The Total December Experiment
all about. Love making for a woman requires a prequel, the
movie itself and a sequel. I seem to be stuck in movie
mode, huh , but I think that in the majority of cases, the
only time women see an example of the kind of relationship
they want is on the silver screen.
Why men can’t see that there must be a reason why women
love so called ‘ girly movies ‘, is beyond me !” If they
would take time and show sensitivity, they’d be rewarded by
their partner a thousandfold.”
“I think what you are enjoying and agonizing over is the
beginning of the prequel, Sweets.”
“Apparently, he’s comfortable in his own skin and doesn’t
feel threatened by emotions and sensitivety. He’s willing
to share those parts of himself without embarrassment .
It doesn’t mean that he has a vast experience in seduction.
In fact, I’d guess that a woman would have to be very
special to him before he’d become involved in a romantic
situation. I hope that eases your mind a little.
As for your response, women seem to be able to sense
whether a man is posturing or being himself. You were
already attracted to him, and what you sensed tonight was
his honesty and character. Add that to your attraction to
him and you have an emotional explosion. That why a tiny
kiss blew you into pieces.”
“ Why did you ask me if I’d seen those Movies?”
“ I think you need to see the sensuous side of women so you
know that’s OK too.”
“ Maybe this hotel has a pay-for-view……
Manda smiled,”Want to watch a movie with me,Mom?”
#
The credits rolled down the television screen. Both women
sat in silence, absorbed in their own thoughts. The spell
broken by the sudden appearance of the blank screen,
Manda glanced at her mom.
“Whew ! What a movie. I had no idea that emotion that
strong can be expressed by dance.”
“Oh,yes ! To me, the right dance with the right person at
the right time ranks right up there with love making….a
prelude,so to speak. I’m not saying that a person has to be
a professional dancer, either. Ordinary people have the
same rush of sexuality. I just want you to know that there
are many fascinating parts to a romance…a healthy love
relationship and that it’s Ok-wonderful.”
“I want to give an example of the way people view love and
romance in this day and age compared to years ago. There
was a movie called, I believe,”From Here To Eternity”
filmed years ago that starred Burt Lancaster and Deborah
Kerr. In it ,there was this breathtaking scene with them
making love on a beach in the surf. It has become a classic
scene that everyone even close to my generation recalls
vividly. Such an impact, it made.
Well, the powers that be, decided to do a remake as a ‘made
for TV’ movie. Well, it was a bust. I remember being so
excited to see it, and so disappointed by the remake of the
beach scene. The director had opted for the frenzied, out
of control, rip the clothes off style. All I could think of
while he was ripping her swim suit off was how he was
hurting her. In his effort to yank the suits straps off her
shoulders, he lost his grip and the spandex straps snapped
her shoulders and upper arms like rubber bands. I kept
thinking,ouch,ouch. Then he tried to strangle her with his
tongue. Ludicrous. I don’t know what on earth that director
was thinking of !”
“In my opinion, that sort of thing is not a turn on for
women…some men maybe, but not women”
“You’re probably right, Mom, but I haven’t enjoyed much in
the way of relationships. Tonight kind of blew me away.”
“I noticed, Manda.”
Manda grinned at Teresa, “Yes,Mom…that good .”
The phone began to ring and Manda moved to answer feeling
annoyed by the interruption.
“ Manda,that you?”
She recognized the voice.
“ Frank, how nice to hear from you. How are you doing as a
bachelor?”
“ I’m surviving but I sure miss her.” Everything OK?”
“Everything is fine, Frank. I bet you’d love to speak with
her, wouldn’t you,” Manda teased.
“You bet. Put my better half on the phone.”
Manda held the phone toward Teresa.
“Mom, I have a lovesick pup on the line needing to hear
your voice,” she said with a grin.
Manda wandered into her bedroom to give them some privacy.
She plopped onto her bed to think about what Teresa had
said to her.
She could hear the murmur of her Mom’s voice and smiled at
the tone of affection she heard.
I’m sure Mom knows a heck of a lot more than I do about men
and woman. I’d better consider her thoughts seriously…the
voice of experience and wisdom.
Manda heard the sound of the phone being returned to it’s
cradle and returned to the sitting room.
“Everything OK,Mom?”
“Just fine, honey.”
“He got the pictures today you took of Live Oaks.”
“Oh, then you haven’t seen them. I would have thought you’d
have gotten them before you left home.”
“According to the postmark,I should have. I guess they got
hung up in the mail somewhere. He said the envelope was
pretty battered.”
“Well, what did he think ?”
“He said that the mansion….that’s what he called it…is
unbelievable. Very beautiful.”
“He is a little puzzled though. He said that as uneasy as
you are about lightening, he can’t believe that you stood
out in a raging thunderstorm to snap pictures. I told him
that you were probably so excited that you were able to
overcome your fear.”
“No, it was a gorgeous day…could not have been any
prettier.The pictures must have been damaged.He said the
envelope was in bad shape?”
‘Yes.”
“That must be what happened. Has to be, because the weather
was great.”
#
He stood in the shadows under the great tree leaning
against the trunk and enjoying the soft gleam of the lights
spilling from the windows of the cottage. It was good to
see lights in the cottage again.
In a few weeks, Live Oaks would be in its glory again with
its spacious grounds beautiful and immaculate.
The house would come alive with the return of the staff and
would soon be returned to its majestic splendor.
His friends and loved ones in the old cemetery would rest a
little easier and be more patient with him in his
endeavors.
The feeling he was experiencing from being a part of the
restoration of this magnificent estate was almost too
joyous for him to contain.
He flicked h
is cigarette into the grass, ground the cinders
out with his shoe, bent over to pick it up, and slipped it
into his pocket. It wouldn’t do to create more work for the
grounds keeper, chuckling at the thought.
I want to celebrate this turn of events. He shrugged
himself from the trunk and began to stroll toward the
cottage.
#
Teresa had gone to bed, but Manda was too antsy to settle
down. Her thoughts kept flitting from one thing to another.
Gary seemed to be taking up a lot of her thoughts….plus the
discussion with her mom. She became frustrated with her
inability to concentrate on things other than Gary. She
picked her up notebook planning to make a list for the next
day. She began to check off the items already taken care
off. As she crossed out the notation to mail the photos of
Live Oaks to her mom, she suddenly remembered that she had
a double set of the photographs. The topic of the
conversation with her mom had pushed everything else from
her mind. She jumped up, “I have to look at those
pictures,” she murmured as she hurried to her room. After a
moment of searching, she found the yellow envelope and
hurried back to her chair.She stared at the packet for a
minute feeling sudden anxiety.
Suck it up,girl.
The first ones were of the grounds and the courtyard in
front of the house. “These look fine,Frank, you dolt. There
is no storm.”
Manda relaxed and leaned back into the chair, prepared to
enjoy the pictures of Live Oaks. The next photo, however,
brought her back to the edge of her seat. She looked at
the imposing house with disbelief.
“Oh, My God !”
The house was beautiful-the climbing foliage on the stone
walls was a study of leaves in several shades of green,
touched with contrasting shade and sunlight. Trees and
shrubs cast their shadows. The windows captured the rays of
the sun and flung them back into the lens of the camera. It
was obvious from the contrasts beneath eaves and down one
side of the door and windows that the sun was shining and
the sky clear.
Except….
The upper fourth of the picture was very different. Roiling
and twisting above the house were sinuous clouds of intense
black and grey, with streamers of red intertwined.
Throughout the clouds were frenzied bolts of lightening,
striking sparks off of each other as they flew across the
clouds in all directions. One jagged bolt shot down from
the clouds and where it struck the top of one of the
chimneys, orange flames erupted.
Manda drew back in fear, then quickly looked through the
remainder of the pictures. All of them that focusing on the
house carried the same mass of uncontrolled elements
writhing above.
Even though the sky caused terror to wash through Manda’s
body, the house seemed to promise sanctuary.
The sky seemed suffused with fury directed toward the
house-the house seemed stoic and unafraid. An oasis of
serenity and confidence in a maelstrom of unleashed
enraged malevolence.
She flung the pictures onto the coffee table and began to
rub her arms as goose bumps tickled her flesh and a chill
enveloped her body.
Is this another vision ? No, it can’t be, because Frank saw
it too.
WHAT HAVE I GOTTEN INTO ?!
Call Kate first thing in the morning, Manda. Maybe she’s
seen this phenomenon or heard Nanny May talk about it.
She studied the pictures again and was a little relieved
that the house was unchanged since her first look, still
looking safe and protective.
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Above these lines, written before Tuesday, January 11th, 2005
She put the pictures aside and gazed off into space ,deep
in thought. A decision made, she located the the
information on the security team and sat down to read it.
She had decided that tomorrow might be a good day to take
her mom to Live Oaks and get Teresa’s reaction to the house
and grounds, but she wanted to be knowledgeable about the
guards and dogs.
There were only two pages…shouldn’t take her much time.
The first page was a brief resume on each of the guards.
All had training on security services; prior training with
the canine unit and on the job experience, as well. One of
them, Tod Rivers, had worked a private residence.
Jake Simon had worked night security on the grounds of an
industrial park Mr. Grater, Richard, had been on the police
force for years before becoming the head of the canine
unit. He was now semi-retired.
The dogs, one a German Shepard named Bear, and the other, a
Doberman with the unlikely name of Prissy, had been bred as
guard dogs and had received extensive training.
They had been placed with Tod and Jake who had now been the
dog’s handlers for several years. These two teams would be
patrolling the grounds. One team during the
day, one team would cover the afternoon. At night, Prissy
and Bear would be allowed to roam free on the grounds while
Mr. Grater would occupy the guardhouse at the gate.
A notation on the bottom of the last page informed Manda
that Prior to meeting the team, she should make an
appointment during which she would become acquainted with
the dogs and be taught key commands.
OK. I’ll call the police station early in the morning and
make arrangements. I’ll set all this in motion so I can
move in.
The plan solidified, Manda felt her muscles begin to relax.
I didn’t realize how tense I am.
She rolled her shoulders several times and slowly rotated
her head. Time for bed; tomorrow was going to be a big day.
-----------------------------------------------------
Above written on 1-13
The phone on the bedside table woke Manda . Glancing at the
clock, she realized she had slept in.
She lifted the receiver with reluctance. Going to bed so
late, only to spend the night flinging the blankets about
and attempting to punch the pillow into submission, was
causing a brain fog.
I’m not ready for a coherent conversation. My mind is still
in neutral.
“Hello,” she said, trying to smother a yawn so big that it
threatened to split the corners of
her lips.
“Good morning, Manda. Mr. Lanier here. Sounds like you had
a late night.”
“Not so much late as wrestling alligators all night,”she