Because he had to avoid my mother's prying eyes, though, he could not leave it permanently set up like other S/M enthusiasts. With Svengali-like skill, he quickly took over every aspect of my life, dictating what I wore, to whom I talked, even what toys I used. Gary treated me with a dizzying blend of over-involvement, neglect, overindulgence and cruelty. Gary believed he was superior, so it was imperative that the world see his daughter as superior too.īehind closed doors it was a different story. Gary was a narcissist, and narcissists view their families as extensions of themselves, as trophies. Not because he actually thought I was gifted or talented. To the other parents, I suppose it seemed that Gary was harmlessly lauding his new daughter. After that, I was given the lead in all the school plays that he directed. Gary was among the judges who awarded me first prize. On the night of the show, various kids performed their acts, and the winner was chosen based on audience response. He signed me up for his drama club too and encouraged me to sing in the school talent contest. This was a real convenience, as he demanded I join his, and only his, after-school clubs. Then, based on his findings, he labeled certain kids - the kids he liked and wanted to spend more time with - as "gifted." Instead, he gave kids a short multiple-choice test, the Mickey Mouse kind sold in bookstores. Trouble was: Gary had no real training or authority to be administering IQ tests. The gifted and talented club was invitation only - Gary's invitation, that is. Some days Gary would oversee an after-school activity. Inevitably, a few of his favored 10-year-old students would still be hanging around - joking with him or sitting on his lap. Every day at 3 p.m., as soon as the bell rang, I was expected to climb those stairs and report to Gary's desk. My classroom was on the first floor of the elementary building - just a staircase away from Gary.
Being polite means keeping one's mouth shut.Īnd so I, the newly minted Mooch Lundquist, became a third grader at Delaware Township School. But social norms dictate that we do not insert ourselves into other people's personal lives. No one seemed to care that my school records displayed a different name or that Gary was not my legal guardian.
In 1976 no one seemed to question any of this. Now, with the flick of a pen, I was Mooch (a nickname) Lundquist, daughter of Gary, new student at his out-of-state school. Since birth, I had been Michelle Brechbill. (Not recommended for people freaked out after seeing “Jaws,” though.In Michelle Stevens' powerful, just-published memoir, Scared Selfless, she shares how she overcame horrendous child sexual abuse and mental illness to lead a satisfying and happy life as a successful psychologist, wife and mother. At the beach or a lake, go far enough out where you can still stand but people on shore can’t tell what’s going on under the waterline. In the water: If you’re lucky enough to have a swimming pool, look no further than your own backyard for some submerged fun. Camping is a great time to have sex because you probably have a cozy tent, a padded sleeping bag, and if you’re “glamping,” an air mattress and pillows. If you have a nice fire going, even better. Under the stars: What’s more romantic than being alone with your boo under a canopy of stars against a night sky? Nothing, that’s what. You’re nearly naked anyway, right? Don’t waste this opportunity. Pick a deserted spot away from the crowd, get under that beach towel, and go for it. Waves relentlessly rush in and pull out, over and over … are you getting the picture? The beach practically screams sex. Salty, primordial scents waft through the air. The beach: Warm, soft sand lies splayed in undulating curves under an open sky. Actually, the forest is so rich with life, some people are “ bathing” in it. You’re alone, relatively hidden, and no one can hear you through thin walls because there are no walls! It’s the perfect place to let your wild side go. Your local forest is, in fact, a great place to have sex. Everyone else did it in the local forest.” The woods: According to my friend: “In the olden days only the rich had sex inside because they were the only ones who had private rooms. Now that we’ve established the difference between natural, outdoor sex and creepy public sex, here are some great places to commune with nature.