We Transition From Travel Flings to Friends-with-Benefits (Episode 7, Flings series - Sexy Surfer)

Transcript

As you listen to this audio roleplay, I invite you to use headphones and imagine yourself as the main character of this story. Okay, let's check if I have any messages. No voicemail.

No emails yet for today. Good. Oh, but I have a text message.

Oh, it's my sexy fling from earlier this year in Goa. What a fun surprise this morning. What do they say? Bonjour, chérie.

Comment ça va? I see they've been practicing their French. All right, let me respond in French too then.

Bonjour, sexy. Ça va très bien maintenant. Yeah, yeah, I am feeling all kinds of pretty good right now.

Oh, wow, they're going to be in Montreal in December and January to visit their sister and brother-in-law. Will I be there then? And if so, is there any chance we can meet up to catch up? Well, that's easy.

Oui and oui. Nice, a heart emoji. God, they're sweet.

How about an outing together or visit in December before the holidays? We can catch up and maybe make more plans for New Year's or in January if you're free. Sounds wonderful.

I'd love to. I'll be in Montreal from mid-December to end of January. Okay, what do they say? Can I take you on a date on Friday, December 20th? You pick the place and the time.

Oh, this is great. Yes, that would be lovely. Let me think about the place.

I'll give it some thought and get back to you. Want to do something outdoors or indoors? Either or both.

You're the gal to know in town. I'm sure whatever you pick will be magical. And a kissy face emoji.

Oh wow, sexy. You are forever the charmer. How about spending a day outside of Montreal in my neck of the woods? I live at my sister's farm in a village called Saint-Sauveur about one hour north of the city.

You can meet me there on the Friday morning if you'd like and I can show you around Saint-Sauveur. It's really quaint, lots of winter activities, restaurants, etc. Magnifique, eh? Awesome.

Alright then, I'll see you in just over a month. I'm really looking forward to it. Hi.

Come in, please. Oh, for me? God, you're still as sweet as ever.

Thank you. These are beautiful. Not as beautiful as me.

Still a wooing master, I see. Well, truth be told, you are a gorgeous sight yourself. What's that? Sure, you can kiss me on the cheek.

Actually, I'm not sure if I want to kiss you. Actually, in Quebec, it's customary to kiss the cheeks three times when you greet and hug someone. So like a kiss on the right cheek, then the left cheek, then the right cheek again.

Like this. You want to try it? Sure.

You want to try it? Sure. Yeah, something like that.

So, you found the place okay? Yeah, yeah, the turn off onto the dirt road can be easy to miss if you aren't going slow. And especially this time of year with everything covered in snow.

But at least now it's plowed along the main highway roads, so access is a lot better here in the winter than it used to be. Yeah, yeah, of course. Here, give me your jacket and your bag.

Let me put those in the closet here for you. Yeah, yeah, you can take your boots off right there. I see you're still wearing the same hiking boots and knit hat.

What? Oh, my outfit. I am wearing flannel.

Will you look at that? What a crazy happenstance. Anyway, welcome to my home.

Welcome to my home. My tiny home, literally and conceptually. My best friend actually built this tiny house on wheels for me, and it's parked permanently here on my sister's property.

My sister and her twin daughters live in that big permanent house further down the road over there. This tiny house is basically my home when I'm not traveling, and my sister rents it out as an Airbnb the rest of the year. So it's win-win for both of us.

I don't have a mortgage to pay, but a place to live when I'm not on the road, and she gets some supplemental income for her family. Yeah, yeah, it's great. I love living here when I'm not traveling.

Especially that it's away from the city, but still close enough that the big conveniences are accessible when needed. Yeah. So, can I get you anything? Something to eat or drink? I'm not sure if you've had breakfast yet.

Sure, yeah, yeah. I have some fruit and muffins, and I can make us some tea if you'd like. Yeah? Perfect.

Oh, the bathroom? Yeah, just behind you there. That door slides open.

Yeah, yeah, I know it blends in. Everything in here is multifunctional. When you slide that door over, it's now a kitchen door you can use to contain the cooking smells.

Yeah, so the whole place doesn't smell like your dinner. Yeah, the whole house is like one big IKEA organization system. There are way more hidden closets and storage spaces in this place than it appears.

I kind of geek out over it myself. Anyway, yes, feel free to use the bathroom, and I will go get the kettle on. Hey, yeah, I'm just over here on the other side of the kitchen.

Isn't this a cozy spot? There wasn't room for a full couch, so we did this floor setup with rugs and cushions and the hammock there. All of which can be stored away, and then I can pull out the hidden double bed under the floor here by pulling on this latch.

Yeah, so this spot can actually sleep two people, and then another two people can sleep in the loft, and we can have extras if we use the hammocks. Yeah, it's crazy when we think this is probably no bigger than a double garage with an overhang. But it works, doesn't it? And it actually feels pretty spacious, don't you think? Yeah, it's all the lighting.

My bestie who built it loves natural light, so all of their builds and designs have a ton of windows. Yeah, yeah, they run a small business now, designing and building tiny homes and converted vans and RVs. Yeah.

Well, have a seat. And what kind of tea would you like? I have black teas, herbal teas, some fruit teas.

Yeah, yeah, sure. And any sweetener or anything else? Okay.

Well then, here you go. And there's fruit. Oh yeah? You've been drinking a lot of tea these past six months? Alright, from that teapot I gave you.

So it worked? You haven't forgotten me yet? Yeah, I'm sure you have.

Alright, from that teapot I gave you. So it worked? You haven't forgotten me yet? No, no, I haven't forgotten you either.

I was actually really happy when I got your text. It was great to hear from you. Yeah.

So, uh, what you been up to? What's the last half year been like since we parted ways in Goa? Huh.

Oh, wow. Oh, wow. Oh yeah? Wow, sounds like you traveled all over India.

Was that all for your work with the Against Malaria Foundation? Oh, I see. Some job-related travel, some leisure travel.

Oh yeah, you went to Sri Lanka too? Cool. No, I had no idea the surfing was good there.

Around India too? Really? Wow.

So what places did you like the most? Most? You sweet talker, you.

It was hard to beat Goa? Yeah, yeah, I wonder why. Yeah? So, uh, how long were you there after I left? Another couple of months? Nice.

I mean, yeah, it's a pretty heavenly corner of the world, I can't deny it. Damn, sexy. There you go again with your wooing.

Heaven lost its angel, and the fairy tale lost its magic after I left? Man, you are forever the flirt, aren't you? Mhm, yeah.

Yeah, yeah, I missed you too. Yeah, I know I made all this big deal about you not getting too attached to me because I was leaving, but in the end, I got pretty attached to you too. You surprised me, sexy.

You surprised me, sexy. Yeah. So, uh, where are things at with your dating and love life these days? Uh-huh, yeah.

Yeah, still mostly folks you meet while you travel? Mhm. Oh, for sure, I get it.

I mean, I did the same thing when I was young. That's partially how I got the nickname Wonder Woman. Yes, when I was young.

Well, you are younger than me, are you not? What year were you born again? Well, there you go, twelve years younger than me.

Shit, I think that technically we're not even the same generation. Oh my god. Oh, man.

I guess that makes you my Gen Z gigolo. Oh, wait, does that make me a cougar? Oh, right, I guess technically I'm still a puma if I haven't hit forty yet.

Good to know. Oh. Oh, yeah? Really? You didn't realize you were into mature ladies, but I taught you things only a wise woman could know?

Oh my god. Mature lady? It's not like I'm your grandma.

I'm not even old enough to be your mom. Oh, dude, if you call me grandma, I am definitely calling you gigolo. Huh? Oh.

Wow, right. But it's the truth. It's my maturity that you're most attracted to.

What do you mean? Oh. Really? And you can see that.

Right, right, I have confidence in myself, in my sexuality, in my life choices. Yeah. I know what I want.

I know how to set boundaries. Huh. Oh, really? You kind of see me like a phoenix rising? But what's risen from the ashes is one of the kindest, most genuine, and most empathic people you've ever met?

Wow. And just as hot as a phoenix on fire? What? What? I'm the magical being in this relationship? I'm the one who has enchanted you.

Okay, Casanova, that's just your seductive charm talking now. It's not. I'm the first fling you've missed and wanted to come back to.

And very much wanted to be closer friends with. And maybe even friends with benefits, if that's something that I wanted. But if I didn't want that, you'd still like to get to know me more just as friends.

And spend time hanging out together. Wow. Huh? How come I'm not freaking out? Yeah, I know.

That would have definitely weirded me out back in Goa. Why is that a scary thing for me, when you say you want to be closer? Am I anxious about getting close to people in general? Or is it specifically about getting closer to you? Well, that's a good question.

You ask good questions, you know that? That's a really good question. Well, I'm kind of an introvert at heart, so yeah.

I tend to be more avoidant and need a lot of space and freedom in my relationships. But with people I trust, I actually prefer closeness and intimacy and realness and vulnerability. It's just that it can take me a long time to get to the trust part.

And for you and I, we basically know very little about each other beyond the five weeks we spent together in Goa. And honestly, you're really young and you may still want things like monogamy and marriage and kids. And I don't want to stand in your way of that.

And if I'm being honest, I guess more than anything, I don't want to get attached to you. And then sometime soon, you realize this isn't what you want after the experimenting is done. Huh? Have a little faith in the Gen Z kids? Yeah, you are an emotionally intelligent bunch.

I'll give you that. Right, and open to a lot more permutations and combinations of relationship than any generation before you? Including us millennials? Yeah, you have a good point.

Yeah. You're right. We can grow our friendship together however we want to.

Yeah. We can be honest with each other about what we want. We can be honest with each other about what we want.

We can be honest with each other about what we want. Including the level of commitment we both feel comfortable with. Yeah.