The Daily Grind

      Christina Mayer snuck into the house. Barely had she closed the door when she heard her father’s voice:

      “Where are you coming from at this hour, Tina? You are much too late!”

      “Sorry. It took longer than I thought. I just couldn’t get away any earlier,” stammered Tina.

      “If you can’t keep to your curfew, then you will not be allowed to go to the club anymore,” warned her father. “You know that we worry about you, and not without reason!”

      Tina knew that and she really was sorry. She hadn’t intended to come home late. Sometimes, she just lost track of the time. She tried to soothe her father:

      “You guys don’t need to worry about me. You know that I am out with Lucy. We always stick together, and we have pepper spray with us. Nothing’s going to happen.”

      “You say that so easily,” her protective father grumbled. “We can’t just stop being concerned. And it’s not as though we aren’t giving you any freedom. It’s just that you shouldn’t overdo it, either.”

      Tina knew he was right, and she knew that he knew that she knew it. There wasn’t anything more to say.

      She withdrew to her room.

      The next day at lunch, her mother started in along the same line:

      “You have no idea how dangerous your going out is. Some guys could put knockout drops in your drinks and kidnap you. I don’t even want to think about what they might do to the two of you. Please be a little more careful!”

      Tina couldn’t stand hearing this sermon over and over again any longer. Still, she put on a sympathetic face and nodded. She knew that her mother was only making such a fuss because she loved her so much. She really couldn’t be miffed at her for that! As a matter of fact, she was even secretly grateful to her for it. It made her feel safe.

      Though she didn’t make a song and dance of it, Tina did in fact listen to her parents. The two friends were careful and let neither their drinks out of their sight at any moment nor each other. And they never got into any strange vehicles, that was simply a matter of principle.

      All the same, they were out to have fun. You only live once!

      Tina loved to go dancing with her best friend, Lucy. They met other people their age and had a good time. Not even the odd flirting attempt could detract them very much. Besides, if they completely blocked all attempts, how would their Prince Charming ever find them?

      Evolution has created sexuality, after all. Any attempts to resist it would be futile. Of course, it was annoying when the wrong boys were attracted to them. On the other hand, they also met a number of nice guys.

      And where did the problem supposedly lie? They could always say “no” if they needed to and they did just that.