Gary Jenkins - The Hesitating Couple

Turning away, he started to write out a prescription for a mild pain killer. He went on, “I’ll arrange for your discharge from the hospital.”

Bill was thoughtful, wrestling with indecision. He made up his mind, cleared his throat and said, “Doctor… there’s just one thing…”

Doctor Bender looked back at him. “Yes…? What’s that?” he asked, absently.

“Well… I’ve always been… pretty virile and…” He stopped short.

“And what?’

“Well… ever since I’ve been in the hospital ten or eleven days… I haven’t had an erection!”

The doctor smiled, reassuringly, “Nothing to worry about there!” he said. “As soon as you get home… I think that very lovely wife of yours will be able to change that! It’s quite normal… your body’s energies are involved with healing.”

But, what if she can’t?”

“I don’t think it’ll be a problem!” the doctor stated, flatly. “But there are many techniques she could use.”

“Such as…?”

“Manual or oral stimulation… or both… different positions… or you might read some of the so-called pornographic books. The descriptions and pictures can be very stimulating and educational… I recommend them to many married couples who are having problems.”

“Faye won’t go the oral route… she…”

“Many women won’t,” Doctor Bender observed, “until they learn. Here, I’ll give you the title of a book. It’s an illustrated sex manual… explains in detail the best and most highly stimulative types of sexual activity.” He wrote the title on a piece of paper and handed it to Bill. “If both of you read it… it’ll be better!”

“Bill looked at the title of the book. “This is pornography…?”

“I didn’t say that!” Doctor Bender snapped. “There are some misguided people who would prohibit any kind of sex instruction! They would call it that!”

“I see… How about the other books… and magazines?”

“If they help people to enjoy sex more there’s nothing wrong with them! I read them, myself… and there hasn’t been a single psychological study that’s ever shown they do any harm!” the doctor said.

“All right… I’ll have Faye get this one for us,” Bill said. “It might help..

“There’s no doubt about it, Mr. Wright!” Doctor Bender told him.”… And, you’ve nothing to worry about… really!”

Faye brought Bill home that same afternoon to an immaculately clean apartment. She had vases of cut flowers for decorations, and on sentimental impulse had constructed a little sign that said: WELCOME HOME BILL!

He told her how nice everything was and that he was glad to be home. She glided into his arms and lifted her lips to him. “Oh, Bill… it’s been so long!”

Clinging to him, as he kissed her, she felt the fires of her desire begin to rekindle in her loins. It felt so good to be there, in his arms, again. Suddenly, she knew she wanted him to make love to her. Now, that he was home, everything would be all right. She just knew it had to be!

Their kiss was not stimulating to him. He broke it and said, “I’d sure like to have a cup of good homemade coffee… for a change…”

It was a small disappointment to her, but she went into the kitchen, cheerfully, to make up a pot of his favorite brand of coffee; additionally, she fixed a tray of cookies.

While he waited, Bill sat, stiffly, uncomfortably, in his preferred chair; after a few moments, he hobbled to the kitchen door. “I’ve got to lie down, Faye… so why don’t you bring the coffee into the bedroom when it’s done…?”

“Of course, darling,” she smiled. She went into the bedroom and got out his pajamas and dressing robe.

“I’m feeling pretty tired…” he explained.

She could understand that… but she wondered: Maybe he’s trying to tell me he doesn’t feel like d-doing it… yet! Then, she hung his clothes in the closet as he dressed in his pajamas and crawled, painfully, between the clean sheets to sink down into the soft mattress of the big bed, gratefully.

He drank the coffee and ate a couple of the tasty cookies she brought on a tray to him. “That sure beats that hospital brew!” he told her. “That’s one thing I sure did miss!”

“I missed you, Bill… most of all!” she said, kicking off her shoes and stretching out beside him. She kissed him, this time, with hot passion.

Bill mumbled into her mouth, “I missed you, too…”

Again, as she had done in the hospital, her hand crept under the sheets and found the still flaccid shaft of his penis lying limply between his legs. It was somewhat cool to her touch, but hopefully she milked the heavy foreskin back over the soft head of it, her fingers teasing the corona; then, she grasped it in her hand and began to squeeze the head and part of the shaft, rhythmically. There was no sign of life there.

Finally, he twisted his mouth aside and said, “It’s no use Faye… there’s nothing there, yet!”

“Did you talk to the doctor… a-about not…?”

“Yeah… I did. He seemed to think there was no problem…”

“Did he make any suggestions?”

“Well… yes, he did,” Bill admitted, “but I know you wouldn’t like them… since you never have, yet!”

“What do you mean…?”

“Use your mouth… to bring me up!” he said.

“Ugh! The doctor said that…?”

“Yes… he also gave me the name of a book to get.” He showed her the title Doctor Bender had written out for him. “He said it would help… and we’re both supposed to read it.”

“Where do I buy a book like this?” Faye asked.

“I suppose any one of the places down on the avenue that has adult books and magazines…”

“I-I couldn’t go into one of those places!.” she gasped.

“Why?”

“All those books… and leering old goats that hang out in them! Why… I just couldn’t!”

“That’s the only way we’ll get that book!” he told her. “I sure as hell can’t go… so you’ll have to!”

“You sure this is what the d-doctor wants us to do?”

“Positive… look at the handwriting on his prescription… and compare them!” he said. “You’ll have to get that prescription filled anyway… and the nearest place to buy that book is just about a half block away from the drugstore!”

“All right… I’ll get the book… but none of that far-out stuff! Ugh!” she shivered.

Picking up the prescription for Bill, Faye walked out of the drugstore down toward the Boulevard News, a small store building, wedged in between a liquor store and a pawn shop. The plate glass window had been painted over, completely. The sign said: BOULEVARD NEWS, Magazines, newspapers, books. Below in smaller letters: Movie Arcade . On the door: Adults only! No one under 21 admitted . To herself, she thought: Well! This must be the place! I suppose Bill’s been in here… he seemed to know exactly where it was!

Faye drew a deep breath, sidled around two men standing near the entrance and pushed through the door into the store. Glancing around, she noted there were six or seven men standing about browsing through the magazines and books. The explicit nudity on most of the covers repelled her. The clerk at the counter ignored her. There was an almost dead silence in the place. Near the rear, she saw a curtain, over which a sign proclaimed: Movie Arcade, 25 cents. She moved forward a few steps trying to locate the type of book the doctor had written down for Bill. Her eyes swept around the room, searchingly.

Then, she saw them! They were soft plastic or rubber… and extremely realistic! She had heard of such things before… but she had never seen one. The glass showcase, behind which the clerk stood was filled with dildoes. She knew, instinctively, their use. The idea repulsed her. Her face flamed crimson, and she glanced, nervously, at the counterman. He was engrossed in reading a paperback book; apparently, he had still not noticed her. Ugh.! How awful! She had a wild urge to turn and flee.