Afternoon Delight – a page from the book
Wow, does that song bring up some thoughts! Liz, being the “Oldies” music lover, happened to hear that song on the radio from 1976. Come on, be honest, you remember it too.
It was quite arousing as she recalled, so she decided to look it up on YouTube and play it again, just for fun. God, the band members all looked so young like they were teens! Maybe they were. And the guy in the tan pants singing with the group definitely had something going on behind his zipper!
Anyway, it was later that week that Liz and some friends were talking about the idea of being able to have a little “afternoon delight” now and again, and Dharma started laughing out loud about her old lover. “He asked me one time, ‘how is it having sex when your house is so close to your neighbors?’ (remember she lives in a mobile home park). And I said to him, ‘Well, I can tell you that when Joe and Kathy, my next door neighbors play certain music in the afternoon, very loudly I might add -maybe she’s a screamer, that they’re having sex. The lady on the other side of them is hard of hearing but boy, I sure hear it. If they play afternoon music then they’re having wild sex. And how do I know? Because when they come out on the patio later, they are flushed and smiling!. And the music is low.”
Cheers to a willing partner, some Viagra if needed and no grandkids around. Here’s to the new Happy Hour!
Who are Liz and Dharma?
They came of age during the 60’s – sex, drugs and rock n’roll everywhere. One grew up in the South in a conservative Catholic family, the other was in Southern California trying anything new with passion. They’ve now found themselves living in a small town in Central California, where everybody knows something about you (especially any scandal). They are best friends, braving the challenges of the Golden Years, even though it sometimes feels like tarnished silver.
They are discovering side hustles for some extra income which get them into tangled situations (sometimes by choice, sometimes by happenstance), and are not afraid to take on controversy. They’re not ready to throw in the towel on intimate relationships and sex….bring on sex, drugs and rock n’roll for seniors! But that’s not as easy as it seems.
They are much like you and me- complex, lovable, and don’t be shocked by some of the things that come out of their mouths!
Liz and Dharma Introduction:
What makes a good story turn into a great story? We believe a great story gathers a life of its own as it unfolds in front of the reader. Some truth, so it’s sort of believable. Some fantasy to keep it titillating. The addition of money issues, great sex, colorful characters, some mystery, and a healthy dose of humor give it page turning excitement. Welcome to the world of Liz and Dharma.
Meet Liz. She looks young for her age (that’s what people tell her, even if they don’t know how old she is…is that a compliment or an insult??) If she has a couple glasses of wine, she’d probably tell you her age, because she believes in honesty. Well, most of the time.
Meet Dharma. Liz’s best friend. Same age, makes no excuses for her behavior, has a few marriages in her past, some better than others, OBVIOUSLY.
They both have realized that they are entering the G Zone with a capital G. Not to be confused with the G Spot which we will get to later. The G Zone (Gray Zone for you youngsters) is that place where you cease to be taken seriously by the rest of the world, where you are no longer considered “hot” and are nearing the end of your shelf life but not yet past the expiration date. Screw that!
The Gray Zone is a hotbed of competition. Since women tend to outlive men, the GZone is filled with women looking to vie for the same few men, simply because there are fewer men to go around! And you thought the competition in the Hunger Games was intense!! When a woman’s husband dies, she gets lovely sympathy cards, hugs and murmurs of “you’ll get through this”. When a man’s wife dies, he gets casseroles delivered to his door, offers of home cooking, afternoon card games followed up by a shoulder to cry on over drinks and the suggestion that a backrub might be just the thing he needs (wink, wink). If you’re a good cook, you’re on the inside track to the finish line. If you’ve got money, you’re in the final heat. And if you’re a good listener as well, then honey you’re almost home free. After all, some men are just looking for a “nurse or a purse”. Step aside if you can’t make awesome pasta or meatloaf.
So what’s a woman to do when she finds herself single, not quite ready to call it quits on sex and relationships while trying to figure out how to survive with less than ideal financial circumstances (thanks to that dearly departed husband who was an idiot with money)? She does what any rational woman would do. She pours herself a big glass of chardonnay and calls her best friend.
And the rest, as they say, is history.