Fiftieth High School Reunion Ch. 01

College students find all older people aren't fuddy duds.

Charles Goodwin sat at the dinner table with his wife Susan, daughter Carol and granddaughter Mackenzie.

"I hope you remember you're going with us to our reunion."

"Yes, dad. I promised."

"I think you'll find some others your age. I hear a few of the men now have young trophy wives. Others may be looking for one."

"Now there's something to look forward to," Carol said sarcastically.

"Just kidding. I think you'll fit in. And now a more delicate point. Fred Bender and his wife were in a car accident and can't go. He offered me his tickets. I don't suppose you both would consider going, would you? Mackenzie, you could keep your mother company. I took his tickets because I know your mother isn't seeing anyone since your dad left. Yet. I hope there will be someone eventually."

"Jeez dad. Give it a bone. I'll date IF and WHEN I'm ready."

Mackenzie laid a hand on her mother's arm. "Don't worry about me. I'll graduate next year, and would like for you not to be lonely the rest of your life. It's not like dad ever paid much attention to either of us."

Charles said "That's his loss. Look at the two of you. Carol, you are a very attractive woman. Mackenzie, you are gorgeous, and look just like your grandmother did when she was your age."

"I love you guys. Sure, I'll go. While we're there I'll scout around and maybe find a prospect for mom."

Carol shot her daughter a glance. "I don't need anyone to find me a man."

Mackenzie couldn't resist teasing. "You'd better be quick. It's been a long time since you had anyone in your bed. Use it or lose it, they say."

Charles laughed out loud, but Susan looked shocked and Carol reddened.

*****

"Please, Alex?"

"I'd really rather not. It will be awkward. I'm twenty and your son. It's a fiftieth high school reunion. There will only be old people there."

"That shouldn't be a problem for you. Maybe there will be some ladies to visit with."

Alex blushed and stammered "I...I can't help it if I'm shy around available girls. I can't think of anything to say. But with girls who have boyfriends or are married I'm at ease because I don't feel any pressure."

"And you are comfortable in the company of adults your mother's age or even my age. I'm sure you will find someone to talk to. I have the two tickets and hate to waste one. They ordered food based on the number of tickets sold. I hear the food will be exceptional."

Alex laughed. "Okay. You've got me at food. It's not like I have any social life, anyway. I'll enjoy watching you older folks dance the way you did in high school. That should be entertaining."

"You watch. Watch and learn how to really dance."

Chris threw an arm around his son's shoulder. "Let's toss a basketball around. How about a game of HORSE?"

Alex laughed again. "You're on. I'll even spot you the H and the O, old man"

It was Chris' turn to laugh. "Old man is it? I was thinking I'd spot you a couple of letters."

*****

Charles and Susan stopped by to pick up Carol and Mackenzie. When the door was opened he whistled. "Wow. I am one lucky guy to be seen accompanying a trio of beautiful women."

Carol and Mackenzie each kissed his cheek as they passed him.

At the door to the party they stopped for nametags. Mackenzie studied Charles's yearbook photo on his nametag. "You weren't half bad looking back then. I can see why grandma flipped over you. I bet you had quite a few girls. I wonder how many..."

Susan cut her off. "Enough of that kind of talk. It's not seemly for a young lady to talk like that."

Mackenzie rolled her eyes. "For goodness sake. I don't think things were so different back then. Did you and dad do it in the back seat of his car? My, my. Look at the picture on your nametag, grandma. I bet you did."

Susan turned beet red and opened her mouth, but couldn't even think straight to make a retort, and Charles smiled while giving her a certain look. Mackenzie saw her grandparents in an entirely different light. They had been frisky once -- well, well, well. Interesting information.

"I thought so. Grandpa, you rascal. And I'll bet you were a real flirt, grandma. Look at your photo. You were a cheerleader. We all know what that means."

Carol said "Enough, young lady. You're talking about my mother and father."

"And you were conceived by Immaculate Conception? Come on, people. Loosen up. We all know that each generation has s-e-x. You can't pretend you didn't. Ooh, I see an open bar. Can I get anyone anything?"

"You're not old enough to drink."

"Yes I am. I'm twenty one. Oh, and here's a bombshell for you. At school I drink. And have sex, too. There, now that we have all that out of the way, wine or beer, anyone? Or something stronger?"

Carol stood with her hands on her hips. "Honestly, this younger generation is out of control."

Charles laid a hand on her arm. "That's exactly what your mother and I said about your generation. Every generation says that about the next, since time immemorial."

Charles and Susan weaved through the crowd, greeting those they haven't seen for years. When they became engrossed in catching up with some others Carol and Mackenzie helped themselves to cheese and crackers from the appetizer table and found a seat at a table near the bar to eat and sip their wine. Mackenzie nudged her mother.

"There's one for you. See? Over next to the bar. Wow. I wonder who he came with."

"I don't know, but I bet that's his son with him. There's something familiar about him, though."

Mackenzie cocked her head and pursed her lips. "Now that you mention it, I think so, too. I just can't place him though."

Before the conversation could go any further they saw Charles greet the man.

"Chris! Jesus, you haven't aged a day since high school!"

"Charles!"

The men hugged and slapped each other heartily on the back.

"Hey, Charles. You don't look so bad yourself. And where's that hottie you married?"

Mackenzie put a hand to her mouth to hide the laugh. "Hey mom, did you hear that? Grandma was a hottie. I told you so."

Charles motioned to Susan and she beamed as she joined the men. Chris planted a kiss on her. A real kiss. "Damn, Susan. Charles is one lucky guy. I hope he doesn't deck me for kissing you."

She laughed. "I guess we did enough of that back then. We went steady for, what, two years?"

"Until this guy stole you away from me. It took a long time for me to forgive him for that."

He leaned closer to Susan, but Carol and Mackenzie could still make out "Is it true he won you because he has a ten inch cock?"

Carol's mouth fell open when they heard Susan laugh "He knew what to do with it, too."

"Ouch. I guess my relative inexperience showed. I seem to remember that you taught me some things, and then this guy comes along and already knows all about it. Hey, I've learned since then. Want to find a room? For research, of course."

Susan laughed again and Charles said "Watch out or I will have to belt you and tell your wife."

"Which one? I got divorced and married a younger woman and divorced again. Can't seem to keep one. Number two was only twenty-five when I married her. We have a son; he's wandered off somewhere...ah, over there near the window. He seems to have found some people to talk to."

"Well, what do you know? Our daughter and granddaughter are here with us. There they are, right behind us. Hey, Carol, Mackenzie. Come over and meet my best buddy Chris. We grew up together but lost touch after high school. We went into the military, but I was marines and he was army. Turns out we were in 'Nam together and didn't know it until I found out just a few minutes ago from another one of the guys."

Chris motioned for his son to join them.

"Alex, this is Charles and Susan. You've heard me talk about them. And here is their daughter Carol and granddaughter Mackenzie. Say, you two must be about the same age. Mackenzie, Alex is getting ready to graduate from Emory."

Mackenzie sensed an unease in Alex as she said "I'll be a senior at UNC Wilmington."

Alex wet his lips. "Umm. That's nice."

Mackenzie said "Want to get a drink, Alex?"

"Okay."

Chris watched them go and shook his head. "I can't understand Alex. He is so uncomfortable around most girls. The only ones he seems to associate with at all are married or older."

Susan said "He sure doesn't get it from his father. You certainly were never shy. I even remember some of those pickup lines you used."

Chris laughed. "It got me you and a couple of other beauties. Wife number two especially. She was almost as hot as you, Susan. And she was, let me think...about twenty years younger. She thought I was younger than I really am."

Susan said "I can see that. When we came in I thought you were the son of someone in the class until I recognized you. You've hardly changed. Your hair isn't even gray."

"That's in my genes. My father never went gray. His hair went salt and pepper when he was about eighty. I must say, you look pretty good yourself. And your daughter and granddaughter here both carried on the good looks in the family. Your granddaughter especially favors you. I'll bet the boys are all over her."

Carol replied "I don't know about that, but the way she talks I wouldn't be surprised."

Susan sighed "I guess the younger generation isn't so different after all."

Mackenzie and Alex sat at a table nursing wine and a beer.

"So, Alex. How's Emory?"

"It's okay, I guess."

"I really like Wilmington, the beach and all. Have you ever been there?"

"Uh uh."

"What's it like in Atlanta?"

"It's alright."

"Do you live on campus? I live in an apartment. I love the freedom to come and go as I please."

"I'm in a dorm."

"Ah, so you stay on campus. What's your major? I'm in Communications."

"History."

"So, what are you going to do with it after you graduate?"

He shrugged his shoulders "Dunno."

Mackenzie saw that it would be a very long evening if she had to sit with Alex all night. "Oops, there's my mom. I think she wants me to get her something. Maybe we'll talk again later."

"Yeah."

Mackenzie left Alex and rejoined the group.

Chris said "We'll all have to sit together and do some more catching up. I see a table that will hold us all. Anyone need another beer or their drink topped off?"

At the table during the buffet dinner Mackenzie arranged to sit away from Alex, but pitied her mother who was stuck sitting next to him.

Through the din of loud conversation and blaring music Mackenzie couldn't make out what Alex and her mother were talking about, but their conversation became animated. Alex laughed at something she said and her mother laughed at something he said. That was strange.

When the dishes were cleared away some serious dancing began. Charles and Susan took the floor and Mackenzie was surprised at how well they danced together. Mackenzie swallowed the last of her wine and approached Alex.

"So, you want to dance?"

"Ummm, er, uh, I don't think so. Sorry. Nothing against you."

Chris observed the exchange and grabbed Mackenzie's arm with a smile. "I don't dance with teen girls any more, but how about I show you how it's done?"

Mackenzie thought for only a split second. "Sure."

"I was going to ask your mother, but it looked like you needed to be rescued from Alex. Do you think you can keep up with me?"

She laughed. "We'll have to find out, won't we?"

On the dance floor she was quick to pick up the steps of the dances from the sixties. "Not bad for a teenager."

"Hey, I'm twenty one."

"B.S. You can't be more than fifteen."

"I'll show you my ID. I'm a senior at Wilmington."

"A senior. Wow. I thought I misheard about you being in college. Consider me suitably chastised. I wondered how you were able to get adult beverages."

"I keep my ID handy. It's annoying but it happens all the time."

"You know, as I recall, your grandmother was baby-faced and looked like a kid, too. Heaven help me, you have the same eyes. Big, brown expressive eyes. Whenever she'd bat her eyes at me I would just melt. You have the same eyes, eyes I could look into forever."

"Is that one of those pickup lines grandma was talking about?"

He laughed. "Not at all. It's just true. She had those beautiful eyes and a killer body, too."

When the music switched to a slow ballad he put an arm around her. "Shall we?"

She smiled and followed his lead through a series of smooth steps. His arm was firm around her, yet he held her hand lightly. Swept up in the moment, she leaned into him with her breasts against his chest. She wasn't sure, but thought she might feel something pressing against her loins, something that felt hard. Toward the end of the dance she pressed her lower body against him. Definitely something hard.

He whispered in her ear "You do know how to dance, don't you? I could dance with you all night. Somebody's been teaching you."

"Not somebody. You. I'm just following your lead."

The music stopped and he raised her hand to his lips. "Thank you. It's been a long time since I danced like that."

"And it seems you...um...remember it very well."

"You noticed, huh? Sorry. It made me remember dancing with your grandmother."

"There's nothing to be sorry about. I enjoyed it as much as you did. Maybe we should sit a bit and sort of cool off."

"I definitely need some cooling off."

"No Viagra or Cialis for you, huh?"

"Wow! You certainly are blunt. Your grandmother was a 'tell it like it is' gal, too. Maybe we can do another dance later. In the meantime let me refresh your drink."

Sitting at the table she suddenly realized that her mother and Alex were not there. She scanned the room and her mouth fell open as she spied her mother and Alex doing the Twist on the dance floor. Chris returned with refills and followed her gaze, shaking his head. "I'll never understand that boy."

"I had to drag a conversation out of him, but there he is with my mother. They talked all through dinner, too."

"I don't get it. You're a beautiful girl. Yet he tells me he is very shy around girls, but is completely at ease around women he considers 'safe.' Safe to him means married or older than him. He tells me he feels more at ease with women he doesn't feel he has to impress."

"He's certainly at ease with my mom. Well, I always tell her she needs to find a man. Maybe tonight will jump start that for her. I'd love it if she started dating again. Hmm. Maybe you should dance with her."

"N

She's a looker, but no thanks. I bet your grandfather would sock me if I did. He'd think I was getting him back for him stealing my girl. Maybe your grandmother would belt me, too. No, that would be too close to them."

"Well, maybe at least Alex could help her get started again. Once she remembers what it's like I bet she'd be willing to hop into bed with someone."

"Alex!?"

"Oh, no. Sorry. I wasn't thinking about him, but thought maybe he would get her moving in that direction again."

Another slow dance started and Chris offered his hand to her. With a smile she arose and followed him out onto the floor. As before their bodies pressed together and she felt him against her. At one point they were next to Alex and her mother, her mother's head resting on Alex's shoulder.

On the drive home Carol was silent while Charles and Susan enthused over the old friends they had discovered. Mackenzie turned to her mother. "Have a good time, mom?"

"Why yes. Yes I did. I'm glad I came. That was a nice young man, that Alex."

"I'm glad you could talk to him. It was like pulling teeth to get anything out of him when I talked to him. He seemed really nervous."

"He was quite conversive with me. It was nice to dance again, too. He seemed to have fun learning the steps to our dances. You seemed to have a good time with that man Chris. I can't believe how close you two danced."

"It just sort of naturally happened. You danced real close with Alex, too."

"I suppose I did. It made me feel things I haven't felt for some time. And...I found out some information, too. You remember how we thought Chris looked familiar? It turns out he and Alex actually live in our neighborhood, not far from us. Can you believe that? I never knew my parent's closest friend lived nearby. Since your grandfather and grandmother live on the other side of town they've never seen him. We saw him and didn't know who he was. Isn't that interesting?"

Mackenzie thought that was, indeed, interesting.

Mackenzie was soon home for the summer, working part time for an advertising agency. One weekend she took out the hover board she kept in the garage and charged it up. She stepped on it and motored off down the sidewalk, cruising the sidewalks of the neighborhood. When she turned one corner she was surprised to find Chris out in the driveway washing his car.

She waved at him and stopped. He stared at the hover board.

"You have one of those? Aren't they supposed to explode or something?"

"Not if you take proper care of the battery. I haven't been on it for ages and thought I'd take it for a spin. Want to try it?"

"No thanks. I prefer to keep my bones intact. I'm curious how it works, though."

She hopped on and went up and down the driveway, making turns, speeding up and slowing down. "It's really not hard. You just need a little balance."

"I think I'll stick to water skiing."

"You waterski?"

"It's been a few years. I don't have a proper boat anymore, but I do still have my skis."

"I've always wanted to waterski. Could you teach me?"

"Sure, if I had a boat."

"We've got a boat. Eighteen foot inboard-outboard. It can really move."

"That sounds perfect."

"Next Saturday?"

"Works for me. Want me to pick you up or do you want to come by here? I can throw some drinks and lunch in a cooler."

"Perfect. Why don't I pick you up since I know where the marina is? About ten? We can get in some skiing and then have lunch and do some more."

"Be prepared to get rubber legs. You may be younger than me but it takes technique and leg strength."

"I'll ski circles around you."

"I take that as a challenge!"

The following Saturday Mackenzie pulled into Chris's driveway and helped him load a cooler into the trunk of the Corolla. She had to put part of the back seat down to fit the skis in. In thirty minutes they were transferring everything into the boat. Chris handed the skis and tow rope to her and checked that they had flotation devices.

"Flotation vests are very important. If you face plant at twenty miles an hour or more it's like hitting concrete. It would ruin the day for one of us to drown."

She laughed while she fired up the engine and they were momentarily enveloped in a cloud of blue smoke.

Out on the lake they could see other ski boats as well as sailboats taking advantage of the breeze. Jet skis buzzed around like bees and two windsurfers plied the water near the marina.

"You go first, Chris and I'll watch."

"When I give the signal push the throttle like I showed you. You have to get up on the skis before you can go fast."

He jumped into the water and she handed him the skis, watching him put them on. Before taking the wheel she checked the tow rope to make sure it was secure.

At a nod she pushed the throttle forward and the rope pulled taut. Soon he was up and she opened it up some more. He lost balance once and they had to start over, but the second time he was firm. She tried turning the boat through a sharp turn, but couldn't throw him off. He leaned from one side to the other, skiing back and forth across the boat's wake.

She pulled the throttle back to slow the boat, and he slowly sank into the water. She hung a ladder over the side and he climbed aboard. "Just like riding a bicycle. You never forget. Your turn."