by Shale & Pierced
Shale wandered into the harsh, fluorescent lit room and took a seat with the other applicants. He saw the ad in the college rag about participants in a study and figured he could pick up some extra change. Living on social security was tight, just like he expected, but he was a young 65 and could still do gigs at the university, modeling for art classes, and the occasional study that paid subjects.
Pierced looked up momentarily as Shale walked into the room. She didn't pay him much mind, just another of the several men and women who answered the ad and were congregating in this waiting room. She was a full-time student and needed a few extra bucks since she didn't have a steady job. She soon closed her eyes and was lost in the rhythms of the CD.
Dr. Ovidal came into the room, dressed in a lab coat and carrying a clipboard. She read off the names and most of them were people sitting in the room. She asked if anyone knew anything about an experiment at Harrad University in the 1960s. Shale knew all about it and raised his hand. Dr. Ovidal looked at Shale's white beard and bald head and smiled. Of course he knew.
Dr. Ovidal looked at each application and noted that all participants had agreed that they were sexually experienced and had no qualms about casual relations with others. She then explained to the others that this was an extension of that early work at Harrad, a social experiment in pre-marital sex where couples were paired off without their choosing for a yearlong experiment. She explained that this segment would only be for a 24-hour period.
Shale looked around the room, saw a fifty-something woman, slightly plump and wondered if they would be spending the next day together. Pierced glanced around and saw a guy whom she had passed on campus. She noticed him because he looked like he could be an underwear model.
Dr. Ovidal called out each person's name and handed them the list with their paired partner and the room number where they would be spending the next 24 hours. The rooms were in a wing of the campus infirmary building, which used to be a hospital. The hospital equipment was gone and each room had one bed, a table and two chairs, a small fridge and snack food. In a basket were condoms, lube, and other assorted toiletries. Dr. Ovidal informed the participants that there would be a guard in the corridor in case anyone felt the need to end the relationship, but any set of partners leaving before the 24 hours would forfeit any money. She reminded that there was $500 per participant in this experiment.
Shale and Pierced were surprised to find that they had been paired. Pierced wondered for a moment who Undie Model went with. Shale spotted the mature woman going into a room with a young college hunk, a noticeable smile on her face.
Shale introduced himself to Pierced. She told him her name and asked him what he thought this experiment was supposed to prove. Shale said he didn't know, probably to see if two perfect strangers with all social restraints removed would end up getting it on in a 24-hour time period. Pierced looked at Shale and wondered why they paired her with him; he could be her father.
"How old are you?" Shale asked.
"Nineteen" Pierced replied.
"I've got a grandson that age" Shale grinned back at her, "Pierced your given name?"
Pierced slyly smiled back and said, "No, I gave it to myself."
Shale looked at her Goth outfit, black lipstick and black nails and decided not to pursue the name further.
They sat at the table drinking tea. Shale would have liked a glass of wine, Pierced woulda liked some beer but they only provided non-alcoholic beverages.
"Which side do you prefer?" Shale asked.