[MarvHarvey]

Christine's Problem: Chapter 2 Part 1

We had both canoes on the SUV, and all our gear for a 6 day (5 night) canoe trip inside with the four of us – it was snug, but the drive was just a few hours. Now here we were at the eastern boat launch of the Keeneeshello Reserve, ready to put in. My anxiety was peaking – I was almost sick with the flock of geese flapping around in my stomach.

It was mid-day on Sunday, so the launch area was quiet, mostly just a few recreational boaters from the nearby beach. Day-trippers and weekend campers would be coming back later in the day, but there were few others heading out at this point in the week – the reason we were going out into the Keenees now so we would have our corner of the our lake pretty much to ourselves. That was why the girls had extended the trip for the whole week, and it was easy to reserve the place we wanted for Sunday to Friday.

As I got out, Allie came around and confronted me. “OK! Now you are under control of Chrissy until we get back to here on Friday, under your promise to be her wood splitter. And she has of course given me full authority too!” At this last part she gave me a big shark-eating grin that I knew too well. “Now, out of the shirt and shorts – this is why I told you to wear the new swimsuit I bought you.”

“But, Allie! It's the boat launch and I need my shorts and....” But I could see the look on her face. And I was just irritating her.

“You will do as you are told! Now stand out here in that cute suit. See, Julian has a new one too!” I had not seen him going through the same routine with Chrissy on the other side of the car. “Now both of you will take turns getting your sunscreen on. You will put your hands on your head and we will work together to lather you up.”

Christine added, “don't give us that shocked look. Yes, every guy in the place will see you getting sunscreen rubbed all over by two hot chicks – they'll be more envious of that than looking at your little red suits.“ The giggle showed that she was quite aware that the big problem would be to avoid becoming too publicly aroused while being lathered up by these too saucy vixens.

My shoulders slumped a bit, but she was right – OK – hands on my head and stand still. And indeed with four warm soft hands putting my sunscreen on I got very aroused very fast. The bulge in the front of my new Speedo was growing … and growing. My face got as red as the suit as I tried to lean a bit to hide it, but it was a useless effort. And it didn't go down as I had to stand and watch Julian get the same treatment with the same results.

“OK, you can start unloading,” Chris told us, and we lowered our hands and turned away from anyone who might be watching.

“Hey girls! Do us next?” came a call from one of three guys half way across the parking lot.

“Only if you lose the shirts and those baggy shorts, we do all or nothing!” Allie always had a quick and saucy retort. She waved the bottle of sunscreen at them but as she expected the guys laughed and one called “no way!” as they turned away, although one had a thoughtful look and I think he would have been game if his buddies had not been so quick to so no. He would not have been disappointed.

Julian and I took a few minutes to 'come down' from that, re-tucking ourselves in our suits a few times as we got the canoes off the roof, and the girls did their own sunscreen.

With all four of us working at it the canoes were loaded up in a few minutes. The other last-minute surprise for me was that my clothes bag was coming out of the pack, and staying behind. I would have hat, sunglasses, shoes, sandals, rain gear, the red Speedo, and another swimsuit that Allie had tucked in with her clothes – I would need nothing else? So, protective gear and a couple of scraps of spandex!



"Allie, I'll be cold in the evening, and what if the mosquitoes are bad?"


"Ha ha! I guess you'll have to work hard then won't you. If you keep moving, the mosquitoes won't catch you - maybe."



Chrissy added: "Maybe I can help you work hard enough to stay warm at night? Doesn't that sound like fun?"



What would they spring on me next? It was hard to believe but my anxiety jumped yet again as she put another bag I had not seen into the empty space in the pack. What on earth...and the geese in my stomach started flying around in frenzied circles. I was starting to worry that this would all be more than I bargained for.

Then we were on our way out into the Keenees. The pace was easy as we waited to see how Chrissy's energy would hold up. Soon the calm of paddling came over us all.