0 comments/  12047 views/  8 favorites

Gary the Obscure

By: EgmontGrigor2011



CHAPTER 1

Gary Gunn's parents had their unhappy marriage annulled when he was fourteen and that pushed Gary further into the social mire because neither parent really wanted him and he kept losing friends because he kept changing his schools as his parents shifted about, both looking for their new life and seeking to remarry wisely.

Garry's position in life improved when his mom, with whom he was living at the time, abandoned him to go south with a guy who promised her riches when his ailing and wealthy mother died. Marion had left Gary with a thousand bucks as living expenses and to pay the rent for the tiny apartment and told him when the money was about run out to call his father for parental support.

Phil visited his son after the SOS call and was appalled to find how thin and abandoned-looking16-year old Gary had become, cutting back on spending on food and clothing to eke out his money for as long as possible.

"God look what your mother and I have done to you," his dad said, almost weeping.

But Phil had found a great job as his boss was taken a keen interest in him, believing Phil's claim he'd never married and so Phil faced a crisis and was unsure about what to do with the kid. He called his sister 600 miles away and lied that he was down on his luck and wondered if she could look after her nephew Gary for a few weeks to ease the load on Phil.

"I haven't seen Gary for at least seven years," she said, stalling. "What's he like?"

"He's great kid, friendly with a pleasant outgoing manner and gets great grades at school. If you asked me to describe him in one word Annie I'd say 'Loveable'. You and Andrew would regard him as a joy to have around you."

Gary arrived on the bus at Silverstream and was met by Aunt Annie who was shocked at the state of the malnourished and disheveled kid but at least she found he was clean and smelt okay.

Without thinking she said, "Why are your parents not looking after you better?"

"Because I'm not living with them."

"Why not?"

"Because they don't want me."

"Oh god," Annie said and hugged the abandoned teenager and wept. To her astonishment, Gary attempted to calm her.

Annie who worked as a receptionist at a medical center took Gary to the center on the way home and had him examined.

Dr Judith Wells smiled and told Annie, "You have worried needlessly. He's fine but has been eating poorly, mainly tinned food and packets of biscuits. Feed him what you eat Annie and when you see the energy beginning to flow from him put him on a bike or get him running around the park and you'll soon witness a minor miracle."

Annie and Hogan had been unable to have children and Hogan, an architect, arrived home that evening and listened to his wife relate Gary's story and he shared her dismay and said some people didn't deserve children.

"Would you like to adopt him? I only had a few minutes with him be seems a likeable kid although far too skinny to be called healthy."

Annie said, "Well he needs love and proper care and if we can't provide it he would be better off in an institution for homeless children.

"Annie for god's sake, we can care for him and love him."

"Well I was treading carefully because I'm aware of your views on adoption."

"Yes that this is different, Gary is your kin."

"You deserve a big fat kiss," Annie said, going to her husband.

Annie and Hogan took Gary to Hogan's old high school where they were warmly welcomed by the school principal who was called by the office clerk when seeing Mr Smart arriving with his wife and a boy. Hogan was a supporter of the school and had designed the school's new gymnasium and then the new school library and media center that had become the envy of other schools.

The school contacted the last school Gary had been attending and he was placed in the 10th grade.

At lunch on the first day a group of boys from Gary's class talked to find about his history and was thwarted by his renitence to reveal many details and one of the guys called him 'Bones' and that name stuck for the remainder of his time at that high school.

With improved nutrition, and being quite tall and light in body weight, Gary was soon identifying as one of the fastest sprinters at the school and the track coach grabbed him and placed Gary into an accelerated training program. Gary also quickly became a class standout in math and grammar and some classmates began calling him at home to consult about homework problems and much to Annie's delight some of those kids began arriving to see Gary.

One evening Gary took coffee into Hogan's study and watched his foster dad sketching.

"Do you know what I'm doing right now?"

"Adding shadow to that structure to visually define the object, thus creating the illusion of a third dimension. It also indicates the origination and direction of the dominant light."

Hogan was hugely surprised.

"Do you know about drawing?"

"Not much but I sketch a bit and have done a lot of reading about it because art interests me."

"Can you show me something of your work?"

"I've nothing here but have something finished at school."

"Then bring it home and show me. I'd like to see something you've drawn."

Gary scratched his head.

"Is there a problem with me asking you to do that?"

"Well it's locked in one of the display cases in the main entrance lobby."

Hogan turned back to his work and said casually he'd drop in sometime and take a look at it. He avoided working for a moment or two until his hands steadied. He didn't know what to think, the kid must be some kind of genius. Only the crème-de-la-crème of art went in those glass cabinets and exhibits were almost always the work of senior students.

The Smarts had given Gary a bike and after he left for school next morning, Hogan said to Annie, "Let's leave ten minutes early and you follow me to the school. There's something I wish to show you?"

"Well providing it won't make me late. What is it?"

"I have no idea, but something good."

"Hogie please don't run me around..."

"Please darling, just humor me. Just be prepared to be blown away."

Annie looked at him and could see his excitement.

"All right then. I'll be ready in ten minutes."

They parked in the visitor's parking spaces and if it hadn't been for the flood of students entering the building Annie was quite sure Hogan would have run her up the steps.

Hogan looked at three of the display cases and then stopped and looked shocked when he came to a sketch of the grand entrance to the school library and media center.

Annie peered at the credit notice and said, sounding bewildered, "It's been done by Gary. Are you suggesting he's playing a hoax but submitting one of your old sketches?"

"Annie," Hogan said painfully. "You are looking at real talent. I could never sketch that well."

"But who's taught him? He can't come out of obscurity enduring the mess his life has been in and having attending seventeen different schools, and yet being carefully tutored long enough to have gained the skills to impress you of all people?"

"That it, that's exactly it. Gary is emerging from obscurity endowed with a great gift. He draws what his eyes see and his mind converts that into how he should reproduce that as an artist's impression, an impression dear Annie, not a replication as most kids produce."

"Then he's a genius."

"Probably not. I'd settle for someone who's damn good with the gift he possesses. You know this explains some of the things I've wondered about, why he looks at rain on the windows, how he stops and stares at the setting sun shining on to the wall of our living room, how he watches a bird in flight, a kid learning to ride a bicycle and looking ungainly and wobbling on it. He's recording those things and I bet with that kid I saw him looking at struggling with her bicycle his mind will be giving him the image of how she'd look riding tomorrow, in two weeks and in a couple of months."

Impressed, Annie said, "You know all that for sure?"

"No, it's just speculation based on logic and it's probably no use asking him because he probably wasn't aware he was watching a bird in flight or a kid riding a bicycle."

"Is Gary the youngest student to have a work of art placed in this entrance?"

"No, Archie Bannerman years before I passed through this school had a painting placed here when he was eleven years old."

"But Archie Bannerman was practically a child progeny and is an internationally renowned illustrator of scientific publications."

"Yes dear and that makes Gary significant, being 16½ and having his work featured here don't you think."

"You must talk to Gary darling."

"I know Annie, but I must not rush it. He's just a kid who doesn't know much about himself yet. I suspect he's long being good at drawing but the experience he had, feeling abandoned, before coming to us and experiencing sanctuary might have shaken him deeply, stimulating him enormously and is producing unexpected results. You'll remember at dinner the other night he said he'd been appointed to the senior short distance track team. And do you remember what you said?"

"Yes I congratulated him and said we were proud of him."

"Yes but after that you asked had he been doing well in running before he came here?"

"Omigod and he said he'd just run with the pack. That probably means he never really tried until coming here."

"Exactly. Um don't forget you are due at work soon."

"Oh yes. Quickly, give me a kiss Hogan and thanks for bringing me here. This has been such a revelation. We must proceed with the legal adoption to give Gary the stability he may need. I'll call Phil tonight to get the ball rolling."

* * *

Annie's radar had been working and when she asked Gary was Madison Anderson a bit special to him, he said he didn't think so.

"Why do you ask?"

"Because I answer the phone and believe Madison has called you more times than anyone else at your school."

"Oh really, a lot more times?"

"Not a lot more, but more, and she has called around here more times than any other female."

"I suppose that's interesting."

Annie sighed and asked why did she call or call around so often?"

"Because she needs to talk about stuff I suppose. She's certainly not dumb like some of them. I'll tell her not to call if that's bothering you."

Annie said, "Please Gary just ask her for a date. Can't you see?"

"See what?"

"Christ Gary... oh sorry about my language. She'd hanging around hoping to get a date with you and she doesn't think she should ask."

"Okay I'll date her if that will make you happy."

Annie snorted and ruffled his hair.

St Joseph's college visited Silverstream College for their annual inter-school sports competition next day.

Coach Barnes said to Gary, "This is it son, the day you come out of the shadow on the track in facing real competition. St Joseph's will get three of its line-up into the 100 meters final and two of them will later run in the 200. In the 83 years our colleges have competed in both events, we have never won them. My feeling is you are reaching your peak now that I've got your strength and fitness level up and I believe you can win both events. That's all I need to say, just think about what I've said and good luck."

Two of the biggest seniors in the Silverstream track and field team carried Gary shoulder high to receive his medals for winning both the 100 and 200 meters event and two Silverstream sports medallions for setting new Silverstream records in both distances.

Hogan and Annie were so proud when Gary placed a medallion over each of their heads.

When Madison came off the rostrum with her medal for winner the females 100 meters hurdles and her parents had finished with her, Gary went over to Madison.

"Hi, congratulations. May I kiss you?"

"No Gary," she giggled. "God that could get us into severe trouble."

"Your parents are smiling at us."

"Well they would. I've told them about you. But I was talking about school staff."

Gary nodded and said, "May I take you to the Graduation Ball?"

"But that's eighteen months away."

"Yeah well my thinking is we'll still be going steady by then."

Madison said she'd have to think about that and thirty seconds later smiled and said yes.

"Thanks. And would you like to come to a 5:30 movie this Saturday?"

Madison gave a joyful cry and said yes.

Two days later Hogan and Annie were asked to make an appointment to talk to Karen Smith at the school's visual arts department.

Karen greeted them warmly and said, "Has Gary told you about his desire to change direction in art?"

Annie and Hogan looked at each other and Annie said no.

"He wants to change to computer art because he thinks he'll study computer art at college."

"Well that's fine," Hogan said. "He's free to choose."

"But is it fine?" Karen said, producing a folder. "This is a collection of Gary's latest work. This sketch is of me."

"Omigod," Annie said.

"Yes and it's the finest sketch ever done of me and a great number of students have tried have tried with mixed results. He used a cell phone photo for the basic model and then sat in here during classes and used me as his live model."

"This is..."

"Omigod, his girlfriend Madison Anderson and it's unmistakably Madison."

"Yes and absolutely professional-standard work. Now be prepared to be stunned.

The next one left Annie speechless and Hogan remained mute. They looked at a sketch of them looking at each other, a highly emotional image with them caught in a deeply romantic pose.

"He obviously likes us if he sees us looking like that," Hogan said, breaking his silence. "I guess what you are attempting to tell us Miss Smith is to discourage Gary from switching to computer graphics."

"Yes, exactly."

"Well I won't be doing that..."

"And neither will I," Annie said. "We both understand Gary has a far better concept on where he needs to place himself for his future than we do. You see he came to us as a physical wreck, possessing nothing, and since then he has been rebuilt and encouraged by us to use the gifts of his freedom, support and talents wisely."

Karen said that sounded a little radically and looked quite confused when Hogan said, "In a nutshell, isn't that what most parents use as philosophy on preparing their children for adulthood, spreading that groundwork over perhaps fifteen years? We have had to accelerate the groundwork with Gary because we've only had him for a year."

During dinner that night when Annie was wondering when to discuss their visit with Miss Smith, Gary said, "Miss Smith said you guys met her this afternoon and that you told her exactly what I said you would, that you wouldn't try to influence me about my future career direction."

"Yes pal, that's correct," Hogan said. "I think that woman is biased against computer art."

Gary grinned and said well spotted.

"Did you like the sketch I did of you two?"

"Oh yes," Hogan said and Annie said it was unbelievably appealing.

"But it's not exaggerated, it's how I see you," Gary said. "After my work is marked for the year's final assessments I'll give you that drawing and I'll give Madison's hers but will tell Karen Smith she can reproduce my drawing of her but I shall keep the original as part of my private portfolio to trace my career development. She'll understand that." 

The next highlight in Gary's life came when he was legally adopted. He decided to stay with his original surname when given that choice. In the lead-up to that decision Annie had giggled almost hysterically when Gary suggested a compromise of a hyphenation, Smart-Gunn. They went out to celebrate and Gary took Madison as his partner.

During school breaks Gary began working doing sketches for client visualization at the architectural office when Hogan was a partner. He liked the work and enjoyed the adult company where, because of his unquestionable talents, he was treated as an equal. Each break brought the end of school attendance closer.

* * *

Gary and Madison both turned eighteen within days of each other and only a few weeks before graduation.

They'd been petting for some time and now came the possibility of full sexual intercourse.

"When should be do it?"

Gary scratched his neck and looked at Madison for inspiration.

"What say we do it on graduation ball night if we can or the next suitable night?"

"Yeah okay. That sounds not unlike an appointment for tooth extraction."

Madison was not amused and said, "Well if that's..."

"No I don't regard having sex with you will be a big joke."

"Well if I thought you did..."

"I've been saving myself for you," Gary said, quoting from something he'd once read.

"Oh god Gary, what a romantic thing to say to me," Madison said, looking misty eyed.

"Only the best for you baby," he said, patting the crotch of his pants and Madison blushed and looked as if she were ready to wring his neck.

At graduation, Madison and Gary received awards. 

Madison's top award was the W.A. Fletcher Memorial Scholarship for the top science student and Madison, a graduate with highest honors who intended going on to study medicine and become a pediatrician, was very excited about winning that scholarship because two other students had appeared to be neck and neck with her as contenders.

Gary was a high honors graduate and was awarded the Sports Leadership and Achievement Award for leading by example as captain of the senior male 4 x 100 relay team to victory at an intercollegiate meet and setting a new record in that event. He regarded his top award was the Pamela Bishop $1000 Award for Advanced Drawing.

Then it was time for the last big hurrah at high school, the Grad Ball.

Madison was leaving with her Russian mother to visit her grandparents and tour Russia extensively all summer, leaving tomorrow, so it was the last hurrah for Madison and Gary as a couple.

Hogan had told Gary to take his SUV and when Gary said he was used to driving his mom's car, Hogan winked and said, "You may be pleased you took the larger vehicle.

Gary grinned and was slapped on the shoulder and he thought his dad was okay.

They parked behind outside the city limits because everywhere they tried initially seemed to be occupied by people in parked vehicles with windows misting up.

Gary fumbled with the bra and Madison said thickly, her hands also shaking, she would do it. Gary was used to pushing it up to get a hand on one of them.

He played around and until Madison pushed one into his mouth and he sucked and she groaned, louder than she'd ever groaned before.

She struggled and got him unzipped and said she wouldn't bother sucking it, that he should get it into her while she was so hot.

Gary believed he was the guy for the job and had the right equipment.

They stripped off completely both agreeing it would have been less of a struggle had they been in bed. 

He felt her pussy and said in surprise, "You've lost all your hair?"

"Yes it's the modern thing to do and I wanted you to see it unmasked."

Gary couldn't see it because they were in darkness, but it sure felt good and was leaking a bit.

"Do you want go out to pee?"

"No," she said in surprise. "Just push it in, that's what I want."

The two eighteen-year-olds were aware they were at the brink of having real sex.

"Are you sure?" Gary said quietly, as if hoping she wouldn't hear. She heard and sighed and so he got on with it. 

He didn't look forward to coping with the downside to having sex with a virgin.

"Mom told me there won't be blood because I've been a hurdler since I was fourteen."

Huh?

He'd stopped still and Madison said, "It means I will be well-stretched down there. You will slide in without problems."

The thought of blood and no blood and her mom knowing her daughter would be fucked tonight and his own parents probably knew he would go all the way tonight began to weaken his erection. But Madison, perhaps instinctively, came to the rescue and cupped his balls in her hot hand and said, "Come on."


Gary the Obscure



She spat on to her other hand and spread that as lube on Gary's recovering dick.

"Oooh it's so large tonight."

He then thought so too. It felt as if the head was about to blow off under pressure.

They were on the back seat and Madison spread her legs like a champ and steered Gary in.

"Is that in far enough?"

"No the tip is only just in," she replied, sounding tense.

"How about that?"

"No more. You are supposed to go all the way in."

"What?" he asked in surprise. "I thought that applied only after the first time."

"Well I don't know and actually I don't care if it's wrong. It just feel like having it all up me and for me to hold you."

"Why do you want to hold me?"

"I don't know. Please get on with it Gary."

"What if it hurts?"

"I imagine I'll tell you."

A few moments later Gary said, "God you are leaking badly."

"Just push back in and stop fretting Gary. It's supposed to be an all-natural act."

That settled Gary and he was away. He'd chatted with his pals about sex but they'd never got down to details. The consensus was just push it in and bang away and remember to push into the right hole, and other irrelevant stuff like which of their teachers, er females, would be the best fuck and was it a good idea to have a try-out with one's older sister.

Gary plowed on and remembered all too briefly the great welling inside him, giving the feeling of being on top of the world, when he was hearing her screaming 'Oh glory, oh glory."

He exploded into her.

Madison looked at him with stars in her eyes and she saw him looking dumbly at the small packet in his hand.

"I forgot to put it on," he groaned.

She patted his shoulder and said it didn't matter, that she had been on the pill for a year.

"Confirm to me you haven't had your penis inside any female?"

"Yes that's true," he mumbled. "It's not been in any female or any male for that matter."

"Oh yuck," Madison winced. 

She called him next day before leaving for the airport and said she felt she a little sore but was feeling glorious. How are you?"

"I feel something. Perhaps I feel manly."

"Oooh and I did that to you? Oh that's the power of women."

Then her dad yelled and she had to go.

"Goodbye my lover," she said softly and he said awkwardly to travel safely and the call ended.

Another eight years would pass before they talked again and arranged to meet. They went to different colleges, three hundred miles apart.                                                                                                                                               

* * *

Sex was never far from Gary's mind that summer and it seemed about one in every four or five female former classmates he met was similarly preoccupied with sex. Annie was understanding and talked to him about sex hygiene and kept him supplied with condoms.

The one encounter he'd never forget was Jennifer Borland's mother.

Jennifer had called Gary a couple of days earlier and suggested they hire a kayak and paddle upriver for a few miles and have a picnic in a clearing in the woods. Gary thought he knew what she had in mind. But when he called for Jennifer it appeared no one was home.

He went around the house to check the pool and found Mrs Borland there alone, sitting beside the pool fully dressed and reading a magazine.

She looked up and smiled, recognizing Gary because he and Jennifer and hung out with the same group for a couple of years or so.

"Oh hi. Jennifer called didn't she?"

"No."

"God she can be so irresponsible."

Mrs Borland was on a sun lounger and saw Gary looking at her legs and quietly pulled her hem down towards her knees, looking away from him.

He colored and thought she had great legs for an old woman.

"Jennifer's father wanted her to go with him to visit his parents. She went meekly and muttered something about calling you about your date later this morning."

"It's okay. Perhaps her dad pushed her to get away."

"Go fetch a cold drink for yourself Gary and pour a coffee for me darling."

He returned with the drinks to find Mrs Borland had disappeared.

"Over here in in the shade," she called, reclining on another lounger.

Gary noticed her skirt was up higher than before.

He handed her the coffee and she smiled and said he was a fine-looking boy.

"Have you had sex with Jennifer?"

"No not yet, um I mean no."

"Are you sexually active Gary?"

He hung his head and muttered should they be talking like this and she didn't reply.

Gary sat facing her sipping his soda and couldn't believe it when Mrs Borland raised her leg and he could see her white panties.

He stared and she stared at him.

"Do you find me reasonably attractive Gary?"

He nodded and said she had great legs.

"How far up do my legs go Gary?"

He mumbled to her hips.

"Oh I expected you to say to my pussy."

"I should go."

Mrs Borland swung her legs to the ground and sat up.

"Do you really wish to go or should we go inside?"

Gary made the mistake at glancing toward the house and Mrs Borland jumped him and pulling him to his feet said, "Please don't be shy Gary, this is just um experimental."

"Experimental?"

"Yes I wish to bring myself up to date by examining a young man's penis."

"You do?"

Another mistake; he replied instead of fleeing.

"Yes Gary," she said, grabbing his butt and squeezing. "Come with me. No one will ever know."

Once Mrs Borland had stripped for Gary he saw she didn't have a hair on her body apart from head hair.

Her tits were large a hung down. She waggled them for him and his efforts to keep his dick from advancing beyond the half-erect stage collapsed. It went rock hard and strained to get inside Mrs Borland.

He undressed frantically and she smiled at him and held out a condom as he moved towards her.

"I only suck a dick if it's in a condom darling and then you can enjoy anal sex. I only engaged in anal sex when I commit adultery. My husband is entitled to believe my pussy is his but you may play with it."

"Yes Mrs Borland."

"Call me Christine darling." 

Christine made Gary bang her four times and she got herself off each time.

Gary left at 3:30, a very weary guy

"Please don't fuck Jennifer anally Gary. She's too young for that yet."

"Right Christine. I'll never forget this day."

Mrs Borland looked very pleased.



CHAPTER 2

Gary went to Annie's old college when they found it was particularly strong on computer education. He knew he'd know no one there and would feel like an alien.

"You came to us as Gary the Obscure, knowing only Hogan and me in our community and now look at all those people you know in this city. Darling may I ask you something very intimate?"

"Sure shoot," Gary remembered saying and Annie had asked, "Have you had sex with Mrs Borland? I had coffee with her the other day and she made a comment that made me wonder."

"Jennifer wasn't home when I called and I have to say I fell under the seductive charms of her mother."

"Yes well she has a reputation for being promiscuous. Did you wear a condom?"

"Yes."

"Good boy."

And that was it. His mother now knew something Gary hadn't wanted her to know. He'd been seduced again by an older woman. God they could be so crafty.

* * *

Gary graduated in the top five percent of his class with a Masters in Computer Graphics and Motion Technology. His adoptive parents attended the commencement and met many of his friends. Although Gary had invited his birth parents to attend neither had replied to the invitations sent to their last known addresses. He was sad about that but sensible enough to know he should continue moving on.

A month prior to graduation he was invited to interview for a position with a large advertising company that had several clients that advertised heavily on TV, an area in which he desired to specialize. He was supplied air tickets and overnight accommodation to appear before the interview panel and was dismayed to find he would work at the tail-end of a line of people, being regarded as a junior who would be promoted in due course to his appropriate level. 

Gary wanted to be regarded and assessed as an individual specialist rather than like a digit on the payroll. He believed the chain of command in place was inappropriate in that it would stifle original thought and enthusiasm. Two days later he called back and said he would only be interested in working as a senior graphic artist and the reply was corporation had no further interest in him.

Fair enough. 

He left college without a job and his mom said she was going to London to a reunion with some of her old college friends now spread around the world and he could accompany her if he wished.

"Um I'm squeezed for money."

"I'm not," Annie said. "Your father is involved in a battle to win the design contract of a big civic project and can't come with me."

"Can I think about it?"

"I'd have to call the travel agent right now to..."

"Okay, I'll go. Thanks for the offer and your generosity. I'll happily escort you to events and try not to seduce your friends and their daughters."

"What about me?"

"It's funny you should ask that because..."

"Gary, don't be so disgusting."

Gary scratched his ear as the call ended wondering if his mother really had been disgusted at what she thought he was about to say or was she practically palpitating in excitement? It was difficult to tell with women.

Annie called an hour later to advise her flight was full but she'd booked Gary on a flight they would leave eight hours later.

"That's fine. I'm lucky to be going."

"You are lucky I'm still talking to you," she snorted. "We are looking forward to joining you in two weeks to see you honored."

Ah she was referring to $1000 prize he'd won earlier in the academic year by submitting the regional TV advertising campaign the university used for recruitment of students for the following year. A thousand bucks was peanuts compared with the boost that project gave Gary in his career ambitions and it would count as a gold star on his CV.

* * * 

The Smarts would be staying in London with Louise and David Copeland. Louise and Annie had been best friends at high school and had gone through college together. Their daughter had been sent to Heathrow to collect Gary who was arriving eight hours after his mother, or actually more than nine hours later because of delays.

Philippa held up a notice 'Gary Gunn' and watched a curly-headed blond guy walking towards her and either reading the notice or focusing on her breasts and she almost dropped the notice when realizing he was grinning and walking straight at her.

"Mrs Copeland?"

Philippa was momentarily confused by that and then squeaked, "No I'm mom's daughter er Philippa."

"Oh hi Philippa. I'm Gary or Gary the Obscure as mom sometimes refers to me. Do we kiss?"

Not wishing to squeak, Philippa held out her face to be kiss and had a wet one planted straight on her lips.

Her knees almost buckled and she thought this guy was anything but obscure.

He went to pull out after the kiss but his hazel eyes bored into her green ones and he leaned back and gently licked her top lip.

Yes licked it!

Philippa thought he could have her and then thought god how disgusting to be licked by a stranger like that. She really didn't know what to think and said, "Nice flight?"

"It was okay."

He was looking at her breasts. She went to straighten her back to pull them back in but the wrong signals was transmitted by her brain and they pushed out, just a little thank god.

"Mom said you were a third year fine arts student."

"Yes, I wish to specialize in portraiture."

"Have you done a self-nude painting?"

"What? Heavens no."

"What about just of your tits?"

She stepped back from him and glared. "Would you please get your mind above your belt."

"Okay, if he can," he grinned. "Here please carry my laptop and take me to bag pickup."

Philippa smiled when he returned with a large soft bag.

"You may have to nurse that."

"Why have you been out shopping?"

"No," she said looking perplexed.

"I meant was the vehicle full of your shopping."

"Oh no," Philippa laughed. "It's what you might call a toy car."

They stood looking at the red toy car.

"What is it?"

"A recent fully restore 1975 Jensen Healey Roadster 5-speed, mom's pride and joy. She had taken her weekday car to take your mother to meet some of the girls."

"On that's nice. So you have sisters?"

"Only one and she lives in South Africa. By girls I mean other women who are here for the reunion."

"Can I drive?"

"No. Only mom and dad and I are registered as drivers with the insurance company." 

The family lived in a big apartment in a place called South Kensington.

"We are an easy walk to Kensington Gardens from here, one of the Royal Parks of London covering 275-acres and it's an extension of Hyde Park."

"Oh."

"I meant if you run. It's open ground but the gardens are only open in daylight hours."

"Do you run?"

"Yes."

"Then so do I."

Philippa said actually that was no surprise because he looked very fit.

"So you have been studying my body?"

She looked away blushing.

Gary pressed in hard. "You appear uncomfortable with me?"

She hesitated and said he was very direct.

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

"Yes and that's what I mean by very direct."

He said if he waited for her to tell him that he might have had a long wait.

"He's in Scotland at present and yes I will go out with you as it's the polite thing to do."

Gary said there was no need to be overly polite with him.

"If you don't want me being polite then how should I be?" she replied but seeing his expression said, "No please don't answer that."

They laughed.

Philippa led Gary into one of the ornately decorated reception rooms.

"Wow? Did the Queen live here once? You parents must be loaded."

"They have money to spend if that's what you mean. Mom is a consulting pediatric surgeon and dad is a structural engineer, the senior partner in a large practice."

They moved into the kitchen for tea and Gary asked for coffee and Philippa laughed and said oh yes, that she'd have coffee too.

"Do you want to go to bed now after your tiring flight?"

"What if you mom comes home early and catches us?"

Philippa just turned her head from side to side and sighed as if dealing with a pathetic child.

"I'm not really tired. I had a drink at the airport and another couple of quick ones early after take-off and slept in bliss. Can we go somewhere?"

"Where?"

"For a run in the park?"

At the magnificent park Philippa filled Gary in about its history and yes he knew of Peter Pan when they saw the statue, Prince Albert (when they ran by the Albert Memorial) and Diana Princess of Wales (when they saw the memorial playground named after her and Philippa said Princess Diana after her divorce continued living in an apartment on the north side of Kensington Palace until her death).

He was most impressed.

They returned to the apartment, showered (separately) and leaving a note that Gary had arrived safely although ninety-minutes late, they went by Tube (underground train) to Piccadilly Circus and walked for hours looking at the sites and visiting places.

Philippa's mom called her to check they were okay. They were standing in front of a shop window looking at scale models to assembly and she moved away when she saw who was calling.

"Mom he's gorgeous."

"Lucky you. What do you intend doing with him?"

"I won't embarrass you by saying."

He mom laughed and said they would eat out locally and agreed on a booking time of 9:00.

"That was mom checking that we were okay."

"Well she's a good mom even if you are an adult. Did she ask you what I was like?"

"N-no, I-I m-mean yes."

"It's okay. You want to learn to relax around me. Here give me a kiss."

Philippa forgot they were on a very busy shopping street. She closed her eyes and the kiss just consumed them until he pulled away and said, "You kiss brilliantly."

Glowing, she smiled at him and checked her lips and the long-lasting covering was fine. She then couldn't help it. She took his hand and squeezed it and felt so happy when he wiped back her straying black fringe with his hand.

"Should we book into a hotel for a couple of hours?"

She replied she didn't know the location of that kind of hotel l and anyway they'd only be ripped off. She said to be patient, he could go to her room and hour after they returned home from dinner.

"You'll be sleep."

"That's very unlikely."

But at dinner her father ordered champagne and they drank two bottles plus a bottle of magnificent but very high-alcohol red wine and the apartment had been vacated by the time Philippa awoke in the morning, sad she'd missed an opportunity

She found a note from her mother, 'We're off to Harrods to meet everyone and we will lunch there. Behave now darling. Treat him gently as he's very sweet. Remember we need Gary tonight to partner Annie to our group formal dinner. We are booked for twenty'. 

Philippa grabbed a couple of condoms and went to Gary's room, removed her night-shirt and slipped in beside him. She felt around and gasped excitedly, snaring a boner of good proportions in her fist.

He awoke.

"God it's you. I seem to smell your freshness before I awoke and thought my dick had gone to heaven."

"It's only in my hand."

"You can improve on that I would think?"

She giggled and throwing the bedclothes right off licked his dick wet and then climbed on to him and began pushing it in.

"Condom."

"Oh thanks," she gasped, and started from scratch again after rolling the membrane over the ugly purple head of his dick and down almost to his balls, noticing the absence of hair.

Philippa hung her tongue out the corner of her mouth when sitting astride, facing him, and slowly lowering on to his prong and gasping as he reached up and squeezed her boobs.

The 20-year old thought she was in for a great fuck and in time found her expectations had been exceeded.

They fucked five times that day, slept twice, snacked three times and they got up mid-afternoon and Philippa turned the air cycling option on the air-conditioning unit full on and changed the sheets in Gary's room.

"I've only seen these wall paintings as examples of your art. Do you have portfolios to show me?"

"Yep I'll get them."

Philippa waited impatiently for his comment and finally went off and switched on TV.

Gary arrived with coffee.

"Well?"

"It's the first time I've ever seen an artist's work stretching back to when they were three."

"My recent work, I want to know what you think?"

"Well you might not welcome what I could say."

"Gary give me your honest appraisal or I shall scream."

"God your tits look great even when you're dressed."

"Gary!"

He held up a hand and said all right, all right.

"Switch your focus from portraiture."

She wailed, "Oh no, not you too. Two of my senior lecturers have told me the same thing. They say unless you are brilliant in portraiture you can kiss a good career goodbye."

"I'd agree with that. You could think about specializing in wildlife painting. I think you already excel at that. Those three seagulls circling overhead to me appear brilliant and must have involved very hard work in getting everything just right as you have done. The two ducks landing on that pond, done in oils and expensively framed, would bring big money and your cat is one of the best animal paintings I've seen by a student and you must have been told that."

"Well yes."

"You would have a choice of career paths... paint and try-to-sell, door-knock and advertise for commissions or to seek to illustrate publications."




Gary the Obscure



"Well that's something to think about," Philippa said. "And thank you. For one so young you give great advice and obvious have a keen eye. Let me see your work."

"Oh you won't be interested. Computer art won't be your thing and..."

"I'll scream."

"Oh don't do that otherwise your neighbors will think you are coming again."

He returned with his laptop and Philippa spend twenty-minutes absolutely absorbed.

Gary returned with fresh coffee and Philippa put his laptop aside and kissed him.

"I think with experience you'll be hailed as a genius.

"Whoa," he said. "Don't go overboard."

"Would you get a copy of 'Sunset' printed off as an A3 portrait size for me to possess and hang as a reminder of your visit."

It was a very close up of a woman's face with a sunset reflected across her dark sunglasses and yet the shadowy shapes and tones of her eyes were visible under the weak colors of the sunset. 

"Certainly we can do that tomorrow and I request an A3 packed in a tube of 'Daffy and Mate' landing on that pond for my personal possession and a reminder of what a great fuck you were."

Turning crimson, Philippa said certainly and added, "I shall never forget this day. I feel as if I've become a woman."

For his part, Gary would long remember that departure scene at the airport, Philippa wailing with her head buried against her mom's shoulder.

"Exactly what have you been doing to that poor darling, she'd beside herself in grief?"

Gary grinned at his mom and said he probably smiled at her and for that cheeky comment got whacked on the head with her passport and ticket folder.

On the aircraft, Gary sat between his mother at the window seat and a guy called Ted from Detroit.

They chatted as a group and when his mom fell asleep after dinner plus two Martinis and two red wines, Gary and Ted talked.

"What kind of business are you in son?"

"I'm newly graduated with a degree in computer graphics."

"Oh really? And what field will you enter?"

"Advertising would give me a great start."

"Well I have business contacts in advertising. If you come to Duxford I could get you some interviews, I'm sure."

"Um the weather..."

"Oh then you should head to Cadbolt on the West Coast, where I grew up. It's a city that has revitalized in the last twenty years and had plenty of ad agencies and big clients."

During the night Gary thought about that and after landing at their home airport and driving home he told his mom about Ted's suggestion.

"Darling find something closer to home. I want you near me."

"I'll think I'll go to Cadbolt."

"Well please get a job first."

"I'll just go."

Annie sighed, knowing from experience over the years when Mr Stubborn had a mindset like this there was not much chance of influencing him.



CHAPTER 3

Gary, aged 23, arrived in Cadbolt, population 187,900 to become Gary the Obscure again because to his knowledge he didn't know anyone in the city and outlying areas and knew none of them would know him.

However, he had a letter of introduction from his professor to Leo Finch, head of a small advertising company called Finch and Finch Advertising.

Leo was an elderly guy with a florid face and bushy mustache. He also possessed an over-size belly and possibly was not pregnant, Gary thought. But he seemed a nice guy and greeted Gary warmly and yes, he remembered Steve (Professor Steve Childs) who'd worked for him during his years at university working towards his PhD.

"Steve's folk still live here and he visits from time to time."

Gary said yes as if that was not new information.

"So what could you do for us by way of design?"

"Well potentially anything you require. On digital images I can change anything... clothes, facial features."

"Our people using Photoshop do that."

Gary said, "I can add a talking dog to digital recordings to in interact with the person filmed for that recording and giving his or her parts of the dialogue between person or dog, I can make two cars appear quite realistic talking to one another or have two burgers boasting to one another about their contents..."

"Ah Gary, now you're talking. That's something we don't have. Do you have a demo tape to show me?"

Gary lifted up his laptop, booted it and started the film clip of examples of his work, working at completing projects and playing the filming of reactions to his work."

Leo took Gary to lunch where they talked about salary and contract conditions and they returned to Leo's office where he had his PA amend the standard contract and he and Gary signed the completed document.

"Come and meet my business partner Terry, who is my son."

They went into the office of a heavily overweight guy.

"Hi Terry, meet our new computer graphics guy Gary Gunn."

Terry had been about to shake Gary's hand with withdrew his hand abruptly and said, "We don't need a computer graphics employee. Our clients are satisfied with what we have now."

"And I'm managing partner and I say we need to move with the times Terry so just get used to it. Gary has signed on and I want you to put him to work and to ensure he's made to feel welcome here."

"Whatever you say dad," Terry scowled.

Gary left the office feeling very much unwelcomed.

He reported for work next morning and Terry said, "Find an empty desk; it's yours."

"I'll require a high-powered computer with two monitors, one with split-screen capacity and appropriate software and support processing equipment."

Terry grinned evilly and said, "Go and ask dad for that shopping list and see where that gets you."

Gary couldn't believe it. What a fucking outfit.

Leo's door was closed. Gary knocked and something told him to wait.

Half a minute later Leo's PA came out, still smoothing down her dress and avoiding looking at Gary.

Christ what a fucking outfit. Gary thought it was time to get aggressive.

"I need a swag of new equipment to get my production underway and Terry said go and see his tight ass father, that I wouldn't get anything."

Gary thought he heard the sound of teeth grinding.

"Is that so," Leo snorted. "That fat jerk is only thinking about his profit-share. I'm backing you to more than pay for your establishment costs and upkeep. Oh and also he tries to drink every beer I have in the house when he calls his mother and me."

Gary kept his mouth buttoned.

"Ah our new employee is very discreet. Well I suppose your equipment will come from a computer supply firm?"

"Yes and if they don't stock it they'll order it in. I'm warning you that it will be costly..."

"I'll make sure that jerk opens the account in my presence. I'll enjoy watching his face."

Leo called the computer supply firm and spoke to the owner as if he was a fishing pal although fishing wasn't mentioned.

"Evan is expecting you and you heard me say to charge up anything you want. Evan's a good guy. We've been fishing together since we were kids."

Evan slapped Gary on the back as he said goodbye to Gary at the store exit and said everything would be delivered to his desk before noon.

Gary returned to the office, only a short distance away, and introduced himself to the other eighteen employees in the creative department.

"What will you do here Gary?" asked the senior creative director Jill Bourne.

"Work principally for you I guess. I'm qualified in computer graphics."

"And motion graphics?"

"Yes."

"Jesus," she said. "We'll all have to upscale our thinking. Finch and Finch are at last moving into the 21st Century."

An hour later Terry, director of advertising, came down and said loudly to Gary, "You are newly employed here and yet you're not working."

"My equipment arrives before noon... oh here come a couple of guys with the start of it."

"The start of it?" Terry gaped, looking at the two guys steadying boxes on a four-wheel freight trolley.

"Relax Terry, your dad authorized it all."

Terry's face turned purple.

Gary saw Leo come out of his office grinning.

"How much will all this expensive stuff cost?"

"Not too much I should think. Evan Tapper has given your father a 20% discount."

"But how much?" Terry roared.

One of the delivery guys said, "Exactly $28,755. Here's the invoice."

"This is robbery, fucking robbery. It's half my money," Terry yelled.

"Terry please behave and don't use such disgusting language in front of our sensitive female employees," his father said sternly.

"Yes and I'm sensitive to foul language like that Mr Finch," Gary said. "Is it a firing offence?"

Leo had to wait for a few moments to fight rising mirth.

He said, "Well in this case I have satisfied the situation with a reprimand. Apologize to everyone Terry."

"Um everyone, I apologize for losing it and being foul-mouthed."

Gary said, "Speaking on behalf of everyone, we accept your apology Terry."

Terry pushed out his chest and moved towards Gary who moved to meet him.

"Terry your desk phone is ringing," Leo called.

Terry turned and rumbled to his office.

"Back to work everyone," Leo said. "It's what you're paid to do."

"I can't fucking believe it," Jill whispered loud enough for a number of people nearby to hear. "We have someone who's not afraid of Terry the bully."

"Watch your language Jill otherwise I'll become upset," Gary said, and everyone within hearing laughed. 

When Gary had all of his equipment assembled, operating and tested, Jill went to him and said, "We have a client who advertises regularly on local TV stations who had commissioned us to design a universal attention-grabber that can be used in all types of advertising, mostly static but some motion."

"Are you saying a slogan with an additional tag-line?"

"I could be."

"Don't you have other people skilled at doing that?"

She sighed and said several presentations had been rejected. The client was looking for simplicity.

"Okay then give me the brief."

Jill said in surprise, "Don't you want to talk about it with me, an art director and a copywriter?"

"No. You would have arranged that on other occasions. Let me try cold in the hope I produce new thinking."

The client Draper Dog Foods produced chicken flavored dog bites (not to be called biscuits to distinguish the product from the output of competitors, stated a notation).

Gary stood watching Jill adjusting one of the straps holding up a stocking.

She looked up and almost jumped out of her chair when she saw him standing beside her.

"Jesus Gary, can't a girl have privacy?"

"Well for an older girl you have good thighs."

Jill looked around wildly but saw no one appeared to be listening to them.

"Please cough discreetly should this occasion arise again Gary."

"Well since you are so shy yes I could manage that unnecessary action. I only saw you thigh, not your pussy Jill."

"Gary," she wheezed. "What do you want?"

"I've finished."

"You can't be," she sighed and took from him what she thought would be a rough sketch but it was a printout of finished work.

"Omigod," she said, looking at a cartoon-type black and white puppy standing on his head and saying, 'I'm Moby and Energize eating Draper Bites twice daily'.                                          

"Oh how cute. I love it but doubt the client will."

Gary handed the animated version on disk and Jill replayed it three times and smiled.

"Well I'll get them in and..."

"You said nothing has worked thus far with them. Let's pitch to them at their factory where they will feel more comfortable and accept we are really trying."

"No Gary. It's not our policy with smaller advertisers to..."

"Jill break the rule. I need a success to boost Leo's confidence in me."

Tony Draper handed the A3 printout to his wife and remained mute while sweeping back his thinning hair.

"Are you two the founders of this successful company?"

Tony looked at Gary in surprise and said, "Yes as a matter of fact we are."

"And the hard slog is now well in the past judging by the size of the plant... well apart from the ongoing fight for market share and to attain production and sales targets."

"Yes young fellow. Have you been in business?"

"No but I have been educated in business fundamentals. You see if we in advertising are to succeed we have to have some understanding of what you guys do and you pay us money to multiple that outlay many times over."

"Damn right son. That's exactly it. We thought you guys just threw around paper ideas and went out for long and very expensive lunches."

"Yeah well we as an industry project a warped image of ourselves, don't we? You know our thinking is should you adopt the Moby mascot imagine for your company you could get a toymaker produce a run of Moby Draper and market him by enclosing a promo card in Bites boxes offering a Moby for sale with purchasing/payment details on your website."

"Our website is very basic. The designer is now retired."

"Then we'll take a look at it and give you a quote on designing a new persona for you on the Internet that is modern with animation."

"Um how much would that cost?"

"Plenty. But if it gives your clients and especially intending clients the information they need at their fingertips and their react to your advantage, then it's an investment that works exactly the same way as you buying in chicken but of course you are very aware of that."

"What do you think Wendy?"

"I think this guy is on the verge of talking crap like most salesmen but I like what his mind and hands do. This is so cute and I feel it's exactly what we need. Please action it from here Mrs Bourne."

"Certainly Mrs Draper. Please sign this authorization slip. And may I ask about the website..."

"Yes please quote us for a complete makeover. We as a company need to move on."

"Thank you Mrs Draper."

"Oh Tony and Wendy, shove this disk into your computer and sit back and watch something that I believe will give your ads real presence on TV," Gary said to the conservative couple. "Almost everyone loves a cute puppy and I know we can develop Moby to continue to entertain viewers while developing your marketing messages. This is the motion version of that static ad you've just seen. The guys at our office are ecstatic about it and just love him. He'll be a big winner for this company guys."

"You slimy seducer," Jill said in the back of the cab returning to the office, taking Gary's hand and squeezing it. "It's so lovely seeing a very talented person, a novice in advertising, seizing the challenge in both hands and focusing 110% on the clients and believing he's on a golden path to fame and fortune. Fight the cynicism and personal apathy darling and you may well rise above the mass. Mrs Draper was practically ready to anoint your feet. I almost died when you called her Wendy but to my astonishment she appeared to be flattered."

"That was because of the way I said her name Jill. I said it almost breathlessly. Women notice these things."

"I didn't."

"I meant romantically-minded women, not cynical creative directors."

"You are such a darling, I could enjoy strangling you," she said, hiding her smile.

The cabbie looked at them anxiously in his interior mirror.

As they were about to walk into the office, Gary said, "Hey Jill, let me check your stockings.

He fell back and she stopped and held up the back of her skirt a little to show more of the patterned stockings.

"Looking great," he said.

She realized that she'd been duped and cuffed him snapping, "You cheeky shit. How did you do that to me?"

"Oh easy. I simply worked on your vanity."

She sighed and laughed and told him he was like a breath of fresh air in her working life.

"Come to dinner tonight and meet my daughter. She could become interested in you."

"Why won't you husband take kindly to you having sex with me?"

"Christ Gary," she said, shaking her head.

He just loved it. His immediate boss was short on attention and affection in the workplace. Er and probably at home as well. They would become good friends because she accepted his banter.                        Isobel Bourne was fairly plain but athletic with an engaging personality and that suited Gary just fine. She currently wasn't short on dates but wanted someone to do steady with and told Gary that when he asked her for a date.

"Okay I'll date you regularly in return for sex."

She breathed heavily and said her mom had told her Gary was very direct.

"Well?"

"Yes that suits me although I'm not comfortable saying it. I don't like being with guys who are promiscuous."

"Um what does promiscuous mean?"

She just sighed and raised an eyebrow.

Gary didn't get to touch pussy until the third date, um touch it without her pushing away his hand. And on the fourth date she was jerking him off in the lounge of her family home late at night when she suddenly moved, pulled her panty leg aside and steered him in.

"Condom," he gasped.

"I can't wait, I need it," she cried. "It's been months, I'll have to trust you are clean."

About twenty minutes later Gary blew everything he could deliver hard up her and felt a huge sense of freedom, or whatever it was, that he'd never felt before. That left him half-stunned and grinning.

"What?"

"You're a great fuck Isobel."

She smiled hugely and kissed him sweetly."

They were together for almost a year before another teacher at her school asked her for a date.

She consulted Gary.

"Yeah what we had originally has died a bit and I can't chat to you about kids and teaching them in a meaningful way. This could be a great opportunity for you and so you should move on."

She cried but Gary thought she really was only going through the motions although he acknowledged they had high regard for one another.

At the office the antagonism between Terry and Gary had abated because Terry had to acknowledged that his foe had become one of the highest earners in the office and was directly responsible for a big surge in growth for animation advertising that was sweeping the industry and his team now asked clients as a matter of course did the clients require their websites to be updated and expanded.

Gary's best friend in the office was 44-year old Jill and after Isobel hooked into a fellow teacher she introduced him to the daughter of one of her friends and that worked out very well because when that young woman wasn't available her younger 19-year old sister filled in and she was, well, over-sexed and Gary had also fended their mom off a couple of times and then, feeling his resistance was cracking, he thereafter met the girls always from their home.

Three years after starting with Finch and Finch and receiving his second regional advertising award for best animated advertisement, Gary was headhunted by a recruitment agency representing J Winchell-Marks Inc, the largest advertising agency in the region.

Gary discussed the approach with Leo.

"You've given us great service Gary and whilst I don't really want to lose you, you won't grow in your specialty unless you move on to gain new experiences and face new challenges."

Leo and Jill took Gary out to a farewell lunch and no mention was made of inviting Terry who remained the most unpopular person in the office.

* * *

At J Winchell-Marks, Gary was initially attached to a unit specializing in pitching for new business and because the agency operated in almost all fields of advertising, marketing and events promotion, it was great experience for Gary but his obvious talents came under scrutiny and he was attached to a unit that worked solely in the health industry.

Gary accompanied their unit's account director Karl Boyd to Bayfield Children's Hospital to discuss its plans to raise $7 million in donations to refurbish its Emergency Department. They met the five-person fundraising project team and the convener stated a professional fundraiser would be employed once the promotion was ready to unleash.




Gary the Obscure



Karl and Gary were shown a map of the hospital's catchment area and Karl named the main newspapers and the three TV channels that covered that area.

The convener named two other TV stations and Karl said that both only partially covered that catchment area and so represented poor coverage for the amount spent in buying time on those two channels.

"This is excellent information Karl. We thought it best to engage your company because of its resources including experience and expertise. What do you do Gary?"

"I'm a computer graphics designer. My role will be to design the TV promotion and the static version for newspaper ads and mail-outs to targeted possible benefactors."

"But won't it simply be called 'Bayfield Children's Hospital Emergency Department's Refurbishment Funding Public Appeal'.

"With respect Dr Oakland, that would be a gigantic viewer turn-off. We aim to do much better than that, to lodge the appeal in the minds of viewers so that ultimately they react positively to the appeal."

"Are you saying it's a multi-stage progress to get donors to react?"

"You've got it."

"Well I never. And how will go about this?"

"Inspect the target facility, listen to your upgrade planning detail, and get some idea of what goes on in your ED room. That kind of stuff."

"That kind of stuff? Well I never."

"Trust me Dr Oakland. I'll make the campaign work for you. Your sign-off will be required on everything we plan."

"Well that makes me feel a whole lot more confident young man."

"Gary if I may call you that?"

"Sure Dr Mellows (the ED medical chief)."

"Call me Caroline. I believe you created that outstanding adorable puppy for Draper Bites."

"Yes ma'am." 

"Caroline," she said. "I'll be working closely with you guys."

"Yes Caroline," Gary said seductively and she eyed him.

She shook her head and asked, "What do you have in mind for us?"

Gary scratched his armpit and said, "I'm thinking Miss Polly."

Dr Oakland frowned but Caroline smiled and said, "Omigod a sick dolly?"

"My thinking is a doll with a broken leg because the cast is immediately recognizable."

"Omigod yes!"

Dr Mellows sounded as if she were having a late-life orgasm. Gary liked the sound of that but also was aware he had an influential member of the panel siding his way.

When Karl was driving them back to the office he said, "Why did you focus on Dr Mellows?"

"This campaign is all about the patient and working conditions she wants for her facility. She's the lynch pin on that panel."

Karl nodded thoughtfully and said he would have focused on Dr Oakland, the convener.

"But I accept you went for the best target. God did you hear her when you made that dolly suggestion. I thought grey-headed Dr Mellows was having in orgasm.

They laughed and then Karl said, "You know what buddy? I thought you were too young and inexperienced to be working for us. But now I feel very positive about you."

"Thanks Karl. You weld our team together tightly on this and we'll make this project a real goer and will raise $14 million."

"Hey hold up there. First we need to pitch our concepts to them."

Gary spent the best part of a day scouring toy stores and then he found Polly, actually a nameless mop-hair blue rag doll with white buttons for eyes and a mouth curved to make her look smiley. The store had three of them and he purchased them all, the other two as spares in case of mishaps.

He was emerging as the project group's ideas man and when he suggested the static ad team find 'an angelic-faced doctor' at the hospital whose face could be incorporated into ads, that team's art designer went to the hospital with a photographer and returned with photos of eight female doctors and was asked why were all were females. The photographer told Karl male doctors don't have angelic faces.

Gary was at a team meeting and looked at the face of the chosen doctor on the screen and his mouth fell open. He knew he was looking at the unmistakable face of his former high school sweetheart, Madison Anderson. He realized he was shaking in excitement but said nothing about recognizing the angelic-faced doctor.

"In what department does she work?" he asked mildly.

"Well as it happens, ED at present. She's training as a pediatric surgeon."

After the meeting Gary went to the hospital and found Dr Mellows.

"Hi Caroline, I believe I know the doctor whose face will help front the campaign."

"You do Gary? Or are you just here to try to date one of my pretty doctors?"

She smiled and paged Dr Anderson.

"How have you found Miss Molly?"

"Yes," Gary said, handing Caroline the doll. "Could you have her right leg placed in an appropriate splint?"

"Oh isn't she such a wee darling. I love her already."

"Caroline aren't you too old to be playing with dolls?" said a woman in a white coat, her voice sounding honeyed.

Madison glanced at Gary and smiled and looked back again and cried, "Omigod, Gary...Gary Gunn."

She ran and kissed and hugged the happy Gary. 

Caroline, smiling and carrying the doll, said she was off to the splint-making department. 

And not long after that Gary was left in despair. Over lunch with Madison at one of the hospital's cafes, he and Madison caught up with what they had been doing and what had happened to them during the past almost nine years since they'd last met.

"Did you marry?" he asked and was pleased she said no.

"But I have been living with a colleague for two years and we are trying to start a family," she said.

Gary's fists tightened and he tried to remain calm.

"Good for you, I hope it works out," he said, adding he had to go.

"Goodbye Gary, I guess we'll see each other some more up to the launch of the fund-raising campaign.

"Yeah. Look if it doesn't work out with this guy will you try to find me?"

"Well yes I could do that if the situation arose.""

"Do you promise?"

She looked at him as if wondering why he was so insistent and then saw the look in his eyes before the blinds rolled down.

She looked shocked and he waved goodbye. 

Gary saw the guy with guy at the fund-raising launch and knew instantly the guy was totally unsuitable for Madison who smiled at him but kept her distance. Gary was with their senior copy-writer who dated him frequently and her husband didn't appear to mind. She couldn't get enough sex from Gary and that evening wore a dress that had half of her tits protruding. Perhaps that gave Madison the message to stay clear?

Gary was lubing Veronica's anus that evening after they'd parked under trees by the city lake when her husband and another guy pulled him out of the vehicle. They beat him up severely.

After a couple of days bed rest, Gary was sufficiently mobile to return to the office and managed to keep the assault a secret., claiming he'd been knocked down by a cyclist. After that he and Veronica met to fuck only on Sunday mornings when her husband was at golf.

The use of 'Polly Dolly' with her leg in a white plaster cast proved to be a winner from the first time the ad appeared on TV. Kids called the TV stations requesting a photo of Polly Dolly and even asked how was she progressing.

A newspaper published photographs of Polly Dollies kids had drawn and sent in and began publishing a daily bulletin on Polly Dolly's progress.

A few parents and their children even arrived at Bayfield's Children's Hospital asking if they could visit Polly Dolly.

A newspaper front page photo of the mayor and his wife lodging a $5000 donation to the appeal on behalf of their married daughter Polly who'd twice been admitted to the hospital with severe asthma as a child, really started donations flowing in and the city's daily newspaper began publishing a list of the latest donors of $250 or more. Then as company board meetings were held the big corporate donations began trickling in for the Polly Doll Hospital Appeal and a photograph of the handover of donations of $50,000 plus on page three of the newspaper was guaranteed by the managing-editor of the newspaper who was chairman of the hospital's governing body.

A large number of community organizations held fund-raising activities and then national organizations such as pharmaceutical companies and bed linen suppliers and blood lab test companies added their checks to the inflow of donations.

The appeal closed after three months with donations totaling $6,645,155.50, not far off the $7 million target that everyone at the time of initial planning had thought was unattainable. 

Madison Anderson and partner Peter were watching News at 6:00 on TV that evening when the appeal total was announced.

"Jesus that's a lot of money for a straight public appeal with no big entertainment and fanfare surrounding it," Peter said. "It must have been the result of the use of your beautiful face."

"Thank you Peter," Madison smiled across at him. 

Then the item switched to the chairman of the Bayfield Children's Hospital Board of Trustees Mrs Eileen Swartz presenting the CEO of J Winchell-Marks, Doug Brown, with the hospital's Bronze Plaque awarded to companies performing paid or voluntary outstanding service to Bayfield Children's Hospital.

Mrs Swartz said, "It was our intention to award our Silver Medallion of Merit to the enterprising young advertising designer from J Winchell-Marks who created Polly Dolly who, with her right leg in plaster, became the centerpiece of our wonderfully successful fundraising campaign. But Mr Gary Gunn, who's resigned and left the advertising company today, told us the award should go to Polly Dolly who appeared to almost take on a life herself in helping to drive this campaign forward and he also emphasized many other people were involved. We have decided to accept Mr Gunn's suggestion. A display cabinet will be placed on the end wall of the lobby entrance to our hospital with a small inscription about Polly Dolly, who will be encased in that cabinet and who will wear this silver medallion around her neck."

"Gee I can imagine many guys turning down a merit award and giving it to a doll," Peter said.

Hiding her tears Madison said, "I guess he's a special kind of guy. I met him at the start of campaign planning but never got the chance to really get to know him."

Madison felt so sad and thought, if only...                                

Gary who'd only been with Winchell-Marks for eight months but decided to resign because he declined a transfer into corporate advertising because he didn't think he was ready for that at his young age. He was told to transfer or face the consequences. So he'd resigned and refused a salary increase offer if he would withdraw his resignation.

He went home to visit his parents and while there while trawling the web found a position that appeared just right for him apart from the fact he'd not had five years' experience. Chapman Bevan Voigt, known as CBV Advertising was seeking a senior motion graphics designer, salary $100K to $130K. The agency ad stated the company was seeking to fill the position urgently. He applied and flew to Weymouth City on request two days later.

A day after he'd returned home, Annie and Gary were discussing options to go away for a few days hiking and perhaps kayaking somewhere in the woods when he took the call.

"Gary it's Tina Wilson. The job is yours, you are short on experience but we will pay you $110K and would like you to start work here the day after tomorrow."

"Thanks Tina, I accept and will see you Thursday."

"Fine, I've already emailed your electronic flight ticket."

"So it's goodbye again, so soon," Annie grumped.

"Yes but come and see me soon and bring dad and stay a few nights."

CHAPTER 4

Tina was director of HR, a divorcee, aged a bit over thirty with juicy breasts, or at least good looking breasts. Gary was very interested and wondered if she had her eye on him. After the interview she'd taken him for lunch which surprised him because he wasn't seeking a top level senior job.

He found Tina waiting for him at the Weymouth Airport.

"Hi, this is a nice surprise."

She ignored that.

"You are what I've been looking for. You'll need accommodation and I have quite a large apartment. I'd be happy for you to live with me for a year, or cutting that shorter if we fall out. By then the hurt of my collapsed marriage should have worn off and I'll begin looking for a rich husband. It won't affect your job if you say no."

"Does the arrangement include sex?"

"Yes total intimacy and you pay half the share of running the apartment including food."

"Are you good at sex?"

She squirmed and looked away and said she believed so.

"Well that's a package I'd be a fool to refuse. I accept. Kiss me Tina, kiss me properly."

The kiss was great and Gary felt his dick beginning to harden and guessed by the look on her face as she pulled away she must have felt it as well.

She got out of the cab at the office and, handing him a card-key and code to turn off the alarm in the apartment, whispered, "I have a meeting in thirty minutes but I'll be home about 1:00 for some robust sex. I'm hanging out for it."

Gary wore just a black robe when Tina arrived home. She immediately pulled the tie open and grabbed his dick while Gary began undressing her.

He was disappointed to find her breast size had been bolstered by breast enhancement but perhaps it was unreasonable to expect perfection. He thought perhaps Tina was disappointed to find he was well short of ten inches.

They fell on to the sofa and she then went on to her knees and licked his dick and said she didn't need a condom and he said neither did she. She then slid her mouth over his dick right down to his balls.

Jesus.

He worried there had to be a catch about this. Perhaps when hungry she turned into a shrew? Or would request he slept in the second bedroom and was never to awake her during the night for a fuck or delayed her in the morning by wanting to screw her when he knew she would be anxious to get to the office to deal with the latest dramas.

Within a few days he found she was willing to have sex whenever he wanted it within reason but she preferred him up her butt only on weekend mornings. Gradually he stopped thinking of her tits being like added bags and regretting women disfigured themselves like that; it was their body, their choice. In remorse he said to her did she regret he didn't have a 10-inch dick. She'd spluttered 'god no' and from that point he no longer thought negatively about them as a fucking couple.

Tina was good to live with. She was lively and interested in everything about her, including him and Gary's work. And she would come out and say little things like, "I really love having you living with me" and "I feel so happy when you are fucking me."

Gary thought it was so close to perfection he must be dreaming. But it was real and she'd not ask him to do anything about the place but he insisted in helping out and they soon settled into a regime of his and her jobs. 

A couple of days after moving in with Tina, Gary called Bayfield Children's Hospital and asked for Dr Madison Anderson's postal address and was given the hospital's address.

Well okay, the letter would still reach her. He posted off a letter in handwriting expressing his pleasure at having crossed-paths at last with Madison and was delighted she was working to build her career and appeared happy with her domestic situation.

'We must keep in touch occasionally,' he wrote. He chose the next word carefully, 'Domestically if you were to become free I would like to catch up.'

He thought that was pretty soft, although suggestive of his interest in resuming a relationship with her. He finished by stating he would be moving around a bit building his career and staying in touch would be the sensible thing to do."

Madison replied and stated how lovely it had been meeting him again, albeit ever so briefly, and she explained her career path and said how it was going and ended by saying it was a good idea to correspond from time to time. Beneath her signature Gary saw four X's representing four kisses. Earlier he'd noticed she began the letter, 'My Dearest Gary'.

He sighed and became aware his heart-beat had picked up pace.

"My dearest Madison," he murmured and did not feel he was being disloyal to Tina. From the outset she'd made it plain she wanted him for his company and for sex. They rarely saw each other at the office because she was largely deskbound or attending meetings. 

After two weeks in the new job as senior motion graphics designer, Gary felt confident working in this new environment for a much larger agency and with more extensive demands being placed on him. He acknowledged to himself his university had trained him well. He'd already demonstrated to the satisfaction of his department head Glenda Chambers with the production of output that he had the required proficiency in After Effects, strong knowledge of 3D program (Maya, Cinema 4D) and knowledge of Final Cut Pro. He found rendering and file output a breeze and at meetings he quietly made his contributions, showing well-developed conceptual skills and was a strong presenter.

He'd been placed in retail advertising, the department he'd expressed primary interest in at the initial recruitment interview and he'd repeated that preference later that day after being short-listed, completely unaware that was where the agency wished to place the incoming motion designer.

Gary, now twenty-seven, and Tina who admitted to being thirty-three, made no secret of the fact they were living together but neither did they broadcast it. By the time they were seen having dinner together one night and that spotting filtered around the company's departments, nothing was made of it because the new guy was already building a reputation of being 'hot property' and Tina would have come into contact with him in the recruitment process. No one appeared surprised at the next cocktail party for valued clients when Gary and Tina arrived at the function together, remained close to each other for much of the function and then departed together.

"Everyone at the office will now know we are fucking," Gary sighed, sitting on the bed to remove his shoes and socks.

"I guess so," Tina said. "Perhaps the rumors will stop."

"Rumors?" Gary said in surprise because he'd heard none about Tina and himself.

"That I was supposed to be having an affair with a toy boy."

"Toy boy you our age difference..."

"I know but that's the nature of rumors."

Tina eyed him and said, "You may have had too much to drink to keep it up tonight."

"I'm never likely to go flat screwing my old lady boasts the toy boy."

"Gary," Tina said sharply. "Any more of that crap and you can sleep in the spare room."

Oh shite, he thought. He'd forgotten women can be age-sensitive."

"Everything about you screams of a super attractive young woman."

"Oooh, you can have anything you wish," she purred, indicating they were back on even keel.

Eight months on, Gary received a letter from Madison. She wondered how he was getting on, mentioned some of the things she'd been doing and then got to the point:

'Peter and I have split. His mom wanted him living back close to them and I didn't want to live in that hole of a city. His mom won. I am interested in taking up with you again with this one condition: I must stay here to finish my training.' 

There were eight symbolized kisses under her signature.

Gary called the CEO at J Winchell-Marks who called back two hours later.

"Hi Doug, say no and I'll understand. I'm calling to ask for a job. My old girlfriend who's a doctor at Bayfield Children's has become available again and wishes to reconnect."

"I see. What have you been doing since you virtually walked out on us?"




Gary the Obscure



Gary gave it to him in detail and named the agency.

"Gary can I call you back. I need to check out something."

"Sure that's fine," Gary said, believing he was being given the brush off politely and wouldn't hear from Doug. But Doug called back more than an hour later.

"Hi Gary. I called a quick meeting with some of the directors who have been kicking around a possible development with me and you could be the guy for the role as leader. However, when I found that the proposal had bogged down over philosophical disagreements on how it should operate I realized we are months away from getting anything ready to present to the board. So I'm sorry Gary but at the moment we have no position for you."

Well perhaps that was more dignified that a direct brush-off, Gary thought as he slammed his phone down on his desk. Well Madison would be better off focusing on finishing her training rather than coaxing him to give her a baby. That other guy must have been firing blanks

Madison Anderson was home writing a report when the hospital called and said a Mr Gary Gunn wished to be given her phone number urgently on a non-medical matter.

"Yes that's find Mrs Wilks. Give my number to him." 

"Hi Gary, it's so lovely of you calling me but I'm truly okay. I had for some weeks been thinking of easing out of the relationship with Peter for some months. He refused to be tested to find if he was the reason why I hadn't become pregnant and the suspect he believed he was the faulty party. I think being asked to consider taking test offended him deeply and he cooled off and finally he told me it was over."

Gary said kindly, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. If he couldn't help me into pregnancy I had no use for him."

Jesus!

"Um I'm surprised with all this training going on that you would have wanted to become pregnant."

"Well Gary, it's like this. When is the right time to become a mother when you are on a 13 to 14-year course in education and training to qualify? As soon as I'm registered I'd want to be jumping big-time into my career."

"How long will it be to finish what you doing now?"

"I finish my internship and residency at the end of next year and then do a 3-year fellowship."

Gary thought this was becoming all too complicated for him. She would shut herself away to study, come home tired after working very long hours at the hospital and growl at him for wanting sex.

They talked on and she asked him about his work and he said he was doing well and lied he believed he was in line for promotion soon.

"Then it sounds you are not thinking of returning here?"

"Well not at the moment. I too have a career to think about."

Madison said of course and half a minute later said she had to go.

Gary thought well he should break with Tina. She'd told him more than once if she married again, the guy would need to be wealthy. While he was living with Tina he was eliminating the chances of meeting a chick who could be worth marrying and doing the let's start a family thing with her. He knew his mom wanted him to have children. He laughed thinking of that late afternoon at home during a visit and they'd kept on drinking after lunch and she slurred that he would make a lovely father and would his children would benefit the world because they would be such great kids.

Yeah right. So where was their great mother?

Gary mentioned to Tina he was thinking about getting his own apartment. Rather surprising, he thought, she burst into tears and asked what she had done wrong. He said nothing, absolutely nothing, and she didn't believe him and went off to bed crying.

Tina was okay next morning and sighed and said well now that he was moving on that was the incentive to move her own life forward.

Gary suggested she should hit big on Andrew Coleman, the agency's director of administration.

"Why suggest him? He's not rich."

"Ah yes, but his ageing parents are rolling in it. I've been to their place with Andrew a couple of times to play tennis and usually have a few beers with him after golf. He's been engaged for four years but two weeks ago his fiancée announced she have found someone else."

"Did she give the ring back to Andrew?"

"Tina, I thought you would have been sorry for Andrew."

"Ah yes, poor Andrew."

"Yes the jeweler took the ring back for two-thirds of what Andrew had paid for it. Andrew said his mother had not liked his fiancée, calling her too common. At least you will score high on that assessment. Do you want me to organize something?"

"No thanks, not interested," Tina said airily.

When Gary held a small party on the evening he shifted into his new apartment, Andrew arrived with Tina on his arm. Gary's partner was a beautiful redhead who spent half the evening trying to drag Gary into the bedroom. She found it difficult to understand that a host had to act the role of host.

A month after moving into his apartment, Gary was called to an executive meeting. He wondered if he was to be fired or more likely to be given a bonus.

"Hi Gary, please sit," said the CEO Walt Irvine.

"Gary you haven 't been with us long and you're young but as everyone here agrees you sure do display some amazing talents, always get the job done on time and you interface very well with people around here and with clients. I've also been reminded you never lack on ideas or initiative and you lead from the front when jobs are design focused."

Perhaps he was about to be given a raise in recognition of those attributes and then fired, Gary thought cynically.

"We are chasing big money Gary. We have decided to triple the income we receive from digital advertising/website development contracts and bolster resources to do it. Jean Harrow who manages that department lacks vision and leadership qualities so we will move her sideways or if she objects, then she'll be invited to resign. You are being invited to head the department as the unit will be named and given the title of director of digital advertising. What do you think of that Gary?"

"The plan and goal of making big money makes my toes curl in excitement Walt."

"We are pleased to hear that Gary, pleased to hear that. You'll be paid more, $160K to be exact."

"Hmmm."

"What's kind of reaction is that?"

"My thinking, taking into account all the pressures and responsibilities Walt is $180K would sound about right."

"We are not a bank Gary."

"Walt I realize that but I also realize the company knows what it's likely to get out of me if I take this on."

Walt glanced at his deputy who nodded just the once and almost imperceptibly.

"Very well young man, $170K and that's top dollar."

"Accepted. May I start tomorrow?"

"Well let's make that Monday. We have to deal with Jean and then explain to the team she is leaving that their unit is being up scaled and relocated to the floor above where they are now. We also have to appoint your PA who'll also processed the department's accounts and keep tabs on expenditure authorizations."

"Then please get me a woman from finance, not general office."

"Good thinking Gary and do you have a requirement for age and hair color?"

The executives laughed.

"No those attributes are incidental. Give me a business or finance graduate who also studied computer technology. No one will work in my department unless they have fundamental knowledge of what we do."

"Gary you've just earned my admiration. Claire make sure the female to transfer has those qualities or else have HR recruit the person from an agency. Glenda please re-assign Gary's work in progress to other people and Gary you work on your department's expansion strategy. Work from home if you wish. It will be okay for you to visit the digital advertising section on Friday afternoon.

Gary called Annie at the medical center where she worked and she appeared nervous at receiving the call.

"Oh hi Gary, is everything all right?"

"Mom you are talking to an executive. The company is enlarging a section into a full department and I'm to manage it. My new title with a hefty pay increase is director of digital marketing, which means principally Internet marketing."

"Oh Gary, how wonderful. I'm so proud of you. I think it's time your father and I came and visited you."

"Oh great, any time after the next couple of weekends would be fine. You guys can stay with me because I've shifted into my own apartment."

"Oh that woman Tina; what's happened to her?"

"She wants to marry a wealthy guy and I think she'd found him."

"Well you get yourself someone quickly Gary, you need a female hovering."

"Mom you are a little out-of-date. Females don't hover around guys anymore. If they are not out with their girlfriends they be home expecting the guy to look after himself or to job share."

"I think you are exaggerating darling."

"No that's about how it is. Well I'll let you get back to your job, keep cool and tell dad my news."

Gary met Britt on Friday afternoon. Tina saw him arrive and kissed him and said she had someone he should meet and made a call and Britt Elder came down to HR to meet her new boss.

Britt was a pretty 28-year old blonde and when Gary commented on that she looked uncomfortable and said she was engaged but intended carrying on working after the wedding early next year.

"What's your degree Britt?"

"Business management and in the interview for this position I was asked a lot of questions about computers and the Internet and web pages and I have no problem answering them. But I must say I'm more of an academic person than a hands-on person."

"Fair enough. It's knowledge that counts for the person I wanted for my PA and to look after admin. Why did Claire Roper pick you?"

She asked for volunteers to transfer to your department and three of us put up our hand. We are all roughly the same age, with similar attributes and being seniors have gone as far as we can go without promotion and most in management in Finance are reasonably young. I guess I appealed to Mrs Roper with my answers and enthusiasm."

"That was good thinking to try to move out of Finance," Tina said to Britt. "Finance is rather top heavy with seniors. You will benefit from the experience of being a PA and being involvement in management."

As Gary and Britt were walking to the digital advertising section, she said, "I hope you don't think this is rude but mom wonders if you will come to lunch on Sunday. She is so excited about me getting this opportunity. She owned her own advertising agency that she sold to provide some of the money to send me and later my sister to college. She works as dad's office manager. He owns a tour bus company."

"Well I had been thinking..."

"Please Gary, even if you stay for just an hour."

"Okay. Well let's meet the gang. They will be nervous and confused wondering what this is all about and why wasn't their manager placed in charge of running the new department."

Gary's new PA said, "She was chopped because of perceived shortcomings in performance and lack of vision perhaps?"

"You're on the button Britt. Well here we go."

Tension was high Gary knew none of the people apart from nodding when passing them and they had never met him. Well the agency employed 210 people.

Gary began, "My name is Gary Gunn and I'm the new boss. "Everyone, I urge you all not to contemplate resigning during the next two weeks. That will give me the chance to demonstrate where this company is going with digital advertising and that I'm out of nappies and know what I'm doing. I believe you will come to really believe my philosophy is to lead by example and I'll personally deal with shitty clients."

Most looked at him bug-eyed.

"All advertising agencies now say they are experts in taking clients into digital advertising but few are really any good. But then advertising is largely about promoting bullshit isn't it?"

There were a few sniggers.

"In my book experts become experts when people who pay for their services say they are the experts. It's that pure and simply. And if I tell any of you that you are expert in what you do, you'll know you are among our elite. There will be room for those of you who chug along, providing you chug along competently. If you fail to grow, however, under my um expert encouragement, you may have to think of other employment." 

"Our mission is to impress our clients with our work and take their money off them. My target is for every dollar the company spends on this department, we bring in $10:00 minimum. Oh I forgot to mention you'll be given a new director if I fail to perform as the company expects. No way will I allow that to happen and so we are in this together. You guys protect my butt and I'll protect yours. I'll also make your work as challenging and as exciting as you wish and on Monday when we shift up a floor into our new department it will be unofficially called, The Happy Place."

"You know I had a ball at university because the girls were immoral...oh crap, what did I just say? I meant to say because from professors down we in computer graphics worked in a happy place that kept people happy. So that's my Number One target because that's the secret to our impending success to grow this department and to make lots of money for the company and to be rewarded with good bonus payouts."

"Well that's me done except to say I entered here with my PA who has been appointed from the finance department because she will also administer department accounts. Her name is Britt Elder. She's really sweet and is engaged to marry and in studying business admin also hooked into computer studies. So don't think she's here just as a pretty face. Britt is here to mother us and to keep this department running smoothly to allow me to concentrate on growing the business and providing tech support."

"Now you have the choice of asking questions or to come across the street to Jasper's Bar and spend some of my money."

Most people immediately logged off their computers but a thin guy stood up and asked, "Was it necessary for management to bring you in at Jean's expense."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Management lacked confidence in her ability to run a full department and drive the business forward. I haven't met Jean or said a word against her."

There was silence.

Gary asked, "How did my answer rate out of ten?"

"Nine point seven-five," called someone and there was laughter and people resumed packing up for the day.

* * *

Gary arrived by cab in steady rain for Sunday lunch with the Elders.

He rang the front doorbell of the stylish home with its trimmed lawns and picket fence in a neighborhood of look-alike high-class homes sheltering the wealthy.

He heard someone running and the door flew open and Britt hooked an arm around his neck and kissed him and said breathlessly, "Thank you for coming. Mother is beside herself in excitement. She wants to meet a guy only twenty-seven who's director of a department at a major advertising agency because in her day the heads of departments, so she says, were mainly old men one step away from retirement."

"Were computer around at the time she's referring to?"

"Oh how discreet, you lovely man. I think not, well not personal computers."

"Mom, dad, this is my new boss Gary Gunn who is responsible for re-igniting my career."

"Hi Mrs Elder, Mr Elder."

"Oh hi Gary," said the good-looking woman who not bothered to dye out the gray beginning to show in her hair. She smiled at him and Gary noted how over-dressed she was for a family lunch.

"It is such a pleasure meeting you Gary. Please call me Davina. We are very proud of our daughters and thank you for giving Britt this huge chance."

"It's not a chance Davina, Britt is a natural."

"Howdy son, call me Ben and may I offer you a beer or something else?"

"Your choice of beer would be great thanks."

Britt interlocked her fingers and holding her upturned hands low said shyly, "Gary this is my fiancé Danny Becker who works in IT at Drapper, Baines Law.

The two guys shook hands and smiled as they examined each other.

"And I'm Britt's sister Evita."

Gary turned to look at the new arrival who must have come down the stairs.

"Hi Evita. I'm Gary."

She was a beauty, a blonde with pale lips, dressed in green and unsmiling. She was almost his height with an athletic figure and well-proportioned breasts.

"You may kiss me if you wish," she said and Gary almost tripped over his own feet as he stepped forward rapidly as if concerned she might change her mind.

Her lips were cool and the pale lipstick appeared to remain intact after his hot lips collided with hers.

"You look more impressive that I expected."

He said boldly, "And I expected the young sister to be trailing a doll."

She smiled and her face appeared to glow.

"May I get you a drink?"

"Champagne if dad has opened it."

"Stop teasing Evita," said her mom. "You know we don't stock it."

"Well a Martini please. Dad will have a jug made in the kitchen."

Gary looked at the door to the kitchen and Davina said, "Please go ahead Gary."

He checked and everyone else had drinks and his beer was on the coffee table. He headed off and Evita said she'd come with him.

Her empty glass was by the crystal jug of the cocktail. As he poured Evita said, "You are young and sexy. Can I trust you not to seduce my sister and risk spoiling her plan to marry?"

"You have picked the wrong person. If the behavior of your sister is in doubt you should work on her."

"God you are slippery. Will you attempt to get me drunk today?"

"What would be the purpose of that?"

"Ah yes, very slippery. We best rejoin the others. Do you like my breasts?"

"Why do you ask?"

"You keep glancing at them."

"Oh god do I? I can be such an asshole at times Evita. I apologize."

"Thank you but you may worship me whenever you wish, not that you have had reason to apologize."

Eh?

Gary handed Evita her drink and hurried back into the living room.

Davina button-holed Gary and he spent time attempting to explain how computers were totally integrated into ad agencies today and what was involved in computer graphics.

"So you are an artist?"

"Well I can draw but when working with clients I mainly use the resources of software, manipulating various elements to produce an integrated design. It's really easier to demonstrate that to try to explain."

"I guess so. Well can you do a quick sketch of me?"

"A sketch in say five minutes, yes."

He called, "Fetch a dark lead pencil and a pad of white paper if available please Evita."

"Ask Britt, she's your PA."

"Oh but I'm asking you. I can't imagine you would embarrass me by refusing to do that little thing for me."

"God you have a smooth tongue. Very well."

Gary sat Davina by the window and crooking his left hand into the center of his chest, held the pad in that hand and resting over the forearm went quickly to work while the others watched and continued talking and sipping their drinks.

"Five minutes since you started," Evita said.

"Finished," said Gary, handing Davina the pad and her eyes widened when she focused on an excellent sketch of her head and shoulders.

Evita said, "Me now please."

"I'll only sketch you nude."

"Very well, how much do I take off?"

"Everything."

"Evita," he mom called sternly and her daughter reversed her action of pulling down the zip at the back of her dress. 

Gary said to Davina he was sorry, it was his fault and she smiled faintly and said it was okay and he'd found no encouragement was necessary to induce her youngest daughter to do anything challenging.

Apart from twice resting a shoeless foot on Gary's knee during lunch while seated facing him, Evita displayed little interest in him apart when in answering her mother he'd elaborated that Annie was actually his legal mother, that his birth mother and father had abandoned him when he was fifteen and their own lives were in a mess.