to the hotel."