Chapter 2
Time passed and, before Sid knew it, his shift in the library was over. He returned to his house, showered, shaved, and dressed in preparation for his dinner with Cynthia. Knowing that he would be accompanying a woman to a public place, he chose to wear dress pants, a light blue shirt, and a sports coat. The restaurant wasn't formal enough to demand that he wear a suit. As it was, he'd probably be the most formally dressed person at the place.
Exiting the house, he looked over his pickup truck. It was old, but he kept it in good mechanical condition and the interior clean. Although the exterior could use a wash, he didn't have time for it. He debated the matter for a moment and decided to go straight to pick up Cynthia. After all, this wasn't a date, but a meeting between friends.
It was a short drive to her house and he made it in good time. Stepping up to the front door, he rang the doorbell. He could hear the bell from his side of the door. It was only a few seconds before Cynthia answered the door and he wondered if she had been waiting on the other side.
Cynthia had gone all out when dressing. She was wearing a very nice blue dress that hugged her body in all the right places. The neckline was low enough to show off the gentle swell of her breasts without being obscene. The hemline was to just below the knee. The quality of her hose was good enough to make a man wonder if she was wearing stockings. Her heels matched the color of her dress and gave a nice shape to her calves.
Sid pleased to see that she was ready to leave. Although many women felt they were obliged to make a man wait, he felt that it was rudeness on their part. It was as though a date started with an explicit statement that the man wasn't important enough for her to assure that she would be on time. Cynthia had never made him wait even though he had never mentioned his view on the matter.
He gave her his arm and led her to the truck. As she walked, the material of her dress swished and swayed accentuating the swing of her hips. The next door neighbor, a middle aged man who had known her since she was a young girl, paused to watch her walk past and wondered when she had grown into such a lovely young woman. He shook his head at how fast life moved and returned to what he had been doing.
Once they reached the truck, Sid held the door open for her. She slipped into her seat with what looked like natural grace, but was actually the result of many hours of drill by Mrs. Wilson. In a way, it was much easier to enter the truck in a graceful manner than the typical sedan. Stepping up to the seat was a little easier than lowering herself to a seat. He closed the door once she was comfortably settled in the car.
When he slipped into his seat, she asked, "Are you sure that you want to go out and eat?"
"Yes," answered Sid thinking that she was concerned that he was spending too much money on this evening.
Cynthia was quiet for a moment as she considered some way to get the whole Hero thing out in the open. She said, "I don't think I will make a very good Hero's Companion."
"You're probably right," replied Sid glancing over in her direction to see the effect of his agreement. He wondered if this was one of those types of questions in which no answer a man gave was the right one.
"Yes," she agreed hoping that he was taking this as a means to come clean about the whole matter.
"The only reason we discussed you becoming a Hero Companion was so that you could meet Sally. I don't think either of us really thought about you trooping through the wilderness and facing villains," said Sid.
"I guess I was kind of thinking about what we'd do with each other while on Chaos," said Cynthia as a short little fantasy of the two of them making love next to a waterfall flashed through her mind in a fraction of a second.
"I can imagine," Sid said in a voice that suggested he was bothered by that prospect. He couldn't see a single positive reason for her to travel to Chaos. He was convinced that everything about the time spent on Chaos would be torture. The idea that his sexuality would contribute to that torture bothered him.
"What do you mean by that?" asked Cynthia feeling as if she'd been insulted. From the way he had answered, it sounded like he was sure that she couldn't keep her hands off him because of his heroic manner. She couldn't believe that he would start with the macho bullshit that all women would want to sleep with him.
"I'm sure that you were dreading that even more than camping," Sid answered as he started the car. He looked over at Cynthia and saw the expression on her face. Wondering what he had said that was so wrong, he turned off the engine and asked, "What?"
"That was the only reason I was still considering the idea," said Cynthia blurting out more information than intended.
"Oh," said Sid feeling foolish. It took a moment for the full implications of what she said to sink into his brain. Realizing that she was actually looking forward to serving his needs, he asked, "Really?"
Biting her lower lip, Cynthia stared at Sid unable to believe that he was totally unaware of her feelings for him. She wondered if he was so caught up in his fantasy world that he wasn't looking for a way to put it behind them. Trying to look casual, she said, "Uh, let's get to the restaurant."
Sid stared at Cynthia for a couple of seconds before starting the car. As he drove to the restaurant, his mind was racing a thousand miles per hour. He wondered if she would care to have a relationship with him knowing that he would disappear to have adventures in Chaos. Shaking his head, he wondered what she would think about him sleeping with Sally and the Damsels he rescued. He decided that it wasn't something that could be decided then and there, but would have to be the subject of future discussions.
The Texas House of Steak was a steak house that attempted to have a Texan atmosphere. Rough unfinished planks decorated the walls in an attempt to look rustic. Sid recalled the places in Chaos and knew what rustic really looked like. Rustic was dirt floors and often included major gaps in the walls that were filled with dried mud.
The décor was tacky. On the walls hung items associated with cowboys, including hats, spurs, ropes, and tack. Filling in large spaces around the cowboy paraphernalia were pictures of cowboys and movie posters of westerns. John Wayne was the most frequent actor represented on the movie posters.
Cynthia looked around the room impressed by the atmosphere. The only time she had ever been to a place as nice as this was with her parents and that had been for her high school graduation. She said, "Isn't this a nice place?"
"Yes, it is," Sid said without the same level of enthusiasm she demonstrated. He'd been stationed for a while in Fort Hood and didn't recall Texas looking quite this bad. Considering the location of Fort Hood that was saying a lot.
A hostess wearing blue jeans, a western style shirt, and a straw cowboy hat led them to a table. She wore tennis shoes rather than boots and the hat sat too high on her head giving her the appearance of a rodeo clown rather than a cowgirl. After handing out menus, the woman said, "Your waitress will be right over."
They spent a few minutes in silence examining the menu. Sid picked out the large T-bone steak and set the menu to the side. He watched as Cynthia debated different items. Several minutes passed before she finally said, "I think I'd like the Grilled Tuna."
"What about side dishes?" Sid asked so that he would know what to order.
"I guess I'll go with the salad bar rather than the soup. The rice pilaf and vegetables would be good with the tuna," she answered.
"Care for a nice Cabernet with your dinner?"
"That would be wonderful," she answered without mentioning that she wasn't old enough to legally drink wine.
It was a few minutes later when the waitress, also wearing a straw cowboy hat and sneakers, arrived to take their drink orders. Sid ordered a glass of Cabernet for Cynthia and a beer for himself. The waitress took the fact that he ordered for the both of them in stride. After she left to turn in their drink order, Sid said, "I have come to the decision that it isn't necessary for you to meet Sally. I would have to say that you have transformed yourself into a woman that any man would desire."
"Oh, thank you. However, I was looking forward to meeting Sally," Cynthia said wanting to make him sweat a little. She smiled at the thought that he had finally given up his whole fantasy world.
Sid frowned and thought about it. He had thought that a conversation with Sally would teach Cynthia a little about how to turn on the sex appeal and how to behave with a man in a more private encounter. He said, "I suppose we could start training if you really want to go. My next adventure is in three weeks."
"Three weeks? I thought you said it would be in a week."
"I received a call from another hero yesterday. All adventures are postponed. Apparently there is going to be a war there and I'm needed to lead an army."
Cynthia rolled her eyes at the statement about leading an army. He wasn't giving up his fantasy world. Disappointed, she said, "That's nice."
Her answer was so out of step with the discussion that it confused Sid for a moment. Rather than respond, he said, "Well, as I was about to say. It is probably for the best if you don't go there. You might want to consider it sometime in the future when you're better prepared."
"Okay," Cynthia said.
"I hope you aren't disappointed."
Cynthia smiled despite his continued insistence that his world was real. Happy that he was dropping it as a fiction that she had to buy into, she said, "Only that you aren't interested in taking me there so that I can relieve your sexual tensions after a hard day of thrashing villains to an inch of their lives."
Sid laughed at the obvious joke. Shaking his head, he said, "Good one."
She was going to say more, but the waitress arrived with their drinks. She was now entirely convinced that Chaos and Crossroads was a fiction and he was trying to weasel out of the suggestion that he take her there. She hoped it meant that they could start having a real relationship in which the fiction didn't interfere with honest discussion.
After the waitress placed their drinks in front of them, she then asked for their dinner orders. Having discussed the matter with Cynthia, Sid ordered for the both of them. The waitress didn't comment, apparently used to that kind of behavior. It was clear to Sid that a sufficient number of her customers were elderly.
Once the meals had been ordered and the waitress had departed, the couple went to the salad bar and prepared small dinner salads. They carried their plates back to the table and took their places. Sid felt that salad bars were one of the symptoms of a world that had forgotten romance. It was hard to maintain an intimate conversation when you had to leave the table to get your own food.
Once they were seated, Cynthia asked, "So is there more that you want to tell me?"
"Oh, yes. Well," answered Sid trying to collect his thoughts. After taking a sip of his beer, he said, "You asked me to help you become more like the ideal woman I described in class. Judging by the way you dress, walk, talk, and carry yourself, I would have to say that you have gotten as close to the ideal woman as I can imagine."
"Thank you." She was touched by his obvious compliment, although the reminder of the basis for their relationship was a sore spot.
"With your decision not to go to Crossroads, there is nothing more I can do for you."
Cynthia looked surprised at the direction of the conversation. She wondered if he was about to drop her. Hesitating, she said, "I suppose so."
"Now that my part in this is done, I'd like to ask you for a date," Sid said.
Frowning, Cynthia asked, "Isn't this a date?"
Surprised by her answer, he said, "No. I asked you to dinner so that we could discuss your visit to meet Sally."
"Oh, I guess I misunderstood."
"If this had been a date, we'd have never done anything so crass as to go to a restaurant. I would have prepared a much better way for us to spend our time together. I believe that a date requires much more planning than just a simple, 'Let's go out to eat.' That is particularly true of a first date," Sid said.
"Really?" asked Cynthia. She'd never been on a date as nice as this one. She wondered what he considered a proper first date.
"Yes, really. It is all about romance," answered Sid. Gesturing to their surroundings, he said, "I know that a dinner date is the extent of modern romantic thinking, but let's be honest  there's nothing really romantic about a meal in a restaurant. They want to get customers in and out as fast as possible."
"Now you have me curious about what a real date involves. I guess I would be quite pleased if you would ask me on a date." Cynthia felt foolish talking in that manner.
Sid said, "I think there is nothing ruder than misleading someone intentionally."
"I have to agree."
"You must understand that there is no way that I will ever give up my trips to Crossroads and Chaos," Sid said.
At his continued insistence that his fantasy world was real, Cynthia decided it was a face saving effort. Plastering a false smile on her face, she replied, "I understand."
"Going to Crossroads and rescuing Damsels requires that I engage in certain activities that are of a rather private nature while I'm in Crossroads."
"Like sleeping with Sally and impregnating the Damsel," Cynthia said. She wondered if she was going to be able to compete with an imaginary woman. Imaginary women were too perfect and could do no wrong.
"Yes."
"I understand," said Cynthia.
"So may I have the honor of your company next Sunday for a date?" Sid asked satisfied that the matter had been laid to rest.
"Yes. I would be honored to accompany you next Sunday," she replied wondering if she was making a mistake.
The waitress arrived carrying a large round tray with their food. A busboy rushed over with a stand and opened it for her. After setting the tray on the stand, the waitress placed their orders on the table without having to ask which meal belonged to which person. After a quick question about if there was any thing more they needed, she disappeared before they even had a chance to answer. Sid watched the waitress run off and shook his head. Turning to Cynthia, he said, "Good appetite."
For the most part, they were silent as they ate their meals. After long stretches of silence, they would exchange comments about the quality of the food. Sid's steak was prepared just as he had ordered it and it tasted good. Cynthia loved her grilled tuna and, unlike what many young women would do when in a restaurant with a young man, ate the entire thing. Sid appreciated the fact that she actually ate the meal.
Once they had finished eating, they discussed school and their plans for the future. Cynthia admitted that she had not yet selected a major although she was considering accounting. Sid told her that he was considering a business major, although he was finding his history class much more enjoyable than he had anticipated. It was a comfortable time and Crossroads was never mentioned.
Sid took Cynthia home. Once there, he walked her to the door and waited until she had entered the house before leaving. Before parting, they went over the details of the date. He was to pick her up at noon on Sunday and would return her at home by ten.
Exactly at noon on Sunday, Sid walked up the path to Cynthia's door wearing an overcoat over a nice suit. The weather was cool enough to require the coat. He was carrying a bouquet of flowers, held out proudly for all to see rather than down at his side as if embarrassed by them. He rang the doorbell and stepped back to wait. Her mother answered the door and invited him inside. Sid introduced himself to the woman and explained that he would be bringing Cynthia home around ten that evening. As a courtesy, he gave her an overview of their itinerary in case there was a need to get in contact with them.
After a few minutes, Cynthia entered the room. She was wearing a beautiful white dress such as a woman might wear to church on Easter. It was attractive, sexy, and virginal at the same time. When he presented her with the bouquet of flowers, her smile could have brightened a sunny day. Her mother flitted around the couple and ultimately ran off with the flowers to put them in a vase.
Ever the gentleman, Sid helped Cynthia into her coat while her mother watched in amazement. Although Cynthia had never dated much, she had worried about her daughter and the kinds of boys who had come to the house in the past. She couldn't believe that Cynthia had managed to find a young man who was such a gentleman. After Sid escorted Cynthia from the house, her mother was left in the living room making wedding plans.
From the house, Sid took Cynthia to a greenhouse owned by a friend of his. Considering the time of year, it was too cold outside for a picnic. The greenhouse, used to raise cacti, was warm and dry. It was the perfect place for a picnic. He took her coat and hung it on a peg near the door. His coat went on the peg beside hers.
After laying out a blanket on a small patch of ground near the door of the greenhouse, he led Cynthia to it and helped her get seated. She kept looking around at the exotic plants amazed at her surroundings. She had grown up in the area and had never known the greenhouse was here.
Placing a picnic basket next to the blanket, Sid settled on the blanket next to her. Making a big production out if it, he set out a large lunch of finger sandwiches, sliced fruits, vegetables with a dip, and a bottle of wine. After opening the wine, he poured two glasses and handed one to Cynthia. Raising his glass, he said, "Here's to our first date."
"I'm amazed," Cynthia answered as she touched her glass to his. She took a sip of her wine and smiled. She said, "You really went all out for this."
"For even a chance to see your smile, I would do twice as much," Sid said looking her in the eye.
Cynthia was feeling giddy as a school girl. Embarrassed by the compliment, she giggled and blushed. It took her a moment to get herself under sufficient control to say, "Thank you."
Sid picked up a sandwich and held it out for her to taste. Leaning forward she ate it from his hand. That set the tone for the rest of the lunch. In a slow and leisurely manner, they each fed the other. Cynthia had never known that sharing a meal could be so intimate and erotic.
Sid made sure that they took their time. Eating lasted well over an hour, with frequent pauses for conversation. Most of the conversation consisted of little compliments about the way she looked. In the process, all of the food had been consumed and the bottle of wine emptied.
After lunch, Sid took Cynthia to a local art museum where they spent time going from room to room discussing one painting after another. Outside of a single school trip while in third grade, Cynthia had never really been to an art museum. She found the experience far more fascinating than she would have predicted. Sid asked her opinion about each piece of art. She felt that while she was appreciating the art, he was appreciating her.
They entered a room that was filled with western art. Sid led her over to a rather large painting of a rocky canyon. Pointing to it, he said, "This is my favorite one here."
Looking over the painting, Cynthia could see that it presented a rugged outdoors that was wild and untouched by man. The season was autumn. Trees, stunted by growing in a rocky soil, reached skyward with limbs covered with red and yellow leaves. A small creek with a trickle of water cut through the rocks, bringing life to the plants. With just a little imagination, one could feel that there were animals hidden just out of view. She smiled and said, "I like it. It's rugged and untamed. In a way, it reminds me of your description of Chaos."
"Thank you," Sid said. He shifted his arm so that he was holding her hand. Lifting her hand to his lips, he kissed the back of her hand. In a soft voice, he said, "I'm glad you like it."
The kiss had sent chills down her spine and her legs threatened to give out from under her. She thought to herself, 'Whoever heard of kissing a woman's hand now a days?' Looking over at Sid, she knew the answer to her question. She smiled at him finding that he was looking into her eyes. She almost fell into him, drawn to him by his unwavering gaze.
"It is closing time," said the guard. His interruption broke the spell.
Turning to face the guard, Sid recalled his previous employment as a security guard. He said, "Thank you, sir. You are a lucky man to work surrounded by such beauty."
"Thank you," the guard answered feeling like it was just another job and one that didn't pay as much as he wished.
Patting Cynthia's hand, he added, "But I must count myself even luckier, as I get to leave with this beauty beside me."
The guard smiled and moved on to tell others that the museum was closing. Cynthia was trying to still her beating heart. In a daze, she allowed Sid to escort her to the front of the museum where they collected their coats. Sid helped her put her coat on. By the time she had recovered, Sid was wearing his coat. She said, "I've never been to a museum before."
"Well, now you can say that you've spent an entire afternoon at one. We've been here for almost four hours," Sid said.
After the museum, Sid took her to a small deli for sandwiches. Apologizing, he said, "I fear that we must eat here if we are to make it to the theatre on time."
"Theatre?" Cynthia asked.
"Yes. There's a local production of the Pirates of Penzance tonight. I thought you might enjoy it," Sid answered.
"What is that?"
"It is a musical by Gilbert and Sullivan. It's one of my favorites of their works," answered Sid. His uncle had introduced him to the works of Gilbert and Sullivan, but this was his favorite of them all. He particularly liked the song about a perfectly modern major general.
The couple shared a sandwich and then walked over to a small theatre nearby. Sid presented the tickets and they went in to find their seats after checking their coats. It was a small theatre that seated about a hundred people so the view was good from every seat in the house. After being there for five minutes, the lights dimmed and the production began.
Cynthia had never seen anything like it. She couldn't believe how much more fun it was to watch a play than to watch a movie. Even though it was an amateur production, the acting was reasonably good. The sets left much to the imagination, but that was part of the charm. The jokes were delivered with the appropriate timing and the songs were sung in proper rhythm.
Exiting the theatre, Cynthia was excited about the play. She kept rehashing scenes from it and giggling like crazy. Sid was happy that this date had gone so well. Smiling broadly, he escorted her to his truck. It was getting close to ten and he wanted to get her home at the time he had promised.
It was just a few minutes before ten when he parked the truck in front of her house. Cynthia turned to him wondering what would happen now. In the past, this part of the date usually turned into a wrestling match. Much to her surprise, Sid got out of the car and walked around to her side. After opening the door for her, he helped her out of the truck. He walked her up to the front door. Once there, he held her so that she faced him. He leaned forward and gave her a soft kiss. With her heart hammering in her chest, she grabbed him and kissed him back as hard as she could.
They broke off the kiss. Without any kind of embarrassment, Sid said, "I had a wonderful time today. I hope that you will honor me with another date a week from today at the same time."
"Oh, yes," Cynthia answered with a sigh.
Sid gestured to the door and she opened it. After she had closed the door behind her, she collapsed against it. Her mother had watched the kiss through the window and smiled at the expression on her daughter's face. Although Sid was nearly to his truck, he could clearly hear her mother, in a near scream, ask, "So how was it?"
He couldn't hear Cynthia answer, "Oh, my God. That was the most
wonderful day of my life."