RichardGerald has published a fascinating yet frustrating short story here called "The Bridge". I've read it over and over already and can't stop thinking about it. Several other readers have commented it should be continued and some things made clearer. I am one of those folks. Only Richard knows what "the truth" is with his own characters. But to merely try and make sense of the actions of these two highly intelligent individuals doing apparently not so bright things - I have constructed a little bit of "continuation fantasy" based on the facts, thoughts, words, and actions previously disclosed in the original tale. I have included some things (plausible I hope) merely "arguing from silence" - not specifically included/spelled out in the original story. I still hope Richard takes his own story and characters just a little further, himself. I will be the first to read it. Almost NONE of the below will make much sense to anyone who hasn't read the original "The Bridge" first. And thanks to Richard for authorizing (if not approving, exactly ;-) publishing this little more...here is Richard's comments on my take:
Dear Robert: By all means publish. The issue with Gloria is that I saw her as a minor character. I guess when it comes to women, we all have different experiences. The women, you normally see in these stories approach sex physically the way men do. But I have never known a woman like that. I partly based Gloria on someone, I know very well. She is a good wife and mother. When she was in her late twenties she attended a gala reception. It was the kind of affair you see on TV. She and her husband were attending in their best dress. Now this is a woman who would never even consider infidelity, but into the room came a man, at least, twenty years her senior. He was a prominent politician. He was amazingly handsome, and someone she greatly admired.
Now this good wife and mother has admitted on several occasions that all the politician had to do was ask and she would have gone to bed with him. This is a woman that, as far as I am aware, has never been unfaithful to her husband. But, under those circumstances, she would have been. I also know that she would have expected her husband to forgive her, and I believe he would have. I guess, I was thinking of this story when I wrote mine.
I guess, what I am saying is that I don't see Gloria's behavior as all that odd. It is certainly not common behavior but not unreasonable either. The strange behavior comes from Lyle. I am actually fascinated by the man here. he is a good self-sacrificing individual. We expect such men to behave, and when they don't society is shocked. But I think that, just like Gloria, Lyle's actions are a case of the right circumstances. The thing is I believe Gloria has a way back. We will accept her behavior. We may admire Lyle but we condemn his actions.
Good luck with your story.
Rick
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Gloria:
"Damn, damn, damn" I half vocalized to myself as I drove to a now crucial meeting with Lyle. I never thought in a 1000 years he would walk out on me like that. It was now 2 months since I last met and talked with him in person on Christmas Eve. I had prepared carefully and thought it was going to be a slam dunk, playing especially that "family and kids" card. But it wasn't. He sent me away again!
Before that meeting I had set my alarm clock to wake me every 2 hours over 3 nights. I had also dieted even more strictly than normal (for me) to look like I "had lost weight." The results were pretty good. Basically I looked a mess and it helped me even more ACT like I was a mess. I wanted Lyle back because I had really LIKED my life with Lyle as my faithful companion and "loving husband". He did more than his share taking care of the kids and economically and freed my time (and some money) for myself - and my new hobbies. He was also good enough for regular "boring married" sex quite reliably 3 or 4 times a week. And he would eat me or do whatever I instructed him to do to me whenever I felt like it. Nice weekly "maintenance" orgasms. A woman doesn't realize how important that is - until it's gone, all of a sudden. As a psychologist and very smart woman I knew that. I just never expected it - and Lyle - would ever BE gone. Running and becoming ever more beautiful was one of my hobbies - but not the only one. Did my husband REALLY think I was doing all this just for him? Well, I guess he's figured that part out by now. Damn it.
And now my own daily life just wasn't much fun anymore at all. Being a single parent was incredibly hard and time consuming. Even dating and casual sex with other Alpha males wasn't nearly as exciting as I thought it was going to be. It definitely wasn't worth the time and effort during the week, barely on a Saturday night when I had the kids - even though my Mom was almost always available and eager to babysit. And even on my "free" weekends it was becoming a hassle. All that time spent staying beautiful and sexy - running and exercising, dieting anyway as well, the careful grooming and makeup, the expense and time spent shopping for "perfect" clothes - including underwear - and then if not an actual (and rare) date already set with a real "Prince" (and how rare they really are now - rich, tall, handsome, big enough dick, humorous and properly appreciative of me, and rich and powerful, of course!) then I was out at a "meat market" and competing with lots of other beautiful and sexy women though generally younger to MUCH younger, while trying to spot and attract the real "Princes" vs. the fakers. Lot's of fakers nowadays. I occasionally DID take a "faker" into my bed by mistake. Mostly I was more right than wrong and did have some very pleasurable sexy nights with a real Prince. But it was amazing how seldom one of those real Princes ever called me again for a second date, while the fakers inevitably did.
Gabriel - Lyle's boss - was one of my new hobbies back then. I had hooked up with Gabe just about once a week since that wonderful company Christmas Party where I first got to really "strut my stuff" (OK - really "my ass") and Gabriel paid me so much attention and that wonderful afterglow kiss goodnight. I think my husband saw the kiss - but as expected from the wimp he never said a word about that. He might even have seen Gabe finger my pussy - though I doubt it as we rendezvoused discreetly near the restrooms and snuck into that little alcove unnoticed. Gabe got me so wet so quickly and I even had a mini-orgasm after just a minute of his tongue down my throat and his long and sexy middle finger right up my cunt.
After that we would meet for long lunches. As the boss it was no problem for Gabe at all. He didn't have to account for his time to anyone, ever. Such a typical and wonderful rich powerful Alpha male characteristic. But as a woman and "devoted wife and mother", as well as a Dr. of Psychology with a certain reputation to maintain, I had to be more careful and discrete and could usually manage only one "long" lunch a week. Not that we ate anything during those long lunches - except each other in EVERY way one could "eat" - tongues in every orifice, every nook and cranny, and me swallowing huge loads of his cum. It was really exciting. "Cheating sex is the crack cocaine of sex", indeed.
