Tiger




It was a day just like any other. Or so I thought. It was October 2nd in
Nashville and uncharacteristically hot. The thermometer on my old concrete
porch read 890. I knew that it was likely to be the last warm day in many
months. In fact, snow had been predicted for the following weekend. I had no
plans, no work, no responsibility. After a nice breakfast, I strolled out onto
my porch with a cup of coffee and leaned against the banister trying not to
think about Monday morning. It was Saturday. It was 9 am. I had the entire day
ahead of me and it was the most beautiful October morning I could ever
remember.

As I looked up from my first sip of coffee I noticed that the old Washburn
house had a large U-Haul parked out in front. It had to have been 6 months
since anyone had even looked at the house to my knowledge, and here this U-
Haul was. seemingly out of nowhere. Now you have to understand that my
neighborhood would rival any of those Fort Lauderdale stereotypical retirement
communities. My neighborhood was old and proud. It had a reputation as being
so. The community center even had a bulletin board dedicated solely to
obituaries. So naturally, I had a presupposition that this was going to be yet
another aged family moving to music city to be close to the Grand Ole Opry. I
looked at myself in my dark suede housecoat and flip flops. I had to be the
youngest member of the community at 23, and I loved the seclusion. Old people
never bother me. They can't hear me and I don't want to hear them. So we stay
stalemated. I chuckled at the thought of the elderly people. I wondered how
long it would take them to unload the U-Haul. I was thinking of being
neighborly and offering a hand, and then it happened.

The only thing I heard was the smashing of my favorite James Joyce coffee mug.
But I didn't flinch. Nor did I blink. Before me was a young woman. She was
beautiful and statuesque. She had to have been 5'7" maybe 135-140 pounds. Very
athletic looking. She had dark brown hair and I had yet to see her face
completely, but she did have perfect lips. It isn't that I have never seen a
beautiful woman before, but this one happed to be hauling a recliner-size
chair unassisted from the U-Haul. The cushions covered her face, but she
stopped and looked at me before entering the house. I heard a giggle and I
finally looked down to see that my mug was destroyed and coffee had stained
and scaled my shoes and feet. I was too awestruck to worry about that. I sat
there, open-mouthed, looking into space. I don't know how long I was comatose,
but a sudden voice woke me up.

".hello? Anyone in there?"

It was the girl. She was waiving her hand in front of my face. Suddenly
embarrassed I tried to be debonair.

"What? Wha. Oh? Hi."

She laughed again. A sweet voice.

"Hi!" she said again extending her right hand. "My name's Mandy. I guess we're
neighbors."

I dropped the remnant of my mug, took her hand and shook it. "Hi. I'm Tom.
Sorry about that. I broke my mug and then I just disappeared a while I guess."
I noticed how firm her grip was. Then I looked at her face for the first time.
She couldn't have been more than 17. Maybe 18.

"And that lady," she began, "is my mom, Teresa." She waived at her mother who
was carrying a few suitcases. "I'm sorry about your mug. I guess you don't see
many new neighbors around here?"

"Especially ones carrying Lazy Boys over their heads," I blurted before I
realized what I had said.

"Oh that old thing? I told mom to get rid of it. She doesn't ever listen to
me."

Had she not noticed? Perhaps I was off the hook. Somehow I doubted it. She
looked at me, almost smirking, with a very confident and knowing look.

"MANDY!" her mother called.

She looked over her shoulder and then back at me.

"I guess I should get going," she said. "I hope this isn't too forward, but
we'll be finished soon. My mom has a few friends here already, but I don't.
Think it would be OK if I dropped in for a few minutes after we finish for a
better introduction?"

I was taken back by the question. I really didn't know what to say. I just sat
there staring at here blankly for several seconds.

"That is. if you aren't too busy," she added cautiously.

"uh. oh? No. Sure. I'd be honored," I managed to stammer out.

She giggled and tweeted, "GREAT!" before turning and sauntering back across
the street.

She walked slowly, I thought surely for my benefit. That was the first time I
got a really good look at her. I was no longer surprised that she had so
easily carried the chair. She was only wearing a light blue baby tee; denim
cut off shorts and flip flops. Her body was lithe and thin, yet solidly
muscled. Every move she made, a muscle rippled. I particularly noticed her
legs and calves. She had a perfect diamond shape to her calves. She looked
over her right shoulder and waived. I waived back. After a while, I got up and
went in the house to get a shower and a clean set of clothes.

About 10:30 I was lounging around my living room and watching another Fran
Tarkenton infomercial when I hear a light yet firm knock on my screen glass
door. I looked up and there she was. peering in, sticking her tongue out at
me.

"Come on in," I offered waiving my hand and smiling.

She opened the door and quickly surveyed the room. I suddenly felt like I was
being tested. She smiled at me and plopped down on a nearby leather chair,
staring at me.

"You know," she said, "they say all a vampire needs to hunt their pray is an
invitation."

I laughed nervously. Why was she more comfortable than me all of the sudden?
She surveyed me in my wrinkled blue cotton shorts and red tee shirt.

"Nice legs," she said. "Not perfect, but nice."

What do you say to that? I was speechless. After a brief period of silence,
she clapped her hands authoritatively, and asked, "So. I wanna know all about
you Mr. Tom, what is there to know?" And then she added, "And I'll tell you
all about me as well. I know you are just dying to know."

Again, I had no clue if she knew what I was thinking, or if she was being
sarcastic. So the conversation began. We talked for a long time. I learned
that she was indeed 17. She had just turned 17 in September and was a
transferring senior at the local high school. She was an all state volleyball
player in Wisconsin, where she lived previously, and she was hoping to attend
Vanderbilt University. She was a very personable girl with a bright and
inquisitive mind. But the most striking thing about Mandy was her confidence.
She simply made me like her. And I told her all there was to know about me. I
live in this house. I work in publishing. I write free lance. At least that is
all I readily offered to her, but she droned out things in me I had never told
anyone. She simply captivated me. Before either of us knew it, it was noon. As
the song sparrow signaled the time she jumped up and clapped her hands
startling me.

"So. you just goin' to let a girl starve?"

"Errrm. no, well. I have."

She held up her hand and laughed.

"Which way is the kitchen? I'll make us some grub."

I pointed obediently and she skipped off singing "When Tom is hungry and has
no food, never fear its Mighty Mandy to the rescue."

I heard her scrounging around in the kitchen and I became anxious. I started
to get up several times, but something stopped me. She came back a few moments
later with two perfectly grilled cheese sandwiches, chips, a bottle of water
and a can of Mountain Dew. She handed me a sandwich and the Mountain Dew, my
favorite drink.

"How did you." I began.

"Well it was in your refrigerator Tom. Duh. Maybe I shouldn't go to Vanderbilt
if it turns out goobers like you."

Now she was teasing me. I couldn't believe what was happening. My world began
to spin. Minutes turned into hours and suddenly I looked at the clock and it
was 4:30 pm. We were watching an old James Bond movie, Dr. No.

"Do you think Ursula Andress was hot?" she asked suddenly.

"Who," I asked barely paying attention.

"Honey Rider," she stated more firmly.

I looked over at her. She was sprawled out in my chair looking at me out of
the corner of her eye.

"Yeah, I guess," I said. "She had great abs."

Mandy got up quickly and stepped in front of the TV and lifted her shirt up to
uncover the rest of her already visible stomach. She had a perfect six pack.
Solid yet somehow still feminine.

"Better than mine," she asked menacingly.

I sat there dumbfounded.

"I'll take that as a no."

She walked over and drug me to my feet. I didn't resist, but somehow I don't
think it would have mattered. She looked at me square in the eye and smiled.

"Tom. I have a great idea. Punch me in the stomach. I bet I can take it!"

"WHAT??" I yelled.

"Oh come on. pwease."

"You're actually begging me to punch you?"

"In the stomach," she warned.

"Mmk," I said cautiously. It was the first time in a long time I felt as if I
had ANY power. So I gave her a light tap. I didn't put any force into it, but
I could still feel her abs. solid steel.

She laughed at me.

"You're 5'10" and what? 150 lbs? Is that all you got Tommy?"

Now she was trying to provoke me. After dealing with the angel and devil on my
shoulders, I shrugged off the angel and gave her a solid hit. It wasn't the
hardest I could swing, but darn close. There was a loud pop, like hitting a
wall. My hand stung badly and I shook it out as I quickly looked at her face.
She was smiling.

"Guess all those years of volleyball pay off," she said. "My turn?"

I smiled back nervously. "Errrm.. OK, I guess."

I knew that my abs weren't nearly up to par with Mandy's. Actually, I didn't
know anyone with abs like that.

"Ready?" she asked.

"Yeah," I stammered, praying I wouldn't throw up on Mandy.

She hit me and my knees buckled. I fell to the ground with an "Ooomph." I felt
like I had been hit by a baseball bat.

"Oh my Gosh! Tom I'm sorry!" she screamed as she quickly knelt beside me.

I was seeing stars for sure. My equilibrium was all thrown off.

"Can you breathe?"

I couldn't answer. The next thing I know, Mandy grabs me under my knees and
neck and stands up cradling me in her arms. She practically ran to the couch
and quickly sat down with me laid across her legs. She rose up my shirt
exposing my hairy stomach. She started massaging my stomach muscles and
suddenly I was breathing well again. She looked me square in the eye and said,
"You shouldn't have let me do that Tom. What if I had really hit you?"

I don't know what came over me. The girl had just practically knocked me out
with an apparently pulled punch, but my ego took over. I smirked and said, "Oh
come on Mandy. You're barely 17, how much damage could you possibly do?"

"Oh, is that so?"

Suddenly I was hitting the floor and Mandy was looking down at me.

"Listen Tom. I really like you and I know that you REALLY like me, but if
we're going to be friends, we have to get a few things straight. I have been
brought up to be a strong confident woman. Just because you happen to be 6
years older than me doesn't amount to a hill of beans. So I am going to
wrestle you because for one. I know you have wanted to do that all day and
second. you need to be taught a lesson, Tommy."

You remember that line from Jerry MaGuire, "You had me at hello"? Well that is
how I felt. When Mandy said "Listen Tom" I knew I had made a mistake. And how
did she know I wanted to wrestle her anyway? I had even made myself NOT think
about it.

So I got up and we moved my table to another room. Then she closed and locked
my front door.

"Can't have you running away," she teased. "So what do you say? Best 2 out of
3? Pin or submit?"

"Umm. yeah. Whatever."

"Only one condition," she added, "On submissions, the winner has to accept the
submission."

I nodded my head in agreement and crouched down in a wrestler stance like I
had seen in the videos. She, on the other hand, stood upright with her hands
on her hips laughing.

"Well come on Tiger," she teased. "Let's see what you got."

I lowered my head and charged in like a bull. I collided with her and pushed
my shoulder into her stomach. I could feel my traction slipping, but she was
not budging. In fact, her right hand rested on my back and she was using her
left to remove her flip flops. She was resisting me solely with her abs and
the strength of one leg. Then she put me in a reverse head lock. I knew she
wasn't squeezing me hard, but it stung badly. I couldn't hear a thing. My legs
gave way and she was holding me up in the headlock. I thought about tapping
out but my arms were flailing already, so I screamed "OK I give," hoping she
could hear me. The next thing I knew, I was face first on the floor. I rolled
over on my stomach breathing in deeply. My vision was blurred, but I could see
her descending on me. smiling. She sat on my chest. 145 pounds never felt so
heavy.

"OK, that's one," I said.

"One what Tiger? I never accepted your submission. You don't get off that
easily."

With that, she stood up and sauntered back to the center of the room and
waited for me to get back up. Dejected, I stumbled to my feet. She was looking
at her nails, paying little attention to me. I saw my opening, so I charged in
at her and jumped in the air trying for a Lou Thez Press.

As soon as I started running, she looked up. She caught me in a front
piggyback type hold and kissed me on the lips. I was stunned, but unavoidably
turned on. She fell to her back with me on top of her after several seconds.

"Looks like it worked Tiger," she teased. "Better start counting."

"1,2,3," I said as quickly as I could.

Still laying on her she kissed me again. This time deeper and longer. "I don't
usually kiss on the first date Tiger. Consider yourself lucky."

With that, she easily rolled me off of her and kipped up to her feet. "That's
one-love for Tom. Better watch out."

I couldn't help wondering, if I was winning, why was I out of breath, stunned,
and sweating and why was she laughing and twirling her hair? And what was this
madness about a date?

As I stumbled to my feet she asked, "Ready for round two Tiger?"

"Ye.yeah."

For the first time in the "match" Mandy became the aggressor. She charged
right into me and grabbed my wrist, pulled me into her and hefted me up across
her shoulders. Then she started spinning me in an airplane spin. She started
slowly and became progressively faster. After what had to be forty or fifty
spins she stopped. Still holding me on her shoulders, she asked, "Give up?" I
couldn't answer. She started to spin again and I started screaming "No. I give
I give I give. I'm going to puke!" She stopped and dropped me hard. She fell
next to me laughing. "OK," she said between laughs, "I'll accept that as
one-one."

She noticed me rubbing my backside from being dropped and looked at me with
concerned eyes. "You all right babe?" she asked. I nodded and she stood up
quickly, pulling me with her. She had to help steady me a while. When we were
ready for the third fall, she looked at me with a bit of pity. I think she
knew I had my doubts.

"Tell you what," she said, "for the third fall I'll let you try to put me in
any hold you want before we start. Deal?"

I hardly thought it was fair, but it was my only chance. I agreed and asked
her to lie on her back. After a few sexual jokes, she consented and I tried to
lift her left leg to apply a figure four leg lock, but it wouldn't budge. So I
tried the right. Same result. I looked at her ominously.

"I said TRY Tiger."

So I asked her to flip over. She did, and I was going to apply a camel clutch.
But I couldn't budge her arms. Even trying two of my arms to lift her one was
useless. So I tried a head scissors, but she simply pulled her head out and
lay down again. Frustrated, I muttered, "I give up" under my breath.

"OK Tiger," she said standing up. "I accept your submission. I win 2-1."

"But."

"That is, unless you want me to put you in those holds you were trying to do
to me."

"That's OK."

"That's a good boy," she said and pulled me to my feet. She gave me a long
kiss and grabbed her flip flops with two fingers, and sauntered to my door.
She unlocked the door and walked out. I let out a huge sigh, and then her head
popped in again.

"Same time tomorrow Tiger?"

"Yes ma'am!" I said. What a day.