I have been a part-time adjunct professor at a local junior college twice a week for nearly a year now. In order to prepare for a 5K run, I began walking and running around the school track. It was during these runs that I eventually met and became good friends with two other JC employees, Colin and Dan.
Let me tell you a little about them. Colin was a Promotions & Events Director for the college. He was 45, around 6'2", 210 pounds and because of his size had been very involved in sports his whole life. He made it a point to stay in good physical shape and, as my wife would admit, "He wasn't hard to look at"! Colin had gone through a messy divorce a year earlier and had finally come to terms with it and had started to date again, although infrequently.
Dan was a Director of Student Financials. He was not what you expected of a stereotypical number-cruncher. He was about 5'11", thin, shoulder-length blond hair and several tattoos. His Italian heritage gave him that enviable olive-tan skin. At 56, Dan's personality was better suited to an aging hippie than a number-cruncher. His wife, Vivienne's personality matched his. They sometimes behaved more like teenagers than a middle-aged couple but that's what made them fun to be around. Dan and Vivienne had no children. They preferred to live life loose and spontaneous.
Over time, the five of us became rather close friends. We occasionally went out to dinner together or just hung out at each other's home since they both lived nearby. Like Vicki, Vivienne and Colin were addicted to Supernatural, so we got in the habit of getting together weekly to watch the latest new episode.
Colin had retained ownership of his cabin in Lake Arrowhead in the settlement and he had often discussed upgrades he'd like to do to increase its comfort and value with Dan and I. The spring weather was wonderful and inspired Colin to call and invite Dan and Vivienne and Vicki and I up to his cabin this coming weekend. He asked if we wouldn't mind helping him install some track lighting he had been wanting to get installed. Now Vicki loves the mountains and really wanted to go and relax a little in a local mountain resort, but she had a Saturday job and didn't want to give her boss, at her second job, such short notice. Besides, we had planned to take Vicki out for her birthday dinner that Friday night.
Colin pleaded to Vicki to go. "Enjoy your birthday, talk to your boss, I'm sure she will understand and then drive up in the morning. I'll even get you a cake"! Vicki relented; she rarely asked for a day off and knew Shelley would encourage her to take the opportunity to relax.
We arrived on Saturday morning. The air was crisp and clean, scented with pine. Colin's cabin was gorgeous and surprisingly secluded. It only had 2 bedrooms but with 2 baths and a beautiful view of the lake. Colin had decided that the married couples would have the bedrooms and he would use the sofa bed in the living room.
Dan and Vivienne had cooked a gourmet breakfast and we were just in time to join them. After cleaning up, we discussed all of us taking a hike. Colin, Dan and Vivienne had taken Friday off and had taken an extensive hike together yesterday and now just wanted to relax the rest of the weekend. Vicki put together a picnic lunch and, stuffing this into a backpack with a bottle of wine and a couple of glasses, we embarked on the hike they recommended.
After hiking a couple of hours, I led Vicki off the main trail and up to a lightly traveled trail Colin had secretly suggested to me. A further 20-minute hike led us to a small, romantic clearing that had a small waterfall and cool mountain pool. We ate our picnic lunch and several glasses of wine. Feeling it was well secluded, I, of course, began to try to convince Vicki to cool off and skinny dip in the pool and allow me to take some nature photos.
Unconvinced it was secluded enough and afraid that we would be caught, she steadfastly refused. No amount of pleading could persuade her. Shrugging my shoulders, I stripped down nude and stood naked under the waterfall, washing the sweat and dust from the hike off my body. It felt absolutely wonderful to stand there with no clothing, the cool mountain water washing me clean, the cool air refreshing me, surrounded by all this beautiful nature.
I anticipated that Vicki would eventually relent and join me, but she didn't... although she did pick up my camera and began to photograph me nude in nature, even suggesting some poses. It wasn't long before she was reminding me to put the photos in a place where no one could find them. Frustrated and a little angry, I decided it was time to get back to the cabin. It took longer to get back due to our taking the wrong trail on the way back. It was already dark by the time we reached the cabin.
We arrived to find that Dan had made a couple of pitchers of Long Island Ice Teas for everyone. These tasted sooo good after a long and dusty hike. They were deceptively strong and we all probably drank more than we should have. Colin prepared a simple dinner of spaghetti, meatballs and garlic bread. While Vicki and I did dishes, Colin, Dan and Vivienne changed into pajamas settled into the couches in the living room to relax. With cleanup completed, Vicki and I showered, separately, (I was still upset about the missed romantic opportunity this afternoon) and changed into our pajamas.
We sat around talking and drinking more ice teas. Vivienne apparently had a very low tolerance and quickly fell asleep. When she began to snore loudly, Dan picked her up and carried her to their bed. After tucking her into bed he returned to join us with a lit joint in between his lips. After passing it to Colin, it was then offered to me. Initially, turning it down, I succumbed to their pressure and taunts to just take one hit and relax.
Knowing Vicki would refuse, I tried to hand it back to Dan who then insisted that Vicki try it. Using their best arguments, teasing and cajoling they finally convinced Vicki to take just one puff. (The Long Island Ice Teas apparently had begun to kick in overcoming her resistance and better judgment). Her plan to mollify them was to take a very small puff and then not inhale. Just as she started to inhale, Dan took an ice cube from his glass and pressed it against the back of her neck causing her to involuntarily inhale deeply. Vicki coughed for several minutes as Dan and Colin laughed and joked before getting genuinely concerned and began apologizing profusely.