Entry 19611110 - Backstory 3

_November 10, 1961, Milford, Ohio_


"Fran! You're going to be late for the parade!" Esther Sorkin called down the hallway.

"I'm almost ready, Mom!" Fran called back.

She was late because when she'd woken up, it had been in the middle of a dream about Ben, a very GOOD dream, and she'd rubbed herself to satisfy an urge that she couldn't control. She finished putting on her makeup and hurried to the foyer so that she, her parents, and her sister could walk to the library, which would take about fifteen minutes. They left the house and were immediately joined by Allison and Beverly and their parents, and then Bobby, Jennie, and their families.

"So?" Beverly asked expectantly.

Fran shot Beverly a dirty look because there was no way she was going to say anything about parking with Ben, and absolutely not in front of her parents! When they got to the library, they found clear spots along the sidewalk, but they couldn't all stand together. Fran and Allison managed to find a spot where it was just the two of them, though there were others around them, just nobody they knew.

"So?" Allison asked, repeating Beverly's question.

"Just necking," Fran said quietly. "But it made me feel all squishy inside!"

Allison's eyes darted around, then she said quietly but giddily, "My insides were squished!"

"You and Bobby?" Fran gasped.

Allison nodded, "You know my parents were out last night, and there was no way I was going to let Bev add Bobby to her list!"

"But..."

"But what? It was AWESOME!"

"Did it hurt?"

"For maybe a second, but then it was like I was in heaven! So, you and Ben?"

"We have a date for next Saturday after services at the synagogue."

"And?" Allison giggled.

"He's supposed to call me to let me know what we're going to do. Are you going to do it again?"

"Bobby's parents both work!" Allison giggled.

"Be careful, Ally!"

"I'm not dumb!" Allison protested. "My brother bought rubbers from the machine in the men's at the Sohio station for me. I would never have let Bobby have me without one!"

"When did you decide?"

"When I figured out Bobby thought he had a chance to get Bev."

"EVERYONE has a chance to get Bev!" Fran said, shaking her head.

The parade began, as it usually did, with the Milford marching band playing the National Anthem, and then the volunteer fire department lead the way in their new engine. They were followed by the mayor and city councilmen, and then the VFW. The marching band came next, and then the school flag and rifle corps. As was the norm, people came from the sidewalks to follow the parade to where it ended at Five Corners, and then everyone went to Greenlawn Cemetery to pay their respects. From there, everyone gathered on the huge playground and combination football and baseball field for lunch, with hot dogs, hamburgers, and other food available from vendors in tents.

"Hi there," a young man in a suit said to Fran, Beverly, Allison, and their friends Elaine and Nancy. "I'm Kent and I want to invite you to a new church here in Milford."

"I'm Jewish," Fran replied.

"I'm Catholic," Allison declared.

"And I don't believe in God," Beverly stated. "So blow!"

The young man frowned, "Well, if you ever want to hear the truth about the Good News, we're meeting at the VFW hall on Sunday mornings!"

"I said, blow!" Beverly growled.

The young man turned and moved on to speak to another group.

"I heard you like to worship on your knees!" Allison teased.

"Not some 'holy roller' type! That's just NOT happening!"

"What's not happening?" Alan Blanchard asked, coming up to the girls. "Hi, Nancy."

Alan had been interested in Nancy for ages, but she'd never agreed to go out with him.

"Hi, Alan," Nancy replied. "Just some guy who asked us to come to his new church."

"Which one?" he asked.

"He said they meet at the VFW."

"Grace Church," Alan replied. "That's the church my family goes to."

"Count me out!" Beverly declared. "Let's talk about something else!"

"Did you guys hear about the plane crash in Virginia the day before yesterday?" Sam Mercer asked coming up to the group with a hot dog in hand.

"No," several of them replied.

"Seventy-seven fatalities, but two crew members survived. It was mostly new Army recruits, according to the _Enquirer_. That's the second most in any single plane crash ever in the US!"

"What happened?" Alan asked.

"Nobody knows but the report in the newspaper said they had engine trouble during the flight. The Civil Aeronautics Board will investigate, but that usually takes a few weeks or even months."

"Not working today, Sam?" Fran asked.

"Everything is closed except the Rexall," Sam replied. "And they're only open for a few hours now that the parade is over."

"Who's your friend, Jennie?" Allison asked.

"This is Linda Kane, from Goshen. She's fourteen and our dads work together at P&G."

Everyone said 'hi' to Linda, and then she and Jennie went to get something to eat.

"Fran, can I talk to you a minute?" Sam asked.

She nodded and they moved a bit away.

"Are you doing anything tomorrow night?"

"No."

"Would you like to see _West Side Story_ at the theater in Mariemont?"

Fran liked Sam, but she had a date with Ben in a week, and she didn't want to be known as a two-timer, even if she didn't have Ben's class ring.

"I would, but I'm seeing someone," Fran said gently. "You met him last night."

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were steady with him."

She wanted to let Sam down easy, and truth be told, she liked him.

"I'm not," she replied, "but I wouldn't feel right going out with a boy when I already have a date planned with another boy. Ask me again?"

Sam smiled, "Sure!"

Fran smiled and they went back to the group, though people were coming and going as they got food or a drink. Eventually, after about an hour, Fran and Allison got permission to go home, deciding to hang out together at Allison's house.

"So you and Bobby really did it?" Fran asked.

"Yes! Why would I say I did if I didn't?"

"I think sometimes Bev makes things up to sound cool."

"I don't," Allison declared. "In fact, I think she's done it with more guys than she lets on. Including at least TWO teachers!"

"She's going to wind up pregnant or catch a social disease!" Fran replied. "Can I ask what would happen if you and Bobby break up?"

"You mean would I do it with another guy? Sure, if he was a hunk and treated me nice! You and Ben?"

"Maybe," Fran allowed. "Sam Mercer asked me out today."

"What did you say?"

"I have a date with Ben a week from tomorrow and it feels wrong to accept a date with Sam when I already have something planned with Ben. I told Sam to ask again."

"That makes sense, I guess. The last thing you want is a reputation as a 'two-timer'."

"Or being 'easy'," Fran added.

"Ben doesn't go to our school so it's not like he could brag to anyone who mattered. Bobby won't say anything because if he does, he'll never get it again! And he knows it!"

"Was it like you imagined?"

"You have no idea, Fran! Oh my God! Have you, uhm, ever rubbed yourself?"

"A couple of times," Fran replied quietly.

"Like that, only times a hundred!" Allison declared.

"So he knew what he was doing?"

Allison laughed, "It's kind of obvious how it works once you think about it!"

"I know THAT," Fran exclaimed. "I mean how to make you feel really good."

"Not the first time, but the second."

"Twice! In one night?"

"Yes!" Allison giggled.

"I can't believe your brother got you condoms!"

"He'll do anything for me! I saved his butt when his girlfriend snuck into his room through the window last year."

"What!?" Fran gasped.

"My parents almost caught them, but I distracted my dad long enough for her to sneak out."

"How did you know?" Fran asked.

Allison giggled, "His room is next to mine and they weren't quiet enough! 'Oh, Ken!' 'Yes!' My parents would have killed him, not to mention what Mary's parents would have done!"

"And if you and Bobby get caught?"

"We'll be careful! So, you and Ben?"

"I don't know," Fran replied. "It's a big step. But Ben is SO dreamy! Did you bleed?"

"Just a little. I made sure I got the stain out of the sheet so the old lady wouldn't see it."

"Are you guys going steady now?"

"If Bobby knows what's good for him!" Allison declared.

"Shouldn't you have asked first? That was your first real date with him!"

"Oops!" Allison laughed. "I screwed on a first date! I'm such a slut!"

"I didn't mean it that way!" Fran responded.

"And you know Bobby and I have known each other forever, and we've hung out. Besides, there was no way I was going to let Beverly add him to her list! She would have thought it was fun to get him before I did. So I decided to get him! And now, he's mine!"

"Does he know that?"

"Of course!"

Fran wasn't so sure. And that's what made her stop and think about Ben. Her body was making demands, but if she was going to do it, Ben had to make some promises, the most important one was that they would be steady. Fran didn't feel the need to wait until she was married, but she sure wasn't going to give it up casually. But if Ben asked her to go steady, that was different. She could imagine being married to him, because he didn't plan to be a rabbi. That would have put a stop to things before they even started.

Then she remembered what she'd said to Sam - to ask her again. She knew if she turned him down twice, he might never ask again and she liked him. Sam was a really good guy, but he seemed a bit boring and unexciting compared to Ben. Fran knew she was lucky to have two really nice guys to choose from, and she was sure she might meet others when she went to college. She hadn't decided what to study just yet, but thought about being a teacher, or perhaps a social worker. She wanted a job which would make it easy to have kids and keep working, as the last thing she wanted to be was a homemaker like her mom.

"As long as you're sure."

"You and Ben aren't steady."

"Well, if he wants to do that with me, he's going to have to promise to only be with me _before_ he has me!"

They heard noises at the front door, which meant Allison's parents and brother were home, so Fran decided to go home to spend the afternoon reading, as she'd planned. She and Allison said 'goodbye' and then Fran walked the two blocks to her house. Her parents and little sister were home, and after greeting them, she went to the kitchen to make some hot chocolate. Once it was read, she too the mug and went to her room where she got her book. She set the mug of hot chocolate on the night stand, then curled up on her bed under a quilt and began reading.

The problem was, she couldn't focus. All she could think about was Ben and what it would be like to do it with him. She'd felt this way occasionally in the past, but now it seemed constant, and she had trouble thinking about anything else. Fran put her book down, got up and shut the door to her room, then got back under her quilt. She lay back and carefully slipped her hand inside her pants, not caring that she'd have to change her underthings. She ran her fingers through the downy hair, and found _the_ spot and began to gently rub, imagining it was Ben who was making her feel so good. The pleasure was so exquisite that Fran went slowly, building to what she knew was something earth shattering, something she'd experienced the previous night when she'd lain in her bed and rubbed herself before falling asleep.

"_Oh, Ben_!" she moaned in a whisper as she drew closer and closer to the pinnacle.

A loud knock at the door startled her.

"Fran, are you OK?" her mom called out.

"Uhm, just feeling a bit sick," Fran replied. "I think I drank a Coke too quickly at Allison's house.

"Do you need anything?"

"No, just to rest."

"OK. Dinner is at the normal time."

"Thanks, Mom. I think I'll nap."

"OK, honey."

Fran sighed and picked up her book, the mood broken. This time when she read, she was able to concentrate, as the fear of getting caught pleasuring herself overrode her desire to do it. About an hour later she heard the phone ring, and then heard a soft knock at the door.

"Yes?" she called out.

"Ben is on the phone, Frannie," her dad said. "Do you want to talk to him?"

"Yes," she replied carefully, not wanting to sound too excited, lest her dad become suspicious.

She got out of bed, and went to the kitchen where the phone was, and picked up the receiver from the counter where her dad had left it.

"Hi, it's Fran," she said into the phone.

"Hi, Fran!" Ben exclaimed. "Did you get permission for next Saturday?"

"I did! What did you want to do?"

"How about dinner and then we see _The Parent Trap_; it's playing at the new drive-in on Route 28 in Loveland."

"I better ask about the drive-in," Fran replied.

"OK. Can you ask now?"

"Yes. Hang on!"

Fran put the phone down and went to the living room where her dad was reading _The Sporting News_.

"Daddy?" Fran said.

Joshua Sorkin lowered his newspaper, "Yes?"

"You said I could go on a date with Ben next Saturday, and he wants to have dinner and then see _The Parent Trap_ at the Hi-Way 28 Drive-In. I said I'd have to ask about it."

"I'd really prefer you didn't go to a drive-in on a date, but if I can't trust Ben to behave like a gentleman, I'm not sure who I could trust."

"Is that a 'yes'?"

"It is. But I'll speak with Ben when he picks you up."

"Thanks, Daddy! You're the best!"

She went over, kissed him on the cheek, and went back to the kitchen.

"He said I can go, but he's going to speak to you when you pick me up."

"I can handle your old man!" Ben said. "I'm looking forward to it!"

"Me, too! See you at synagogue tomorrow?"

"Yes. Sorry I can't take you out tomorrow because I'm busy."

"It's OK! See you!"

"Bye!"

"Bye!"

She hung up and turned to see her mom standing there.

"Well, that call picked you right up! Ben is a very nice boy."

"I think so, too," Fran replied, again being careful not to sound too enthusiastic.

"Will you help me with dinner?"

"Yes, of course!"

Fran and her mom put on aprons and got to work.