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From: Lazlo Zalezac <lzalezac@yahoo.com>
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Subject: {ASSM} A Different Sort Of Lifestyle 04 (MF, rom)
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Date: Mon, 08 Jan 2007 09:10:01 -0500
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Lazlo Zalezac
http://www.asstr-mirror.org/files/Authors/Lazlo_Zalezac
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<1st attachment, "Life01-04.txt" begin>
A Different Sort Of Lifestyle
Chapter 4: Another World
By
Lazlo Zalezac
Copyright (C) Lazlo Zalezac, 2006
Sharon was not impressed when they arrived at their destination.
Not only was it the smallest house in the neighborhood, the two
older compact cars in the driveway drove her opinion down even
more. She looked down at her outfit and back at the house. She
looked at Greg and asked, "Are you sure that we are at the right
place?"
"Yes."
"I was expecting something a little more ... like a mansion," she
said feeling totally underwhelmed. She wondered why someone
living in this little house would require fancy dress for a friendly
dinner.
"Don't worry about the appearance of the house," Greg said. He
stepped up to the door and knocked using the brass knocker on the
door. It just seemed more appropriate than the doorbell.
Robert, dressed in blue jeans and a tee shirt, answered the door.
Seeing Greg, he said, "Hello, Mr. Anders. It is nice to see you
again."
"Thank you, Master Green," Greg said. He turned to his wife and
said, "Sharon, I'd like to present Master Robert Green to you. He's
the son of our hosts. Master Green, this is my wife, Sharon
Anders."
Robert turned to Sharon and paused for half a heart beat to see if
she extended her hand to him. When she didn't, he said, "It is a
pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Anders."
"Nice to meet you," Sharon said impressed by his manners. She
wondered if her kids would ever begin to act civilized and then
recalled their obvious envy that she was coming here. For a brief
moment she felt there was a ray of hope.
"I apologize for my attire, but I am going to the movies this
evening with some of my friends. My parents are waiting for you
in the back yard. If you'll come with me, I'll take you to them."
Robert gave a little gesture inviting them into the house. As they
went, he joked about activity appropriate attire and how wearing a
tuxedo to the theatre required a different kind of theatre than the
one he was attending.
Watching the young man, Sharon could understand why her
daughter thought he was a hunk. It wasn't so much the way he
looked, since he looked like most teenagers. It was his calm
confidence that the situation was under control. That much
confidence seemed almost unnatural for someone his age.
The couple followed him through the little house. They passed by
the living room and through the dining room to the back door.
Sharon was amazed at how neat and clean it was inside. She
wondered how long the wife took to clean the house. As small and
simply decorated as it was, she realized it wouldn't take that much
effort. Her own house was a different matter. It would take her a
week to get her house that neat and clean. By the time she finished
cleaning one end of the house, the other end would be messy.
Outside, Robert announced that the guests had arrived and then
informed his parents that he was leaving. Once Robert was gone,
Greg introduced his wife to the Greens. Sharon was amazed at the
formality of the conversation. She had only been there a few
minutes and had said thank you more times than she usually did in
an entire week.
Upon taking a seat, she looked around. It was rather unreal to be
sitting in the back yard of a suburban home wearing formal
clothes. The two story houses around this little place overlooked
the backyard. She wondered how many people were looking at her
and laughing at the outrageous attire.
After coming to grips with her surroundings, she studied the other
couple. Jim was dressed in a tuxedo. While he was not exactly
handsome, he looked distinguished in the formal attire. Unlike
most men she had met, he acted completely comfortable wearing a
tuxedo.
Ann was wearing a very nice gown that was just as elegant as hers,
but was a little less revealing. With Ann's slightly larger build, she
required more support for her breasts. Still, she presented an
impressive cleavage that seemed to draw Jim's attention with great
regularity. Looking at the bun, she wondered how long her hair
was. She glanced over at her husband and remembered his
comment about when she had cut her hair.
Once the guests had been settled into their chairs, Jim asked,
"Would you care for a little wine before dinner?"
"That would be lovely," Sharon answered. She looked around at
the houses surrounding the backyard wondering who was watching
this strange little drama unfold. Somehow, and she didn't
understand how, she was being drawn into their world.
Jim turned to Greg and asked, "Would wine be all right with you?"
"I'd love some, thank you," Greg said. He looked over at his wife
and could see that she was impressed. He had been worried when
they had arrived and she had seen the house for the first time. He
knew that she tended to judge things based on appearance. In a
way, he found that rather ironic considering how she had let her
appearance go to hell.
It took Jim just a minute to pour two glasses of wine. He brought
them over on a silver tray. Sharon almost dropped her glass when
she recognized that the glasses were real crystal. Recovering, she
asked, "Bohemian Crystal?"
"Yes, it is. I just love the way it catches the light," Ann answered
while holding up her glass and looking at it.
"I'm impressed," Sharon said. She had a set of six glasses and
couldn't remember ever using them. Some things were just too
good to be used, except if the queen should ever drop by of course.
"Don't be," Ann said with a slight frown. She wasn't out to
impress her guests; she just enjoyed the glasses.
Ann handed out small China plates to each person. Starting with
Sharon, she held out a silver tray with appetizers. These weren't
cheese whiz on crackers, but real appetizers like one would find in
a very high-end restaurant. She said, "Please, have some
appetizers."
"Thank you. Everything looks so good," Sharon said while
examining the contents of the tray. She took a small square of toast
topped with caviar, a mushroom stuffed with crab meat, and a
small piece of bread topped with p té. She took a bite of the bread
with p té and said, "This is excellent."
"Thank you," Ann said. She went on to offer the appetizers to
everyone else.
Sharon watched the give and take that went along with the simple
act of serving the appetizers. The entire time that Ann had been
interacting with her she had felt as if she was the only one in the
room. It was really amazing. She realized that there was an art to
being a good hostess; an art that she had never before observed.
When she had finished her appetizers, Ann had been there offering
her more. Such attention was very flattering. Jim was just as
attentive to their needs. When she finished her wine, he was there
with the bottle to refill it.
The greatest surprise of all was her husband. He was actively
engaging them in conversation about topics she hadn't realized he
knew anything about. Occasionally, he would reach over and touch
her to bring her into the conversation. When the topic had turned to
architecture, he had turned to her and asked her to tell them about
the castle they had visited on a trip to England.
She was surprised at the impact that his touch had upon her. It
dawned on her that she hadn't had real physical contact with
anyone for ages. Everyone in her house lived in their own physical
space that wasn't invaded by others except on very rare
circumstance. This continued casual touching was having an effect
on her libido. She found that she was reaching out to him. At first,
it was brief touches of his arm. After a while, she found she was
holding hands with him.
After an hour on the patio, they went inside for dinner. The curtain
that separated the kitchen from the attached dining area initially
struck her as stupid. After a minute of being in the room, she
realized she had forgotten that the kitchen was on the other side of
the curtain. It wasn't long before she felt that the curtain gave the
dining area a more intimate feel. The lit candles of the
candelabrum gave a soft intimate glow to the area.
Once again, Sharon was amazed at the extent to which Ann had
gone to make it an occasion. The table was set with real China,
crystal glasses, and real silverware. Ann would disappear for a few
minutes at a time and return with the next course. Sharon couldn't
believe the quality of the food and was confused by how quickly
Ann was able to bring out each course.
Throughout dinner, the conversation flowed around the table. At
times it was lively while at other times it was thoughtful. They
discussed topics that Sharon had not heard discussed in years. Ann
was a spectacular hostess. Jim was witty and entertaining. Her
husband was animated and interesting. She did her best to keep up.
After the dessert course, Jim said, "Ladies, if you will excuse Greg
and me, we shall go out to the patio for cognac and cigars."
Ann knew how much her husband enjoyed his after dinner cigar.
Usually, she would trim the end off of it for him and hold the
match while he lit it. Of course, she sat on his lap while doing it.
Ann said, "Go ahead, dear. We'll stay here and drink some
coffee."
Looking at her husband, Sharon wondered if he was going to
smoke a cigar. He looked just as surprised by the suggestion as she
had been. Smiling, she said, "Go ahead, dear."
Somewhat surprised by the use of endearment by Sharon, Greg
followed Jim out to the patio and took a seat. Jim went to the drink
cart and prepared two snifters of cognac. Handing one to Greg, Jim
said, "I hope you enjoy this. It is my favorite."
"Thank you," Greg said. He took the snifter and swirled the golden
liquor it contained. Putting the snifter to his nose, he inhaled the
aroma. It was heavenly. He took a small taste. Expecting it to be
overpowering, he was amazed at the smooth gentle taste. Nodding
his head, he said, "This is excellent."
"I'm glad you like it," Jim said. He picked up a small humidor and
set it on the table. He settled into his chair. Opening the humidor,
he offered it to Greg. He said, "I don't know if you enjoy a good
cigar after dinner. If so, please take one."
It had been years since Greg had a cigar and it hadn't been a very
good experience. He decided to try one anyway. Taking a cigar, he
looked at it and smelled it. It was a short cigar; about a third the
size of the last cigar he had smoked. He said, "It's been a while
since I've smoked a cigar. Actually, I haven't done it since
college."
Jim laughed and said, "Oh, God. I remember the cigars I smoked
in college. They were horrible. I think you'll find that one a very
different experience. Just remember not to inhale the smoke."
"Thanks," Greg said looking at the end of the cigar. The last cigar
he had came with a plastic tip. He wondered if he was supposed to
bite the end off.
Leaning forward, Jim said, "Watch how I clip the end off the cigar.
You want to do it so that the cut is even."
Greg cut the cigar in the same manner as Jim had done. Jim handed
him a box of matches and said, "Here are some matches."
Greg lit the cigar and took a puff. He was astounded at how it
smooth it was. There wasn't the harsh bitter taste that he
remembered from his college days. He said, "This is great."
"I'm glad you like it. This cigar takes about half an hour to smoke.
It's perfect for after dinner," Jim said enjoying his smoke. Settling
back in his chair, he said, "This is the life. We talked a little before
dinner, had a wonderful meal, and now this. I wouldn't give this up
for anything."
"It has been a very pleasant evening. I can't remember when I've
had this good of a time," Greg said. He sat back in his chair and
took another sip of his cognac trying to remember if he'd ever had
an evening like this one.
"Ann and I live like this every day," Jim said looking over at Greg.
Smiling at the astounded look on Greg's face, he said, "You've
seen me bring her flowers. We have drinks and appetizers on the
patio every night when I get home from work. For at least one hour
we relax and talk about our day. We change into our formal attire
and have dinner. Most nights, the dinner isn't anywhere near as
nice as what we had tonight. However, we do eat this well every
Friday night."
"What about cleaning, mowing lawns, and repairing things?"
"We spend six hours every Saturday working around the house.
It's small so it is not too much work. The whole family chips in.
Robert mows the lawn. Susan does the vacuuming and dusting. I
do the laundry. Ann takes care of the shopping. If anything major
needs repairing, we just hire someone to do it."
"Six hours? That doesn't sound too bad," Greg said.
"So, if you were me, would you give this up for a bigger house and
a more fashionable car?"
Taking a puff off the cigar, Greg answered, "No way."
Curious, Jim asked, "Why did you join the carpool?"
"Back when the government started offering tax incentives for
firms to reduce traffic, the upper management of my company
looked for a couple managers to serve as examples to the
employees. I was bucking for a promotion at the time and
volunteered to join a carpool. After a while, I found that I actually
enjoyed it. Not having to deal with traffic every day was quite a
break."
"Did you get the promotion?" Jim asked.
"Yes, but I doubt it had anything to do with joining the carpool."
Inside the house, the two women moved to the living room where
they would be more comfortable talking. After serving coffee, Ann
smiled at Sharon and asked, "Do you entertain on a regular basis?"
The question was so unexpected that Sharon didn't know how to
answer. Finally, she said, "I have family over for holidays."
"We do that too, but this is the first time that we've ever
entertained like this."
"Our kids were quite surprised that we were coming here for
dinner. They were really impressed," Sharon said wondering why
her daughter was impressed if the Greens didn't entertain
regularly.
"Well, we do have guests of our children over quite often for
dinner. I was not aware that they considered it anything special,"
Ann said with a puzzled expression.
"I would almost say our kids were jealous."
"Really? That is interesting. I'll be sure to ask Robert and Susan
about it."
Curious, Sharon asked, "So did you get the tuxedo and the dress
just for this evening?"
"Not at all. We dress like this for dinner every night. The kids are
allowed to wear their suits or dresses, but we prefer to dress up,"
Ann answered. Smiling, she said, "Jim is so handsome in the
tuxedo. Every night after dinner, I can't wait to get him in the
bedroom."
"He does seem quite attentive to you," Sharon said knowing that
quite attentive was an understatement. He doted on her the entire
evening. Ann had returned his attention with interest.
"Your husband seemed to be quite attentive to you, as well," Ann
said with a smile. She leaned over and put a hand on the other
woman's hand. She said, "If I'm not mistaken, you really enjoyed
the attention."
"Yes, I did," Sharon answered. She had forgotten what it had been
like to be admired and desired by her husband. Her son's question
haunted her, `When did she turn into a slob?' Wanting to change
the subject, she asked, "So how did you manage that magnificent
meal?"
In a slightly embarrassed voice, Ann said, "I must confess, I didn't
make the dinner myself. I had it catered. I didn't want to spoil the
evening by spending the entire time in the kitchen."
"Really?" Sharon said looking at the other woman with awe. A
dinner party like that would have driven her crazy. She'd have
tried to cook every dish and play hostess at the same time. The idea
of having the food prepared by someone else would never have
occurred to her.
"To tell the truth, we have dinner catered every Friday night.
Tonight, it was just a matter of ordering twice as much food," Ann
admitted. She hoped that the other woman didn't think less of her
for doing that.
"That's absolutely brilliant," Sharon said. One evening a week like
that would definitely return a little spice to a marriage. She asked,
"How did you ever get to where you live like this?"
"Oh, that's a long story," Ann answered.
"Do tell."
"When Susan was three and Robert was one, we were a lot like
most struggling young couples. Jim was working long hours and I
was busy with the kids. It seemed that we never got a chance to be
with each other. One day, we finally got my mother to baby sit the
kids and we took one night off to see a movie. The movie wasn't
all that good, but the main couple ended up on the roof of their
building eating a gourmet meal and wearing fancy clothes. On the
drive home, Jim and I talked about that scene. We decided that we
wanted to do something similar," Ann said with a smile.
She gestured to her body and said, "I knew the passion was leaving
our marriage. I know I'm a little pudgy now, but I was a lot bigger
right after having two kids. Jim has never complained, but you
know how men are. They go for the slender woman like you every
time.
"Anyway, there I was with two little kids and a marriage that was
slowly dying. I knew that I had to do something and I recalled that
scene from the movie. Of course, we didn't have a rooftop or the
fancy table settings, but I decided to recreate that scene the best I
could.
"I made a really special meal. I slaved over it all afternoon. When
Jim came home, I did my best to recreate that scene by having the
meal in the backyard. It was a total failure," Ann said. She sighed.
"I was exhausted, he was tired from work, and the kids were
cranky."
"You must have been crushed," Sharon said.
"I was too tired to be crushed. The next day though was a different
matter. Jim and I discussed the matter when we were both feeling a
little more alert. He hadn't even realized that it was a special
evening," Ann admitted. Shaking her head, she said, "That really
depressed me."
"What did you do?"
"I just couldn't get out of my mind the romance of that rooftop
dinner, so I tried it a second time."
"What happened?"
Ann leaned forward and said, "I went about it in a totally different
way. That time, I didn't cook. I went to the store and got gourmet
TV dinners. Instead of leading him to the table right after he came
home from work, we sat around the back yard relaxing for a bit
with appetizers and drinks. The appetizers weren't much, just Ritz
Crackers with Cheese Whiz. It was jug wine that came in a box.
The kids played in the yard. When they were tired out and ready to
sleep, I put them to bed. Then, Jim and I ate the TV dinners. It was
the best evening we had together since Susan had been born."
"Wow."
Ann smiled and said, "We did that once a week for about a year.
Then he got a raise and a promotion. We started talking about
moving up like everyone else our age. You know what I mean. We
were going to get a little bigger house, a nicer car, and all that rot."
"I know what you mean," Sharon said. Those were the days when
she thought that anything was possible. They'd buy a nice big
house and a little place in the country. It hadn't turned out quite the
way she had planned it. They had never gotten the place in the
country. They were in debt and it looked like they would never get
out of it. Despite that, they were still pursuing the old dream.
"While we were considering what to do, I was using the extra
money to make our evenings a lot nicer. Rather than TV dinners, I
ordered take out. We started doing it twice a week, then three days,
and finally every night. I cooked most nights, but never on Fridays.
We put off moving and buying a car. Our evenings became even
more formal. We went from dressing down to dressing up for
dinner," Ann said.
"That's amazing."
"Well, we never got around to moving. Before long, we were
hooked on making our time together the best that we could with
the resources that we had. I started buying the fancy plates and the
crystal glasses. Then it was the candelabrum, the drink cart, and
the patio furniture. Before long, we were living as if we were rich
without ever stressing our finances."
"It is rather romantic when you think about it."
"We've been married almost nineteen years and he still chases me
around the bedroom," Ann paused, "He chases me, pudgy little me.
Can you imagine that?"
Sharon was quiet for a minute as she considered what Ann said.
Tears welled up in her eyes and she blurted, "Greg hasn't chased
me around the bedroom since the kids were born."
Looking over at her guest, Ann said, "You're a very attractive
woman. I'm sure that he still finds you attractive."
"I'm a slob," Sharon said admitting the truth aloud for the first
time. Her kids thought that of her, her husband thought that of her,
and now she believed it to be true as well. It was a devastating
thought. She put her head in her hands and started sobbing.
Ann watched the woman break down in tears. It wasn't unusual for
one of the teenage girls who visited to end up crying about one
thing or another, but she hadn't expected this. She waited for the
tears to subside a little. Finally, she said, "That can be fixed."
Looking up at her, Sharon asked, "How?"
"Stop being a slob."
The answer was so straightforward and simple that Sharon could
only stare at Ann. Incredulous, she said, "Stop being a slob."
"It's that simple," Ann said.
Pulling at her short hair, she asked, "What about this?"
"Buy a wig. Buy several wigs. One of the great things about wigs
is that you can become a different woman of his dreams every
night."
The phrase about being a different woman of his dreams every
night caught Sharon's attention. It was a revelation to her just as
significant as stop being a slob had been. She stared at Ann and
said, "You are the most brilliant woman I've ever met."
<1st attachment end>
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