When our last child started school I spent the first couple of weeks enjoying my time alone, but it wasn’t long before boredom set in. After almost fifteen years of raising children, I just wasn’t prepared for that much peace and quiet and I longed for the company of adults.
Our neighbour Carolyn came to my rescue. She manages a local YMCA and she told she was looking for someone to work casual, part-time at the front desk and doing light cleaning. I jumped at the chance. I needed something to help fill my days and it would be something to put on my resume when I was ready to move on to bigger and better things.
My husband Ben was very supportive of the idea of me going back to work. He has been the sole bread winner for the last fifteen years and although we were doing OK financially, we decided that whatever extra I might be able to earn could be socked away for a romantic getaway.
I quite enjoy my work at the Y. It is a co-ed facility, although about 80% of our clientele are men. In addition to the usual weight room and swimming pool the YMCA has a gym and hosts men’s, women’s and mixed volleyball leagues; a men’s basketball league and on Thursday evening we have men’s drop-in basketball.
Which brings me to my story.
I am scheduled to come in on Thursdays from 5 until closing at 9 p.m. This was a particularly miserable winter’s night in January with lots of snow and howling wind. The temperature had dropped to close to zero and no one in their right mind would be out on a night like this. Right?
Wrong.
Believe it or not, five guys showed up for drop-in B-ball. So while they spent an hour and a half dribbling, shooting and yelling at one another, I made good use of my time catching up on all of the laundry (towels mostly) and wiping down all the weight machines.
At 8:30 I flicked the gym lights off and on to remind them that it was almost closing time and they obediently headed off for the locker room.
About 10 minutes later a guy I knew only as Jim, a thirty-something lawyer, was the first one out. He said good night and trundled off into the storm.
I waited another 10 minutes and when no one else had come out I went to the entrance of the men’s locker room, loaded down with towels. The locker rooms have no doors, instead they have a privacy wall just inside the entrance. I hollered into the room.
“Are you guys decent in there?”
“You bet!” one of them answered.
I walked in, my view obscured by the pile of towels I carried and made my way over near the lockers where we stored them. I could hear water running from the direction of the showers and that should have been my first clue, but it didn’t register. I stacked the towels on their shelf then turned to face three naked men. One was obviously still in the shower.
They stood in front of their open lockers and I think one of them had a towel draped over his shoulder. All of them had big grins on their faces.
“I thought you said you were decent.” I said.
I’m sure I had already turned several shades of red, but I couldn’t quite bring myself to look away. “We’re all very decent guys, we just happen to be naked.” Dave McNeil said.
“And obviously not shy.” I said.
“Well the way I figure it, you being married and all, we aren’t showing you anything you haven’t seen before.” Dave said.
He was right, but in fifteen years of marriage, and for almost two years before that, my husband Ben was the only naked man I had set eyes on. Now in one instant I was faced with no less than three and a fourth just around the corner. I was trying to think of a way to make my exit without appearing as rattled and embarrassed as I actually felt at that moment. Yet, at the same time, I was enjoying the scenery and had no desire to hasten my departure.
“Maybe you can help us settle a little disagreement we were just having.” Dave said.
“What about?” I said.
“Well, we were trying to decide which one of has the longest cock.”
Dave was obviously trying to add to my embarrassment, and I wasn’t going let him.
“You mean ‘penis’ don’t you?” I said.
“Nope. Where I come from we call these things ‘cocks’.” Dave said.
“Well, where I come from it’s got to be hard to classify as a cock. And, as far as length goes, the only true measurement is when it’s hard, so I guess I can’t help you.” With that I reluctantly turned and headed for the locker room door.
I heard the other guys laughing and I knew I had won that round, but Dave wasn’t about to give up that easily.
“I bet that with your assistance we can all reach our maximum measuring status.” he said.
“But I don’t have a ruler.” I said.
“Well Jason here works at a men’s wear store, I bet he has a measuring tape in his jacket, don’t you Jay?”