“Harry, it’s 10 o’clock; aren’t you going to even look for a job today,” I asked. He looked down sullenly at his coffee cup as if he had no idea about how to answer. I was confused.
Harry had been an engineer for the same company, Munson Technologies, for almost 20 years (the only job that he had ever held), but technology changed and Harry no longer fit into his world. His company thought that they had the world by the tail with improvements in their simulators, so they never encouraged their people to upgrade their skills. Then when the world passed them by they folded leaving men like Harry by the wayside. He had looked for something to equal his six-figure income, but I could realistically see that that was never going to happen.
Harry looked up with tears in his eyes and admitted,” I took a job yesterday, and I report for work at 2 o’clock this afternoon.”
“That’s wonderful Harry!” I exclaimed. “ Maybe we can get straightened out. It was so embarrassing when they came and took my Expedition yesterday. Tell me about it. Why didn’t you tell me yesterday? Harry, answer me!”
“It’s not going to change things much Rachel. I took a job with the City as a guard at the dump. Sorry, I just had to get work of some kind, but it is only minimum wage, and we are going to lose everything anyway.”
Harry, was probably right. His Mercedes had been taken months ago, and the house was two payments in arrears. I know it was only a matter of a few days before it was gone like the rest of our possessions. Nasty phone calls from creditors were a normal thing everyday. Our savings were gone, the 401k was cashed in and spent, the children’s college funds had evaporated , and we were in debt up to our ears. “Harry, “I pleaded, “when is your first paycheck. At least maybe we can buy groceries. Right now we are broke.”
“ Not for two weeks,” he answered. “ I think we had better put the house on the market. I guess we should have done that a year ago.”
I knew he was right. I needed to find a job, but Harry was a proud man who didn’t think his wife should have to work. All of this had eroded our relationship to the breaking point. There was no closeness anymore. He couldn’t even face the kids. Harry was a broken man. We both sat in silence. What else was there to say?
******
I watched Harry leave for work in his old clunker. I had never seen him leave for work in anything other than a suit, but today he had an old shirt and torn pants. This was truly a grubby job. I thought that at least they could have given him a uniform or something. Harry’s depression showed on his face and in his motions. I had spent a year shoving my fears into the background, so that I could prop him up, but now I felt defeated too. I was tired of carrying this family on my shoulders. I wanted someone to take over and tell me what to do. I had always thought of myself as a strong capable woman, but now my confidence had eroded just like Harry’s. I needed someone to lean on, someone who would tell me that everything would be ok, and someone who could make me feel like a desirable woman again. I had to get out for a bit if only to escape the phone, so I left a note for the kids (they were 17 and 15, old enough to watch out for themselves), put on a light summer dress, and headed for the bus stop.
I think I look pretty good for my thirty-eight years. Oh yeah, they sag a little, but my “C cups” still had a lot of life, and my weight was no more than it was when I got married. I attributed that to a vigorous exercise program, good eating habits, and most importantly good genes. I still got a lot of looks from the guys passing by as I starred blankly into the windows at things that I could no longer afford. But I felt rather comfortable with the crowds and the anonymity. At least I didn’t have the neighbors watching and pitying me. I hated that most of all.
I came to a small bar and looked in. I had bus fare home and five dollars, so I debated between a gallon of milk or a beer. I had not treated myself to anything in a long time, so I made what was probably a very selfish choice. At least that was the way I felt at the time. When I entered I peered into the dimly lit room. There were a few well-dressed men sitting at t table and a couple of women at the end of the bar, but I thought little of that. I crept up to the bar and asked for a small draft, assuming that it was the cheapest thing they had.
“ What kind,” the Bartender asked.
“The least expensive,” I answered. “By the way, how much is it.”
“Six dollars mam,” he answered. “We only serve imported beer here.”
I heard a voice behind me. It was as confident and authoritative as it was demanding, “Give the lady a Heineken and I’ll have a Beck Dark.” I turned and looked into the darkest piercing eyes I had ever seen. The man was about 5’11”, trim, and absolutely beautiful. He looked to be about 45 with jet-black hair and a smile that would melt a marble statue.
“I can’t accept sir,” I said in an uncertain voice. Well, it was really my mothers “you can’t” with a “God yes” in the background.
“ I think you came in here for a beer,” he said. “I can’t make you do anything that you don’t want to in a public place like this, so why not? By the way, I’m Tom.”
I thought about some more “hard to get” things that I had in my repertoire, but I sat back down on the barstool instead and introduced myself. We chatted for awhile and had another beer while I grew quite comfortable with this man. Harry and I had been married for 19 years, and I had never cheated on him, but I could feel my inhibited resolve slipping away as I sipped my beer. I was never a prude, and although I never acted upon them, I certainly had my fantasies about sex with other men over the years.
Tom winked at the bartender and the bartender disappeared into what looked like a kitchen. Tom then turned to me, put his hand over mine, and through that disarming smile asked, ”How about some lunch.”
“Here?” I asked.
“This building has thirty floors of offices and ten floors of apartments. My company owns one of the apartments. I would like to have lunch there,” Tom advised.
“I can’t do that,” I answered without conviction.
Tom reached into his pocket and pulled out a roll of bills. He peeled off two hundreds and laid them on the bar. I looked at the money in horror. Do I look like a whore I thought? God, that is groceries for next week.
“Tom, I, I, I just can’t do that,” I stuttered.
“What, have lunch?” he said with that disarming smile.
“Tom, I know what you want. I have been a faithful wife. Please don’t tempt me like this. Things are hard enough as it is,” I said almost pleading with tears in my eyes.
“Just lunch,” he replied. You can say no and leave at anytime you want. You can even pick up the money and walk out the door right now.” I picked up the money and put my hand in his. “The die is cast,” I thought.
**********
The suite was beautiful with a view over the city, which was breathtaking. I guess the wink to the bartender meant get “the regular” upstairs because when we walked in there was a huge spread of chicken salad, cheese, sausage, crackers and French bread on a huge round oak table. Two bottles of White Zinfandel were cooling in ice by the plush chairs. When I walked into the room I actually sank into the carpet because it was so thick. Wow I thought, this guy must really be rich. Why would I have thought otherwise anyway?
We sat and enjoyed a leisurely lunch with one glass of wine after another. I am not much of a drinker, so I got a little tipsy quickly. After eating we walked to the window and watched life passing below us. He put his arm around my waist and turned me to him. I lifted my chin until I was lost in those eyes. His lips approached mine, and I surrendered. I wanted to be held, and kissed. It had been so long since I had had intimacy that I had forgotten how it felt to be in the warm grasp of a man. His tongue snaked its way into my mouth, and I quivered with excitement. I could think of no where that I would have rather been at this time.
“Love me! “ I exclaimed in a voice that seemed to come from someone else. You can keep the money, I just need you. I guess that was my last attempt at respectability, and I thought that it might be for quite some time.
He gently unzipped my dress and slid the straps off of my shoulders. The dress just fell and puddled at my feet. I reached down and felt his hardness, and I was proud that I could still effect a man like this. My self-esteem was receiving a huge shot in the arm.
He pushed me away enough to get to the front clasp of my bra and released my breasts for their prison. He looked, smiled, and said,” They are beautiful.” He touched my nipples and gently rolled them between his fingers. Just his presents made my pussy feel damp while we were downstairs in the bar; now the crotch of my panties was soaked.
As we stood before the window, he nibbled at my neck, and suckled at my breast, first one then the other. I felt as if I was being worshiped. I needed to please him. I had never been much for oral sex, but I knew what I had to do. I dropped to my knees before this man god and unbuckled his pants. I nuzzled his genitals through the material as I slowly unzipped the fly and let the pants fall to the floor. My prize was before me with only the fabric of his boxers as a barrier. I rubbed him in anticipation of the treat that was in store for me.