It seemed that people were a lot like plants in this way. You could bend a plant in the direction you wanted it to grow and over time it would go in that direction. But if you tried to change the plant too quickly, the stem would break and the plant would die. Of course, the resources I found cloaked this in tons of jargon and technical language that was really tough to wade through.
It looked like the main thing was not to ignore the problem, but to deal with it. To keep working on it until it was solved, and to have patience while this was going on, because it might take a long time.
I was sitting there, thinking all this over and trying to apply it to Jolene's situation, when Bud came downstairs to watch some TV before supper.
"Hello, Bud." I said.
"Hi, Sis!" He came over to me and before I knew what he planned, he had bent down and kissed me. That was a new behavior for him. I was usually the one who had to make physical contact.
"What's that for?" I asked.
"Jeez, can't a guy kiss a pretty girl without having a reason?"
"No."
"OK. OK. I want to thank you for introducing me to Jolene."
"Oh?"
"Yeah. She's really nice."
"And?" I could keep this up as long as he could.
"We got together after school. We went over to Ponce de Leon Park and sat and watched the ducks."
The park was the ideal spot. It was open and there would be lots of people around. It had a big parking garage next to it and most of the crowd would be using the park as a shortcut to the downtown shopping areas. Lots of people, no one paying much attention to you and few people hanging around. It sounded like a perfect place to be alone with someone while still being in a crowd.
"Good! You didn't try to get her alone, then?"
"No. Actually, we talked about that. She told me that she was uncomfortable being alone with a guy and why. She sad you had promised to help her get over being afraid. She asked me if I would help her, too."
"And you said you would?"
"Yeah. She's really nice."
"Uh hunh. I believe you said that. So it doesn't bother you that she's not pretty?"
"What do you mean? She's pretty. She has a great smile. And she's really nice."
I tried a different tack. If he said 'nice' one more time, I was going to be tempted to smack him.
"Did she tell you that she's a virgin?"
"Yeah."
"And?"
"And she asked me to help her not be a virgin anymore."
Hoo boy. No wonder Bud was acting different. Something like that could knock anyone off their track.
"How do you plan to, ah, help her?"
"I don't know. She said to ask you."
"Right. Well. It's a problem, sure enough. You have come to the right person. Doctor Kramer can give you some guidance in this. Here's what you do — go slow. Keep going. Don't give up. Don't rush. Don't get frustrated. It will happen. It may take a long time, but it will happen."
"That's it?"
"That's it. She didn't get the way she is overnight and she's not going to get out of it overnight. Don't push her past where she is prepared to go. Try to create a situation where she can feel in control. Stay near people so she feels safe. I will try to be there if you need me to chaperone."
"You'd do that? It wouldn't bother you?"
"What wouldn't? Watching you make love to Jolene? Oh, it would bother me, all right. Hot-and-bother me. I'll try and keep my hands to myself but I can't promise anything. If you mean, 'would it make me jealous?' the answer is 'no'.
"Bud, we live in the same house. Our rooms are across the hall from each other. We have really great sex. I hope we can spend a lot more time together. I know I'm really looking forward to Friday night and I hope you are too. But we can't be each other's whole world. I have other friends. You have other friends. I have other lovers. You have other lovers. Some of those other lovers happen to be the same people. You see, there is really no room for jealously or possessiveness. Do you understand where I'm coming from?"
"Yah. I think so. I'm glad you feel that way, 'cause I'd really like to help Jolene."
"Oh, right! You'd like to help her get around your cock!"
"That too. But she wants the same thing!"
"Oh, I'm sure she does. I've never seen a girl more anxious to get her cherry busted. You two are going to have a lot of fun."
"Sam? Thanks."
"Hey, that's what sisters are for."
"You may be the only sister to think so. None of my friends can talk to theirs like this."
I started to say, "None of your friends fuck their sisters and give them wonderful climaxes" but that was beside the point; and probably not true. Communication was the issue here, not sex — for a change.
"Well, if any of them need to talk, I'll be more than happy to listen. I really want to help." As soon as it was out of my mouth, I knew it was the Truth with a capital T. I really did want to help people. If I could do it with speed and strength, I would. If I could do it by lending a sympathetic ear, I would. Some time in the last few hours, I had lost touch with that mission. I felt much happier to have found it again.
After another meal that could have come right off the menu at the Chez Magnifique, I asked Jim to help me with some more weight training tips. If I was going to be spending my lunch hours in the weight room with Steve, I needed to know my way around.