By the time I was twenty years old a number of things had occured in my life to more or less mess me up in the head and I had a string of years that were rather self-destructive. This is an example of one of my less-than-stellar moments.
I had been twenty-one for a couple months and was doing my part to keep the profits up at the Jack Daniels distillery. My favorite drink was the JD Long Island Iced Tea and I had no problem putting them away. I'd spent this particular hot summer night at a bar along the Sacramento River and that meant there were a lot of boats coming and going at the bar.
I like boats.
Around ten o'clock this charming man who reminded me of a particular older actor came along and bought me a drink and struck up a conversation with me. That went on until just after eleven when he asked me if I'd like to go someplace quieter, like his boat. Oh, yeah, I wanted to see the boat and thought at the time that leaving the bar whilst shitfaced and alone with a man I'd just met to go see his boat was a FANTASTIC idea!
We literally walked out the door of the bar and then down the pier to his boat and he introduced me to a very beautiful cabin cruiser. I don't recall how I got on the boat but I imagine it was a sight to behold. He cast off and we headed up the river some ways (maybe thirty minutes upriver) to a very dark and relatively quiet spot where he dropped anchor.
With very little conversation he took me by the hand and led me to the cabin where there was a tentative kiss, which wasn't bad, and then we just slipped into a very sweaty and heated make-out session. Being summer, I was just in a tank top and shorts with my usual bikini underneath and he was in a nice polo and also with shorts. I mention that as there wasn't much in his way as he very patiently and doggedly worked at undressing me. I'll give him credit that his polo shirt came off first and, in a way, that made me a little more comfortable.
At some point I did tell him that we were not going to have sex and he said that was okay with him because he was enjoying just being with me. At twenty-one I still fell for shit like that.
We stopped for a while and he asked me if I wanted some air and maybe a beer and I said okay. As I got up he pulled up the hem of my top and I let him. I had the bikini on and it felt safe enough. Up to the deck where a cool Delta breeze was blowing and he handed me a beer and we talked about hs boat while his hands were never far from me. He told me I was beautiful and held me close and then he knelt down and for a moment I thought he was going to propose! Nope, but my shorts came down and then there I was in just my bikini.