Chapter 8

Time has an elusive quality. For certain busy, involved people, time ceases to exist even before it is born. Hours, days, weeks and months seem to meld into an amorphous stream of the ongoing event of living.

For the McElhaney family time took wings. The day after Grace returned from burying her sister in Spokane Janie began her period. Then, when she was through her cycle, Janie's mother began hers. Several planned swinging dates were of necessity postponed.

During this period, Fred McElhaney was given daily, and sometimes twice daily, blowjobs by either his wife or daughter. And while he and Janie both longed to enjoy intercourse during the time Grace had her curse, the three-way relationship simply had not progressed that far and they had to content themselves with oral gratification.

Also during this period Fred found himself increasingly involved in the swinger's community project with Linda and Ed Jackson. The Jacksons were moving with the speed of lightning! First there was a meeting with Harold and Betty Morgan.

"How long would you estimate it will take to sell this out, Fred?" Harold Morgan asked.

"How long is a piece of string?" Fred countered. "I haven't the slightest idea. I can tell you how long it will take to build."

"Look, Harold," Ed jumped in, "none of us really know how long it will take to sell this project. You know as many swinging couples as we do, probably more. How do you think the people you know will react to the concept?"

"If you ask me," Betty Morgan offered, "I'd say a number of couples will want to live in the project. It's sort of the answer to a swinger's prayers. I think they'll jump at it."

"I'll admit that it sounds good," Harold said, "but we musn't forget that many of these couples are fairly well committed to where they currently live."

"Right," Fred agreed. "They'd have to sell their current homes before they could commit themselves to the new project."

"And there are things like PTA, Scouts, school districts and all of that," Harold added.

"That's why I suggested we approach this on a stair step basis," Fred offered. "If we plan of fifty families for the project, let's set it up for twenty-five originally. We can always expand later if the demand warrants."

"I agree one hundred per cent," Harold commented. "Look, let's go ahead with this as fast as we can. Here's what I propose. I'll commit a hundred thousand to the project on this basis: first, we get verbal commitments from ten couples. These couples will agree to buy on a break-ground basis and make their deposit the day we actually do break ground. We'll shoot at building twenty per cent above what we have committed. We can tie up the land on an option contract, right Fred?"

"Certainly."

"Ten couples?" Ed said slowly. "Does that include the three couples represented in this meeting?"

"Absolutely!" Harold Morgan laughed. "Betty and I will definitely commit. We do, Fred, reserve the right to some custom design features we will want in out own unit."

"The way I plan to set it up," Fred replied, "will allow a maximum of custom design latitude so that every buyer will be able to choose from a wide field of features. You can count Grace and me in."

"And you know Linda and I are in," Ed chuckled. "The way I read this, then, is that we need to find seven more swinging couples to launch the project."

"Right," Harold Morgan agreed. "And Betty and I will help in that department. We'll start contacting swingers we know to see who might be interested."

"Why don't we throw a big swinging party?" Betty suggested.

"I think my party-girl would like to solve the international situation with a party," Harold laughed.

"It's not a bad idea," Linda chuckled.

The party was scheduled for two weeks hence, had managed to obtain verbal commitments from had managed to obtain verbal commitments from nine swinging couples-two more than needed.

At this point Fred McElhaney's work began in earnest. He arranged with an architect friend of his to draw the plans on a contingent basis. Then he began a thorough search of the Greater Portland area for the site of the new swinger's community. They wanted it away from crowded areas, yet close to freeways for easy commuting.

After three days of driving over what seemed like every inch of land in the county, Fred was about to give up in despair. He was asking a farmer for directions when luck smiled on him. The farmer mentioned that a friend of his had just passed away and the man's widow was anxious to sell their small farm.

One look told Fred that this was the spot. Located less than fifteen minutes from downtown Portland and only three minutes from the freeway, the small farm was nestled between the river and a gentle rising slope that became a small cliff. There was plenty of water from natural artesian wells and electricity ran to the property.

The undulating quality of the land made some changes necessary in the basic design of the property, but also offered some very pleasant views.

With Harold Morgan's help, Fred had the property optioned within twenty-four hours.

"I just can't believe everything is happening so fast!" Grace remarked when Fred drove her out to see the property after she got off work. "And this is such a perfect location!"

"Think you'll like living out here?" Fred asked with a smile.

"Are you kidding?" Grace laughed. "Who wouldn't?"

"That's the way I feel."

"Fred," Grace asked seriously, "you've been involved in your share of project developments over the years. You know how many of them have gone up in smoke. Does this swinger's community project really have any hope?"

"I know what you mean, honey," Fred replied equally seriously. "It seems like a miracle the way it's taking shape. I've wondered the same thing-when will the bubble burst? And you know something? I don't think it will."

"Why? What makes this different than any other project?"

"A special interest group, Grace. This isn't the ordinary promoter's development. It began and is designed for a specific purpose, to serve the needs of a special interest group. At this point I'd venture to say that well be oversold in six months."

Fred's prophecy would miss the mark by only nine days, but he had no way of knowing that when they stood on a grassy knoll looking at the peaceful suburban land. Nor could he see many of the hair pulling problems he would face in the next six months, but it is doubtful that such foresight would have changed his course as much as one degree.

"Are you confident enough to put our home up for sale now?" Grace asked, testing his belief.

"I'm glad you mentioned that," Fred replied with a sincere smile. "I think we should list it right away."

Grace nodded. She knew Fred. He'd never been the one for pie-in-the-sky enthusiasm. If he was ready to list the house, she should start packing.

As it turned out, Fred was the one who had to pack. With survey reports, subdivision plans and utility studies needed m a hurry, Fred borrowed a house trailer from a friend and spent five days on the site. On the final day Fred was on the site Harold Morgan brought two bankers out and within an hour had firm commitments for all financing, including, to Fred's relief, interim money.

"I feel like I've got hold of a rocket and can't let go." Fred remarked to Grace and Janie one night. "I've never in my life seen a project take off like this one has."

"I hate to sound like Ima Grabber, honey,"

Grace remarked, "but inasmuch as you're contracting this whole thing, are you earning your standard fees?"

"Yes, believe it or not. I offered to cut my fees, but Harold and Ed wouldn't hear of it. They feel I'm reasonable and they say that they would have to pay the same fees to any contractor."

"Fantastic!" Grace cried. "This should end the personal recession we've been in for several years!"

"Right. We won't get rich on it, but it's the same as landing contracts to build at least thirty or forty individual houses. Did I tell you that we're up to a maximum potential of sixty-three units?"

"And how many are committed?" Grace asked.

"Are you ready for this? Harold and Ed have twenty-four commitments as of today."

"I can't believe it!"

"Neither can I, but there it is."

"When do you start building?" Janie asked, now caught up in her parents' excitement for the new project.

"Groundbreaking is scheduled for next Monday morning," Fred replied. "That's more symbolic than anything else. Mostly to get the commitments nailed down with money. Actual construction should begin in about ten days."

On the afternoon of the night of the big swinging party held by Harold and Betty Morgan the McElhaney family had the misfortune to eat two pizzas from a local fast food house and by six o'clock all three were suffering the living hell of a mild case of food poisoning.

The party was an unprecedented success and Harold and Ed came up with eight new commitments. The two distaff members of the McElhaney family were at the point of tears about their lack of sexual activity over the past three weeks.

"Aren't we ever going to have a party?" Janie demanded. "Just listening to Linda describe the balling at that big party made me hot!"

"Me too!" Grace said.

"Okay, okay," Fred laughed. "Lord knows, I agree with you two. It's time we met some people and had some fun."

"When?" both girls said simultaneously.

"How about tomorrow night?" Fred asked with a beaming smile.

"Really?" Janie cried.

"Where?" Grace wanted to know.

"Right here. Linda and Fred met a couple through one of the clubs who has a fourteen-year-old son who swings with them. The Jacksons said they're great people and terrific swingers, so I called them and set up a date for tomorrow night."

"But we don't know what they look like or anything!" Grace protested. "What if we don't like them?"

"No sweat," Fred assured her. "This is an informal meeting to have a cocktail type thing. If we like them, we swing. If not, it's just to get acquainted. Completely open, honey."

"Sounds great to me!" Janie remarked. "But do I have to ball the boy? What if he's some dopey kid like some of the boys at school?"

"It's open all around, Cricket," Fred laughed.