“Would you like to tie me up?”
I looked at Susan out of the corner of my eye, wondering what had given her that idea. It was Fireworks Day 1979, and I had gone with her and a few friends to a local display.
“Wha...” I stammered. “What makes you ask me that?”
“Becky showed me your sketch pad,” she said with a smile. Susan was wrapped up warm for the cold, in a brown bomber jacket over a cream jumper, jeans and black leather boots up to her knees. “You’re a good artist.”
I blushed at that, while reminding myself to thank my younger sister. A Saturday morning tied to her bed seemed appropriate, and a big tickling afterwards. “I’ve seen the way you look at some of us in class,” Susan continued as the bangers went off, “and I want to try it.”
“Well if you’re sure,” I said quietly, “Come with me.” We slipped away from the rest of the party and walked across the road from the school to my house. Once we were in my room, Susan sat on my bed as I looked for my ropes.
“I didn’t know you liked this sort of thing,” I said as I found some twine and cut a few lengths off.
“Neither do I,” Susan said with a smile, “but I trust you. I’ve never had anyone do this to me, although I have imagined it.”
“Well then - put your hands together in front of you as if you were in chapel please.”
Through the window, I could see the fireworks exploding in the sky as Susan put her hands together in prayer, and I wrapped the twine around the cuffs of her jacket, taking four turns round before tying the twine and passing it between her wrists. “I’m not hurting you, am I?” I said as she looked at her hands.
“No - the jacket is keeping the worst off,” Susan said as she twisted her arms round. “Now what?”
“Put your ankles together,” I said, and as she did so I wrapped another length of twine round them, pulling them tightly together as the brown cord sank into the soft leather.
“Nice,” she said as she looked at her ankles, then swung her legs round and slid up the bed to rest her back against the wall, looking out of the window. “Why don’t you sit with me?”
“All right,” I said as I sat next to her, and she rested her head on my shoulder, the lights outside flashing and exploding. After a few minutes, she turned and kissed me on the cheek.
“What was that for?” I said as I looked at her.
“For been a gentleman,” she said quietly, “and for making me happy.”
“My pleasure,” I said as I put my arm round her shoulder and hugged her, her head resting against me. “Perhaps we can do this again some time?”
“I’d like that,” Susan said quietly, “I’d like that.”