Who Wants to be in Pictures?

The summer after my freshman year of high school my dad married Maureen. My real mother had died when I was four, and I barely remembered her. Maureen was okay, but she really wanted to get into the "mother" thing -- she had no children of her own. The thing was, I was nearly 15 when she married my dad, and she had the very annoying habit of treating me like I was five. We actually got into an argument the first week they were married because she just walked into the bathroom while I was in the shower. The curtain wasn't see-through or anything, but when I heard her come in I thought it was my dad and I thought nothing of pulling back the curtain and reaching out for my towel.

When I saw her I whipped the curtain closed and yelled at her to get out. Thankfully, she was digging around in the back of the cabinet under the sink so she didn't see anything. I don't remember how we started arguing, but my dad had to come in and break it up. She wouldn't leave! It was infuriating for her to tell me (and then my dad) that I was just a boy, that a 42-year-old woman had no interest in a 14-year-old kid, that she had seen it all before anyway, yaddah, yaddah, yaddah.

My dad ushered her out of the bathroom, and I got my towel and dried off. Then he and I got in a big fight when he came back in and started to lecture me about how I had to think of Maureen as my mom now, and how I couldn't talk to her that way, etc. It was really bad, and we didn't talk to each other all the next day. I guess that's when I really started to resent her.

I admit that I had kind of a _c_o_c_k_y attitude. I knew I was good looking. I swam and lifted weights. Girls were not a problem for me. In fact, I thought I might have a chance with Vickie, the girl who cleaned house for us -- that is, until my Maureen came into the picture. She didn't like how I acted around Vickie (who was in college). She thought it was disrespectful, and she thought my attitude toward her (Maureen) changed for the worse when Vickie was around. Looking back on it, she was right, but I didn't see it at the time.

I had no qualms about back talking her, ignoring her completely, and treating her like the maid or gardener. I wanted her to know that I resented her suddenly coming in and taking over our home, and I wasn't shy about letting her know it. Add to that the way she kept trying to "mommy" me and it just wasn't a very good situation.

My dad worked for a company that, among other things, financed movies. One night he brought a client home to dinner. Little did I know this man would lead me to the most God awful experiences of my then 14 years. His name was Donald Myers, and he was nice enough when I first met him.

Over dinner it came out that he was a director, and my dad's company was financing his new film. He mentioned that he had spent the day at Sunny Trails, trying to get recruits for a scene in his movie. That caught my attention.

Sunny Trails was the subject of much controversy in our ocean side community. It was a nudist camp, and there was always talk about the "things" that went on up there. My dad had told me long ago that there was nothing to it. It was really just a bunch of people walking around naked, playing volleyball, doing whatever every day people did; just with no clothes on. I thought it was funny, and I couldn't imagine walking around in front of all kinds of people, men and women, boys and girls, buck naked.

"Sunny Trails!" said Maureen. "What on earth were you doing up there?"

"There's a scene in the film where a group of orphaned boys gets to spend the day at the beach" he said. "It's set in the 1800's, so when they go swimming they all go skinny dipping. You can't get kids to do that anymore" he smiled. "Except the ones you find at nudist colonies." Looking at me and said, "They don't even make you take showers after gym anymore, do they?"

"No, they don't make you, but most people do" I said. I was actually one who occasionally skipped the showers or wore my trunks in if we had been swimming that day.

"See?" said Mr. Myers to my dad and Maureen.

I dropped my fork when Maureen said, "Maybe Kevin could be in your movie."

She was looking at me with that "proud mother" look she put on, and I frowned at her and said, "Oh, sure. That's going to happen."

"Why not, honey?" she said.

"I'm not going to let someone film me naked" I said indignantly. I looked at my dad and said, "Can you imagine everyone at school going to see the movie? No way!"

My dad laughed and said, "You've got a point, son."

"Well, actually" said Mr. Myers, "since it's all minors we're required to edit everything out. You know, private parts and all. The most anyone would see in the movie is a shot from the side or maybe the top of your butt, at the very most."

He was looking at me seriously, and that made me squirm a little in my chair. My dad said, "I don't think you've got much of a chance there, Don."

"Oh, come on!" said Maureen. "It would be fun. Why don't you do it, Kevin? Don't you want to be in the movies? It could be the start of something really big."

"No, thanks" I said.

"You know" said Mr. Myers, "I am still short a couple of kids. I wish you'd think about it." I was about to laugh in his face when he said, "It's $1,500 for one day's work. That's pretty good money for a kid your age."

"Fifteen hundred!" I said. "Get out of here!"

"Why so much?" asked my father.

"Because we can't get anyone to do it" said Mr. Myers. "Little kids don't care, but guys Kevin's age care a lot."

I wondered if there weren't a way to maneuver this thing so that I could do the film and just wear speedos. "If you have to cut everything out" I asked, "why can't you wear speedos or something during the filming?"

Mr. Myers turned to me with renewed interest. "Because you'd be playing in the ocean and running around on the beach. With all that splashing around and jumping through the shallows we just couldn't fake it." He tapped his fork on his plate and said, "You really are perfect for it, Kevin, and I really do need a couple more kids. I wish you'd think it over."

"Oh, Kevin honey" said Maureen, "you should do it!" Looking at my dad and Mr. Myers she said, "I always wanted to be a stage mom."

THAT put the breaks on whatever momentum this idea had been gaining in my head. I laughed and said, "Right! Like I'm going to walk around in the buck in front of you." That made my dad scowl at me. I had said it really sarcastically, and I looked down at my plate and started eating my food again.

"Oh, for heaven's sake" said Maureen. "We've been through this, Kevin. I'm 42 years old --"

"Actually" interrupted Mr. Myers. "A parent or guardian isn't required at 14 and up and, in fact, can be banned from the set by the minor in question. You're at least 14, aren't you Kevin?"

"Yeah" I said, smirking at Maureen. I was actually considering it now just to spite her. I looked at Mr. Myers and said, "It's just boys, right?"

"Yes" he said, his interest quickening. "Changing your mind?"

"Maybe" I said. That made my dad raise his eyebrows. "You're not filming on a regular beach, right? I mean, it wouldn't be like going to the beach-beach and walking around naked, would it?"

He laughed and said, "No, not at all. It's a semi-private alcove and we'll have security guards stationed at all points of entry to bar anyone from wandering in. It's so secluded that I doubt anyone would anyway." He winked at me. "Doesn't hurt to be too careful, though, does it?"

"Well," said Maureen, "I think it's silly to ban parents from the set. I'm his mom, after all."

Mr. Myers held up his hand and said, "I don't make the rules, I just have to live by them."

"I'll do it" I said, giving Maureen a triumphant look. I guess I came off as spiteful because my dad was giving me one of his sour looks again.

"Are you sure, son?" he said.

"Yeah!" I said. "For fifteen hundred bucks, are you kidding?"

Later that night after Mr. Myers had left my dad pulled me aside and made sure again that I was sure about doing it. I guess Myers was a pretty important guy as far as my dad was concerned, and he wanted to make sure that I wasn't going to change my mind and back out. In fact, if I still said I wanted to do it tomorrow then I couldn't back out because my dad would sign all the necessary papers.

Three weeks later I got to take a Friday off school, and Maureen drove me to the location on the map we had been given. When we got there I jumped out of the car and said, "Thanks! Bye!" but she said, "Hold on. I'm coming with you."

I stood rooted to the spot and said, "No, you're not."

"Relax, bashful" she said. "I'm not staying. I just want to make sure you get there all right."

"I'll be fine" I said, waiving the map at her. It had a walking trail clearly marked on it. She wouldn't be persuaded, and I had to let her walk me down the trail, down the cliff side, and all the way to the beach.

As we made our way down the side of the hill/cliff I noticed all the people around. There was equipment everywhere, and there had to be at least 30 people not including the ones I could make out in the ocean. It was secluded, all right. It must have taken at least 20 minutes before we even saw anyone.

When Mr. Myers saw us approaching he waived to us. He was standing in a group of women about Maureen's age, some a lot younger. They didn't look like movie people. They looked like moms. I realized I knew one of them. It was Tom Walker's mother. I went to school with Tom, and his mom taught remedial English Tuesdays and Thursdays at our school. I passed her all the time in the halls.

As we approached them Mrs. Walker said, "Kevin? Is that you?" She reached out and I shook her hand. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Kevin's the last to arrive. We've been waiting for him" said Mr. Myers.

"Tom's not here, is he?" I asked, starting to feel nervous.

"Goodness, no!" she said. "He wouldn't be caught dead here today. I'm surprised to see you Kevin." She turned to Mr. Myers and said, "I thought you said they all came from Sunny Trails, Don."

"We were a little short on boys" he said. "Kevin's dad's company is providing some of our financing, and Kevin here is helping us out."

"Um, what are you doing here, Mrs. Walker?" I asked. It was making me nervous having all these women here; doubly so when I realized that two of the people with black shirts and white writing that said "SECURITY" on them were also women.

"That's my nephew out there" she said, pointing to the group of boys playing in the ocean. "Derek!" she yelled for him. "Derek! Come and meet someone!" she waived at one of the boys. I glanced over and saw a guy a little older than me stand up out of the water and walk over to one of the boys swimming in deeper water. I noted with some relief that he was wearing bright red swimming trunks.

Mr. Myers made introductions, and Maureen was just about preening standing there with "all the moms."

"This is my nephew, Derek" said Mrs. Walker. My whole body jerked backward when I turned around. Derek was about 11 years old, and was standing there stark naked next to the guy I had seen in red trunks.

"Hello" he said, as though it were the most natural thing in the world to be out there on the beach in front of everyone in the buck. "Are you the guy we're waiting for?" he asked.

"Oh, he's precious!" said Maureen.

"Yeah" I said. "I guess so."

"Why don't you jump in and get to know everyone, Kevin?" said Mr. Myers. "We won't be filming for a couple of hours at least, and I want you boys to play together for a while and get to know each other." He indicated the guy in the trunks and said, "Jack here can show you where to stow your clothes."

"Hey" said the guy in the red trunks.

I looked nervously at Maureen and all the other women. Maureen crossed her arms, and smirked at me.

"You have to go now" I said to her.

"Well no one else seems to be leaving. That hardly seems fair."

"Oh, we can't" said one of the mothers.

"Why not?" asked Maureen, sounding a tiny bit indignant, and a lot more interested than I liked.

"We talked about that, remember?" said Mr. Myers. "Minors have to have a parent or guardian on the set at all times during a nude scene." He patted Derek's head as he said this.

I felt my guts turning inside me. "You never said there'd be so many people here" I said.

Mr. Myers looked at me quizzically. "It's just a normal film crew" he said.

Oh, God, I thought. I can't do this. Even after Maureen left there'd still be all the other moms, plus the female crew members -- and for that matter the male crew members. I really had thought it would just be Mr. Myers, the camera guy, and me and the other kids. What had I gotten myself into? I knew I couldn't back out now, either. It was too late for that.

My heart was racing, and when Jack motioned for me to follow him I again turned to Maureen and said, "You have to go."

"Oh, Kevin, honestly!" she said.

"I'm sorry, Maureen" said Mr. Myers. "If he doesn't want you here, I'm afraid you can't stay." Turning to me he said, "Though I don't see what it matters, Kevin. She's just another mom" and he nodded his head at the group of women standing with Maureen. Suddenly I hated him. He should have told me! He should have been more clear!

Angrily I said, "She's not my mom, she's my dad's wife. And she has to go. Now!" Maureen looked hurt, and I knew there would be hell to pay when I got home. She politely said good bye to everyone as little Derek grabbed me by the wrist and said, "Come on!"

I followed him and Jack over to a large plastic canister that was sitting on the sand out of reach of the tide. "Put your stuff in there" he said.

"Well what about you?" I asked. "Can't I have a pair of trunks, too?"

"I'm a lifeguard, not an actor" he said. Pointing to another guy in red trunks he said, "So's John. You can swim, can't you?"

"Yeah" I said. "I can swim. How old are you guys?"

"We're both 18" he said. Great. This was getting better and better. How much more humiliating is this day going to get, I wondered. The mothers didn't seem to be paying attention to me, so I quickly stripped down to my underwear. Just then a female security guard walked right by us, but didn't even blink in my direction.

"You embarrassed?" asked Jack.

I felt like I needed a friend just then. Little Derek tugged on my wrist again and said, "Come on, already!"

"Yeah" I said quietly. "I thought it would just be a few guys is all. I can't believe how many people are here." I looked sickly over at the group of mothers standing up the beach from us.

He laughed and said, "Oh, my God. You're not from the nudist camp, are you?"

"No" I said, miserably.

He clapped me on the shoulder and said, "That's awful." He laughed good naturedly and said, "Man, that really sucks. Glad I'm not you."

"Just come on" said Derek annoyed.

"Maybe you should just shuck 'em off and run in" said Jack.

"You want to do it with me?" I said hopefully.

"No way!" he said.

I looked nervously again at the mothers and Mrs. Walker, then looked around for the lady security guards. I didn't seen any of the guards, so I quickly pulled my shorts off, threw them in the tub, and ran for the water. I have to admit that it was exhilarating to swim naked in the outdoors like that. I had never done it (though I have many times since) and it was just about the best feeling you could imagine.

I managed to stay at least waist deep in the water for nearly an hour. I played around with the other guys, many of whom were smaller than me, so I'd usually win whatever games we devised. We had a frisbee, a couple of soccer-sized balls, and I think a football to play with. At one point Jack and John, the lifeguards, swam over and we all made our introductions. John laughed when he found out that I wasn't one of the nudists.

"Dude, glad I'm not you" he said. Looking at Jack he said, "Hey, let's trade!"

"What?" asked Jack. A moment later John's swimming trunks went flying through the air and smacked Jack in the face. He laughed, pulled off his trunks, and threw them at John. For that brief moment we were all naked under the water, and for some reason I felt more at ease. I wish we could have stayed that way. We suddenly heard a loud whistle coming from the beach, and we saw Mr. Myers waiving us to him.

Oh, God, I thought. Time to face the music. All right, so what? I told myself. Everyone else -- well, practically everyone else was in the buck, too. I wouldn't particularly stand out, and the mothers would probably be watching their own kids, so...

I followed the group out of the water, making sure I was one of the last so that I was covered somewhat by the crowd in front of me. It was funny to see all those naked butts on the beach ahead of me. Something was wrong, but I couldn't quite place it. I kept forcing myself to not look over at the moms, and I guess that's what was keeping me from figuring it out until we were standing around in a semi-circle around Mr. Myers.

It finally hit me when Mr. Myers said, "You guys ready to start shooting?" and there was a general chorus of "yeah!" from the group of boys. Looking at each of them I realized I was not only the tallest, but that most of them hadn't hit puberty yet. In fact, there was only one other who was just starting to get some pubes, and no one else with hair under his arms. Oh, my God! I thought. They're a bunch of little kids! EVERYONE's going to notice me, and Mrs. Walker already knew me!

I wanted to dive into the sand, but I just stood there motionless and shivering a little. "Kevin?" said Mr. Myers.

"Yes, sir?" I asked. What an asshole, I thought. Wait till I told my dad about all this.

"You're going to be the leader, okay?" He was smiling as he said this, like it was some kind of honor. I didn't give a _s_h_i_t_ about it, I just wanted to be out of there. I just nodded my head.

"You'll be sort of featured because of it" he said, again like that was something special.

"Uh, huh" I said. Couldn't we just get on with it? I thought. Mr. Myers turned away from me then and started shouting orders at his crew. I couldn't see any female crew members or security guards anywhere, but those _d_a_m_n_ mothers were still all lined up not 30 yards away. Being the only one with hair on my body -- and I'll admit it wasn't that much -- they would clearly make out every, you know, detail. It was mortifying.

Mr. Myers had us running around, kicking a ball, chasing it into the ocean. He had me and the one kid who was close to my size grab some of the very little boys by the wrists and ankles and throw them into the water. He had us all work to shove a giant old twisted piece of driftwood into the water.

Some of the mothers didn't look like they were much older than Vickie, the girl who cleaned for us. At first I would alternately get half-hard, then I'd shrink, then I'd grow again. I was working hard to think of boring/awful things to keep from getting an erection. Algebra, dead puppies, the old guy in church who always picked his nose. Stuff like that. After a while I got so that I could ignore everyone else, and I actually stopped seeing the mothers, though they didn't go away or anything. I just learned how not to turn my head in their direction.

This went on for hours. Apparently, it takes that many hours of filming to get just a few minutes of usable footage. I was hoping that I would end up on the cutting room floor, but I was "the leader," whatever that meant, so I was sure I'd be in the final movie.

Finally Mr. Myers said, "All right! All right! Let's shoot the last bit!" He called us over to him and there was a guy about my father's age dressed as a priest. Mr. Myers said, "Kevin, this is David." He held out his hand, and I shook it still somewhat embarrassed by my nudity but truly getting kind of used to it.

"In this scene" said Mr. Myers, "Father Michael -- David here -- has caught you all swimming. You weren't supposed to go into the deep water without permission, and he's kind of an old fart, so you have to take some wood for it. Don't worry, though. It's not real. It won't hurt."

"I'm cold!" said one of the boys.

"What do you mean 'take wood?'" I asked.

"Go ahead and get dressed" said Mr. Myers to the whole group. "We just need Kevin for this scene." My back stiffened as I saw David -- "Father Michael" -- pick up a big rowing oar. Take wood. He was going to paddle me in front of everyone. I knew it. Buck naked in front of the whole crew, the moms, and all the other kids who were now down the beach putting their clothes on.

My panic must have shown because the guy in the priest costume smiled and said, "Hey! Relax. I think it's neoprene. You know, the stuff they make wetsuits out of." He grabbed it at one end and bent it.

As Mr. Myers moved us into position in front of the camera and other equipment I had to work to suppress the urge to cry. This was so unfair. Everyone was dressed now. Everyone, though one of the little, little kids was just wearing a shirt. The whole crew was standing around, the mothers, Mrs. Walker -- they were all watching us as Mr. Myers made me get on my hands and knees in the sand. The "priest" stood behind me with his neoprene boat oar paddle and tapped me lightly on the butt. "Ready?" he asked.

I couldn't speak. I knew that if I tried to say anything I'd start crying. This was so humiliating! Mr. Myers told me to just look straight ahead, that the priest guy and the film crew would do everything else.

"Action!" said Mr. Myers. Neoprene or not, when that actor started smacking my butt with that thing it stung! Everyone was watching me. I was almost 15 years old, buck naked on my hands and knees, in front of a whole film crew, Mrs. Walker, all the other kids, Jack and John the lifeguards, and a bunch of other moms getting spanked. It didn't matter that it was "pretend." It was real enough to me!

I couldn't stop a tear from rolling down my face, and I heard Mr. Myers say, "That's great! That's great! Get that! The kid's a natural." Finally he said, "Cut!" he reached down and smacked my butt lightly and said, "That was great, Kevin! You were great! Really!"

I stood up and my whole body shook violently and I stumbled backward when I looked over at Jack and John. Maureen was standing between them with a broad smile on her face, pointing me out to Mrs. Walker.

"What are you doing here!?!" I screamed, my fists clenched. I didn't even try to cover myself. I couldn't think straight.

"It's 4:00 o'clock" she said calmly. "Don said to be back at 4:00. You were supposed to be done by now." Both she and Mrs. Walker looked at me like I was crazy.

"GOD!" I shouted, and stomped away from everyone.

"Oh, honey!" called Maureen. "Don't be embarrassed, honey! It's okay!" I wanted to kill Mr. Myers. I hated everybody. Where were my clothes?

Jack and John ran up behind me and one of them said, "Hey! Wait up!"

Jack ran in front of me and put his hand on my chest to stop me. "Dude," he said, "you're handling this the wrong way." I blinked back tears and tried to make my breathing even. I couldn't fight with him -- I couldn't even speak -- without crying. I just stood there with his hand on my chest, breathing deeply.

"Let's go swimming" he said, grinning wickedly. Now it was my turn to look at someone like they were crazy. "Come on" he said. "We'll do it with you, right?" he nodded at John.

John nudged me with his elbow, and at the same time they both pulled their trunks down and off and ran into the water hooting and howling. I ran in after them, and I could hear Maureen laughing behind me. We dunked each other under the water, we splashed, we dove through waves. It did make me feel better.

_c_o_c_k_y once again I walked out of the water when Maureen called to me. I had Jack and John on either side, hanging out for all the world to see. "Like what you see?" I asked her.

"Just get dressed, you little exhibitionist" she said, smiling wryly. We didn't speak much on the drive home. She smiled at me, I smiled at her. Finally she said, "Dinner should be interesting tonight."

"Let me tell dad" I said.

"Sure" she said. "Whatever."

"You're still not allowed in the bathroom" I said.

She patted my chest and said, "I've seen it all now, kid. That was quite a shot when you were on your hands and knees" and she laughed. That made me blush. Had she seen my butthole? I didn't want to think about it.

"Just stay out" I said, looking at my lap, but still smiling.

Warmly, and I think for the first time genuinely, she said, "I will." We held hands for a minute, and then we just drove home like nothing at all had happened that day.

Please let me know what you think or what kids of stories you'd like to read. It really helps when get specific requests (which is pretty much where this story came from).

orangecatholic@yahoo. com