Cast Jealousy
Rating:
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Genre=Fiction;
Pages=14;
Characters=28,661;
I thought it was going to be another boring weekend and in retrospect it probably would have been if I didn't let that thought out audibly. As it was, our newest employee just happened to be in ear shot and asked if I wanted to help him out this weekend. If I did he would try to treat me to the time of my life. Now that sounded nice, "How would I help you?" I asked.
"Can I tell you after work?" he asked.
This sounds intriguing I thought - how exciting. The rest of that Friday dragged by and Bill seemed a lot more interesting to me. I never thought there was ever a chance of anything between the two of us since he was around 30 years old or so and I was 43 at the time. Don't get me wrong, I'm still in pretty good shape with my legs being my strong suit thanks to regular walking and dancing whenever the opportunity arises. Being 5' 9" doesn't hurt in the leg area either and it didn't take long for all the women in the office to figure out that Bill was a major leg man.
It was finally 5:00 p.m. and everyone cleared out pretty quickly. Bill appeared at my door and I closed it behind him. I hope no one saw that or the gossip mill would get going in a flash I thought. I wasn't sure if I should ask what I could help him with first or ask how he would give me the time of my life. I decided on the second choice. He talked about going to the city (an hour drive) and doing things that I've always wanted to do but just haven't done yet. Nice dinners of course, but pretty much what ever I wanted as long as it wasn't outrageously expensive. I said "That sounds great. How would I help you out though?"
He cleared his throat and his voice got lower and he said "I have been studying to become a cast technician and I need to practice before I take my exam."
It was so far from what I was expecting that I didn't really understand what he was getting at so I said "What do you mean?"
He said "You would help me out by letting me put your leg in a cast. Have you ever had a leg in a cast?"
I said "no."
He quickly added "Oh, a virgin" with a big smile on his face. He has such a contagious smile that I found myself smiling too.
"If I say yes, what happens next?"
He said "Go to your place and get whatever clothes you will wear over the weekend, bring at least one pair of your most comfortable shoes and start thinking of places you want to go and things you want to do. Then get over to my place as fast as you can. Ok?"
I just said "Ok" and thought to myself what am I getting myself into. He gave me directions to his place and then left my office. I was just standing there for a minute still thinking about what just happened. I looked down at my legs wondering which one would be in a cast and said out loud "I can't believe I'm doing this."
I got ready for the weekend and drove to his place. I locked the car doors with my clothing still in the car then went up a few stairs to his front door. I didn't have to knock, he opened the door as I was walking up the steps. He glanced around as he let me in and said "Good, no one was around. Good timing."
I said, "Thanks, what happens now?"
Bill said "I see you're still in your work clothes, you'll have to take off your panty hose before we can start. You can do that in the bathroom, I'll wait right here."
It didn't take me that long to slip off my pumps and get out of my panty hose. I slipped my pumps back on and then he led me to his bedroom where there was all the casting stuff spread out on the floor at the end of his bed. It seemed obvious to me that I should sit down at the end of his bed so I did. He was standing in front of me when he asked "any preference?" I must have looked like I didn't know what he meant so he asked "which leg?"
I must have been nervous because I answered his first question with a "no." He looked at me a little funny then moved over to my left side, put his right hand under my left ankle, lifted my leg off the floor then extended my leg so it was almost straight. He slipped off my pump then gently lowered my leg to the floor. I probably seemed so pathetic to him, but when his hand was gently holding my ankle I let out a small sigh. It had been so long since anyone held me, or any part of me and it so nice it just slipped out before I could stop it. He then held my foot and positioned it so that it was at a right angle and asked me to hold that position until he was done. He then slipped what he called stockinette up my leg to just above mid thigh and cut it off just past my toes so they were covered up. He then positioned my knee and asked me to hold that position as well, then started to wrap what he called cast padding from just below my toes all the way up to the middle of my thigh. He went through four rolls of cast padding and then he started to do the plaster rolls. He would dunk one in water for a few seconds then wrap my leg with the plaster roll. After four rolls of plaster he took the stockinette over my toes and pulled it back over the cast. I was kind of hoping that he would have left it covering my toes. Then he rolled back the stockinette on my thigh over the cast then did three more rolls of plaster. He started at the bottom of the cast and completely made another layer of plaster cast over my leg covering up the stockinette he pulled back. The whole process was pretty interesting, it seemed like I was watching someone else's leg being done. He spent a few minutes smoothing out the plaster then reminded me to keep my foot and knee held in the same position. He also warned me about my leg getting warm and it seemed like as soon as he mentioned it my leg started to get warm. After a few minutes the warmness was gone and I asked if it was done. He said "Not quite yet. Lay down on my bed. I'll help you and remember not to move your foot or knee." He then lifted my casted leg and I slid back on the bed until it seemed like I could rest my head on his pillow. He slid the other pillow on the bed under my casted leg then suggested that I relax and lay down, so I did. As he left the room he said "Don't try to move your foot or knee yet! I have to go to the bathroom and clean up."
I held my foot and knee as still as I could and it was getting tiring. He seemed to be gone a long time but when finally arrived I quickly asked it I had to keep my foot and knee held stiff. He commented that I should just relax my leg, it should be set enough by now.
I asked "Does that mean I can't move my leg now?"
"Go ahead and try", he said.
I tried to move my knee and nothing happened, then I tried to move my foot and nothing happened, lastly I tried to wiggle my toes. What a relief, I could wiggle my toes though it seemed to take more effort than normal. My toes also started to look like they were getting slightly purplish so I asked it that was a problem.
He said "No, that's normal." Then he went over to one of his closet and said "We're almost ready" as he fumbled around in there for a few seconds. When he turned around he had two crutches. I thought to myself again "Oh my, what am I getting myself into!"
He asked if I had ever used crutches before and I never had. I never even used a friend's crutches in play even though I had been around a few friends in my younger years that had to use crutches. He helped me position myself so I could stand up. I thought I must look ridiculous because my left leg was sticking out and it wasn't touching the floor like my right leg. He held both crutches in his left hand then sat down next to me and said "put you arm over my shoulder and I'll help you stand up."
He put his right arm around me and I didn't mind that at all. He told me to slip off my right pump so I did. Then he helped me stand up. I held my leg out in front of me then let it slowly down. My toes just barely touched the carpeting. I instinctively tried to straighten my leg to help keep my balance but there was just no ability to move my leg. He slid one of the crutches under my right arm then moved in front of me. He said "Am I good or what? I set the crutches for your height without you even being here." I took hold of the crutch and moved it up and down a little bit to get a feel for its weight. He let go of me then slid the other crutch under my left arm. I liked it better when he was holding on to me but there I was completely dependent on crutches to be able to stand up. It was a strange feeling being dependent on those pieces of wood to stand and being unable to get my left leg to touch the floor. I was really starting to feel a sense of helplessness.
He said "Go ahead and try them out."
I moved both crutches forward a foot or so then tried to move forward. I could tell I wasn't using them very well when he said "Wow, I'm going to have to give you lessons on how to use crutches."
He spent the next 10 minutes helping me use crutches properly. It takes more skill than I would have ever imagined. The main pointer was to hold my foot forward a little because of the long leg cast. All my clothing was in my car so Bill slipped my pump back on my right foot and looked at me and said "Be careful." I was getting nervous as it became obvious that we were going soon and I would be going on crutches with my leg in a big heavy cast. I really had my stomach in butterflies at that thought. As we were heading outside I asked Bill if I could put a sock over my cast. He said no because the cast won't be completely set for at least 24 hours and if I wear a sock over the cast the sock could actually become incorporated into the cast as it set. Then he said "Besides, you don't want to hide my masterpiece do you?"
I said "No I don't want to do that, I want to hide my toes."
Bill locked down at my toes for a few seconds and I started to feel self-conscious. Then he said "Oh, I don't know, they aren't too bad." He looked up at me and said "Sorry, no sock yet."
I leaned forward to look down at my own toes and I thought "Great, now everyone is going to be staring at my toes." I never really thought much about them so I don't really spend all that much time on them. Consequently, I don't paint them and my toe nails were in need of trimming. Although I always thought I had attractive legs but I was always self-conscious about my feet. They were kind of big, even for my height, and my big toe was so much bigger and longer than my other toes. I just never felt comfortable with my feet exposed and now here I was totally unable to hide my toes from the world thanks to this cast. My stomach was really in knots and I thought "I really have to get my mind on something else."
That something else was concentrating on using crutches. When I got to the first step outside I just froze. I just couldn't get myself to attempt to go down those stairs on crutches. I was probably wide eyed as I looked at Bill and said "Help me! Please." He took my crutches, put my arm around him, put his arm around me then told me to use the hand rail. We went nice and slow and I felt very safe going down the steps this way. In fact it felt very good to be helped like that, it was kind of like a walking hug.
I was back on crutches at the bottom of the steps and we got to my car. We decided that we would take my car and he helped my into the drivers seat. I had an automatic so he said it wouldn't be a problem for me to drive. It was a problem getting me into the car although I have to admit I found all the help enjoyable. I contained my sighs this time though. After I got settled he hurriedly went back into his place then came out with his own suitcase, dropped it in the back seat near the crutches and then jumped into the passenger seat and looked at me as if to say "lets go!"
We finally arrived in the big city and I had seen some commercials on TV for a particular restaurant so we spent a little more time in the car finding it. By now it was late and we were both starved. My stomach was in knots again at the prospect of being seen in public in a leg cast and on crutches so there was this battle going on in my stomach as we approached the restaurant. Hunger won out and we went in. I was feeling very self-conscious in there as I noticed several men glancing at me on and off. I noticed the women who looked rarely looked at me a second time. We finally were seated and had an enjoyable dinner. For the first time since I had my leg in a cast I actually forgot that it was in a cast as we ate and talked over dinner. I wanted to just stay right there and keep talking with Bill but we both agreed that we should get a hotel before it got to late. I tried to ignore the glances that I got as I crutched out of the restaurant.
I stayed in the car as Bill got us a room. We discussed it on the way and we both decided it would be best if we got a double at a Super 8 or some place like that. He seemed to have a bounce in his step as he approached the car. He jumped in and we drove close to the closest entrance. He asked me to stay in the car and he would bring my stuff in then be right back for me. He wasn't gone long. He helped me out of the car, which felt nice. Got the hotel door for me and I immediately noticed stairs. He smiled and said "I specifically asked for the second floor so I could help you up the stairs. I hope you don't mind."
I said "I was hoping we would get the second floor just for that reason", as I took a step closer to him on my crutches then handed them to him and put my arm around him. There must have been 20 steps but it was to few for me. I crutched the rest of the way to the room and he let me in.
I laid my crutches against the wall then plopped down on the bed as he sat down on the other bed. We were talking a bit about watching TV, then about what to watch on TV when one the crutches fell and hit the edge of one of the end tables. It startled us both but neither one of got up to get it. Bill took one of his pillows and placed it under my casted leg. While he was doing that I moved toward the center of the bed and asked if he would sit next to me and he did. We got cozy next to each other as we sat shoulder to shoulder as I flipped through the stations looking for something to watch. I was surprised he actually let me have the remote control. I basically watched the shows but would glance at Bill every now and then. He was doing a good job of hiding it but I'm pretty sure he was really concentrating on my cast and not the shows. We watched a few shows before I started to nod off and Bill was very gracious about helping me get into bed. I was all tucked in except for the foot of my cast. Bill untucked the sheets and blankets at the bottom of the bed because the sheets and blankets were putting a lot of pressure on my toes. I was quickly asleep with my left leg still propped up on a pillow and my cast and toes sticking up out of the blankets.
I woke up in the same position I fell asleep in. I was in my usual state of confusion as I woke up and when I tried to roll over my right leg touched something cool and smooth and only then did I remember that my leg was in a cast. I laid flat on my back and then propped myself up on my elbows. I just stared at my leg for a minute or so. It seemed strange that it was actually my leg that was in a cast. You see others with a cast but you think it will never happen to you. As I looked at my leg it almost didn't feel like it was my leg in there, it kind of had a detached feeling.
Bill must have been watching me look at my cast because he startled me by saying "It's beautiful, isn't it."
I didn't know what to say about my cast being beautiful or not so I tried to change the subject by saying, "Oh, you startled me."
Bill said, "Sorry." Then he asked again, "Isn't it beautiful?"
Obviously he wasn't going to let this subject drop. I said, "Yes, the cast you put on my leg is beautiful. I just don't feel beautiful myself."
"Why not?", he asked.
I answered, "Well for one thing, I feel self-conscious about my toes being seen by everyone, my toe nails need to be trimmed. I also feel self-conscious about being in a cast and having to use crutches too."
Bill got out of bed and started walking to his suitcase as he said "I'll help you with your toe nails. As for the other stuff, you'll just get used to it with time."
"Oh no, you don't have to help me with that." It was to late, he had clippers in his hand and he then sat down next to my cast. I wanted to pull my casted leg in and away from Bill but it just wouldn't move so instinctively I pulled in my right leg not that that did any good. I think I might have been grimacing as he clipped my toe nails and I pleaded with him saying that he didn't have to do this. It felt very humbling to have someone clip my toe nails for me and I felt like he was humbling himself to do it.
After he was done I told him, "You did a nice job, you didn't have to do that you know."
He said, "I know, I don't want you to feel uncomfortable being in a cast, I want you to enjoy yourself this weekend."
I said, "Thanks again for doing my nails."
"No problem, really. Should I do your other foot?"
"No! That's ok, I will be wearing a sneaker over that foot so you don't have to. Thanks for asking though."
Bill took a shower while I watched some news. I thought how enjoyable a shower would be and wondered if I could with this cast. After Bill was out of the shower I asked about taking a shower and he informed me that I couldn't. I would have to just wash up with a wash cloth. He got the crutches, then helped me up and I slowly crutched my way to the bathroom then shut the door behind me. I took my time washing up. As I left the bathroom Bill met me at the door as I was going out.
He asked "Were you able to reach your toes?"
I looked down and said "No." Then Bill asked if I minded if he washed them for me, not that they really needed it. They might have needed it so I agreed. He washed them while I was still standing on my crutches. Then he dried them making sure he got in between my toes really well. I just about broke out into hysterics because it tickled so much. He was just laughing with me while he did it.
After my toes were cleaned and dried we left the bathroom and we talked about where to have breakfast. While we pondered the choices I noticed that one of the crutches had a ding in it. It must have been the one that hit the end table last night. I suggested the McDonalds right across the street then hinted that he could take me to a nice place for lunch. I felt there was to much traffic for me to just walk across the street on crutches so we drove across the street. Naturally I enjoyed being helped into the car and the stairs getting down to the car as well.
I was feeling uneasy about being in a cast and being on crutches in public again and I had this general feeling I would never get used to it. There were the normal few glances at me and my cast but to top off that feeling of uneasiness there was this teenage boy that was just out right staring at me cast which made me really self-conscious. I tried my best to find a corner and hide but my casted leg was still conspicuously displayed to anyone who sat at one of several tables. That teenaged boy sat down at one of them and spent most of the meal looking at my cast. I tried not to let it get to me but I still felt like picking up my crutches, walking over to him and slapping him across back of the head and asking him "Haven't you ever seen anyone in a cast before?"
I was glad to be back in the hotel and we prepared for the days activities. The day was going well although I still felt uncomfortable about having my leg in a cast and having to use crutches to get around. Then the worst thing possible happened.
I had always wanted to go to an IMAX theater because of a friend who had gone and raved about it for days afterwards so there we were about to get in line to buy the tickets when Sharon from the office appears from out of the crowd. I desperately wanted to just run away but couldn't of course. I tried to crutch around Bill so she wouldn't see me but it was too late. She seemed truly concerned as she asked what happened to my leg. I just froze. I had no idea what to tell her and nothing would come out of my mouth. I never considered I would run into someone I knew, much less someone from work. This was like a nightmare coming true.
Bill said, in that low voice again, "Nothing happened. She is helping me out. I am studying to become a cast technician and she let me practice on her, so to make it up to her I'm showing her the town."
Sharon stared at my cast for quite a few seconds then said "Wow! It looks so real."
Bill said, "It is real."
Sharon then said, "Well, if you need to practice any more just let me know." There was a few seconds of awkward silence before she spoke again saying, "Well, I guess I should be going now." She glanced back over to me and said, "I'm really glad you aren't really hurt."
I thought "I bet you are, since you just volunteered to have Bill put your leg in a cast just so he could show you around the town too." I noticed her disappointment when she saw me with Bill and I knew then she really wanted to be with him, probably along with half of the single women in the office. He was just normal looking but he was truly kind and compassionate and a gentleman. I guess I couldn't blame her for hoping. I found myself hoping that something between Bill and myself would happen thanks to this weekend. In fact, that's probably why I agreed to this whole cast things in the first place.
That whole scene really put me in a tizzy for the rest of the day and I don't think I enjoyed IMAX or dinner as much as I would have if we hadn't met up with Sharon. I was always thinking about what people would think if she brought up the whole incident at work and the thoughts weren't good.
We watched TV again for a while that night and he sat next to me on the bed again which was nice. That took my mind off what Sharon might say at work. I tried to pay closer attention to what Bill was paying attention too and I really think he was paying most attention to my toes and not my cast and definitely not the TV. Just about every time I wiggled my toes he seemed to react in some way or another. I would have to keep that little bit of information to myself and use it to my advantage if possible. I looked over at Bill and thought "You are so different, and so sweet."
After a few shows he tucked me in again and I went to sleep hoping things would go further between the two of us.
I remembered my leg was in a cast when I woke up in the morning so I didn't try to roll over. I did glance over at Bill to see if he was looking at my toes and he was. I just smiled then remembered to wiggle them a little for him.
Much to my disappointment he suggested we head back for home. He said he was running low on money and I have to admit he did spend quite a bit, not that I tried to be excessive. We basically just packed up and headed back home. Actually, we did do the drive through at McDonalds before heading back to his place.
Having my cast taken off was almost scary. He had a cast cutting machine that he cut the cast in two with. He then cut through the cast padding and stockinette with a regular pair of scissors. There was my leg again! Not in a cast! I tried moving it around and I could. I felt so happy I felt like dancing.
Bill asked if I wanted to keep the cast and I really didn't want to. He seemed disappointed that I didn't want to keep my cast. To be honest, I didn't want there to be any evidence that I ever had my leg in a cast, especially since Sharon saw me with it on.
Bill said he would take care of it. I thanked him for a very nice weekend. I told him honestly that I would never forget it.
I was worried Sharon would bring up meeting me at the IMAX with my leg in a cast but she never said a word about it and it had been several weeks by now. Naturally I was worried that she did tell someone but word just hadn't gotten back to me yet. I was feeling like maybe she wouldn't tell anyone. Then I found out she never told anyone and never would. It was three weeks later and I was in the main reception area with several of the girls and Bill was there too. It was a few minutes before the official work day was to start.
The phone rings and Debbie picks it up even though its not quite 8:30.
Debbie says, "Its Sharon. Are you calling in sick today or are you going to be late?"
A few seconds of Debbie listening to Sharon then Debbie says, "Yes, Bill is right here. Do you want to talk to him?" Debbie gives a devious look to everyone in the room then presses the speaker phone button.
Everyone then hears Sharon say, "No I don't need to talk to him, can you ask him to meet me outside the front door so he can help me in."
Debbie said, "It can't be locked."
Sharon says, "I'm sure it isn't locked. I need help getting up the stairs. I, um, I broke my ankle over the weekend and I'm on crutches and I don't think I can make it up the stairs on my own. Can you ask Bill if he'll come down to help me?"
Debbie watches Bill head out of the room and says, "He's on his way."
There was a general hubbub at that bit of news. I left the room and waited at the top of the stairs for them to arrive. It was just a minute then the front door opened and Sharon comes through the front door with her left leg in a cast from her toes to just below her knee. She was wearing a skirt, which she hardly ever wore and she wasn't wearing anything over her cast. I looked at how Bill was paying her attention and how she was looking at Bill as he took her crutches, they put their arms around each other and slowly headed up the stairs. They never even noticed me up at the top of the stairs they were so wrapped up in each other. I knew then it was over between Bill and I. I had no chance against Sharon with a broken ankle and Bill being so interested in casts. I went back to my room, closed the door and tried to hold back tears.
Sharon was still the center of attention by the time I got myself under control and went back out to the main reception room. I was keeping my distance but over the next few minutes I started noticing that Sharon was avoiding my presence. It then occurred to me that maybe she hadn't broken her ankle at all. Maybe Bill put her leg in the cast. I made my way to the other side were she laid down her crutches on the floor. I had to look closely but there it was. I clearly saw the ding mark from the end table at the hotel on one of the crutches. I knew then she hadn't broken her ankle and knew I was safe from her spilling the beans on me. I realized then she was safe from me spilling the beans on her as well. Sharon wanted everyone to sign her cast and asked Bill to sign first right on the top of her foot so she could easily read it. Bill wrote a small paragraph and I noticed he wrote something about her having nice toes. I looked at them and she did have cute little toes. I have no chance against her.
Sharon was about 5' 4" and pretty, which was bad enough. Just about everyone who read Bill's paragraph agreed with Bill, she really did have cute toes which, by the way, she has shown off every day so far. She hasn't worn a sock over her cast at work yet. I'm sure she isn't wearing a sock so that Bill can get a good look at her toes all day long. She's been wearing a skirt every day too so that Bill can get a good look at her cast. Sharon and Bill have been a couple since her leg has been in a cast. I'm so jealous of all the attention Sharon has been getting from Bill (and just about everyone else) that I've actually been considering waiting until Sharon's leg is no longer casted then asking Bill if he needs more practice with leg casts before his test. I would of course graciously volunteer again and really let him know how much I like having my leg in a cast this time. I would have a real change of attitude about being in a leg cast and showing off my toes. I'm also going to let Bill know that I wouldn't mind keeping my leg in a cast for a few weeks if he would help me out a lot like he has helped out Sharon. I hope it works but for now I'm going to have wait for Sharon's cast to come off. I can't believe I'm jealous of Sharon because her leg is in a cast but it's true.
Treckles
trekels@aol.com