The Adventures of Young Love

Suzy and I spent two semesters abroad back in the 1980s when we were college students. The first was in London where the two of us met for the first time. The second semester abroad, this time in Malaysia, occurred two years later. By this time we had become good friends and lovers.

Malaysia is about half way around the globe from Wisconsin where we were going to school at the time. Our route to Malaysia was via London, Moscow, and New Delhi. We spent two days in London before proceeding with the rest of the trip. Our accommodations were in a Victorian home called Peace Haven, in a suburb of London.

Peace Haven was at that time a part of a larger organization dedicated to international friendship. This had been our home for 3 months during our semester in London. We knew the house well. We knew the full time inhabitants. One of these was Mr T.

Now Mr T was a large East Indian gentleman whose job it was to oversee the house. He could be a very jovial fellow but he could also be very stern, especially when he was dealing with the occasional unruly college student. Most of us steered clear of Mr T. We found him to be a bit of a mystery. He seemed to be able to appear at a moments notice whenever something was amiss.

The adventure I am about to share happened on our second night at Peace Haven. Suzy and I were getting over our jet lag and we were both feeling a bit squirrelly. We thought it be nice to spend some quality time together. Sharing intimate moments in public did not fit well with the British reserve. The problem was that the guys and the gals were sequestered in different parts of the large house. Our only meeting places were in the public dining room and the TV room. What were we to do?

Well, fortunately, we found a room that was not being used and was not locked. The small "dormitory" room was filled with four bunk beds. Late in the evening we both stole away from our respective rooms and met in our safe, secluded hide-away. What could have been nicer? Wonderful alone time on the third night of our exiting new adventure.

We were not cuddled up long when we moved from cuddles to foreplay to love making. Sex in a new place is always so much fun. Afterwards we fell asleep in each others arms. The story might have ended there but for a bright, overhead light switched on in the middle of the night.

We were scared to death. We clung together on the bottom bunk in the far corner of the room not breathing. We peered from underneath the sheets. As our eyes became accustomed to the light we saw a male figure walk part way into the room. We could only see his bottom half but we knew it was Mr T. We immediately felt the fear of youth found out. What would he do? What would he say?

Well, it did not take long for us to find out. After a momentary pause in the middle of the room, Mr T turned and walked out, switching the light off as he exited the room. We were about to breath again when we heard the key turn in the lock. Had he locked us into the room?

We were stunned. Many thoughts raced through our minds as we lay there in silence. What could this mean? Had he not seen us? Was he just locking up a room that should have been locked? Or had he seen us and was he just closing the trap? It is at moments like this in one's life that one wishes one were elsewhere.

After waiting for what seemed a lifetime, we climbed out of bed and checked the door. Yes, indeed, the door was locked. Now what we were we to do. Our intimate moments alone had been turned within minutes into moments of desperation.

We started taking stock of our situation. It would be most embarrassing to be found together the next morning. We were sure Mr T would bring back the chaperones who at this late hour were sleeping soundly. We started to look for an escape route.

The only problem....we were on the second floor of the Victorian....a 15ft. drop from our windows into large bushes that surrounded the house. Jumping was not an option. We did not care to be sent back home with broken arms or legs. After some thought and further exploration I realized that the room next door was a small bathroom. I could see from our far bedroom window that the wall of the house jutted out at this point making the bathroom window almost perpendicular to our window. The space between the two windows was perhaps five feet. Could this be our out?

My heart leapt for joy when I saw below the windows the tiny, tile covered roof over the main entrance to the building. The leap for joy was quickly followed by a sinking feeling. The tiles were moss covered, old, and four and a half feet below the window sills. And there still was the cement sidewalk below.

At this point we were moving quickly from extreme anxiety to outright desperation. We were scared of physical harm but we were more scared of being found out. Our youthful fear of personal consequences quietly nudged away the fear of physical consequences.

It is at times like these that the body starts to pump adrenalin into one's veins. The fight or flight phenomena kicks in. I volunteered to go first. Gingerly I lowered myself out of the window. Stepping out onto the small tile roof I felt my heart pounding in my chest. The tile, covered with moss from the wet English weather, was stable but slippery. I slowly eased myself over. Both hands on the bedroom window.....then one hand on the bedroom window....then the stretch to the bathroom window....letting go for a split second of one before touching the other....the moments of desperation as I fumbled for a good grip....and then I was hanging on to the side of the bathroom window....struggling to push open the sash.

Well, the story could have ended badly. The fall would have done me in for sure, but I did make it into the window.....not my most graceful entrance into a room....head first....handstand on the toilet. The next task was to let my heart and fear subside for a few moments before I gave the thumbs up to Suzy.

I then took stock of the situation...waited a few minutes....and went out the bathroom door to unlock the bedroom door. But alas....no key was to be found. Mr T had taken the key with him. I could not just let Suzy out. She too would have to make the trip from window to window.

Now Suzy is smaller than me....and I had thought to that point, less adventurous. Would she even try it? I went back to the bathroom and whispered the problem. She was not feeling the rush of relief I was feeling having escaped "the room."

I learned something that night about Suzy. Suzy is a tough person. She is mentally tough as well as physically tough. It didn't take her long to choose the path I had already trod. She was slower....more careful...and she had my arm to cling to at the end, She made the climb from window to window without incident.

It was so nice to be in each other's arms again after our ordeal if only for a few moments. We kissed good night and made our way to our respective rooms.

The next morning we again met in the dining room. Our night's ordeal tucked carefully in the back of our minds. We were happy to be back safely together. No one to this day knows of our late night adventure. Well, except for maybe one person....Mr T. Mr T. showed up for breakfast a few minutes later full of the English reserve the Brits are known for. When he entered he quickly surveyed the room as he normally did. He nodded to us but did not say anything. It might have been just our imaginations but it seemed he had just the touch of smile on his lips. Did he or didn't he know? That will always be the question left unanswered. It would be just the first adventure of many on our trip to the East....and for Suzy and I one of those bonding events that make for a lifetime together.

The above story is true. The attached picture is of Peace Haven. You can see the bathroom window just above the main entrance. I changed only my mate's name to protect her anonymity. Our travels as students have led us to many travels as adults....each an adventure. This is how life should be.

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds.--Edward Abbey

The red bird