Read Any Good Books Lately?

CLANG!

Gray missed his mark and hit the anvil hard, earning his grandfather’s wrath. “Boy! Pay attention to what you’re doing! You need to focus on what’s in front of you, not daydream about nonsense! Get it together!”

Gray winced and tried to refocus on what he was doing. But…his mind kept drifting back to Mary. Memories of the wonderful sensations they had shared flooded his mind and made it impossible to focus.

Because of his inattention, his grandpa made him stay an extra hour for practice and/or punishment. When he finally finished, he went out into the cool fall air, stuffing his hands into his pockets. He stalked around town absentmindedly, his mind full of worry and anticipation about what might happen that night. Mary had said they would go up to her bedroom this time…his mind wandered to what the characters had done in Mary’s book, and he wondered if they might go that far. He tingled all over just thinking about the possibility.

Still…he was a natural worrier, and he kept following a path in his mind…what happens if she does this? What happens if I do that? And then what about this…? And that? He ended up slumped down on the bench in Rose Square, his mind obsessing on the idea of “protection.” He knew from other guys that if the girl wasn’t on the pill, then you had to use a condom. He really doubted Mary was on the “pill.” He wasn’t even 100 sure what that meant! And how could he even ask her such a thing? But, if he showed up unprepared and she really did want to go all the way, it would be absolutely miserable to have to stop when they got that close. He resolved in his mind that he would have to somehow get one of these condoms and bring it with him.

But where do you get them? He thought about the supermarket, but he had spent lots of time just staring at the shelves in there when he had time to kill, and he had never seen such a thing. Maybe they kept them behind the counter? But how do you ask for them? And Karen was always hanging out near there, especially in the afternoons. He didn’t want it to get all over town that he was buying condoms. Then where could he go? He thought of all the guys in town and where they got theirs, if they even used them. He kept coming up blank every time.

He suddenly had an idea. The Clinic! They might have something like that, or at least know where he could get it. But Elli was there…ugh. He felt a little sick as he thought about having to ask her. She handled most of the business, and Doctor usually only saw to people that were actually ill. He could make up something, he figured.

He marched over to the Clinic and strode through the door, trying to feel confident. Elli greeted him from her desk. “Good afternoon, Gray. What can I do for you?”

All his confidence faded and he slumped a little. “Er…I don’t feel good. Can I see the Doctor?”

Elli wrote on her clipboard. “And what is troubling you?”

Gray frowned. “W-w-why do you need to know?”

Elli fixed a stern eye on him. “I have to tell the Doctor why someone wants to see him, so he can be prepared. Come on, just tell me what’s wrong. It’s all right,” she ended a little more soothingly.

“Um, well…” He considered for a moment just telling her, then horrified, he pushed that thought out of his head. “I have a stomachache,” he fibbed.

“Oh, well, I can sell you a digestive, if that’s all it is,” Elli said.

“No!” Gray yelled, startling Elli. “Er, I’m sorry,” he apologized awkwardly. “I just…I just think I need to see the Doctor.”

Elli raised her eyebrows, and then wrote a little more on her clipboard. “All right, go behind that curtain there, and I’ll get the Doctor.”

Gray waited in the small area, first sitting in the chair, then on the edge of the examining table, then finally standing up and leaning against the wall in the corner, tapping his foot nervously.

Doctor arrived a few moments later. He looked mildly intrigued. “What seems to be the trouble, Gray?”

Gray sat down quickly in the chair and lowered his head, removing his hat and turning it round and round in his hands. “I, ah, I ….I lied,” he blurted out. “I don’t have a stomachache.”

Doctor looked really intrigued now. He folded his arms across his chest. “Oh? Then what’s going on?”

Gray mumbled under his breath. Doctor leaned in a little. “What was that Gray? I couldn’t hear you.”

“I need a condom!” Gray blurted out forcefully, much louder than he had intended to. He immediately winced and covered his face with his hands.

Doctor stifled a laugh and nodded. “Oh, well then. That’s not a problem. Elli?” He raised his voice, calling out for his wife.

Gray gestured frantically with his hands, panic all over his face. “Nooo!” he wailed in agony. “Don’t call her!”

Doctor turned back to Gray. “Don’t worry, she’s a medical professional. She’s not going to judge you.” Elli arrived. “Elli, can you go in the sample closet and get some condoms?” Doctor asked in a low voice.

Elli didn’t bat an eye as she turned on her heels to fulfill the request. Gray slumped in shame and misery. Elli returned quickly with a small brown paper bag, which she handed to Doctor, and then she departed with a swish of the curtain.

Doctor smiled benevolently at Gray, who was avoiding his gaze. “It’s nothing to be ashamed about. Actually, you should be commended for being responsible.” Gray didn’t respond. “Well, then, here you go.” Doctor handed Gray the paper bag. Gray limply stood up and shuffled out of the Clinic.

He felt like running somewhere and hiding forever, he was so ashamed. But as he walked further and further away from the Clinic in the crisp cool air, the embarrassment slowly faded. He made his way to the Goddess Pond. No one was there just then and he sat on the wooden bench. He carefully opened the paper bag and peeked inside. There were small shiny plastic squares in there. He reached in and pulled one out. This one was blue plastic. He looked around nervously. Gray figured since they gave him more than one, he could afford to open one and check it out. With shaking fingers, he tore the corner of the plastic. It opened, and a small circular piece of rubber fell into his lap. He picked it up, turning it over in his hands curiously. He realized how it worked, and he unrolled it slightly. It felt a little wet and slimy.

He was still staring at it in wonder when he heard the crunching of leaves. He looked up in terror, and there was Ann, skipping up the path towards him. “Hey, whatcha got?” she hollered across the distance at him.

Gray frantically grabbed the loose pieces and stuffed them back in the bag, tearing it slightly in the process. Ann got closer, looking at him suspiciously. “What’s that?” Her eyes glittered. “Is it snacks? Gimme, gimme!” She reached out greedily, swiping at the bag.

Gray stood up. “Get away!” he bellowed at her, making her flinch at back up warily. Gray tightly held the bag to his chest.

Ann narrowed her eyes at him. “You’re weird. And selfish,” she hissed at him. “If I had snacks, I would share them!”

Gray just mumbled something in response and stumbled past her, running down the path at a desperate pace. Ann just stared after him, then shrugged. “What a weird guy…”