Sam and Beth were a young couple that moved into one of the units in the same Body Corporate Association as me. They hadn't been married long and had no children as of yet and both of them worked. Beth was a nice young woman. She had a good figure and a friendly personality and got on well with everyone, although she did tend to fade into the background a little when Sam was around. She was also not the sharpest pencil in the box. Not that she was stupid, but just a little slow to catch on to what was going on around her.
Sam was a glad-handing extrovert, always smiling and chatting to people. He had the politician's trick of making you feel that he was genuinely happy to see you and valued your opinion on whatever the subject under discussion was.
Now while Sam was a tenant and had no voting rights at the BC meetings he had managed to inveigle the owner to give proxy rights, allowing him to come to meetings and vote. No-one objected because Sam was such a nice guy.
Sam always seemed to have suggestions of things we could do to improve our surroundings. It didn't take me long to work out that his suggestions required one of two things, sometimes both. Money and our time. He apparently felt free to vote for us spending money on things we didn't need which was understandable. It wasn't his money. The other thing was that he'd suggest things that would require us to make up a working bee to do the work. Oddly enough on the few times we actually went ahead with a working bee Sam was missing, although Beth would be there with his excuses.
In my opinion Sam was a very superficial character. He might have some bright ideas but there was nothing there to back up those ideas except a fast talking mouth. He hadn't yet learned that you have to be willing to do the work if you wanted to achieve something.
Sammy boy was also a bit of a sleaze. I'd noticed him hitting on a few of the women in the complex but whether he scored or not I didn't know.
I managed to front up to Sam one fine Saturday afternoon with a suggestion. He'd been stooging around outside while Beth was doing some gardening. A very attractive figure she made with tight shorts and a tight abbreviated top. She'd gone inside just as I was approaching.
"Sam," I said, acknowledging his presence.
"Colin," he replied, all smiles and apparently thrilled to be seeing me.
"I just noticed that Beth had been doing some gardening," I observed. "Quite an attractive young thing."
"On her behalf, I thank you," Sam said, waiting to see where this led.
"You know I'm a photographer?" I asked.
"Yeah. I've seen some of your work," he replied, giving a nod.
"I'd like to take a few photos of Beth," I told him. "I think she'll make a great subject."
"We'd get copies?"
"Of course."
"Then I see no reason why not. When do you want to do it?"
"I don't want you to get the wrong impression. I'll be wanting to take some, ah, artistic photos as part of the shoot."
Sam considered this with a slight frown.
"Um, by artistic I take it you mean nude?"
"Yes, but in a very artistic manner," I assured him.
"Yes, well as long as I'm there I see no harm in that," he decided.
I was already shaking my head.
"Sorry, but I don't want you there," I told him. "With you there she can't be her natural self. She'll always be looking to you for approval. No, I need you to go gave a drink or something and come back in an hour or so."
I'll give him credit. He did seem a little doubtful as to the wisdom of doing this.
"Um, that would leave you alone with my wife and her, um, undressed. How do I know that you wouldn't, ah, you know what I mean."
"I do indeed, but it's nothing to worry about. Really, even if we did you'd never know so you can tell yourself nothing happened in good conscious. While you're gone why don't you have a drink on me?"
I tucked a fifty into his shirt pocket and he brightened up immensely. If there was one thing Sam liked doing it was spending someone else's money.
"Why don't you tell Beth that I'll be taking a couple of photos and then you can head out for a break and a beer?"
"Right. You're a good chap and I know you wouldn't take advantage of me," he said. Not a word about how I might take advantage of Beth.
He stuck his head in the front door and yelled to Beth and then he nodded to me and headed for his car. The way he drove off he was eager for a drink.
I strolled into the house looking for Beth. I could hear the shower running and guessed that was where she was so I opened the bathroom door and walked in. Beth was standing in the shower, eyes wide as she looked at me. I opened the door to the shower cubicle, checking her out as I did so.
"What are you doing here?" she asked indignantly. "You've got no right to be here."
"Didn't you hear what Sam said? He gave me permission to take a few photos of you as long as he gets a copy."
"I heard him yell something. Where is he? Anyway, I'm naked."
"Yes, I can see that," I admitted. "Beautifully naked. Wonderfully naked. You'll come up a real treat in a photo looking like that."
