An All American Teenage Sex Life II Sophomore SeasonChapter 13
- 2 years ago
- 29
- 0
JULY 4, 1991
“Happy birthday, Jake.”
It was a pleasant way to wake up. No alarm had been set. I was allowed to sleep in a bit. It was mom who woke me up in a gentle way at around 9:30. But it wasn’t her words that woke me up. It was the smell of bacon in the oven.
I rolled out of bed and felt the sharp sting in my lower half.
‘Fucking leg day!’ I swore to myself.
We’d spent the early part of Tuesday morning on the track, running short bursts of sprints on up to a full mile run. Then Wednesday we were back in the gym concentrating mostly on legs again. I was sore as hell.
I yawned and stretched, but practically floated out to the kitchen on a waft of bacon scent.
“Good morning!” I warmly greeted my family, trying to ignore the leg cramps.
Mom, dad and Josh wished me a happy birthday. Mom was still hustling around the kitchen to finish breakfast.
Bacon, hashbrowns, eggs over-easy and toast was piled onto my birthday plate, accompanied by some orange juice and a big glass of cold milk. I couldn’t think of a better way to start my next trip around the sun.
The usual July 4 plans were in place. Mom and dad would be serving food in the park as part of a church fundraiser. Josh would be in the care of grandma and grandpa Parker for the day, and he’d attend the parade and festivities with them.
For me, it would be like a Sunday. The day would be mine. And my legs already felt better.
My thoughts turned to last year’s birthday events, and how the day had certainly turned out differently than I expected. I wondered with a wry grin what this year would have in store for me.
After a pleasant breakfast and some light fun at the table, dad and I helped mom clean up as Josh got ready to head off to grandma and grandpa’s.
Mom was in the middle of scraping her big cast iron skillet when the phone rang.
“I got it!” I called out.
“Hello?”
“Hi, is this Jake?” an unfamiliar feminine voice asked somewhat shyly.
“Speaking,” I replied with a hint of laughter.
“Happy birthday! Can you guess who this is?”
Now she had me on the spot. The wrong guess would be a disaster. I had to think fast.
“Not fair without a hint,” I gave her my best sexy phone husk.
“Hmmmmm,” she pondered. Her voice was quiet and soft, but had a very smooth, honey-like quality to it. “We had study hall together, and we ate lunch at the same table.”
“That doesn’t narrow it down much,” I teased. At least I knew I was dealing with my own school.
“Hmmmmm,” she hummed again in her warm, but teasing tone. “Never have I ever,” she said confidently, then giggled softly.
“Autumn!” I blurted out instantly. “Hey, thanks for remembering my birthday.”
“Jake, it’s pretty easy to remember. ‘Born on the Fourth of July?’”
“I never cared for that movie,” I quipped.
“Me either,” she said.
I was buzzing with excitement. If you would have asked me a week ago if I’d have been excited to get a phone call from Autumn Kent on my birthday, I’d have laughed. But it was happening.
“So what do you have planned for your big day?”
“Oh, the usual. I was going to meet up with Mikey and watch the parade. Then get something to eat at the park and catch the fireworks tonight.”
“That sounds like fun, and I had pretty much the same plans,” she said, leaving an opening for me to run through.
“What was different about your plan?”
“Our backyard has a great view of the fireworks, and I could have a bonfire.”
That sounded tempting indeed.
“We might just have a deal if you throw in the word ‘S’mores,’” I replied.
“Deal!” she said confidently.
“When do you want to meet up?” I asked casually, not certain that it was any kind of date.
“Do you know where I live?”
“Yeah, west of the big park?”
“Yep, be there at nine and I’ll make you S’mores.”
“I’ll be there,” I said with a grin.
“Bye, Jake,” she said with some promise in her voice. “Have a happy birthday!”
I hung up the phone, and realized mom had been scrubbing the same skillet the entire phone conversation.
“Looks like someone has plans tonight,” mom grinned.
“I do,” I said in light irritation. “Now you know why I take the phone in my room most times.”
“You’d have told us what you were up to anyway,” mom grinned.
“True,” I admitted.
“So, about your present,” Mom began.
“Yes?” I smiled.
“It’s not all here yet. We hoped all of it would be in place today, but the holiday complicated things. I’ll be right back.”
Mom headed toward her room, and appeared moments later with dad and a wrapped present.
“Happy birthday!” dad smiled as mom handed me the gift.
I unwrapped it and looked at the box in confusion. “Is it something else? We already have an answering machine?”
My parents had a penchant for hiding presents in boxes that might trick you. I opened the box expecting something completely different.
It was indeed an answering machine, brand new, in the box.
“OK, uh, thanks guys,” I smiled my best, but was still a little confused.
“It’s almost more for us than for you,” dad laughed. “Did you tell him about the line?” dad asked mom.
“Nope,” she laughed. “We’re hoping to have the phone line installed tomorrow. It’s your own teen line.”
“Wow!”
“Yeah, you can’t make long distance calls with it, but we figured this would keep our phone line clear, and you have a bit more privacy.”
“Wow!”
“Well, he seems happy,” dad teased.
I hugged both mom and dad, thanking them profusely.
“How much does all this cost?”
“It’s like 11 dollars a month more, but not being your secretary anymore is well worth it,” mom said.
That would end up being one of the best birthday presents I’d ever received. Well, not counting the year before...
Not to be outdone, Josh came running into the family room with a medium sized wrapped gift of his own.
“Happy birthday! Open it! Open it!”
I had to laugh at his enthusiasm, and it was contagious. I thanked him for the gift and shook it lightly at my ear for his benefit. It sounded like a box of light gravel.
“What could this be?” I asked.
“Open it!” Josh jumped up and down.
I tore away the wrapping paper, ending the little guy’s torment.
Under the wrapping paper was a Revell 1:25 scale model of a 1968 Mustang Fastback.
“Oh, buddy! Look at that!”
“It’s just like your car, only not blue!” he said excitedly.
“Should we build it together?”
Josh was trying to grab the box from me before I realized he thought I meant right now.
“Wait, buddy, not right now. It’s still the holiday. Let’s get the right paint colors and build it together on a rainy day?”
“OK!” he enthused, almost forgetting his excitement.
Mom and dad looked quite pleased with me.
The day was going well. Some early clouds threatened to bring rain, but cleared out in time to make for a gorgeous Independence Day.
I let the speedometer rest between 55 and 60, applying a little pressure to the pedal. Cool air rushed in through both open windows, as did the echo of loud dual exhaust. My sexy blue Mustang zipped down the road at a low RPM, just waiting to be opened up.
I got to town and headed to Mikey’s. Traffic was a real issue, as many more people were in town than usual for the celebration. Mike lived near the big park and the parade route, so parking was at a premium already. I simply rolled into his driveway.
He was already outside waiting for me.
“Damn, dude, that car is so sweet.”
“Thanks, man,” I nodded.
“But, I have something you should see,” Mike said with a grin.
He hustled back into the house and opened the garage door from inside. It was black, with a lot of straight lines and a little chrome. That much I could see right away. As the last sections of the garage door slipped up, it was all exposed to me.
MIkey had bought himself a car, and it was pretty sharp.
“Eighty-one Malibu,” he said with pride.
I walked around inside the garage looking at it from all angles. It sort of reminded me of Beast’s Monte Carlo, but this car had a shorter wheelbase and was a little older. It was all black, with chrome on the bumpers and the fenders. It sat on a set of Chevy rally wheels, with Goodyear white letters strapped on.
“Sharp!” I said in appreciation. “Where did you get it?”
“Guy had graduated this spring and didn’t want to keep it, I guess. Found her a couple of towns over in the county newspaper.”
“Nice work,” I said as I opened the passenger door.
“The buckets are a nice touch,” Mikey smiled.
Indeed, it had nice bucket seats and a shifter on the console. The interior was brown.
“Rare option for this car,” Mikey intoned. “Most are bench seats.”
“Wouldn’t you rather have a bench seat for date night?” I teased.
Mike laughed out loud. “I suppose in that case, I would. But this is sportier. Sexier.”
“Well, are we going to be late for the parade?”
“Let’s go!”
I was having a serious case of deja vu, but I was not letting it get to me. Of course, last year was momentous, but I had learned to look forward, not back.
Mikey and I grabbed our same spots from last year, crossing the street just a few moments before the mayor and parade marshall crept by in a convertible.
We waved at some familiar faces in the band as they played on, marching by in shorts and T-shirts. Several floats went by, then we spotted the baseball team once again. Fresh hot dogs were being handed out, along with snack pies. It reminded me that next year I’d likely be up on the float working the grill. For this year, I watched as the upperclassmen went by. Only one thing bothered me. Mitch was on the float as well. Why hadn’t I been asked?
The taste of a free hot dog and a fruit pie helped me forget the affront pretty quickly. A lengthy line of old, antique tractors driven by old, antique farmers putted past, and then the riders made their presence known.
It didn’t take me long to pick her out and she saw me at the same moment. Shelby was riding Destiny again, the spirited filly followed her mistresses’ command and sidled over to Mikey and me. Another rider followed suit. It took me a moment to recognize who was riding Doc. It was Mandy Prentice.
“Howdy, ladies,” I greeted the girls with a fake tip of an invisible cowboy hat.
Mandy didn’t quite match Shelby’s western look, but she did have cowboy boots to go with acid-washed jeans and a well-filled-out tank top. She wore a white cowboy hat, which set off her dark eyes. Maybe Shelby had the same idea, her black hat setting off her piercing blue eyes.
“Are you actually going to be where you say you’re going to be this year?” Shelby teased.
“Well, hello to you too,” I grinned at Shelby. “Yes, I will be there this year. Next year, I make no promises.”
“You need a ride?” Mandy drawled, giving me a million watt smile.
“Oh, you’re a brave girl riding ‘Widowmaker’ there,” I said, pretending to be serious. “That’s a dangerous horse.”
“Doc?” Mandy pointed at the old stallion with a look of concern.
“Shut up, you dork!” Shelby laughed. “He’s kidding. He knows Doc is as gentle as a rabbit.”
“A jackrabbit,” I said flatly. “Be careful on that horse, he’s a killer,” I teased.
Shelby rolled her eyes at me and laughed. “Just because you can’t ride, doesn’t mean this horse can’t be ridden.”
Mandy started to get the idea, and my ruse was over.
“He just needs lessons,” Mandy intoned. “You should show him how to ride sometime.” It was fortunate that I wasn’t taking a drink of anything at the time. The spit take would have been incredible.
“Come on,” Shelby laughed and shared a conspiratorial wink with me. “We’ve lost our place over this dork.”
I blew Shelby a raspberry as she rode by, lightly slapping Destiny in the flank. Impressively, the horse didn’t bolt, but turned and gave me a hard look as she trotted off. That horse had some attitude.
Both girls turned in unison and addressed me in harmony at the same time.
“Happy birthday, Jake.”
The view of those two girls riding off was something to see, and I wasn’t the only one to notice.
“That’s quite a pair of asses,” Mikey deadpanned.
“Horses,” I corrected him. “They’re riding horses, not asses.”
The parade hotdog and fruit pie didn’t do much to tide me over. There was a line for pulled pork sandwiches with sides, and another for our church, offering fresh homemade pies. The real deal.
Mikey and I found a table with our piled up plates, and sat down. I was almost ready for pie when I was suddenly, and rudely, tickled from behind.
“Hey!” I yelled out, grabbing my sides.
“Someone is ticklish!” Mandy teased warmly, giving me an apologetic smile. She and Shelby crossed around the table and sat in front of Mikey and me.
“Oh, too bad,” I teased. “We were just finishing up.”
“Sit down,” Shelby said icily. “Be where you’re supposed to be for once.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I deadpanned.
“Dude, you two are like an old married couple,” Mikey said, laughing at his own joke.
Shelby gave me the most brief eye smile, then flicked a morsel of potato salad at Mike.
“We’re not old,” Shelby complained.
Mandy was quiet, unusually quiet for her demeanor. She ate cautiously, stealing shy glances at me from time to time.
In my mind, it was as if she and Autumn had changed personalities.
I let the girls finish their barbecue and offered to buy pie for the four of us.
“I have connections. I can get a deal,” I teased.
I got our order and left the table. Mandy hurriedly caught up to me to offer a hand.
“I can help you carry,” she offered.
“Sure,” I shrugged, playing it as cool as I had all day.
Mandy and I waited in line, making a little small talk. She had done a good job of avoiding the topic of Deedee breaking up with me less than a week earlier. I didn’t take the bait when asked how my summer was going.
“Pretty good,” I admitted. “I can finally take advantage of my car now. Baseball is over, and I’m working out with the guys early mornings. My first race is this weekend too.”
Mom greeted Mandy and me with a smile at the end of the line.
“What kind of pie can we get you?”
“We need one apple, one derby, one cherry and pecan for me,” I answered.
“As you know, it’s a free will offering,” mom said with some trepidation in her voice.
“Do you accept cash?” I asked boldly as I held up a $20 bill between two fingers and slipped it into the offering jar with a flourish.
Mom looked suitably impressed, reaching back on tables for big slices of pie already divided into styrofoam bowls.
I took two and allowed Mandy to take two as well. I would have been lost without her there to help carry.
“You’ll want ice cream with those, right?” His voice froze me in my tracks. Here I was, standing with both hands full and a cute girl in tow.
Rick Rogers was summoning me over for scoops of ice cream to go with the pie.
“Um, sure, not for the derby pie, I guess.”
Mandy followed me down the line until we both stood before Mel’s father. I hadn’t seen him since the funeral, having fought to stay away from the church. I didn’t hate the church. I didn’t hate God, exactly. I just didn’t need the weekly reminder.
“How are you doing, Jake?” Rick asked, his voice taking a serious tone.
“I’m doing a lot better, sir,” I looked him in the eye. “I’m doing better, and I hope you guys are too.”
“We’re all doing a lot better, Jake. But you don’t have to call me sir,” he smiled warmly.
Rick scooped up fresh ice cream for three of the pies.
“Thank you, S ... Rick,” I corrected myself, nodding to him as Mandy followed me back to our table.
Seeing Rick had silenced me. I walked back without saying so much as a word to poor Mandy, haunted by memories that began exactly a year earlier.
I didn’t get much time to wallow. Mike wouldn’t allow it.
“Why don’t I get ice cream?”
“Derby pie. You don’t eat derby pie with ice cream,” I answered.
“Says who?” Mike complained. “I want my ice cream.”
“Go up there and get it,” I said in irritation. “And you’re welcome for the pie, asshole.”
Both girls and Mikey started laughing at me, knowing I was far from serious.
“Now who sounds like an old married couple?” Shelby teased, taking a bite of her apple pie.
Mandy laughed hard in delight of the joke, giggling in a way that made her seem cute and sweet. While I never thought of her as bad natured, I knew she could be a little naughty.
When she had my attention she, pounced.
“Want a taste of my cherry?” she offered.
Mikey coughed at her bold maneuver.
I held my pie bowl toward Mandy in a sort of challenge before showing her two could play at this game.
“Only if you want to sample these nuts.”
She and I didn’t flinch. Shelby and Mike were struggling to breathe. Coughing fits abounding.
Mandy and I stared each other down, each taking a spoonful of the other’s pie at the same time.
“Not this again,” Mike complained, shaking his head.
Mandy and I each savored the flavor of the pie, then smirked in unison.
I liked where this was headed. Mike had probably seen about enough.
“OK, what’s next?”
“I’m sure the ladies have horses to attend to,” I said cooly.
“Taken care of,” Shelby interjected. “Dad is taking them home after the meal.”
“Pool?” Mandy added helpfully.
In my mind, that was Deedee territory, and I wanted to avoid it for now, plus the pool was always overpacked on this holiday.
“Nah, there’ll be like a million people there,” Mikey complained.
A quiet fell over the group before I made my suggestion.
“Let’s just wander around the big park and see what’s going on.”
We did just that, walking around vendors, the car show, the kiddie wagon train pulled by a riding lawnmower done up as a locomotive. We tried a couple of carnival games, trying to win stuffed creatures, but gave up fast. Mikey, of all people, offered to buy bottled waters for us as the afternoon grew hotter.
“You sure you don’t want to go to the pool?” Mandy asked with some promise in her voice. “How about the lake?” Mikey added.
That idea did have promise. We had a small, man-made lake just a few miles from the school. It had a good-sized beach and was relatively clean this time of year.
“Does everyone have a suit and a towel?”
“We’d have to stop at my house,” Mike said.
“I can grab mine from my locker at the pool,” Mandy said.
I looked at Shelby with a question in my eyes.
“At home,” she nodded.
“OK then, how about we meet at Mikey’s after you two visit the pool, then we’ll stop at Shelby’s so she can get her stuff?”
“Deal,” Mandy smiled, grabbing Shelby by the hand and practically racing off toward the pool.
Mike and I headed through the big park for his house. We talked as we walked.
“So, Mandy?” Mike said with a smirk.
“Yeah, Mandy.” I replied without much inflection.
“You work fast,” he teased.
“I’m not ‘working’ at all,” I looked at him. “I’m not doing any of it. She’s chasing me.”
“Well, you’re flirting a little at least,” Mike argued. “‘Sample these nuts?’” he asked in a goofy tone.
“If I’m breathing, I’m flirting,” I replied, giving him a smirk and a shrug.
“Yet another cheerleader,” Mike said flatly, practically complaining.
“Yeah,” I said skeptically. “I’m trying not to hold it against her.”
“You suck,” he said flatly.
“Not a great track record with cheerleaders,” I admitted. “And I’m told I like belong to them, like I’m their property to share around and only cheerleaders can date me.” “Where do I sign up?” Mike asked with hope.
“I dunno, you’ve been there the last year. You still wanna sign up?”
“In a heartbeat,” Mike said flatly.
“All I’ve been through in the last year?”
“You take a minute and think about dating two of the hottest girls in our school, one died, granted, but you had her before that.”
“And the other dumped me,” I complained.
“Still,” Mike said. “You are in need of some, um, perspective from time to time.”
We both stopped in our tracks, nearly out of the park.
“You’re probably right,” I thought out loud, thinking of Mike. He wasn’t exactly a catch, but he was clean and presentable, certainly with his own style.
“Still, I’m seeing someone different tonight anyway,” I said with a little smirk.
“What?”
“Oh, it’s not a date exactly, but I’m seeing a different girl tonight.
“A: You suck. B: Who the hell is it?”
We started walking again. I struggled with whether to fess up or not, but figured it was likely to come out at some point, and Mike was my closest friend not named Shelby.
“I’m going to Autumn Kent’s tonight to watch fireworks.”
“Autumn?” Mike made an odd face. “Autumn Kent?”
“Yeah, she called me this morning and asked me out, well not out, but over, you know?”
“Clearly Mandy wants you. Why would you waste time with Autumn Kent?”
“I thought you liked redheads?” I countered.
“I do, but this is Mandy-freaking-Prentice versus a super-skinny, super-shy redhead,” Mike added. “No question who I’d choose.” “Who says I have to choose?” I said flatly. “I’m not going to have a girlfriend until at least the start of the school year.”
“You’re not going to have any girlfriends at all if you date two at the same time.”
“I’m not dating anyone, at all, until school starts. If other things happen this summer before then, so be it.”
“You sly dog,” Mikey said. “You suck.”
“I’m just going to make sure everyone knows what’s going on up front, and what happens happens,” I said with a note of finality.
“Gonna blow up in your face, dude.”
“We’ll see.”
What started as a cloudy morning truly had developed into a glorious early July afternoon. The sun was bright, with a few wisps of high clouds and contrails criss-crossing a beautiful blue sky. The girls were laughing in the back seat of the Mustang as we zipped down the highway. Mikey was turned around telling them something funny. The warm summer air blew in the open windows, providing our only source of air conditioning.
I had to smile at the moment, looking at two gorgeous girls in my back seat. One I loved already, and one I briefly wondered if I could get closer to.
Mandy caught my eye in the mirror and gave me a brown-eyed wink, her straight raven-black hair fluttering in the breeze. She was darn cute.
We pulled up to the local lake, a small shack was manned by a county park ranger. I purchased a season pass for a paltry eight dollars and let him plaster the little sticker on the inside of my windshield. The car was official now. I could take it to any county park.
The ranger thanked us, and we drove down fresh blacktop toward the beach. The parking lot was less packed than I had expected, and we found a spot easily, overlooking the small lake and beach. At its widest, the lake ran about a half mile, and was about a mile and a half in length. A big earthen dam had been put in toward the end of the 60s, and the lake had been developed for recreation. Our beach sat on the north side of the lake.
We rolled out of the car with our towels and suits. Shelby had also brought a beach blanket and thoughtfully brought a small cooler. We set up a spot well away from the few families and other teens at the beach and headed up to the changing rooms.
Mike and I were quick, changing in just minutes. I was already applying suntan lotion I kept in my mesh bag when the girls finally emerged and headed down to the beach.
Of course, I’d seen much more of her the weekend before, but I had never seen Shelby in a two-piece swimsuit. She wore a light blue bikini, that covered more than most did. The top was more of a sports bra than a string bikini. The bottoms were more like boyshorts than buttfloss. The look was good for her, but her tan lines from ranch work were a little odd.
Mandy, on the other hand, came bouncing down the steps to the beach in a fire engine red bikini that looked like she’d stolen it from the set of “Baywatch.” It was also no string bikini, but it did a nice job of holding her big upper assets and ass in place.
I stared at her as she walked through the sand and she stared at me at the same time.
“Do not tease me about the tan lines,” Shelby threatened. Her words directed my attention back to her.
“So you do, or don’t want some of this sunscreen?”
“Do,” she said flatly.
“Hang on.” I finished my face, neck and shoulders, the only trouble areas I had for sunburn. I would let the rest of my body darken to an impressive bronze every summer.
I tossed the lotion bottle to Shelby.
“Do you get darker than this?” Mandy asked casually, her own skin nearly as dark as mine.
I held my arm up to hers, seeing who had the deeper tan.
“A little, usually it’s all over by the time football starts.”
Mikey skipped the lotion and headed into the small waves, splashing up water with his feet.
“Will you do my back?” Shelby asked, turning and holding her hair up.
I squeezed some lotion from the bottle, smeared it together in my palms and applied it dutifully to Shelby’s shoulders. I took a slight risk and whispered into her ear as I rubbed it in.
“You OK with this?”
She didn’t seem to react, then turned to face me.
“Is it applied evenly on my face?” she asked, then nodded, whispering. “I brought her. It’s OK.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat and gave her a meaningful look for just a moment.
“It’s OK,” she said softly, but with a little more conviction.
I closed down my mouth and shrugged. It was one thing for her to hold off on dating me for the time being. It was another thing entirely for her to hand deliver a girl to get between us. If this was the way she wanted it, this was the way it was going to have to be.
“Me next?” Mandy asked excitedly.
“Where do you want it?” I asked with a little husk in my voice.
“Everywhere you can reach,” she said with a twinkle in her brown eyes.
Shelby laid out on the beach blanket, smoothing some wrinkles and evening out some spots in the sand.
Mandy stepped over to me and handed me the lotion expectantly. I held it in my hand for just a moment’s pause, before doing as I was asked.
I started at her shoulders, rubbing the cool lotion into her skin to her light moans of delight. Mandy had amazingly soft skin, and reacted to my every touch. I applied the lotion down her arms, rubbing each in turn to work the white lotion in. She instinctively turned her back for me, holding her short, straight black hair up and out of my way. I worked both thumbs into her upper neck, just below her hair line. She moaned in pleasure at my attention as I loosened the tight muscles at the apex of her shoulders, then worked the creamy lotion down her tight back. Her hips flared out in a feminine and sexy way. She was not out of shape by any means, but her build was a bit thicker than Mel, and about on par with Deedee, but Mandy didn’t have the soft tummy Deedee had. As she turned around expectantly, my hands rubbed lotion into tight abdominal muscles. Mandy was proud of this body, and she loved having my hands on it.
I rubbed my hands up each of her sides, being cautious not to tickle her, then dropped to my knees to attend to her short, toned legs. With a fresh dollop of lotion, I started at the outside of her hips, working the lotion down the outside of her legs down to her ankles. I looked up at her for permission. She nodded and stood with her legs slightly wider, and I took the daring step of rubbing more lotion into her inner thighs, being careful not to touch her bikini, then down her inner legs to her ankles. I motioned for her to set her foot into my palm, then rubbed the lotion into her foot and toes, repeating the process on her other foot.
“There you go,” I said as I stood up. The poor girl practically fell over, as she stumbled to the blanket.
“You OK?”
“Never better, the dark-skinned girl actually blushed.”
“You gonna do me like that next, dude?” Mikey teased from a few yards away.
Peals of laughter erupted from both girls.
“Well,” Shelby said theatrically. “I’m going in the water.”
“I’ll, um, stay here, for the moment,” Mandy added.
This was clearly planned, but I went along with it.
“I guess I’ll hang here as well,” I surrendered and sat down cross-legged in front of Mandy.
Once Shelby and Mikey were out of earshot, Mandy swooped in.
“So, I’m sorry about Deedee,” she said quietly.
“Are you sure?” I challenged her.
“Part of me is,” she grinned. “Another part of me has no problem with it.”
“So how was, ‘just bowling,’” Mikey teased, complete with air quotes, as he landed in the bus seat next to mine. I returned his jab with a bemused grin. “Fine, just fine.” His eyes searched me over, sizing me up. He raised an eyebrow and leaned in. “You got laid, didn’t you?” He accused, surprisingly quietly. “I most certainly did not,” I said in mock indignation. “And I’ll thank you not to spread such rumors, sir.” He burst into laughter, not sure if he’d guessed on the mark or not, but...
A strikeout, two walks, a single and a double. That’s how I did on a Friday night in front of a big home crowd. We played before the varsity game due to the rainout Tuesday. Mitch pitched a full game, but the game actually ended in the 6th at 12-0 on the mercy rule. Riverton was not good at baseball. Mitch had a 3-run homer in the first. There were at least two scouts at the game to watch his brother, but there was no doubt he wanted to put on a good show as well. He certainly did. I...
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1991 “I’m your dream, make you real I’m your eyes when you must steal I’m your pain when you can’t feel Sad but true” Waking up to one of the crunchiest guitar riffs of all time is not a bad way to start your day. I slapped the snooze bar and realized my palm was still pretty sore from that punt block. I was starting to wonder if the punter’s foot had connected with my hand. I had a bit of a bruise forming right in the center of my palm. Well, no matter. I couldn’t...
FRIDAY, JULY 6, 1990 Under of the guise of visiting Mikey, I took the three-mile bicycle ride to town on a sunny Friday afternoon. I set my bike in a rack at the park and waited at the swings, just as we’d agreed. The park was mostly empty, with some kids playing basketball some distance away. The pool would open soon. Not two minutes later, there she was, sauntering up to me from her open garage door. As usual, Melody looked fantastic in flip flops, short shorts and a tank top. She topped...
SUNDAY, MAY 26, 1991 My Sundays are my own. Well, my Sundays are supposed to be my own. Oh well. My family actually skipped church. Mom and dad were hosting their annual Memorial Day party the next day. I had to do some cleaning up around the yard, and set up the volleyball poles and net for the party. At lunch, I got to catch some of the Indy 500 on TV. I missed the end of the race, but Rick Mears won his third Borg-Warner Trophy. Dad had plans for me in the afternoon. The weather had...
FRIDAY, MAY 31, 1991 Just like the school year, the summer finds a pattern. Weekends aren’t much different than weekdays, other than the rhythm of the activities. Tuesday means a baseball game. Baseball practice Wednesday and Thursday. Tutoring Tuesday through Thursday. Finding a way to get to the varsity baseball games Friday nights. Oh, and a Saturday at the race shop. The calendar says spring, but the weather and the school year say it’s summer. Summer goes from Memorial Day to Labor Day...
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1990 I dreaded going to school Tuesday even more than I had Monday. At breakfast, mom was trying to fish for more information on what was going on between Mel and me. I wasn’t biting today. No way I would ever want mom to hear a word of the rumor going around, at least if it was just a rumor. On the bus, I had to let Mikey in on it. He hadn’t heard, which was a good sign. It took little to convince him that I didn’t know anything about it, but I was going to find out...
I walked into the freshman hallway of the school and made my way to my intended target. She was, again, talking to Lexie and facing away from me. She was filling out a set of acid washed jeans rather nicely, a pink sweater over another button down long-sleeve. This time Lexie didn’t raise her eyebrows as I approached. “Parker,” Lexie announced, suddenly surprising Deedee. “You’ll be a dear be sure to bring your home jersey for Deedee to wear tomorrow morning? I stared blankly for a moment,...
SATURDAY, JUNE 1, 1991 Time was running out before I would turn 15. Sure, it was more than a month away, but we had a lot of work to do to get the racecar ready to go. I was up early Saturday. Mom cooked a fantastic breakfast, as she’d left some bread out the night before to get crusty, then made her signature french toast with it. It’s a hell of a way to start your day, full load of sugar and all. Josh and I loaded up, and mom drove us to grandpa’s shop. Today would be a little different,...
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1991 “Jake, I need you to wake up.” “Wha?” “Jake, it’s time to wake up.” “Huh?” I complained through bleary eyes, then suddenly gasped and sat straight up in the bed in a panic. Dad took a half step back, after shaking me on the shoulder. Was last night a dream? Was the whole day a dream? “What day is it?” I asked Dad desperately. He chuckled. “It’s Saturday morning, son.” My eyes started to get used to the harsh light of the lamp on my nightstand and I caught...
While it was true that Sundays were my own, for the most part, my Saturdays belonged to someone else. Since the racecar was in pieces and not back from the body shop, I belonged to dad for the day. Grandpa Parker was running the disc. Dad was planting, but he still had plans for me. “I’m going to have you field cultivate about 50 acres of last year’s sorghum,” dad said as he attached the old 4440 to the implement he was talking about. “Start with the end rows, then just try not to miss...
FRIDAY, MAY 31, 1991 More punctual than ever, Lexie pulled the Hunter minivan down our long driveway. As the van pulled closer, I noticed Mitch was not in his usual place in the passenger bucket seat. Mandy Prentice was in his place. This was odd, but nothing was ever ordinary when Lexie was involved. As the van pulled up and I hopped in, I noticed all three girls were rocking their sunglasses. Mandy had identical aviators to both Lexie and my gorgeous girlfriend. “Ladies,” I smiled as I...
Saturday rolled around quickly, and I was thrilled to head to my grandpa’s shop with mom in the driver seat and little Josh strapped in the back. I had asked mom to let me drive, holding up my learner’s permit, but she was hesitant to let me drive with Josh in the car. “That’s some confidence you have in your future race car driver,” I grumped. “Jacob, I only have two of you. I don’t like taking chances with you both in the car.” “Alright,” I acquiesced, deciding we’d get to the shop...
SUNDAY, July 7, 1991 I saw some of Sunday before I ever got a chance to sleep. Between the extra adrenaline of racing for the first time, and a few Mountain Dews drank too late in the night, I was wired for sound. Before we finally bid goodbye to everyone at the track and brought the car back to the shop, I was directed to stop at the pit gate to pick up my winnings for the night. I was handed an envelope with $125 in it. I had finished 12th that night, the first of my racing career. I...
SATURDAY, JULY 13, 1991 ‘Breathe. Remember to breathe, moron.’ By mutual agreement, we decided I’d opt to go to the back of the heat race again. I needed the laps of experience before starting up front. That didn’t stop me from ripping off some fast laps in hot laps. I actually came up on a slower car in front of me, and had to back down or figure out a way to pass him on this narrow, tacky surface. I let him get a lead on me again, then tried some different lines, letting the car drift up...
FRIDAY, JULY 19, 1991 Edited by WRC264 I rumbled into Mandy’s driveway at the appointed time. This time she did let me get to the door and I did have a short and awkward talk with her parents, who were very nice. I knew them from years of being around their daughter. We’d been classmates many school years. Soon we were off to The Corner for supper and shakes, or a shake, I should say. We shared a big one. I had an extra critical eye for Allison as she served us, knowing the advice Woody...
MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 1991 “Here we go around, ‘round, ‘round She givin’ me the run around, ‘round, ‘round, ‘round” I was up early with Van Halen, but shut my clock radio off immediately. Today would be the first day of football practice. I’d been doing this since 7th grade, but something felt very different for my sophomore year. I was taller, leaner and looking pretty ripped. I hadn’t done quite as much farm work that summer, but I was in the gym or at the running track four days a week,...
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1991 Little drops of perspiration gathered in the lovely valley of her spine where her back joined the round globes of her sexy little ass. She sighed in pleasure as she slowly ground her hips back and forth atop me, my throbbing cock trapped deep inside her hot, wet folds. I admired the two little dimples at the base of her lower back, and slid my hands over her hips, placing a thumb pad over both of those indentations in her nearly-flawless skin. Her skin was hot to...
TUESDAY, JULY 16, 1991 “I’m learnin’ to fly ... But I ain’t got wings...” The haunting tone of Tom Petty woke me from a fitful slumber. I knew who Tom Petty was, but I didn’t really consider him a rocker until this latest album. I let the whole song play before shutting my alarm off, just as the DJ started talking about a new album coming from Metallica. I skipped the shower and put my workout clothes on. That meant a muscle shirt and cloth shorts. I picked Mikey up at his house just...
WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 4, 1991 Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” is a hell of a way to wake up in the morning. I slapped the snooze button on my clock radio, almost instantly regretting it. Of course, that radio was hardly a stereo, so the sound quality suffered immensely. I loved the song, but it was getting constant radio play in early September. Of course, I had a bootleg copy of the cassette tape so I knew there were many more songs on the album that were just as good. I became more aware of my...
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1990 HOMECOMING A new week had made life all good again. We played a freshman football game Monday afternoon. I dominated at defensive end with a pair of sacks and four solo tackles. I made a nice catch at tight end for twelve yards. We won 35-6. It was our first Homecoming Week, and my friends and I were learning the traditions. Monday had been White and Blue day. We dressed accordingly. Tuesday was 70s Day, and I raided dad’s closet for a wildly-printed polyester...
FRIDAY, JUNE 7, 1991 I did something I had never done for a girl before. I wrote her some little notes. Sappy? Silly? Romantic? Maybe a little of all of the above, but Deedee was going to be gone for more than two weeks with little chance for contact, and I wanted to stay connected to her. She was a very good girlfriend, and I wanted to keep her that way. The idea was simple. I grabbed a stack of 17 Post-It notes. On the first note, I wrote: “For Deedee every day. Please peel off one note...
FRIDAY, JULY 5, 1991 “Jake, wake up. Do you have plans this morning?” “Wha?” Roused from rather pleasant dreams of pretty redheads and curvy raven-haired beauties, I rubbed the sleep from my eyes to consider the source of this rude awakening. “Dad?” “Jake, wake up!” I shook my head groggily, wondering what strenuous farm chore awaited me outside. “Yeah?” “Any plans this morning?” I guess not.” “Good,” dad grinned. “Someone from the phone company will be here sometime between now and...
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1991 I woke up long before my alarm clock was set to go off, feeling sick to my stomach. The anguish was physical, not just emotional. The events from the night before played out in my head while I considered what to do. I hadn’t missed a school day for being sick in years. And if I did call in sick, I couldn’t participate in any sport or activity that day. That meant missing the Homecoming game and the dance. The idea didn’t really seem so bad at first, but a larger...
The Adventures of American-man: Dreamworld By Paul G Jutras Chapter One: Doorway of Doom October 31, 3086, a historical team uncovered a weird chest with pictures carved all over the outside. Each was dressed in hiking boots, knee-high socks, too tight shorts, sleeveless shirts and pit helmets. As one of them broke open the chest a mist rose out and formed into a skull headed demon. Rays shot from it's eye socks, transforming the girls' skin to plastic. As they fell over, the...
South American Cock TormentAndy Douglas was eighteen even though he only looked much younger. Five seven, he had a nice balance of slim waist, good shoulders and a neat, tight butt. Plenty of sport and exercise in the open air had given him a great tan and a body with good muscular definition including a modest six-pack. The sun had also bleached his shock of naturally blonde hair. Coupled with pale blue eyes and a ready smile he looked good and attractive?and he knew it.He liked girls, but...
You know, when you read "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" with a modern understanding of science, as a person who understands chemistry, biology, and psychology, the rational part of your mind will tell you it's not possible. That it makes for a fun story, but you could not drink a potion and transform either physically or mentally like the title character of that book. You can't change yourself like that. But the irrational part, oh it wishes you could. It looks at...
America hosts dozens of agents, who work secretly exclusively for me. Although all-American applicants think they are for porn.America's agencies are in all major cities, which house hot tasty teen or twen beautiful brides to be. We will mention all towns.Professor Poet-PETER erotic experiments interestingly include his agencies world wide. Together a dozen of dozens capitals.Professor Poet-PETER prayed his dear great granddaughter Princess Petra to go the other side of the 'big drink', to...
America hosts dozens of agents, who work secretly exclusively for me. Although all-American applicants think they are for porn.America's agencies are in all major cities, which house hot tasty teen or twen beautiful brides to be. We will mention all towns.Professor Poet-PETER erotic experiments interestingly include his agencies world wide. Together a dozen of dozens capitals.Professor Poet-PETER prayed his dear great granddaughter Princess Petra to go the other side of the 'big drink', to...
“The fuck was that this morning in the hallway?” Mike boomed, setting his lunch tray down to my right. “QUIET!” I seethed. “Nothing. I don’t know.” “THAT was not nothing,” Shelby added quickly from my left. I dropped my spoon back into my chili and closed my eyes. Oh yes, chili, maybe my favorite school lunch. And it seemed to taste better than usual today. Then again, maybe everything had started to taste better lately. “Look, I’m as confused as anyone. I’ve known Alexis since what,...
Deedee was holding my hand tightly and giving me doe eyes as we were once again on the back roads headed to my first high school party. “No one has ever done that for me,” Deedee whispered. “It was amazing,” she husked. “Done what, exactly?” I teased in a half-whisper. She bit her lip and shoved me lightly. “You know what!” she whispered with laughing eyes. “Oh,” I said in mock recognition, then leaned to whisper in her ear, my voice deepening. “Do you mean the part where I ran my tongue...
The rest of the week went very well, and I was in high spirits. Every other lunch period was spent either with my crew or my new girlfriend, and each side seemed to appreciate my company more. Well, other than Morgan, who was still a bitch to me. Two new things happened during the week, though. Beast asked if I’d like to go cruising with Tree and him at some point over the weekend. I had to tell him Friday was out, as I was going to the game and the opening night of races came Saturday...
I was up and at it early again Saturday morning with rather pleasant thoughts from the night before. Mom hustled me to grandpa’s shop and I went to it. Grandpa had clearly made more progress on the pit cart, with some metal cabinet doors now in place, along with a thin steel plate top. Work benches were getting cleared off and this was starting to look like a proper race shop again. Grandpa was out to help about an hour after I arrived. He ambled into the shop with a big thermos of coffee...
Deedee and I had surprises for each other Tuesday morning. I walked up to her locker just before classes started and handed her a freshly pressed gray jersey. She eagerly took it and opened her locker to hand me my white jersey. I made a show of pressing it to my nose. “How does it still smell like you?” “A girl has to have her secrets,” Deedee giggled, tapped my chin dimple and gave me a peck on the cheek before spinning off to the girl’s room to change into my jersey. “Get a room!” Mike...
We walked back inside and I quickly discovered my Sunday wasn’t over. Beast was on the line. “Parker, you wanna shoot hoops?” “Yeah, sounds good. We need a fourth?” “I supposed, who you got in mind?” “Mikey?” “Yeah, I guess I can kick his ass as easy as yours,” Beast chuckled. “I’ll call him.” “I’ll pick you both up and we’ll go to Tree’s.” “Later.” I asked mom and dad if I could go shoot hoops for the afternoon. “Be home for supper.” I could hardly think about supper. I was still...
TUESDAY, JUNE 4, 1991 I saw her for the first time on a rainy Tuesday morning. I had never seen anything like her before. But I’m getting way ahead of myself. Let’s skip back to earlier in the morning. Dad had ordered a few items for the Mustang. In particular, a few interior items he wanted fixed. He bought a headliner, new carpet and new vinyl for the both front seats. With installation, this was going to put him back nearly $400. But where to get the work done? Dad had called a brand...
TUESDAY DECEMBER 25, 1990, CHRISTMAS DAY I hadn’t seen Mel since Friday, and while I did miss her, it was probably good for my soul. Every moment seemed tumultuous, and drama buzzed around her like bees to flowers. We did everything at full throttle, whether it was making love or just not getting along. A few days of quiet time around my family was welcomed. Our family had our traditional Christmas Eve meal of oyster soup and appetizers like ham-wrapped pickles with pineapple cream cheese,...
FRIDAY, JUNE 28, 1991 After the playoff loss and public dumping, we skipped any kind of celebratory meal and headed home. I lugged my heavy bag of baseball gear into the house for the final time of the season. I didn’t even have time to strip and get my uniform into a soak before the phone rang. A tiny part of me wondered if Deedee had changed her mind. “Hello?” “Why didn’t you call me?” The feminine voice at the other end of the line was insistent and accusatory all at once. “I just...
SUNDAY, JUNE 30, 1991 I leaned forward with my head in my hands, rubbing my temples. Shelby pulled some of the blanket around her shivering form. It was a warm day, but a body soaked in sweat would get chilly in the breeze. Her horses, Destiny and Doc, munched grass lazily, paying us little heed. “Why not?” I asked the prairie scene in front of me, not wanting to look her in the eye. Shelby sighed and put her hand on my shoulder. “I might have done a bad thing today,” she sighed. “I did...
SATURDAY, JULY 6, 1991 ‘Breathe, just remember to breathe.’ The heat, the humidity. Oppressive. Harsh lights shining down on me. Mercifully, my Nomex head sock is soaking up the sweat from my head, keeping the stinging drips out of my eyes. My helmet feels a little suspiciously loose on my head, but the chinstrap is tight. All is almost silent here in the cockpit. I flip my visor up as my breathing is creating a little fog under the lense, with more than two dozen tear offs piled on...
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1991 “I’m out in the cold (out in the cold) Body and soul (out in the cold) There’s nowhere to go (out in the cold) I’m out in the cold (out in the cold)” Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers had it about right. I was out in the cold. Of course, I still slapped the snooze button and shut him up anyway. I had a riot of feelings to deal with. Two rejections, were weighing heavily on my mind. Sure, I had sort of patched things up with Shelby. At the same time, we were...
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1991 “What’s on your mind,” I asked as I closed my car door carefully. Jen seemed to stiffen and forced herself to turn towards me in her seat so that she couldn’t avoid looking at me. “What I said about the dance wasn’t entirely true.” “So you DO want to go to the dance?” I said with a lopsided grin. “I don’t know,” she said softly. “Let me finish.” “OK,” I replied, letting her continue. “I have gone to a dance before. It was, it was horrible.” “Go on,” I...
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1991 “And homegrown and down-home, that makes one Cookin’ up that old time, long lost recipe for me, woh It’s gettin’ hard to find Guess it ain’t hip enough now You take an average guy, he can’t identify, uh And there’s a short supply of her fine, fine stuff Lemme get on, lemme get on, lemme get on some of that Shake it up, bake it up nice, uh Lemme get on, lemme get on, lemme get on all that I so love my baby’s poundcake.” Van Halen was so much better with Sammy...
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1991 I woke with excitement Sunday morning. No alarm set, just the refreshing feeling of sleeping in after being worked hard for a few days. Well, that and the fact that I would be shooting hoops with a tall, gorgeous blond that day. The tantalizing aroma of a beef roast in the crock pot was what got me awake. I followed my nose out to the kitchen to see it bubbling away on the counter top. The parents had, as usual, let me have my Sunday while they headed to church...
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1991 Seven days of kisses and bliss. Jen got her kiss every day for a seventh day. Every time I saw her or thought about her, the butterflies were there. We held hands in the hallways and word around school was that we were the hot couple. The upperclassmen had accepted and welcomed me with open arms. If I’d been placed on the varsity team at the start of the season, I’d have likely faced some hazing. As it was, saving the big game and showing them I belonged put...
Harold Spencer Eversly was on vacation in Acapulco with his Mom. He was sixteen but looked younger. His father had died suddenly when he was only eight leaving his Ma a very rich woman. She was very possessive and Harold was something of a mother’s boy. They traveled around a lot, all over the world. Harold had been to a lot of different schools but not learned much. He figured he didn’t have to with the money coming to him from a Trust when he was 25. Until then he was quite...
American-Man At War By Paul G. Jutras "1,2, 3, 4...." Christine said as she stood in gold three inch pumps and a backless evening gown with spaghetti straps. With the clicking of drumsticks the band prepared to join in. Soto began to played the guitar in his usual leather jacket, pants and boots and red tee shirt. Mark played the drums, Luke the keyboard in their yellow and red striped coveralls, and Starshine the tambourine in her purple blouse, leopard print mini skirt...
Ida Hoe was waiting nervously back stage as her arch rival, Holly Keyhole, performed on stage riding Hoss Bigg cowgirl style on a trampoline. She could hear the audience shouting in delight. The raucous cheers were almost deafening.Ida was horrified that Holly might give an unsurmountable performance. Ida barely trailed her for first place in this grand finale episode of Miss American Pornstar. Winning the title of the first Miss American Pornstar would not only make her the newest rage in the...
Group SexNew Job for American-Man By Paul G Jutras Since American-Man's appearance the crime rate in Federation city had dropped way down. Too bad the number band of gigs his rock band had were also way down. Needing the extra pay, it was in his American-Man form that he became a bag man at a Federation City super market. The job was easy and American-man changed his costume with the bluish green shirt, black slacks and sneakers of the market. When he eyed a shoplifter trying to head out...
Okay, here goes nothing. African-American guys like myself have a certain image in the eyes of the world. We’re thought of as tougher, meaner and more athletic than the average guy. Also, people seem to think we gravitate toward either athletic pursuits or criminal endeavors, and nothing in between. Neither is exactly true for most Black men living in the United States of America. Just to prove to you how untrue these stereotypes are, take me for example. My name is Arnold Thompson. And I’m a...
“We knew the world would not be the same. A few people laughed, a few people cried. Most people were silent. I remembered the line from the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad-Gita; Vishnu is trying to persuade the Prince that he should do his duty, and to impress him, takes on his multi-armed form and says, ‘Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.’ I suppose we all thought that, one way or another.” ― J. Robert Oppenheimer It seems sort of strange looking back on the unfolding events of...
-We learned in Part One of this story that I was a sixteen year-old virgin boy named James, who everyone called Jimmy, with a very thick, nine-inch-long cock. My neighbor Norm was forty-two at the time. His wife Lindsey was forty-one and their son Todd was eighteen and away at college.I went with Norm to open his lake cabin for the summer. We were skinny dipping on an unusually warm day for spring in Wisconsin and he convinced me that we should masturbate one another on the boat. That evening...
MILFTo begin, may I must make something perfectly clear. I’m virgin by my haughty cousin’s definition -- he says we may do it now because it is very assuered our families will marry us together -- but that doesn’t mean I have never made love. My story begins at St. Mary’s, an elite English-medium secondary school for girls. St. Mary’s has a Christian headmistress and several Christian faculty, but few of the students are of that faith. Christians know academics better than do mullahs and holy men....
The unlucky American. ? A reader of some of my other stories challenged me to write one about a terrified boy enslaved by a girl. This is the outcome of my efforts. ? Note: Tim’s private thoughts are marked by single inverted commas: ‘Shit’; direct speech by double: "Yes, Mistress". ? Part one. ? "I'm an American citizen, for chrissake. It's your fucking duty to defend me!" I shouted angrily at the embassy's legal secretary. ? "You are and I have". She looked calmly back. ? "But I was...
American Girl in Bangkok By Tiffany Parker The following story is a work of fiction and is copyright property of the author. Please don't repost it without permission. But most importantly, I hope you enjoy reading it. Chapter 1 Kaylee impatiently bided time while sitting in the middle seat in coach on the long trans-pacific flight. She was excited about her trip to Bangkok that would complete her journey and provide her the gender affirmation surgery she desperately...
Promises and Secrets: A Teenage Transsexual By Maria Ski Things changed for me after I was discovered trying on my sisters clothes. My mother had caught me. But there was no anger, no disgust, just a warm understanding smile and the love of a mother. From that day of being discovered, and after telling my sisters things seemed to change. Every weekend I became Maria. With a wardrobe of girls clothes of my own which I either bought myself or had bought for me. One thing led to...
Author's Note; This story is a dedication to Tom Petty. Song meaning to me are very subjective. I can take someone different out of song than someone else. I can even take something different out of a song depending on my mood. So with saying that this story is how I filled in the blanks of this great song. Debra Webster was an American girl who was raised on her mom and dad's promises.These promises were being able to be whatever she wanted to be in life, and their daughter would...
Alright, I can finally admit it to myself. I am a Muslim. I used to be one of those people who felt a strong dislike of Muslims, until I fell in love with one. It’s funny how these things happen, huh? My name is Solomon Kingsley Henderson, although many of my friends have taken to calling me ‘King Suleiman’ in recent times. It’s my Muslim name, though it’s not on my passport or anything. My wife Khadija Abdullah certainly likes it. She’s a lovely lady of Somali descent who saved my life back in...