This is a long story in four parts about a young man's tour of Europe. It's not meant to be read in one sitting. As always, votes and constructive feedback are much appreciated.
Part 1
My hell-raising high school years were a thing of personal adolescent legend, though like most youthful behavior the stories were far bigger than reality. At base, my reckless image was a harmless projection I used to cover my innate shyness and lack of confidence. Regardless, my teenage female classmates loved to play in my jalopy's backseat for reasons common to many girls of that age. Those who participated quickly passed
their
exaggerated tales on to their younger sisters. A few of these younger budding adolescents – three or more years my junior – further embellished the lurid stories they'd heard from their elder siblings. The result was a simmering, estrogen-laced, gossip pool that fed on itself. My reputation as a love-'em-and-leave-'em wild child was therefore still alive by the time the younger girls reached college age. But by 1961 I was at least
trying
to steer a course that was more mature. My years as a bad boy were in the past, I figured, or so I naively believed.
The year 1961 – a long time ago to most – was pivotal in my life. I'd put myself through two years of college, had developed a social conscience in keeping with young President Kennedy's dictum, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but...," and I was approaching the future with starry-eyed enthusiasm. I also approached it with no money.
So, I dropped out of college and worked two shifts a day as a pharmacy clerk and delivery boy for several months. At the end of that time I had a sufficient bankroll to go to Europe to enhance my education...something many of my more fortunate friends were able to do with the aid of their parents. My way – and that of my traveling buddy, Bill – was to travel on the cheap. At the time we were guided by a paperback guidebook that explained how to tour the Continent on five dollars a day.
A couple of months before leaving our west coast hometown with packs on our backs – and our thumbs in the air to hitchhike to New York for ship passage to England – we bid adieu to our friends through a succession of parties. One such gathering was around Easter, where I happened across a high school acquaintance. Her name was Allison, a bright girl whom I'd respected, but who would probably never win a beauty contest, and to whom I'd responded only in a Platonic way when her eyes had twinkled at me while we'd been classmates in high school. In 1961 she was attending an east coast women's college and had returned home with another girl whose parents were traveling, to stay for a week – what now is called "Spring Break." While the parents were away, of course, the girls threw a wild party.
Before the night was over, I'd grappled with the moaning, half-drunk Allison and – at the end of a dark hallway – we'd rutted joyfully atop a wrought-iron table capped with travertine marble. Her reputation had always been that of a good sport – and she was, I was convinced when I left the party – since the frigid temperature of the stone tabletop couldn't have been very comfortable against the warm, silky skin of her soft, fleshy, bottom as we'd coupled like rabbits. She'd really put her heart into it, as well as her ass. I remember also that at some time during the evening she'd said that her younger sister, Melinda, or "Lindy," would be studying in France for the next year, and that I should look her up. I'd seen Lindy once at an overnight slumber party given by my younger sister and had been very impressed by her cuteness and high energy. I also knew of her reputation of being much more a party girl than her elder sister. Of course our social paths never crossed. High school girls were off limits to mature college guys – which I considered myself – so I'd never pursued her.
Six weeks later, after a month of thumbing through England and Scotland, I arrived in France with my buddy, Bill. Paris was to be our base of operations while traveling by rail for several months. After arranging to rent a cheap room by-the-night from a woman who worked at the U.S. Embassy, we picked up our mail at the American Express office. I was surprised to see that Allison's sister Lindy had written me of her whereabouts, since I hardly knew her. Of course I was only 21 years old, and still ignorant of the marvelous communicative webs that women could weave.
"Nick!" Lindy shrieked when I saw her crossing the bridge from the Metro stop at
Pont Marie
onto
Ile St. Louis.
The picturesque smaller island in the river
Seine
was where we were staying when in Paris. Though a relative stranger, she leapt into my arms, and I felt immediately uncomfortable since I didn't know how to handle such familiarity with one of my distant younger sister's friends. We'd hardly ever said hello. "What's the matter? Don't you recognize me?" she bubbled, looking up at me with a radiant smile and flashing green eyes.
"Ummm...yeah. It's just that...you've changed!" I mumbled, tentatively. It was true. When I'd last seen her she was a petite, five-foot-tall blonde in a pageboy cut, with a tiny body still carrying some baby fat and looking no older than fifteen. What I now held in my arms was a taller girl with a blonde ponytail and peaches-and-cream complexion, which contrasted beautifully with the dark green sleeveless blouse she was wearing. I also felt a good bit of muscle tone underlying her elongated curves. I'd already noticed her flawless legs beneath her flowered skirt as she'd crossed the bridge to meet me. In a few minutes I realized that for an 18-year-old, Lindy was quite an attractive young woman...one who typically had been voted "most popular" in her class. Yet, she was still a young lady that I wouldn't actively pursue, especially now. In those days, hooking up with a hometown girl in Europe was like taking a sandwich to a banquet.
Nevertheless, she had plans for me.
"I don't want to go to the
Louvre
with you. I've seen enough museums with my mom. I want to go to the fun places...drink wine at sidewalk cafes...wander along the river...nngh, get dangerous!...go to the Arab Quarter!" she exclaimed later over a cup of
espresso.
"You're with your mother?" I asked.
"Yeah. She got a divorce from Dad and has taken an apartment in
St. Germain
for the Summer as my chaperone. When she leaves to go home in the Fall I'll start the one-year Art History program at the University of Grenoble...in English!"