Interview with Paxton and Nicholas of By Surprise, Etopia Press
Paxton: This isn’t going to take very long I hope. I’ve got to get back to the station to log some evidence.
Interviewer: No, it won’t take long. I was just hoping to wait for Nicholas before we got started. If you prefer, we can begin without him.
Paxton: If you don’t mind. No telling how long Nicky will be. I left him in the garden this morning planting a new bed of roses. He gets caught up, you know?
Interviewer: Yes, I know. How’s he doing lately?
Paxton: Ah, he’s great. Feels so good to see him happy.
Interviewer: Do you think Jodi has something to do with that?
Paxton: Hmm. You know, I think she has a lot to do with it.
Interviewer: Looks to me like she has a lot to do with that smile on your face too.
Nicholas: This one can’t fool anybody. Everything is written on that pretty face. *Bends down and kisses Paxton on the mouth and takes a seat next to him.*
Paxton: You’re the pretty one, babe. Not me.
Interviewer: I think plenty of women would agree with both of you. Speaking of women, or one in particular ... tell me about Jodi.”
Paxton: I—
Nicholas: She—
Interviewer: Wait hold on, one at a time.
Nicholas: You go first, Pax. She was yours before she was ours.
Paxton: That’s just it, though. I never let myself think about her like that before. If we didn’t run into each other that day in the market ... well let’s just say there would always be that unfinished chapter in my life.
Nicholas: But she was always yours, Pax. Even if you didn’t know what it meant at the time.
Interviewer: You sound like you understand their relationship pretty well, Nicholas.
Nicholas: I usually understand other people better than I understand myself.
Paxton: You’ve come a long way, Nicky. And you know we love you no matter what.
Nicholas: Yeah, I know.
Interviewer: Getting back to Jodi. How does she fit in your marriage? Some people would say your arrangement is too complicated to last.
Nicholas: Actually, it’s really very simple. *Smiles at Paxton* This isn’t about who we are as individuals. Who we are and what we want will always be there. The love we share is about who we are together as a whole. Completion is what it’s about. Jodi completes our circle.
Paxton: It’s trippy, I know. We’ll have to tell you the story of how we all got together one day. *Gets up and holds out his hand* But right now I’ve got to get going.
Nicholas: Mr. Responsible, here has to get back to work. I need to get dinner started.
Interviewer: Thank you both for your time. I’ll definitely take you up on that offer to hear your story. Just name the time and the place.
An interview with SEND's Jimmy Andros:
Interviewer: You’re a hard man to pin down, Jimmy Andros. So glad you could take a moment to answer a few questions.
Jimmy: Well, I’m not exactly sure I had a choice, but you have me now, so ask away.
Interviewer: When did you know you had a sex addiction?
Jimmy: I guess I always suspected something was different about me. I mean, you can only use the “beer goggles” excuse so many times. Things really got bad right after college, though. I was in a new job, entry level stuff with absolutely no respect from my boss. Sex was a way to feel important at the time. After a lot of therapy I can admit that now.
Interviewer: Tina is a beautiful African American woman. Have you ever had an interracial relationship before?
Jimmy: Actually I’ve never had a real relationship before, period. At 36 I know that sounds ridiculous, but the thing is when I had girlfriends, I wasn’t much of a boyfriend, not really. I cheated on them and convinced myself that we didn’t owe each other anything. It was selfish and it was wrong. As far as Tina is concerned, she’s the first woman I’ve ever loved. And I mean I love her the way she deserves to be loved.
Interviewer: Some people would call you a manipulator. Why go out of your way to fiddle with the sexual minds of women?
Jimmy: Only some people? *laughs* I’ve got to work on my reputation.
Interviewer: That’s not an answer, Jimmy.
Jimmy: Okay, I’ll be serious. A manipulator? I wouldn’t use that word. The reason I play (and that’s what it is really, just playing), is because I think people don’t face the truth about what they really need sometimes. I recognize this in people instantly, mostly because I spent a lot of years doing the same thing. Sometimes we need a little push in the right direction, I think. In the end the women who play with me are better for it. Well, I’ve never had any complaints, anyway.
Interviewer: Except from Tina.
Jimmy: That was different. I lied to her. I broke my own golden rule. Believe me, I plan to spend a very long time making it up to her.
Interviewer: Do you ever feel guilty about leading these women on?
Jimmy: The ends justify the means, I guess. They have as much fun as I do along the way. The main thing is to be honest.
Interviewer: Tina seems to enjoy your games as much as you do. Do you think she’d be as adventurous without you?
Jimmy: Tina is a big girl. I think I just pulled the cork off that bottle. She had it in her the whole time. These days she even surprises me. Maybe she’d have discovered her affinity for mischief on her own one day. Or maybe she would have ended up pretending to be the woman everyone expected her to be. I don’t know, you’d have to ask her.
Interviewer: How do you see things with Tina progressing?
Jimmy: I know that I want to be the one she needs more than anyone else, but I never want her to feel suffocated by that. I can see us living together, sure. I can even see us spending the rest of our lives together. Don’t know that I’m the traditional marrying type, though. We haven’t even touched what she wants as far as a family. Damn, guess we have some things to talk about. We’re headed to my parents’ house for Thanksgiving this year. Maybe the topic will come up.
Interviewer: Do you want to say anything to Noemi or Pamela?
Jimmy: I would tell them to keep following their hearts. Noemi is a beautiful girl both inside and out. I hope she never forgets it. And Pamela, well if she ever needs another wake up call, I’m sure Tina would be more than happy to help me give her one.
Interviewer: Will we hear from you again?
Jimmy: Perhaps. I’m always looking for ways to entertain myself and now that I have a partner in crime, so to speak, I don’t think I’ll be quiet for long. (His phone chirps). Ah, that’s her now. Sorry, got to make an important meeting in the copy room. She hates when I keep her waiting.
Interviewer: Nice speaking with you Jimmy. I find you extremely intriguing.
Jimmy: Hmmm. Sounds like you might need a little playtime yourself. Why don’t you go ahead and email me the other questions you were too shy to ask today? I’m game if you are.