Tales From The Orient Ch 04

Well, Dee's story of her night out with the girls and what she'd got up to with her young Marine left me stunned. I knew she was an adventurous and free-spirited woman but even so... and that's not the end of it. A few years later I heard more versions of the story - and this is where the first 'Rashoman' elements appear.

As usual, any explanatory remarks I make are in italics, and thank you 'ausfet' and 'fridayam' for your encouragement and comments; please keep them coming.

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Rashomon 4 – Singapore and England

I'd been listening to Dee with a growing sense of well... I suppose shock and then anger. I'd been away for only a few weeks, she'd gone out on the town with her friends and then ended up bringing a young US marine she'd just met back to our apartment - and allowed him to...! But now she looked so tearful and upset and at the same time, once I'd got over the initial shock, I had to admit that if I'd been in Tom's shoes I would probably have done the same.

Dee's eyes were almost brimming with tears – then we were in each other's arms! My initial anger disappeared and had been replaced, to my astonishment, by a wave of almost boiling sexual desire for her that was now flooding through me. From her description of what had happened I had an instant and very graphic mental image of a naked Dee on her back on the carpet, her legs spread high in the air and a lusty, sex starved young marine between them and fucking her senseless – and all this where I was now standing! And then... well, it suddenly triggered off an almost frightening sensation inside me.

I felt I had to do something - and without thinking I picked her up and hoisted her over my shoulder. She objected feebly and suddenly we were in the bedroom. I threw her on the bed and started tugging at the circular zip fastener on the front of her dress – it was the same dress she'd been wearing with Tom! She didn't say anything, but her expression suddenly changed ... Now her eyes were glittering - it was almost as if she was challenging me...

A few moments later she was naked and I was on top of her. I just had to have her and suddenly we were fucking her like there was no tomorrow... There was no loving kissing, foreplay or anything like that. She gave a gasp as I thrust into her and I'd never felt her so hot and juicy... and then she changed into a completely new and different woman from the one I'd married. As I continued thrusting into her again and again she wrapped her legs around my waist and held me tight while almost screaming for me to keep fucking her... language I'd never heard her use before. It was all too shocking and passionate to last very long and afterwards, as we recovered and lay there panting, I think we were both surprised and almost shocked by what had happened. Our reactions had been so intense - and even then I felt that something had changed between us.

We lay back and just cuddled ... and a few minutes later we did it all again – this time more slowly and lovingly. I said I was sorry I'd behaved like that and that thinking about it couldn't blame her for what she'd done with Tom. She said she still couldn't believe she'd done it either, and eventually we agreed that she'd been lonely, frustrated and the unique circumstances of the night had led to a 'sympathy shag' for a lonely young man far away from home.

We were silent for a while then I went on;

'Do you realise what effect you've just had on me – I don't know how to explain it but somehow you've made me love you even more...if that's possible?'

She put her head back, smiled quietly and replied;

'Well... yes, I did notice you were a bit different... I never thought you'd be quite so forceful... and it was rather exciting being ravished – I mean by you...and I'm still tingling all over.'

Then suddenly she giggled and said;

'So, if I have that effect on you perhaps you should leave me on my own more often... and then you could...?'

Then she blushed as if she'd realised what she implied and hastily went on;

'I didn't mean... and I hadn't meant to do it with Tom - it had all really been a mistake. But you remember we'd agreed we be open with each other and a few minutes ago I was worried at how you would react if I told you...But now ...?'

Then she looked at me almost curiously and said;

'So...are you turned that on by the idea of me making a love to another man?'

Oh... this was something new! I thought for moment and felt that weird surge of excitement surge through me again - and realised she was right. I'd felt intense anger and jealousy when she told me what she'd done with Tom but now ... for some reason which I still haven't worked out, even after all these years, my feelings of jealousy and anger seemed to have just vaporized. Instead I had this almost weird sensation of intense sexual tension that made me feel that much closer to her.

I took her hand, looked at her and said;

'Well...this may sound rather weird and I don't know what you'll think but... As long as you told me about it... perhaps the right person... the right circumstances... if it was done discreetly...?'

She went quiet again, looked at me for a moment then smiled and said;

'Well...as long as you remember it's your idea... I'm still not sure but... if you enjoy it... and the right man turned up...at the right time...'

Then she laughed, almost nervously;

'Then I'd have the best of both worlds, wouldn't I? I mean you and ...'

Oh... that was a real surprise...and excitement suddenly surged through me. Then I thought I'd tease her and said;

'So, what would you do if somebody you fancied, like Rod or John, were ever to behave like Tom?'

She just looked at me as if considering her reply then grinned almost naughtily and said;

'Well...I don't really know. If I was still single I'd fancy both of them... I mean I love you, or I wouldn't have married you, but I suppose I've had the odd fantasy ...'

She looked at me almost defiantly and went on;

'So now you know how I feel as well. But as I said it would depend on the circumstances. Now I know you like the idea of me and... but I don't want you changing your mind and turning into a vengeful husband. So why don't we just wait and see what happens. Oh, and just so as you know - this doesn't mean I'd be happy about you trying the same with another woman!'

And from then on that's just what we did. Rod and 'Scottish' John will turn up in future Rashoman chapters but all I said at that moment was I was glad she'd been honest about what had happened at Jo's party. Charlie and Tom had gone back to Vietnam so it was unlikely they'd ever appear again, and that seemed to be the end of the matter. It was only later on, of course, having read about such things in magazines like 'Forum' that I realised I'd joined the millions of other men who were 'wife watchers' or 'polyamorists', which I think is one of the terms used now. But that's not the end of this story as this is where the first Rashomon aspect of how other people saw it comes in. But to explain that we have to fast forward a few years.

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Some thirty years later, around the year 2000, I was back in England, travelling from Yorkshire to London on a train when it stopped at Birmingham. For once the train carriage wasn't crowded and just before it set off again a man came along the aisle and sat down opposite me. We looked at each other ... and I realised it was Pete, Jo's husband in Singapore! We immediately recognised each other and once we'd got over the surprise of such an unexpected meeting we started chatting.

I quickly found out that Pete had left the army after his return to UK in 1971 and that he and Jo had divorced a while later. I commiserated with him but he said it was just one of those things. He was quite frank and said that he and Jo had had always had an 'open marriage', which had worked quite well at the start, then she had admitted she needed more than one man to satisfy her. He now thought she was what used to be called a nymphomaniac but what is now known as a 'sex addict'. He didn't mind her having lovers who he knew and trusted but when they'd got back to England and she continued having one-night stands with complete strangers like she had in Singapore, then that was going too far. As a result, they'd parted company and now he was single again.

By this time the train was well on its way and we started reminiscing about our time in Singapore. Among other things Pete asked me if Dee had ever said anything about a party Jo had held at their apartment while he and I were away on that long jungle exercise together. Oh yes, I said, did he mean the one with the US marines? He smiled and I said Dee had confessed she'd got rather carried away at it and then been very apologetic. I said that as a result of her telling me what had happened she was relieved that I was relaxed about her enjoying herself outside the normal bonds of matrimony – within reason. But she was not happy about the idea of me and other women.

Pete just laughed and said that some women really did like to have their cake and eat it and as we continued talking I realised Pete and I had a very similar outlook on life. Then I had a Rashoman moment and said I was still curious about any other accounts of the 'girls' night out' and wondered if he knew how Jo had seen it. I had a feeling Dee might have skated over some of the facts. Pete was happy about that and started on Jo's version of events. He related Jo's account of initially meeting the marines at the Nurses Club and their adventures on Bugis street. All of that basically followed what Dee had told me. Then Jo went on with her version of what had happened in her flat... and this is where the first of the different Rashoman viewpoints of the story come in.

Apparently, after they'd all got back to her apartment from Bugis street Jo left the marines to sort out the music and drink while the girls got together and decided what was going to happen for the rest of that night. Jo said that up until then she, Pat and Judy hadn't really known what to make of Dee. During the time they'd known her she'd sometimes appeared to them a bit like a 'miss goody two shoes'. Although very friendly she could sometimes seem a bit strait-laced; on a couple of previous occasions they'd invited her for 'girls' night outs' out but she'd told them that she knew what it might lead to, that she was happily married and didn't want to 'play around'.

Well, that was something new. Dee had never mentioned anything like that to me.

Pete just smiled again and went on;

'Anyway, going back to the party with the American marines Jo said Dee seemed a different girl to the one they normally knew. When the girls drew lots as to who should start off the fun and games, as they called it, Dee was the winner. She chose Charlie to dance with as her first partner, something which made Jo a bit jealous – which of course is the reason she told me all this. She loved Dee ... but you know what women are like.'

'So, Dee disappeared with Charlie. After about half an hour they were still missing so Jo went looking for them – I think she didn't want Dee enjoying herself too much. She said that as she went towards the bedrooms she could hear noises from behind one of the doors. She heard groaning... and the bed creaking...Then she recognised Charlie's deep voice... and heard someone else giggle and recognised Dee's voice. Jo said they were obviously still enjoying themselves so she left them to it.'

'She went back to the others and continued dancing. Then after a while she thought Dee was being a bit too greedy with Charlie and how much longer would she be? She went back to the bedroom and was about to knock on the door when it opened and out came Dee, holding Charlie's hand and pulling him behind her, and she was still in the process of zipping up the front of her dress. Her hair was somewhat dishevelled, her face was flushed she was almost licking her lips. When she saw Jo, she just grinned innocently and said something about how she'd been saying thank you to Charlie for rescuing her; Charlie was smiling but didn't say anything and looked a bit dazed.'

By now I was consumed with interest at what Dee might have been doing. I knew from a couple of her subsequent lovers how much she enjoyed receiving and giving oral sex, which she considered more like 'heavy petting', and assumed she'd been pleasuring Charlie like that, rather than simply fucking him. Pete obviously saw he had my full attention and went on;

'Anyway, they all went back into the lounge. Jo said she started danced with Charlie then later on took him back to the bedroom for her turn with him. She said God knows what Dee had done to him up but she had to work hard to get him going! As for the others she remembered that later on Dee and Tom seemed pre-occupied with each other and were out on the balcony while the rest of them decided to play games and went into the dining room and ended up playing strip pontoon.'

'They had finished their game and were getting down and dirty, as Jo put it, when Dee and Tom looked into the dining room. Jo thought they wanted to join them so she waved to them but the expression on Dee's face - she looked almost shocked. Then Tom made an excuse for her, saying she wasn't feeling well. Jo didn't buy that and thought Dee had obviously persuaded Tom to take her home and enjoy him for herself! Jo thought that was all a bit rich, seeing as she'd already enjoyed Charlie, but there you are...'

'So, Tom and Dee left and Jo and the others carried on with the party. Jo said it was an incredible night, with the girls taking turns with all three marines and they were all so much fun. The only thing she regretted was that Dee had disappeared with Tom - she'd really fancied him.'

Although this basically followed what Dee had told me I felt she'd neem a 'bit economical' with some of the details. All I could think was that Dee was perhaps sparing my feelings. We left it at that and when we arrived in London Pete and I went our different ways. I didn't think I'd see him again and thought that would be the end of the story – but it wasn't.

A few years later, again quite by chance, I met Pete again at the annual Armistice Day parade in London. After the parade we retired to 'Gordon's', my favourite wine bar in Charing Cross and half way through our first bottle of Beaujolais started reminiscing about Singapore. Pete looked at me and grinned and said was I interested in hearing another version of what happened as Jo's party? Well... Why not ...?

Pete went on and said by 1996 he'd moved from the UK to working abroad in the Arabian Gulf, in Bahrain. He had an apartment near the US Navy Base in the capital, Manama, and not far away was a Country and Western themed bar that obviously catered for the nearby US community. One evening he was across in the bar and got talking to another man, an American about his age, who was visiting Bahrain to take part in a business conference. He was very cheerful and friendly and quickly they both realised they enjoyed the same things in life – among other things good liquor, beautiful women and telling stories.

The American said his name was Tom and as the beer flowed they started swopping anecdotes about their experiences. Pete found his new friend was a couple of years younger than himself and had been serving in Vietnam in1969 in the US Marines at the same time Pete was in Singapore. They continued drinking and talking about the Far East and among other stories Tom told him one was one about an encounter he and some marine buddies had when they were on R&R from Vietnam with a group of young English women at a party in Singapore ...

Pete looked at me and grinned and I thought no... it can't be... but told Pete to continue with the story, which he did, relating Tom's words as well as he could remember them, something like this;

'In 1969 I was serving in Vietnam. After about six months there I went on R&R to Singapore with a buddy from our Marine battalion called Charlie. I was only 19, it was my first trip abroad to anywhere but Vietnam and Charlie, who was a sergeant and had much more experience of life than me, said he would look after me and take me to see some girls in a bar he knew from previous visits and they'd make me a real marine. I felt almost embarrassed at still being a virgin - but also very excited at the thought of losing it in exotic Singapore, and not some whorehouse in Saigon.'

'Anyway, as soon as we were off the aircraft we were told that as part of the R&R programme we were invited to a dance that night at a British military hospital Nurses' Club. Well, this offer of a night out with free beer and food and the chance of meeting some beautiful English nurses seemed too good to turn down, and if it didn't work out we would head downtown and Charlie would introduce me to his friends.'

At this point Pete said he couldn't believe what he was hearing and immediately recollected Jo's story about a British Nurses' club and US marines... and two of them called Tom and Charlie.

Tom went on:

'I'll always remember the date. It was my birthday and Charlie had promised me a night to remember. So, we booked into our R&R hotel and then took a cab down to this club. It was very crowded with lots of other US Navy guys and British nurses but the music was good – it was played by the band off the aircraft carrier the USS Ticonderoga that was in Singapore at the same time. Everybody was enjoying themselves, but just having arrived from Vietnam it felt very strange and for the first few minutes we felt out of place. We were about to leave when we heard some shouting from the area of the dancefloor and I saw a young woman with lovely blond hair being harassed by a group of sailors.'

(At this point I'll cut to the chase again. Tom's account of what happened at the dance when he and Charlie rescued Dee and then what happened down at Bugis Street basically followed what Dee had told me, so I'll fast forward to when they all ended up Jo's apartment)

'When we arrived at Jo's place, which was quite a large apartment, Jo told us to help themselves to drinks while she and the other girls disappeared for a few minutes. When they came back they were grinning – Dee told me later they were deciding who would have who - and Jo put some smoochy music, dimmed the lights and everybody started dancing. I wanted to dance with Dee but Charlie beat me to it and then Jo grabbed my arm. Well, it was her party and soon we were smooching around the floor.'

'The way she cuddled up to me was well... I couldn't keep my hands off her. Dee and Charlie had disappeared but the way Jo was holding me kept me fully occupied. I don't know how long they were gone then Charlie reappeared on his own and Jo smiled at me and said she wanted a word with him. They disappeared and then I realised I needed the bathroom.'

'I'd just reached the door when it opened and there was Dee coming out. She gave me a lovely smile and whispered that she would wait for me. Oh, I thought... and, sure enough, she was still there as I came out. She took my hand and led me into the lounge and by now everybody was paired off. Jo and Charlie were still absent while Judy and Pat were cuddling up to Bill and Clarence. Dee and I joined them but after a while Dee said she didn't like the smoky atmosphere and we moved out on to the balcony. We talked a bit, I pointed out a big ship anchored out in the bay – I think it was the battleship New Jersey - and slipped my arm around her waist. She just smiled at me and the next moment we were kissing. Oh boy...!'

'It was a long time since I'd kissed a girl like Dee and I had an instant boner; I'd been thinking about her ever since she'd jumped into my arms in Bugis street and now she was holding her warm body against me... Jo had been gorgeous but Dee's perfume was so exotic...and I realised just how much I wanted her!' 'We kissed a bit more until I said to her that I really had to know what we were going to do now ... and blurted out how I felt about her! She just smiled and told me to behave... and then I realised we were alone on the balcony. We could hear laughter from across the lounge, which I think was a dining room. So, she took my hand and we went across the lounge and peeked through the door.'