Chapter 31 — A Rough Draft, So It Needs Work _February 15, 2003, Oak Park, Illinois_ 🎤 Jesse {br} {psc} On Saturday morning, Mom One drove me to Oak Park to visit with Nicole. Mom sat with Mrs. Heath in the kitchen while I sat with Nicole in their front room, where they had made a temporary bedroom for her so she didn't have to go up and down the stairs. "How are you feeling?" I asked. "No pain!" Nicole exclaimed. "Very, very good drugs!" "What did they prescribe?" "Tramadol." "Opioid?" "Yes. I can only take it for ten days, then I switch to Tylenol 3, if I need something stronger than regular over-the-counter Advil or Tylenol." "Aunt Jess said the surgery was textbook." "That's what they said, and my surgeon expects a full recovery. Rehab is going to SUCK!" "And you'll do it because you're Nicole Heath, and you love hockey more than anything in the world. It's just too bad you're a Penguins fan!" "I wore the jersey just for you!" she declared. "Why am I not surprised?" "How's your knee?" "Sore, but just the RICE protocol. I have to see the doctor on Friday for another evaluation before I can be cleared for walking or driving. I won't know for about eight weeks when I can go back on the ice." "But you'll be able to play in the Fall, right?" "Yes, but hockey camp is up in the air." "So what's the scoop with the new team?" "I expect about half our guys to make the new team. I have a spot, of course, as does Nicholas. Tomás is going to Chicago Latin, and Mitch is going to Lane Tech. I suspect a couple of other guys will move to private schools. Six of the current guys are graduating, so everyone else has a good shot." "It kinda sucks that the championship is disbanding." "I know, and it sucks that I have to change schools, but the gang problem is out of control. That's why my aunts moved my siblings to the Lab School. Albert is probably going to be at William Howard Taft on the Northside because they have NJROTC. A couple of the Navy men from Great Lakes, as well as Commander Aimee, greased the skids to make sure he could get in." "That's cool." "What about school?" "Once I'm off the opioids because I can't take those at school, and they only last about six hours. I'll be on crutches, obviously. For the next ten days, Mikey will bring my assignments, and I'll have a tutor a couple of days a week. You're back in school, right?" "Yes. Dad drives me, and I have help from Mitch, Tomás, Luna, and Missy to carry books, my lunch tray, and stuff like that." "I take it _that_ is off limits?" Nicole asked with a smirk. "No exertion," I chuckled. "But I bet I'm not restricted anywhere near as long as Mikey, and he wasn't even injured!" Nicole laughed, "I didn't discuss that with my doctor, but he said the same thing. Well, except for rehab." "Yeah, same for me. I'll start seeing someone once I have my exam on Friday. When's your next post-op check?" "Wednesday." "I didn't ask, but I take it Natalie came to see you in the hospital?" "Yes. She skipped class to sit with my parents and Mikey during the surgery, and then I saw her yesterday." "Did your parents freak out at all?" "No. Did yours?" "No. I think hockey moms are built in such a way that they only lose it over bad calls and cheap shots, not injuries!" Nicole laughed, "You might be on to something!" ————— {br} [Chicago, Illinois] 🎤 Birgit {br} "Thanks for driving me to Sensei Sharon's dōjō," I said to Natalie as we left the house. "You're welcome. Have you had any success with Kevin?" "No," I replied. "Well, I mean, we're friends, but he thinks I'm too young. I'm hoping maybe after I turn fifteen. How is your sister?" "Feeling no pain! The surgery was successful." "Good drugs?" "Very! How is photography club going?" "Good. I really enjoy it. You're going to Russia for the Summer, right?" "Yes. I leave a week after final exams and come back a week before school starts. You have your big adventure with Jesse while I'm gone." "Mostly, I won't be with him," I replied. "I'll be with Yuriko most of the time." "Are you going to train at the dōjō?" "It's 'no girls allowed'," I replied. "That's normal for Japan." "No strident protests?" Natalie asked. "I agree with Dad that Japan gets to run their country the way they want, and «Shihan» Hideki gets to run his school the way he wants. I mean, both «Shihan» Hiro and «Shihan» Hideki have no problem with female black belts or female Sensei, and Sensei Molly runs her dōjō." "I expected the outrage meter to peg!" Natalie teased. "Are you mellowing?" "NEVER!" I declared forcefully. Natalie laughed, "There's the Birgit I know!" ————— {br} [Aurora, Illinois] 🎤 Matthew {br} "You need to study more," I said to Tara after we'd run through our scenes twice. "I don't know what the problem is," Tara replied. "I've never had a problem memorizing my lines in the past." "You've had smaller parts," I observed. "This is your biggest part yet." "I never really had a chance because Maggie used to get these parts opposite you." "And now you do, which means extra effort. It's one thing to learn a dozen lines spread across a few scenes. It's another to learn scores or even hundreds of lines, and in this case, five musical numbers." "How do you do it?" I shrugged, "I don't know. I have a really good memory, and it just comes naturally." "And you're creative, smart, and decent-looking! Chelsea is a lucky girl." "Decent?" I asked with an arched eyebrow and a wry smile. Tara laughed, "You aren't Johnny Depp, Ben Affleck, Richard Gere, or Brad Pitt. So, decent-looking!" "We have time to run through our lines once more before the gang arrives for _D&D_." We did that, finishing just before Ryan, Arby, Matt W, and Nick arrived. We all gathered around the dining room table and began our gaming session. ————— {br} [Chicago, Illinois] 🎤 Jesse {br} When we left Nicole's house, I remembered that Anna Lundqvist would arrive in Chicago on Friday, and I hadn't called her to let her know about my injury. I doubted she'd change her plans, and in theory, I'd be able to walk with a brace, assuming everything went well with my exam. "I need to call Anna," I said to Mom. "I didn't tell her about my injury." Mom One laughed, "So her 'booty call' might not go as planned?" I laughed, "The early 90s called, and they want their slang back!" "You use 'hook up', but that's from the 60s 'free love' era!" Mom countered. "So sue me!" I chuckled. I pulled out my phone and used the phone book to dial Anna's number in Sweden. It would be late Saturday afternoon, so I wasn't sure if she'd be home, but I could leave her a message. "«8321 047, hos Lundqvist»" {green}("Lundqvist residence"){/green} It was a male voice, so it wasn't Anna. "Hello. This is Jesse Block calling from Chicago. May I speak with Anna?" "One moment." I heard him call Anna, who came to the phone. "Jesse? Is there a problem?" "I wanted to let you know I injured my knee last Saturday during our regional semifinal game. It's not bad, but I might be on crutches when you're here, though hopefully I can walk with a brace." "Oh! What happened?" "A couple of skaters crashed into me. I twisted my knee and had a mild concussion. One of the other skaters had to have surgery to repair her ACL." "Are you saying I shouldn't come?" "No. I just wanted to let you know I might not be very mobile, and I don't know if I'll be able to drive." "It's OK. I'm coming to see you! I mean, if you still want me to." "I do! I have a check-up on Friday, but it'll be done by the time we need to drive to O'Hare to get you. I'm not sure who'll drive me, but someone will." "OK! See you Friday! I hope you feel better!" "Thanks. See you Friday." We said 'goodbye', and I closed my phone. "All set," I said. "I'll drive you to O'Hare," Mom One said. "I'm taking the afternoon off to take you to see Doctor McCoy, given you can't drive or walk there. I'll pick you up from school at 1:00pm." "OK. I'll need a note, and you'll have to come into the office and show ID. All the doors except for the one that leads right to the office are locked now." "When did that happen?" Mom Two asked. "After Christmas break, the same time they added the second 'School Resource Officer', for all the good that's done." "I know you made a pragmatic decision, but how do you really feel about changing schools?" "I don't like it. I actually like my teachers, and Kenwood is academically solid. But things have gone seriously downhill the last two years with drugs and gangs. They really needed to do something to address it five years ago, but with the War on Drugs, it was inevitable. If the gangs had left the hockey players alone, I'd have stayed. But once guys like DeShawn, Tomás, Freddy, Tom, and Steve talked about changing schools, the hockey program was toast, and Morgan Park administered the coup de grâce. That more or less forced my hand." "How is Nicole doing?" "High as a kite!" I chuckled. "The pain meds are really strong." "You have to be really careful with those," Mom One said. "It's really easy to become addicted." "I don't think Nicole is likely to become addicted," I said. "But they also limited her prescription for tramadol to ten days, then they'll switch her to Tylenol 3." "Level with me — are you in pain?" "Sure, but Advil takes the edge off, and I'm like Dad — I'd rather be uncomfortable than prop up the pharmaceutical industry while introducing unnatural compounds into my body! I'd use Anacin like Dad, but I know the dangers for anyone under eighteen." "You are your father's son, that's for sure!" "Hey, YOU chose him, not me!" I chuckled. "I'm just along for the ride!" "What are your plans for the rest of the day?" "Luna, Simone, and and Luna's cousin Bonita are bringing lunch and will hang out for the afternoon. Nicholas, Pete, Mitch, and DeShawn are bringing pizza for dinner. You and Mom Two are going out, right?" "Yes. We'll leave around 1:00pm and be back around midnight." ————— {br} 🎤 Birgit {br} "Hi, Kevin!" I exclaimed when I saw Kevin at the dōjō "Hi, Birgit!" Kevin replied. "Make sure you see Sensei Sharon before class." "I'll go right now," I replied. I walked to the door to Sensei Sharon's office and she waved me in. "Good morning, Sensei," I said, bowing. "Good morning, Birgit! Kevin said you would be here this morning. Welcome." "Thank you, Sensei!" "How is your dad?" "Good. He's really busy and is traveling a lot." "OK. Go take your place. Class starts in about five minutes." "Yes, Sensei!" I moved to the main training room and stood next to Kevin, who had slightly longer time in rank than I did. "If you can drive me home, we could have lunch," I suggested. "I can tell Natalie I don't need a ride. "Just burgers at the diner around the corner." "Sure," he agreed. "Be right back." I walked to the viewing area and let Natalie know Kevin was going to bring me home. "If anything changes or you need a ride, just call me, and I'll come get you." "Thanks," I replied. She left, and I went back to my spot next to Kevin. I hoped he'd mellow about the age difference, but I suspected it might not be before I turned fifteen, if even then. I set that aside because Sensei Sharon came into the training room and clapped her hands twice to begin the session. ————— 🎤 Steve {br} "Hi, Madalyn," I said when I walked into the dōjō. "I thought I'd come watch again. I'm actually thinking of taking lessons." "You're welcome to participate today, if you like. Your first uniform is free, even if you choose not to continue." "I'll just watch, if that's OK." "Always. You're also welcome to come this afternoon." "Thanks." Will wasn't at the dōjō, which meant I led the morning class. I asked Miyu to lead our meditation time and exercises, then I worked with the white belts. I liked to do that from time to time, though I strongly preferred working with brown belts. When we finished, Avanti walked back to the house with Kara, Suzanne, Stephie, Ashley, and me to have lunch. "What did Madalyn want?" Kara asked with a smirk. "She's thinking of starting lessons," I replied. "The only concern I have is that she'll be at Northwestern in the Fall, and that would make it difficult for her to attend. She might be better off at Sharon's dōjō, which is further north. I won't discourage her, obviously, but I will point out the practical concerns about coming to weekday classes." "Does she have a car?" Avanti asked. "Maybe that's why." "Maybe," I allowed. "But it's still forty minutes each way, four times a week if she's going to be serious about it. I'll discuss it with her, if she decides she wants to participate." We arrived at the house, and Avanti and I prepared a lunch of soup, sandwiches, and fruit for everyone, including Natalie and Yuriko. Albert wasn't home because he was at his service project, and Jesse was entertaining friends in the coach house. When we finished eating, Avanti and I went to the sauna to have a mentoring session. ————— {br} 🎤 Jesse {br} "How are you doing?" Luna asked as we sat down to eat tacos and burritos that she and Bonita had made. "OK. I saw Nicole this morning, and she's in far worse shape." "When will you be able to do anything besides rest?" Simone asked. "Hopefully, Friday," I replied. "But that depends on what the doctor says. Remember, my friend from Sweden will be here on Friday, and she'll be here for the week." "She's skipping school?" Bonita asked. "No," I replied, "they have a week off in February every year for skiing or other winter sports." "Are you allowed to use the sauna?" Luna asked. "Yes, though we'd have to wait until around 2:00pm because my dad is likely in there with one of his students." "That wouldn't bother me," Luna said. "No, but Dad is mentoring, so the conversations are private. We can go after he heads to his afternoon class. Does Bonita know how we use the sauna?" "Yes, and I think we probably need to use towels." "OK," I replied. "These tacos and burritos are awesome, by the way!" "Thanks!" Luna replied. "Thanks!" Bonita exclaimed. "What are we doing with the guys later?" Simone asked. "I figured we'd watch movies," I replied. "We have plenty of DVDs, and we also have HBO and Showtime." "Who's going to be here?" Simone asked. "Nicholas, Pete, Mitch, and DeShawn," I replied. "They're bringing pizza at 6:00pm." "Cool!" ————— {br} 🎤 Birgit {br} "I'm still surprised your parents give you so much freedom," Kevin observed after we ordered. "Why?" I asked. "I'm mature, intelligent, and a black belt in Shōtōkan. And I'm gorgeous, to boot!" Kevin laughed, which was what I had hoped would happen. "And _extremely_ modest! Not!" "But what I said was accurate, too! If you aren't confident in yourself, why would anyone be confident in you?" "A good point, but isn't social convention to not sing your own praises?" "Social convention is often dumb, and it's getting dumber! May I make an observation?" "Could I stop you?" Kevin asked with a sly smile. "Probably not! Anyway, social conventions change, as I said. When my parents were in High School, nobody thought twice about a Senior and a Freshman dating. Dad graduated in '81 and Mom in '82, and the same thing was true in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Now, suddenly, 'progress' means people freak out about it. How is that even progress?" "Why do I have the feeling that I'm not going to win a debate with you?" Kevin asked. "Because you won't! Teenagers are not 'children' the way people are starting to use that word. There is a serious difference between someone who is almost fifteen and someone who is twelve or ten or six. Society says that the day before you turned eighteen, you were a 'child'. Do _you_ believe you were a 'child' the way they meant that?" "I'm compelled to say 'no'," Kevin said with a smile. "Any other answer seems wrong." "Exactly." "Let's say, for the sake of argument, I yield on that point. It doesn't change the fact that, according to my dad, even kissing you could result in criminal charges because I'm eighteen and you aren't at least seventeen." "There's a simple solution to that — no public displays of affection. I guarantee my parents won't object to us going out, so who would complain? And even if they did, if I say we haven't even kissed, what can they possibly do? And we can double date or spend time at my house when my parents are home." "You're trying awfully hard," Kevin observed. "Why?" "Don't you think you're worth it?" I asked slyly. "Trapped again!" Kevin declared. "I can't answer anything but 'yes'." "_This is the girl you're looking for_," I smirked, making a hand gesture similar to Obi-Wan Kenobi in _Star Wars_. "Nice," Kevin chuckled. "Jedi mind tricks?" "I know better tricks! And I'm not asking you to be a couple, just go out sometimes. You'll be at UofC in the Fall and going to my dad's dōjō, right?" "That is the plan." "So, let's do something once a month until then. You don't have a girlfriend, right?" "Right." "And I don't have a boyfriend. Let's alternate visits to our respective dōjō each month and have lunch. That's totally safe." Kevin laughed, "Again, that sounds like what a guy would say to a girl." "Right, but in this situation, I'm the one trying to convince you that it's safe, when usually it's the guy trying to convince the girl." "Why do I also feel as if you're in complete control of everything in your life?" "I wish!" I exclaimed. "But I do mostly run my own life the way I want to live it, and my parents support that. I suspect that entire concept makes you uncomfortable." "It's not something I'm used to." "I totally get it, but I think my parents got it right. How many teens do you know who think that?" "None, besides you." "Next month? It'll have to be March 8th because I'll be in Saint Martin with my friends for Spring Break." "Saint Martin? In the Caribbean?" "Yes. My dad's friend has a house down there, and I'm taking seven friends." "No parents?" "No, my mom and dad are going as chaperones, but they'll let us pretty much do what we want while we're there. March 8th?" "March 8th." ————— {br} 🎤 Steve {br} "Let me get you a dōgi — a uniform — so you can sit with us," I offered Madalyn when I arrived at the dōjō for my afternoon class. "It's a trap!" Birgit warned with a smirk. Madalyn laughed, "I put on the uniform, and I'm committed?" "If you do, you should _be_ committed!" Birgit declared. "Enough, Pumpkin!" I said. "No commitment, Madalyn; but the rules for being in the training area require wearing a dōgi." "I'll take the risk, despite Birgit's warning." I went to the office and got a uniform and white belt for Madalyn, and asked Birgit to help Madalyn put it on. They went into the girls' locker room and came out about three minutes later. We began, as usual, with our extended meditation, then did our warm-up exercises. "Everyone, this is Madalyn Fowler, reporter for _The Midway_, the Lab School newspaper. She wrote an article about us, and she was impressed enough to consider joining our dōjō. Today, I'd like each of you to take two minutes and say your name and why you're here. I'll start. "I walked into the dōjō in August 1981, shortly after I moved to Chicago, looking for a way to exercise. It was, as my precocious daughter suggested earlier, a trap! Twenty-two years later, I'm still here, but it's not about the exercise; it's about being a whole person – body, mind, and spirit. The first stage of that journey took fifteen years and culminated in Japan. That first stage would have been a lot shorter had I taken what Avanti's mom was teaching me to heart. Stage two of the journey is one that will take me to the next life, hopefully after a long, productive, prosperous life. Molly?" "I was a shy, overweight, nerdy girl in middle school, and my dad sent me to a dōjō in Milwaukee. I fell in love with Shōtōkan and eventually was given permission to start my own dōjō. My former «Shihan» was 'Cobra Kai', not 'Miyagi-Dō', and it turns out that 'Miyagi-Dō' is the right way to go. Sensei Steve understands that, and that's why he's my «Shihan»." "Miyu?" I prompted. "I was a rebellious teen, had no respect for myself, and was completely out of control. The only way to break that cycle was to become Sensei Steve's student. He molded me into the responsible adult I've become." "Dyani?" "Miyu's older sister, who was one of Steve's students, brought me to the dōjō one day in 1995. I found exactly the mentor I needed, and I'm going to seriously miss my friends here when I return to "«Naabeehó Bináhásdzo», the Navajo Nation, which for me is northeastern Arizona, in June. I'll be living just outside the city of «Tségháhoodzání», which is 'Window Rock' in English, working on water purification and distribution." "Rachel?" "I basically spent twenty years self-cloistered because of a traumatic experience. A friend encouraged me to take a self-defense course because of the increase in crime in my neighborhood, especially muggings. Steve taught me self-defense, but he also helped me come out of my shell, and to leave my cloister. I'm a complete person now." "Suzanne?" "Fate put me on the same plane as Steve on a flight to Colorado. We struck up a conversation, and that pivotal moment led me to ask Steve to be my mentor. From there, it led to a very unconventional marriage to Steve, Kara, and Jessica. Karate is part of the program, as it were, for the most important woman in Steve's life." "Neil?" "I needed mental, emotional, and spiritual discipline. Of course, I didn't know that when I walked into the dōjō two years ago, ostensibly to lose weight. Steve challenged me and has spent the last two years remaking me into the person I should be, rather than the one I was becoming." "Natalie?" "I met Steve on a trip to Russia when his son was playing in a series of exhibition games against Russian youth teams. Steve talked to me as an adult and encouraged me to _be_ an adult. I fell in love with Russia, and with Steve's help, I met his Russian friends and I'll be attending graduate school in Russia. I'm here because Steve is my mentor, and this is part of the mentoring process. "Sarah?" "I was raised in a traditional and strict Catholic household. I came to Chicago for school, and to have my horizons broadened. I met Steve indirectly through my older sister, and as with the others, found someone who could mentor me and guide me into becoming the person I was meant to be." "Avanti?" "My mom is the person Steve mentioned who he should have truly listened to, and whose advice he should have taken to heart. In my tradition, we select gurus, or what others are calling mentors, and my mom suggested Steve would be the perfect mentor, because, as she put it, he finally got his head out of his nether regions!" Everyone laughed. "And Birgit," I said. "My dad and I have been very close since I was little, and I decided I wanted to start karate when I was a toddler. I'm serious about it, and this group is for people who are serious about it. That means body, mind, and spirit, just as Dad said. I can't think of a better guide to becoming who I'm meant to be." "Thank you, all," I said. "Let's review the «Shōtōkan nijū kun» and the «Dōjō kun» for Madalyn." ————— {br} 🎤 Jesse {br} "It's 2:00pm, so we could go over," Luna suggested. "I didn't consider the stairs," I replied. "I'm not sure it's wise to try to navigate the stairs before I see the doctor on Friday." "And the elevator doesn't go to the basement, does it?" "No, it doesn't. Why don't we go next door and hang out until the guys show up? We could use the attic room and put on music. There are floor pillows in the closet next to the elevator." "I think that's probably best," Simone agreed. "The last thing you want to do is mess up your knee so you can't go to hockey camp." "What's that?" Bonita asked. "A two-week training camp in Rochester, Minnesota. We spend about six hours a day on the ice working with coaches and trainers, and there is classroom work as well. This year, I'm attending for two weeks and I'm also coaching younger kids for two weeks. Well, assuming my knee can handle it." "I heard you're going to Japan this summer." "My sister and I are going." "No parents?!" Bonita asked, surprised. "No parents. I've traveled without my parents, and so has my sister. It's no big deal." "Where have you traveled?" "Canada, Russia, and Sweden, plus places in the US." "That's cool. The only places I've been are the US and Mexico." "Same," Luna said. "I went to France," Simone said. "Shall we go next door?" "Yes," I said. We made our way carefully to the main house, then used the elevator to go up to the attic room. Luna and Simone got floor pillows and spread them so we could all relax on them and listen to music. ————— {br} 🎤 Michael {br} "Got you again!" Andi exclaimed. "Yeah, yeah!" I replied. "Do you play _Dungeons & Dragons_?" "No. I mean, I have, but I prefer computer games, including _D&D_-type games. I have _Neverwinter Nights_ plus the previous games in the _Baldur's Gate_ series. I also have _The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind_. _Neverwinter Nights_ has a multiplayer version, and I can host a game, so we could play together. It even has a DM mode. Want to play?" "Sure!" Andi agreed. "One more thing I can kick your butt at!" The game was already installed on both PCs, so it was just a matter of starting it and setting it in multiplayer mode. "Before I forget, Dad is going to get Sox tickets. Are you going anywhere this Summer?" "Mom and Eduardo haven't mentioned anything specific, so probably not. Obviously, robotics will start again at the beginning of August, so you need to take that into account." "Do you know how that will work with the new school?" Andi asked. "No, but they promised they'd replicate all the programs." "Anyway, Dad will get four tickets for each game. If Eduardo can't join us, then we can invite someone else." "Cool. Ready to play?" "Yes!" ————— {br} 🎤 Steve {br} "What did you think?" I asked Madalyn after she had changed back into her street clothes. "Can we speak privately?" "Sure. Birgit, would you walk Avanti back to the house to meet her mom?" "Yes, Sensei Dad!" Birgit smirked. She, Avanti, and Suzanne left, and I locked the door, as the dōjō was officially closed after 1:00pm on Saturdays. "What's up?" I asked. "You slept with every single girl in this group at one time or another. Well, except for Birgit, obviously." "You know I can't admit or deny that, Miss Fowler!" "You could deny it, so refusing to admit or deny is an admission." "No, it's not," I replied. "It's a neutral statement that you cannot legitimately infer anything from. This is a lesson to remember throughout your career — 'no comment' is exactly that. All you can do is report what you _know_ and can _prove_, and the fact that the person you asked refused to comment." "Then how could you ever do investigative journalism?" "That's different from factual reporting," I replied. "It's one thing to write a news article; it's a very different thing to write an investigative report. You're a news reporter, right? Or at least that's how you presented yourself." "I'm not sure that's a reasonable distinction." "And I'm not sure passing opinion and speculation is _reporting_. It's _journalism_, but you need to distinguish between what you know and what you speculate. One level of distinction is news pages versus editorial and op-ed pages. I'll put you in touch with Stan Jakes and Jasmine Prager. They'll do a much better job of explaining than I can, given it's not what I do for a living." "You realize that if I were to report that I asked you the question and you refused to answer, people would draw the same conclusion I did." "Yes, that's true. And that's on them. You report the facts and let your readers decide." "I think I see what you're getting at." "Good. Did you write your piece for the website?" "A rough draft, so it needs work." "Further research?" I asked with a smile "If it's allowed and you're offering, I have about two and a half hours…" "Then let's go to the house," I said. We left the dōjō and began walking towards the compound. "Anything specific you want to research or refresh?" I asked. "Lotus, sixty-nine, missionary, then shower where we use the Lotus position, but you cum in my mouth." "No objetions!" ————— {br} [Aurora, Illinois] 🎤 Matthew {br} "How was your game?" Chelsea asked. "Great! How was your day?" "Wendy, Lisa, and I went to Fox Valley Mall and window shopped, then ate at the food court. After lunch, we saw _How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days_, given you said you had no interest in seeing it." "My rom-com limit is about one per year!" I said with a smile. "How was it?" "Pretty funny, actually. How did things go with Tara?" "OK. The challenge is that this is her first major role, and she isn't used to having to learn so many lines. I'll probably work with her a couple of nights this week, if it's OK." "I'll be in the city, so you aren't taking any time from me. And even so, I know how important drama is to you." "Thanks. We should get going so we can meet the gang at Gario's for pizza." "Are we still seeing _Jungle Book 2_?" "That is the plan." "Cool." ————— {br} [Chicago, Illinois] 🎤 Steve {br} We'd done what Madalyn suggested, ending in the shower in a Lotus position under the spray, with Madalyn lifting off and finishing me with her mouth. As she had when we'd engaged in sixty-nine in the bed, she hadn't swallowed, and she shared a sloppy French kiss. After the kiss, we began washing each other, one of my favorite rituals. "Is your research sufficient to complete your online story?" "Well," Madalyn smirked, "it's about first times, so this was research for the future!" "Speaking of the future, if you live in the dorms at Northwestern, it's going to be challenging to come to the dōjō during the week, even if you have a car." "Classes are every weekday, right?" "Yes." "I was thinking that if I did it, I'd come on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays when classes are in session because I only have class in the mornings those days. Is three times a week sufficient?" "For karate?" I asked with a smirk. "Yes." Madalyn laughed, "Given I've learned you have three wives and two steady girlfriends, and have the freedom to manage your sex life as you see fit, I'm going to guess three times a _day_ is barely sufficient." I chuckled, "Believe it or not, there is a lot of cuddling." "I actually believe it. One thing I hear from my few friends who have had sex is basically, when it's done, that's it. I mean, sure, part of it is limited opportunity and wanting to limit the risk of being caught, but guys don't seem to want to cuddle." "That's always been important to me, as is the shower ritual afterwards. It started as a way to ensure no evidence was left for parents, but it actually backfired on Kara and me when her mom noticed her hair was wet." "Oops!" Madalyn said with a soft laugh. "Fortunately, her mom was cool about it." "So now?" "It's very intimate." "More intimate than sex?" "Not more, just different. To me, and I think you've discovered this, sex is not intimacy, though it is a sign of intimacy. True intimacy is a meeting of the souls, or as the Greeks called it, the «nous» – the 'authentic self'." "So, it was just sex, then?" Madalyn asked. "Was it?" I asked as we got out of the shower. "I _thought_ so, but it turns out it was the start of a mentoring relationship." "Something that is fairly common for me. One of two things is usually true — sex is the consummation of an intimate relationship, bonding, if you will, or sex is an icebreaker for a mentoring relationship. It's rare that it's _purely_ sex, but that has happened." "You surprised me by offering to be together again. Was that because of something you detected?" "When you suggested you might be interested in joining the dōjō, I considered what you might be looking for. After my afternoon class, I was reasonably sure you were looking for a mentor. As for sex, I enjoyed being with you and suggested another encounter in a way that you could easily rebuff." "And in the future?" "That's entirely up to you, though I suspect you want mentoring and access to my contacts more than you want sex. Not that you didn't enjoy the sex immensely, but that's not what you need from me long-term." "Does that bother you?" "Not in the least. There are a number of young women I mentor who have steady boyfriends or are married, and that puts them completely off limits." "Do you mentor guys?" "A few, but it's mostly young women." We finished dressing, and I walked Madalyn to the front door. "I'll start coming to classes on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays and come to your Saturday afternoon class. I won't be able to come to Philosophy Club until I start at Northwestern." "That works well, I think. I'll have Birgit invite you for our cookout on the Fourth of July, and I'll invite Stan Jakes and Jasmine Prager. I'll make the introductions, then it's up to you." "Thanks!" She left the house after giving me a quick kiss, and I went to the Indian room where Kara and Suzanne were waiting. "I'm not surprised she asked for a second time," Kara said. "Actually, she wasn't planning to, but I offered, and she accepted." "Of course she did!" Kara declared. "She's is going to start at the dōjō," I said. "I'm going to ask Birgit to invite Madalyn to our Fourth of July cookout, and I'll invite Stan and Jasmine. Madalyn can't reasonably start coming to Philosophy Club until school starts." "She's eighteen, right?" Suzanne asked. "Yes, but her parents have fallen into the 'High School students are children, no different from pre-teens' trap into which most of society has fallen." "Shall we prepare dinner?" Kara suggested. "It'll only be the three of us, Jess, and Yuriko." "Sauna after dinner?" "Absolutely!"