Now and Forever--Let's Make Love (6 page)

Computers used to be limited to office use, but since the proliferation of smaller, more affordable models, many households
now have a home computer. Because of the privacy this affords, many companies have jumped into the X-rated market. There is
an amazing variety of X-rated games and CD-ROM movies. I recently played a version of the spacial-relations game Tetris in
which every time you scored points, a woman at one side of the screen removed some of her clothes. Eventually, she was nude,
and then another picture appeared. For those who enjoy watching women strip photographically, it added extra incentive to
the game.

Then, of course, there’s cyberspace. The World Wide Web. The Internet. You can’t exist for more than twenty-four hours right
now without hearing about, reading about, learning about, or being mystified about this magical place. Everyone has a Web
site, from
Time
magazine to your local car dealer. Your next-door neighbor has one that displays pictures of his kids. Your favorite TV channel
has one with coming attractions and advertisements.

Whether you think that the World Wide Web is the greatest invention since sliced bread or the largest assortment of computerized
junk mail ever assembled, it’s here and it’s real and it’s got some interesting material for the sexually curious.

The Internet is a busy place. I’ve only touched the surface in my personal explorations. Here’s what I found.

There are numerous collections of erotic stories for downloading and reading. Some are good stories from both new and experienced
writers interested in displaying and receiving responses to soft-core and hardcore material of all types. Needless to say,
some are awful, but some are clever and well written. Some are depictions of ordinary lovemaking; some are more off-center;
and some are truly bizarre. Some will appeal to you; some may not. Browse, read what you enjoy, and use your delete key for
the rest.

There are sexually oriented World Wide Web sites to appeal to every taste, from those interested in meeting members of the
opposite or the same sex to professional “entertainers” with 900 phone numbers. There are sites put up by people of every
sexual persuasion in search of people with like interests to correspond or chat with, from lesbians to transvestites. A few
hours of Net surfing will turn up a variety of cyberlocations.

Pictures are available on the Internet. You can browse the Louvre. You can look at people during various stages of any type
of sexual encounter you can imagine. As before, download what appeals to you and pass on the rest.

A warning:
You will probably stumble onto pictures of minors engaged in sexual activities. Don’t download those. They are illegal and
can get you into all forms of legal difficulties. If you are offered pictures from someone you meet online, again beware.

Computer on-line services are everywhere, from Prodigy, CompuServe, and America Online to small local Internet-access providers.
And with these services come the chat rooms, and in some of the chat rooms you can find amazingly new sexual experiences.

What’s sex on-line like? Well, it’s like phone sex in writing, but usually both parties are giving and receiving. To my mind,
“hot chatting,” as it’s called, is a lot less threatening than listening to a live voice. Why would you want to try it? Well,
here’s how I began.

I am a longtime user of one of the large on-line service companies and I had been talking with other members in an area devoted
to writers, helping answer questions about plot, characterization, editors, agents, and the like.

One evening, I decided to try one of the general chat rooms. I entered a room full of over thirties and lurked for a bit,
just watching the questions, answers, and comments scroll across my screen. It took me awhile to become accustomed to several
conversations taking place at the same time, but when I learned to read every third, fourth, or fifth line and to keep track
of who was discussing what with whom, I was able to follow the interaction easily.

Once or twice, something caught my eye and I typed an answer to a question or a comment someone else had written. It was interesting,
but only mildly. I knew, of course, about the more esoteric rooms and, with a few clicks of my mouse, I found myself in Truth
or Dare.

Wow. There were supposedly more than twenty people in that room but only four or five were chatting. (Please note that none
of the conversations here are real, nor are the screen names. And I’ve simplified things to only one conversation at a time.)

• • •

Jenny proceeded to tell Andy about making love in a cemetery—in lurid detail. I was fascinated and titillated. Suddenly, someone
typed

I decided that I could take a few liberties with the truth.

I haven’t been thirty-five in almost twenty years, but in cyberspace, you can be whoever and whatever you like. It’s all really
harmless.

Maybe he was and maybe not; I didn’t really care. But I realized that he was asking me whether I wanted a truth or a dare.

Again I could make up an answer, and I did.

Well, you get the idea. I spent an incredible two hours talking dirty to people, changing rooms, cyber-experiencing everything
from medieval dungeons to the hot tub, from “Women for women” to “Ask a man anything.” I had a blast, and the following evening,
when I told Ed about my experience, I had another wonderful time.

A warning:
One of the advantages to being on-line is also one of the biggest problems. Not only are you anonymous but so is everyone
else. You have no idea what kind of person you’re talking to. So be sensible.

A further warning:
Never use your full real name or give out any accurate personal information, especially your address or phone number. I’ve
been asked many times for my phone number so someone I’ve spent an enjoyable time with could call and continue “more personally.”
This is not for me. I told one cyberpartner that I wouldn’t give out my phone number, so he suggested that I call him. I wouldn’t
do that, either. Caller ID can give someone your phone number without your knowing it. The phone company tells me that by
dialing a particular code, you can disable caller ID so the person you call cannot get your number. Maybe you can, but I’m
just not that trusting.

There are happy exceptions, of course. Many people, including a couple I know, have met and fallen in love on-line. If you
eventually learn to trust the person with whom you’re chatting, let your good sense be your guide.

In addition, try to establish that your chat partner is over eighteen. I always ask, but, as we know, many people lie. Sometimes
you can tell the age of a counterpart by the nature of the questions. Personally, I automatically reject anyone who asks my
bra size. It’s a juvenile question and shows an attitude, if not a chronological age, that is younger than that of someone
I want to play with. You may find your own limits. I’m not going to go into the issue of limiting a minor’s access to sexually
explicit material here. I’m just suggesting caution.

I had one experience during which, for some reason, the guy I was playing with suddenly asked, “Are you really a woman?”

“Yes,” I answered.

“How can I be sure?” he typed, paranoia dripping from each word.

“I don’t know,” I replied. Obviously, I couldn’t find any way to reassure him, and I found that his fears were ruining my
enjoyment. I signed off soon thereafter. The fact that I may have had cybersex with women doesn’t faze me. It was all in good
fun.

If you want to play in depth, go to a private room. On AOL and probably many other services, it is possible to create a private
room, a place where only you and other invited guests can chat. The general chat rooms are open and anyone can bop in at any
time. You can be observed by minors at any time, even accidentally, and you don’t want that to happen.

A suggestion:
Anytime you begin to feel uncomfortable about what’s going on, sign off.

Mary Kate had been married for several years and had recently gotten a computer to help organize the family finances. The
machine came with access to an on-line service and, using her free hours, she had begun to explore the service’s chat rooms.

One evening, while her husband, Greg, was at a business meeting, Mary Kate logged on as 1ShyGirl and ventured into a room
named Beginners to CyberSex. She got to chatting with a man who had logged on as 4NewGames. When he suggested that they continue
in a private room, she agreed.