My elder sister and I with the whole family are having lunch in a restaurant. She’s narrating her recent trip to Germany where she underwent stem cell treatment — something she goes through every year (partly as an aftermath of her choco addiction) with my brother-in-law, her husband. While the conversation progresses, he stands up and goes out to take a phone call. My sister turns to me.
She (with eagerness): My German doctor. He’s cute and I think he likes me.
Me: He is? He does?
She: He’s been sweet and extremely attentive to me. And I believe I’m the only female patient he kissed on both cheeks when we said our goodbyes.
Me: Ooh… (nodding). Inner Me: Of course he’s that nice. You’re a customer! No, I can’t say that to her; I won’t dare refute the giddiest hunch of someone who allows me to live in one of their apartments nearly rent-free.
Me: Aren’t you happily married? I teasingly remind her. Because she unmistakably is.
She: Yes, very much, but I watched the movie “Same Time Next Year.” Interesting to be in that two-timing couple’s situation, I imagine. My sister’s smiling.
My eyes secretly widen in bewilderment; I need a drink quick as I search for any server passing by. “Uh, Waiter, a can of Coke Zero please!”
“Is he single?” I proceed to ask her.
She: Well, no. But blah blah blah…
Inner Me: Excuse me, sis. If he’s married, there’s no but. There can never be a but. (Sorry, though, to confess I previously broke that rule twice in my life. Don’t worry, Karma already made sure I paid the heaviest price.) I go on listening to my sis and keep nodding dumbly while she rattles on how maybe her doctor is gonna welcome some sort of fling with her regardless of both their connubial status.
She: The part where he injected (the goat, I mean sheep cells) bulged a bit so that became an excuse for me to email him. I had to ask about the swell…
Me: What did he say?
She: Well, he didn’t reply at first. So I had to email him again. He responded then. I think he’s just being cool and cautious because Joey (my sister’s husband) is his patient, too. But I can sense my doctor does like me as much as I like him.
Now I’m resisting the urge to dip my fingers in my glass of cold H20 and sprinkle some on her face.
“Dear dear sister of mine, you’re telling me he has seen your 50-year-old butt (the needle went there, btw) and now he helplessly finds himself having a crush on you. Listen, a good-looking well-moneyed medical practitioner like that will get carnal only with the best-looking female WHO’S HALF HIS AGE. Get real!” Again, no, I couldn’t tell her that. She’s paying for the whole meal.
My sister, in sudden mild reflection, continues: In our earlier years, Joey fooled around. Those were very stressful periods for me. Maybe he doesn’t anymore but I’m not quite certain. Now I realize I should have “hanged around” with other guys in the past.
I understand. I look at my sister keenly and start pondering as well. This is what happens when a woman has bedded only one man her entire life. I’ve gathered she’s just had the same discussion with our mother; how she feels sorry for herself for lacking “substantial experience” with men. I remember when she and I were in our earliest teens, our parents would lecture us till midnight not only about prioritizing our studies but more on the value of preserving our “innocence.” Our mother went so far as to insist our first boyfriend should end up as our husband, too, and should be the only male we’ll ever sleep with. Sister took it to heart (She and our mom have always been soulmates). Me? Inside I was like “Yuck!” The rebel in me at the time had already been emerging so my stance was “One dude in a whole lifespan? Not on your life.”
Anyway, my zany brother who’s been partially listening to our sisterly chat strongly butts in: Ho ho, jumping to conclusions! Too much chocolate again in your system, sister. The three of us laugh. My brother-in-law walks back to our table.
What is the moral of this blog piece? Sister should have slept around and all women should do so during their unwedded era. Unequivocally. And it matters little whether the men were fucking dickheads or not.
Wait, did I just say that? Give me two weeks of good night sleep to take it back.
******
++my brother, bro-in-law, sister and me in that most recent outing++
******
Yep, another old favorite love song (ad nauseum, I know) from way way back. This Dionne W’s deeper gentle version I surprisingly unearthed on YT as it was rarely played on the radio.
Bohemian Sentiments 
I told my son and daughter only a few things about “wedded bliss”.
I told them to make sure they had sex with a person BEFORE they got married.
Second, I told them to live with that person for about a year BEFORE they go married.
I did neither of those and had I, I doubt my children would have been born.
At least, that’s my thoughts now. I am very happy that my children were born, however, I was not happy with the marriage surrounding the births.
I broke the rule for my second marriage, too, as I got married too fast.
That might have gone by the roadside as well, had I followed what advice I give now.
Anyway, I see your thoughts and I agree with them.
Btw, perhaps, you should have told her those things…just a thought.
Scott
I wasn’t feeling confident on how to respond to your comment because in spite of the brief sentiments I exposed in my piece, I believe I’d messed up in my previous relationships with men and currently do not consider myself any wiser still. I approached the incident and subject matter above more with cynicism and humor instead of the pragmatism it required.
“Perhaps, you should have told her those things…” Much as I was tempted, I couldn’t. First, it would’ve burst her bubble big time; second, she might have evicted me from her property at once. 😀
“I told my son and daughter only a few things about “wedded bliss.” I told them to make sure they had sex with a person BEFORE they got married. Second, I told them to live with that person for about a year BEFORE they got married.” My exact convictions as well. And it’s also interesting to recognize the way we’d bend/break the rules and learn that nothing in life is ever certain especially when it comes to human interaction.
It’s good to see you again, Scott. I appreciate very much your insightful response.