View from my Memory
This is the penultimate chapter in the story of how I came to be enamored with travel and imbued with wanderlust.
I would suggest reading the first 4 parts before reading this one if you want the back story; otherwise, just dive in and let me know your thoughts.
Part 1 – Part 2 – Part 3 – Part 4
She wore tight denim shorts. That is the memory that pervades the images in my mind as I consider our walk through the streets of Cozumel that day. I had completely forgotten where I was as I looked often at my new friend and could have cared less about the sea, the sun, or even investigating some new part of the island. Her body and how each component of it made me tingle in places and ways I never had before, was all the exploration I wanted. To this day the physical discovery of a woman is easily the most powerful curiosity I have ever experienced. No drink, drug, or thrill has ever surpassed the initial few hours of intimacy with a heavenly creature of the opposite sex.
She seemed a little annoyed that I insisted she see our shitty little dive hotel in town rather than seeking a beach. I am sure now as I think back that she realized I was not the dashing and brave young man fueled on rum and sugar that had spun her about the dance floor like Travolta in Urban Cowboy. I was indeed a neophyte lover seeking physical contact like a zombie wants brains, and just as clumsily.
As we were walking I began to notice a menacing figure lurking along the wall and then again near the shop where we grabbed a Mexi-Coke. At first I blew it off finding it odd that I would even notice or recognize a person more than once while on vacation and while wearing puberty-colored glasses. Yet, this guy, dressed in a dark printed silk shirt and black trousers with a thin pirate moustache was just creepy enough to stain my thoughts and create a nervous edge to my alternatively brilliant state of mind. As I saw him walking a few paces behind us I noticed my girl glance at him over her shoulder and even though this was indeed my “first rodeo” with a girl something about that wide-eyed peek told me all was not cool.
As we rounded the corner towards my hotel and finally without the specter of “Tony Montana” over our shoulders she looked up at me and smiled. We made our way into the hotel which I assumed she would find a complete dump compared to her modern accommodations. On the contrary she was immediately taken with all of the wondrous scuba equipment strewn across the floor. I wasted little time and began to undress a bit. With my shirt off and shorts almost down she put my mask and snorkel on me and then quickly threw off her shirt and pressed against me. At last, my first bra! I thought as I was much more adept with the snap than kids in movies I had seen.
Her breasts were much softer than I ever expected. They felt like a cross between a pillow and a warm water bottle. She put on my father’s scuba mask and in our 12X14 room we began to act as though we were under the water. We both moved about the room with swimming motions and turned our heads sharply from side to side as if we had a 360 degree view of the world. We took turns wearing my father’s BC and I remember how unbelievably sexy she was bare-breasted with that yellow and blue buoyancy control device providing intermittent support and glances to the promised-land. At that point I could no longer control the anticipation and I “swam” up behind her and using hand gestures and faux bubble sounds I intimated that I could help her with her shorts. She obliged, and let me tell you that if I was good with the bra, removing her painted-on denim shorts set fire to our willing suspensions of disbelief and our playful underwater dance came to an abrupt end.
I started trying to ask how to make it better as she began to laugh uproariously. It took me a moment to realize I was still wearing my fucking scuba mask and I sounded like a moron when I spoke. Eventually I was able to remove her shorts and there we were very nearly to the bottom of the 9th and I was Casey at Bat. I was simply beside myself at what I was seeing when the full picture came into view for the first time in my life. I was so nervous I thought I would pee my already moist drawers. The site of this bronzed-beauty was such a stark contrast with my pasty skin tone it was almost jarring.
The flowers I imagined in her hair and the look on her face I perceived to mean “come on in” was like I had been born suddenly into a new person. This was going to happen!
Just 15 or 16 hours ago I had never even kissed a girl and now here I was on the cusp of conquest, the kisses, the aromas of food I never knew existed, and the newness of circumstance muted all my senses. I wanted to be touched too I thought, just like I am touching her. I have no idea how this could be bad I justified as I was readying myself for the victory lap.
Then, and without any warning came one of the most awful sentences any human had ever spoken to me. “We’re not going all the way!” she said in a voice I did not even know she possessed. I can hear the sound of this sentence as clear now as it was nearly 25 years ago and in slow motion even “weeeee’rrrrre nooooooot gooooooiiiiiing alllllll theuuuuhh waaaaaaaaayyyyyyy”
Aaaaargh! I just gave her all I had. I just showed her all our cool and fun scuba shit! We were alone, we were in Mexico! What the hell…..why???
In that instant I heard the sounds of the donde boys from the stairs, and then I saw their faces through the shutters as they ambled along our second floor walkway. They were back, they were coming here, and my girl and I were in a compromising state of uncompromised. We were guilty and with nothing to show for it! She grabbed her clothes and ran for the bathroom. I sprinted up and locked the door just as my Dad’s hand hit the handle.
I shouted “one sec, I am changing clothes” as I threw on my shorts and shirt. I opened the door and while it was so completely obvious what we had been doing in that room, no one paid us a bit of mind. When my unrequited lover emerged from the bathroom the boys and my father practically ignored her. I just knew I was screwed even though I hadn’t because I had no knowledge of what my father and the boys had just experienced.
Somewhere on the other side of the island a man dressed in white carrying a 45 caliber handgun had come to the aid of 3 American strangers and without even knowing it, a young man from Texas was extremely grateful as well. I am certain had the boys not been shell-shocked they would have given my tease of a girl and I the third degree.
As it was she and I slipped out the door and took a cab back to her place. We sat in silence for the duration of the cab ride and as she exited I gave her a small kiss and she told me to meet her at the Scaramouche that night. I was more than a little confused as the cab driver made the turn back to town. I was not about to give up on her and at the same time the dull, blue ache in my loins would not belie the feelings to come…to be continued
About Michael Housewright
I throughly enjoyed every paragraph! Scuba gear is suddenly sexy…
it certainly is for me…
No time to read right now, but loved the photo!
thanks, I doctored a recent photo I took in the Bahamas to simulate the photos of the era of my post
LOL. Puberty colored glasses. Tony Montana. Good shit.
Thanks man!
Wow, so engrossing! Like reading a novel. Awaiting the next installment.
Thank you John. I should have the finale on line tomorrow
Sweet!
I don’t think I should read this at work!
It is a bit R rated…like watching Risky Business on your iPad
Hi there! I must confess I haven`t read the story =S… but I wanted to tell you that your stories have been really helpful to me as I have identified with a number of them, plus your photos are always interesting to see! So… I’m presenting you with the Inspiring award!
http://mylunchanddinner.wordpress.com/2012/04/02/very-inspiring-blogger-award
Look forward to reading you more!
So…so very cool of you to do this! Thank you and I will do my very best to continue to be the best I can be..thank you!
No one had ever thanked me so much for anything in my whole life! LOL so Thank you for the thank yous! I hope we both keep writing interesting stories!
yeah, I just wanted to make sure I did it in the right place…I get a little overwhelmed with all my comments and I never want to leave anyone out of the loop
I love the description of the “dull blue ache!” Hahaha!
This story is awesome…
so funny, we must have been reading each others stories almost simultaneously
That is weird! Hahaha! I just got back from tennis and of course I am right back at it catching up on my computer!
how is your tennis game? I have been looking to get back into it after a hiatus and need some hitting partners
We both play. I am a 4.0 and Danny is a 3.5. I love the game!
i was at best a 3 when i was ok at the game. i would love to get back into it
the first of many dull blue aches in my life
With your height and wing span you probably are better than you think!
we must play…I am sure the both of you could get me back in the game the way I want to be. I so much want to be out there (just not in the cold tonight)
What’s up with this nastiness? Oh yah. We live in Colorado where it can snow every month of the year except July! LOL!
easy to get spoiled by the last few weeks…paradise
So far it’s been a fun ride!
I think so as well
puberty colored glasses?
That is actually my favorite line in the piece
i’m picturing the glasses that tom cruise wore in “risky business,” but i’m not sure. what did you have in mind when you wrote it?
It’s a metaphor. Much like someone wearing rose colored glasses sees only the beauty or good but is likely missing the truth. A person wearing puberty colored glasses is a play on the aforementioned metaphor suggesting that one is blinded by their hormones and cannot sense reality or possibly could not be bothered by it. Clearly this was an invention and I took license with its usage. Thanks for asking though as the clarification forced me to think whether or not I still liked it; and I do
oh, i can see the metaphor, but i can also see those rayban glasses representing an attitude, not the color.
you must check out the photo I just posted
“We’re not going all the way.” = A hunting knife in the groin! Are you kidding me?
Great intrigue with the guy following, then just on with story. Darn good writing, my man.
Charles you are the coolest Aggie ever! Thank you so much and I hope my blue story does not wrinkle your Christian sensibilities
fuhgettaboutit! If I didn’t like it, I wouldn’t comment. I’m not a saint, man; I’m a writer who loves God and does the best he can every day. When I get perfect, I’ll come preach at your ass. As for now, I’ll just try to encourage you, and enjoy your story!~
thank you sir…that means a lot
And another thing! I am NOT an Aggie! I live in CS, but I’m a Longhorn fan since I was ten! Hook ‘em!
Holy Cow! You did not tell me we were brothers! Texas f-in Fight Charles! You got to let a man know when he is speaking to sacred brethren.
You shoulda knowed!
These are just really good, Each vignette stands alone, complete in every sense…as they should be. I am reading at random. What can I say? They are just very well done. Strong, well-drawn moments that all share some universal truth about the human condition.
George this one comes to close tomorrow. I am hoping that the buildup is worthy of the ending. I so wish I had another few hundred of you to keep me in support commentary
A big hug my friend!
You don’t need ‘em. If they were here, you’d get weary of reading their compliments. By the way, your editor is gonna’ make you change to “pubescent”, but we’ll let him have that battle with you. (Smile)
Hey, what was the deal with you 80′s kids and those damn Ray Bans that Kelli kept losing and I kept replacing? Couldn’t you guys find something a little more expensive to throw out the jeep window on your boozed-up rides through the ditches and backwaters of places like Cozumel? Jeeze…
Pubescent glasses sounds so boring. I once wrote a short story in college titled “The Stank Breath Bandit” My lit professor (a priest) crossed out “stank” and wrote stink in its place in red. The euphemism was completely lost on the man. I kept my raybans for about 11 years and the glasses that followed for almost 10. I tend to cherish expensive things as I rarely had any nor the money to replace them. I still owe 60k on my private school education and I am fine with that.
I am not sure I am capable of growing weary of praise. If I do, I will just start something new and live the cycle all over again. Buonanotte Zia George!
You make me smile, Michael. I’m not sure any of us is capable of rejecting a little supportive praise! Actually, I have an idea that we’d trade dinner for it most days!
Most famous authors either dropped out or never went to college in the first place, didn’t they? The priests of the world discourage creativity in any shape, I think, and I mean “priests” as in, all language purists. If they had creative genius, they wouldn’t be teaching….
Apparently, you were not as spoiled as my Kelli was. She would have lost hers regardless of who bought them. I think she still wears some kind of fancy optical glass ones. I could never keep sunglasses going. I have a pair…in the storage compartment between the sun visors in my car.
George, you simply know what I am thinking and what I am trying to do. I almost dropped out of college and I still likely cling to too much that holds me back. I am working on this!
Brains, Tony Montana and Urban Cowboy… I love the movie character references! The elaborate scuba mask mating ritual ending in ultimate denial to the promised land sounds like a scene from a John Hughes film. Very nice!
As a woman, I appreciate descriptions like “now here I was on the cusp of conquest, the kisses, the aromas of food I never knew existed”. The meaning is clear without being crude. I really like that. Great work!
Lori,
I appreciate this very much and it was wonderful people like you I keep in mind when working with my most colorful descriptors making certain to steer clear of of the vulgar. The movie references are such a huge part of me and yes this was a John Hughes moment for sure. Thank you so much for being part of my community
Good Morning and Congratulations from Hot Rod Cowgirl! I just nominated you for the ABC Award:) Go to this link below for your award and etc.:)
Click on the link below for your award info etc.
http://hotrodcowgirl.com/2012/04/03/learning-my-abcs-with-the-awesome-blog-content-award/
Hot Rod Cowgirl I love your blog and your name! You are such a sweetheart for this nomination and I thank you in advance for your kind words. I have my posts pretty locked down in the coming days so I hope you will not take offense if it takes a little time to get the award posted. Thank you and I look forward to more of your blog!
thank you
Absolutely LOVED this segment, Michael. I was laughing out loud, but REALLY laughed my head off over “in slow motion even “weeeee’rrrrre nooooooot gooooooiiiiiing alllllll theuuuuhh waaaaaaaaayyyyyyy” I can totally imagine the creepy, deep, loud voice of that.
Tears are still streaming down my face….
Lemony! You just made my day! Thank you for reading this. Very much
My pleasure. I almost feel bad laughing, given what a rough time you had. But your writing is really fantastic!
you got the desired effect…it was rough but that is what makes a good story. In the end it was a triumph
I can’t get over the SCUBA gear… it’s really so, so funny.
And yes, you did triumph in the end.
My life often resembles a sitcom…this was only the beginning