Episode #10: Re: Our Overton Window

Mar,19 2025

<-#9: Our overton window#11: What a wonderful weekend ->

On Monday, July 1st 2024 at 10:32am, Robert Walton wrote:

Hi Peter,

Rest assured, I feel as stuck as you when talking about sex with my guy friends. Oddly enough, I have no problems with Linda's female friends but still won't initiate the conversation. Maybe she conditioned me?

I have a theory for that. I think that in high school, guys exaggerate their sexual adventures, making good guys like you and me ill at ease, but girls, well, are more honest, which encourages more discussion. I was lucky; my sister and I were close enough that she would tell me about her experiences and encourage me to share mine. Not in torrid details, like Essie joked, but more like the way our wives spoke. In generalities.

By the way, I am thrilled that they are getting along. We moved here from our hometown when her parents moved her, and Linda had trouble making good, lasting friends.

In short, let's consider sex talk outside our Overton window, for both my sake and yours. I hope sex jokes can remain on the table; they already were.

On another note, this morning, Linda and I were casually talking, and I wanted to run something by you.

My wife is ready for more naturism. My kids are too, and I am not. She feels like I am being grumpy, but I am trying to surprise her.

We all have Thursday off for the 4th of July. The kids finished school, and we were originally planning to plant our tent in the backyard and launch a few fireworks. Nothing fancy, but the kids like that.

I was wondering, could we, this year, place our tents in your backyard instead? We would arrive on Wednesday evening, probably after stopping to eat some pizza, and then camp there, borrowing your restroom when we need to. The kids wanted to try your outdoor shower, so we would try to be as unobtrusive as we can.

You will most likely want to invite us to sleep over on your couch or something, but that's not the idea. The idea is the tent. It's our family tradition, just the four of us.

If you want to invite us for food the next day, we are game for it. But that evening between us is a ritual. I hope you understand.

Is that a crazy idea, or could this work?

PS: I can leave the fireworks at home if banned on the resort.

Bob

On Monday, July 1st 2024 at 11:42am, Peter Plate wrote:

Hi Bob,

This is a great idea! I texted Essie, and she is all in on two conditions.

1) That instead of eating pizza on your own, you bring some and eat with us. Well, unless that too is part of the ritual, in which case, forget it. We just love pizza, and your kids are adorable.

2) That you all eat breakfast with us the next day. Essie has been wanting to cook a proper breakfast/brunch for a while, but for just the two of us, it's not efficient. Linda can help or not, her choice.

Apart from that, you will probably need to offer to pay for a full lot even if it's in our backyard, but maybe try to get 2 nights for the price of one? We can leave you and me on Friday morning for work, but do bring a change of clothes. I know that Linda has already planned to spend Friday with Essie and the kids since you were working, but not either of them. Is our employer the only one making us work on Friday? I wonder. Maybe the kids and your wife can just stay at our place?

For the fireworks, you are absolutely not allowed to light any, but one of the residents is a retired firefighter with pyrotechnic experience. He gets a few fireworks and would gladly light yours as part of his show. If you have folding chairs, bring them, but at worst, we have a picnic blanket the six of us could sit on.

I look forward to it, my friend.

Peter

On Monday, July 1st 2024 at 1:25am, Robert Walton wrote:

Hi Peter,

This is all acceptable. Of course, we can bring pizza over. We'll pay for it, don't worry. I just... sometimes feel like we are imposing ourselves too much. We do have folding chairs, but maybe the picnic blanket will be a hit. Let's bring both and let the kids decide. Brunch sounds lovely. I am certain that Linda will want to help. She loves cooking for others, but not so much for herself. Seriously, sometimes she just dumps a can of tuna over some corn. That's what she calls a meal!

The only reason I work on Friday is that I didn't jump on the vacation spot soon enough. I guess you also didn't do so. They opened July 3 months ago, and an hour after the sheet was on the board, the spots were filled.

Bob

On Monday, July 1st 2024 at 1:45am, Peter Plate wrote:

Hi Bob,

That's why we work on Friday. Damn it, I didn't even think of it until now. Darn, we could have had a 4-day weekend.

So, it looks like the plan is made! Let's talk to our wives tonight and make this real.

And Bob, you could never impose yourself. Well, you could, but you know what the limits of our friendship are already, and I know you feel the same.

As for the tuna over corn, Essie does something similar: canned chicken over rice and green beans!

Peter

<-#9: Our overton window#11: What a wonderful weekend ->