The Beautiful Virgin at Tapei City, Taiwan

Why did it have to be so Hellishly hot? “How am I going to make it through another day at work?” he wondered for what seemed like the millionth time, in the dark, at 3am. Really, if this life was going to work at all — to be worthwhile, he had to find a place where the air-conditioning doesn’t die again in the middle of the night, leaving him thinking those dark thoughts about the futility of it all.  After all coming to Tapei City, Taiwan, a modern metropolis with Japanese colonial lanes, busy shopping streets and contemporary buildings. The skyline is crowned by the 509m-tall, bamboo-shaped Taipei 101 skyscraper, with upscale shops at the base and a rapid elevator to an observatory near the top. Taipei is also known for its lively street-food scene and many night markets, including expansive Shilin market.

“Oh what has become of me? Where is my faith in the Lord?” David’s self-flagellation was interrupted by the dawning realization that lack of sleep must be doing the Devil’s work, playing on his thoughts, driving him to doubt. Closing his eyes, he sought strength in God.

David awoke with a start. He had overslept! He would be late for work. The big boss would not be impressed. It had not always been like this. Waving good-bye to the folks back in Spokane, David had set out to do God’s work, spreading the Gospel in Asia. The flight had been exciting but nothing had prepared him for the craziness that was Taipei. And that heat! Sure, there had been some hot times in Arizona but it was never so humid. The air was never so heavy, just sitting there, on your chest, pushing you down, like a giant snake. The Tapei steamy night — it made breathing hard. And besides, back home, the air-conditioning worked!

Those thoughts again! Why did he always return to doubt and question? He was here to save souls! Most of these poor people didn’t have reliable A/C, either. He was here to rescue them from hardship and despair. How could he do that if he wasn’t committed? In any case, the sun was up. David was up. Time to get ready and go to work. Oh yes, and to Wei-ting.

Life had already changed so much for David. He struggled with that, a lot. It never really felt totally comfortable, this mission abroad, doing what he had been “destined’ to do. Everybody else was happy. He liked making people happy. But still, something was not right. “I should be so happy doing this,” David argued, to nobody. Well, nobody but David. And God. “But doesn’t God want me to be truly happy?”

David had tried. He really had. Every day, he washed, got dressed, and headed out on the bicycle. To visit the people who needed his help. Every day, he came home and asked himself the same question: “What am I missing?” “Surely the answers to life are there already?” David picked up the Bible and held it close. It was familiar. The answers were there in his heart and in prayer with God. He knew this to be so. Or did he? Why didn’t he have the answers? Why was he still searching? Was he still searching?

Ruefully, David had realised he was stuck. He could not go home yet. His mission was completed but he knew he had not done his work. And in any case, how could he go back home filled with doubt and so many questions? He knew he would not be able to face his family and friends like this. He could not lie to them but he could not say what he honestly felt. In desperation, David had found a new calling, at least temporarily, he hoped. There was a never-ending demand for foreign English teachers in Taiwan. He could remain in Taipei City, improve his language skills, get to know the people better and eventually, or at least that was the plan, return to his ministry among the people. He would be better armed for the fight for salvation.

 

There she was “May”, Wei-ting was her proper name. Or rather, the phonetic expression. Her proper name would be impossible for most Americans to get right. Tonal languages were just so alien for the Westerner. So, nicknames were better. At least until friendships became closer.  He had not even noticed when it had happened. That day when getting up in the morning and heading to work had changed. Forever, it now seemed. Where once he had thought almost non-stop about how to do his work, how to progress, how to make it toward getting back to ministry, and returning home to the welcome appreciation of the church and his family.

Now it was all about May.

She had seemed interested in his life story. To her, it was as alien as the inner workings of Taiwan life were to David. But that had been very attractive, her interest. He tried to focus on his ministry, on church life, on how dedicated he and his family were to living the life they should. But there was so little about this he could say to May. So strange — he could have preached for hours to other Chinese. Now, he didn’t want to talk to May about it. He wanted to know about May. And the more he wanted to know about May, the more he wanted to share David with May. It was so hard. How could he have these feelings? This was wrong! Everything he had learned told him so. But it felt right. In his heart, as much as he searched, and as much as he prayed, it still felt right. “God, the pain! I don’t know what to do!”

For May, things had not been much easier. Her and him? She had a better idea about how she felt, and she could see how difficult it was for him. He was so different from the other boys. The boys she had grown up with. They didn’t find it difficult. But she never let them. They were rough, rowdy. So driven by ego. Always needing to prove themselves. And so loud! Loud in everything they did. Stupid! In any case, she could never. Mama and Baba would probably ground her for life! Things had always been very strict at home. This was necessary! After all — had her parents not literally had to fight to survive? Strict order and following rules must be maintained. And she would marry a good boy from a good family. A Chinese family! There was no other good family.

But those Taipei steamy nights had a way of playing on people. It didn’t matter if you were a local, hot and heavy was hot and heavy. It ground you down, wore you out, left you gasping for breath and seeking refuge from the sweltering, oppressive atmosphere. A way out. Relief.

For May and David, their budding friendship was starting to offer a sense of relief. Certainly, May felt better when David finally arrived at work. Once, he had been sick. Her day in the accounts department had been an interminable drag. She found herself very worried. But she couldn’t ask anyone else if he was okay. Tongues would have wagged.

Relief washed through her body when he arrived at work the following day. She felt herself flush, her face burning so hot, when she looked up that morning to see him smiling at her. Did anybody notice? Did David see? He had turned quickly and rushed off, so she couldn’t tell. David had totally forgotten! It was Friday. William’s last day today, and the office was having a party. Some of the guys at work really didn’t follow a way of life portrayed favourably in the Bible. All that drinking. That partying. No way! But this was an office party. Socializing with colleagues was an important part of work life. He had to go. Anyway, senior management would be there and the party was being thrown at a classy restaurant in a good part of the city, so everything should be okay. “God, I hope May is there,” David caught himself thinking.  He had often heard that these parties ended up at Taiwan Erotic Stories of legend.

For May, things were not so straightforward. She didn’t live alone. Like many young Chinese, she shared the old shophouse with three generations of her family. She was expected to help around the house, too. Her auntie would need dinner. Why couldn’t her lazy brothers help, just this once? Such a bore! May tempered her rebellious feelings. As she always had to do. She had to be the dutiful daughter. She had to be a good girl. The work gang had assembled in the reception area of work. They were already a bit excited. The “lads’, those loud Brits who always led the parties, were already declaring in broad statements what a “wicked night” they were going to have, mate.

David tried not to attract their attention. He hated being dragged into having to pretend that he could get along with their behaviour and he didn’t want to cause any offence. So, he hung back and mingled with the team from accounts. But May was nowhere to be seen. A secretary giggled that May had rushed off, head down, before the others had even packed away their work. It was turning into another hot, steamy night. The air was so heavy. Fingers of mist wrapped around the peaks of Taipei’s office towers, neon lights suffusing dark clouds with an otherworldly glow. It was as if a great curtain was being drawn down upon the daytime and an uneasy night had begun. David found it hard to enjoy the party. The British boys were too boisterous. The restaurant was too loud. The food was odd and uninteresting. Everybody was up for karaoke. And why not? May wasn’t there. It was the weekend. “Even I need to enjoy myself sometimes,” David told himself.

“Cheers!!!” bellowed the boys, clanking their beer glasses together. “Come on, mate! Live a little!” pleaded Richard, the leader of the brat pack. He handed David a glass. “Come on mate, didn’t Jesus turn water into wine? This is the next best thing! KnowwhatImean?”

That first taste. Like nothing he’d experienced before. It had a hint of apple about it. “How ironic!” mused David.

“What’s that, mate?” Richard slurred. He was already on his third pint.

“Oh, nothing,” mumbled David as he took another swig of beer.

David was already feeling a bit odd. Only half a glass and he felt warm, a bit unsteady. Could he even see straight? The noise in the restaurant seemed to invade his head. He couldn’t hear clearly.

“Hello..,” a thought suddenly popped into his head, cutting through the haze.

“Hello?” it came again. It was in his ear. He turned toward the sound, his lips brushing against something soft and warm.

“Oh!” May giggled. “I am so sorry! I was too close.”

“Oh no. I’m….the sorry. I mean, I’m the one who should be sorry,” David struggled to reply. This darn beer! What would she think! David struggled to regain his self-control. “But what are you doing here? I thought you went home?”

“Oh I did,” May said softly. “But you know what? I already do enough at home. Today is about me.”

David could see more clearly now. May had never dressed like this before. He could almost see down her shirt. He caught his eyes darting down her neck and felt his face turn red. Had she noticed? David’s heart was really beating now. Was it the beer? He wasn’t sure. “But won’t your parents be angry? I understand that they are rather conservative.”

May was feeling more confident now. She had already taken the biggest step, the first one. She felt emboldened. Grabbing David’s beer, she took a big gulp and declared, “Forget about them, let’s just have fun!”

David felt the room start to spin. Reaching out to steady himself, he found his arm around May. Panicking, he was about to pull his arm away but May already had her hand on his arm. She smiled.

With her other hand, May brought a glass of water to David’s lips, “I think you need some of this, dear David.”

It felt so wrong but it felt so right. May knew there would be Hell to pay when she got home tonight. Or would it be tomorrow?

David was sure now that he was going to Hell. Partying, drinking, and now in the embrace of a woman to whom he was not married!

His mind began to wonder as he caught another glimpse down her top, he could see her chest moving up and down with her breathe. A button had come undone and the tip of her breasts were easily seen.  He thought about placing his hand on her chest and slowly undoing each button until her bra was fully exposed. He pants began to bulge and pulsate as his mind continued to wander. He wondered what it would be like to touch her soft supple skin and how she would react if he placed his hand between her warm thighs. He wanted to explore sexuality and his spirituality.

His brain was screaming at him, exhorting him to stop sinning, to end this wicked behaviour before it was too late! His heart was thumping. Or was that May’s heart? She was so close now.

“Come on, you two! Get a bloody room!!!”

It was Richard again. His tie was gone and his shirt was hanging out of his trousers. He looked, and sounded, a mess.

The house lights came up. The restaurant was closing. David and May edged away from each other, blinking in the light. Had anyone else noticed? Richard probably wouldn’t remember on Monday but the office girls! Word was sure to get back to May’s parents. She would never be allowed out of the house again!

As the party stumbled out into the Tapei steamy night, David realised he was in no fit state to go onto karaoke. He’d had his first taste of the party life and, yeah it was fun, but he knew there would be more beer and he already had a long talk with God ahead of him.  It reminded him of some of those Singapore Erotic Stories he had been told about.

David turned to May, “I suppose I should help you get home.”

“No, you don’t need to do that,” she replied.

“But it’s late. It’s not safe for you to go home alone,” David offered.

May giggled, “I don’t NEED to go home, do I?”

David felt unsteady. It wasn’t the beer now.

“Come on, you two! Get a room!” It was Richard again. A taxi pulled up to the kerb, Richard opened the door, “In you go! Hurry up! Your secret is my secret.”

It might have been the longest taxi ride of David’s life. Could May feel him shaking? He was so nervous. May snuggled up to him and smiled. He tried to smile, too. Could she see how nervous he was?

May was sure of herself now. She had never been with a boy before but you know, girls talk. She had heard what happened with boys. Had David been with a girl before? He was so kind, and seemed so innocent. “No,” she told herself. She would be his first.

Taking charge, May paid the taxi driver and led David into his apartment building. David felt as if he was being carried along by a powerful river. Things were happening so fast now. Fumbling with his door key, he dropped it on the floor.

 

Before he could move, May had retrieved the keys, opened the door, and pushed him inside.

His hands searched the dark wall for the light switch but May took both of his hands and, pulling them around her waist, she strained to reach his mouth with hers.

David heard May give a small gasp as they came together in the half light, her lips eagerly meeting his. He felt her tongue, tentatively at first, then more forcefully.

Even as they embraced, May was undressing herself. “How does she do that?” David wondered. His thoughts were interrupted as she started to remove his shirt.

Both of them stumbled over their clothes as David led May to his bed. He couldn’t believe this was happening but he was so happy. David sat down and pulled on May’s waist for her to come closer, he kissed down her chest to her belly button. As she stood in front of him he began to rub her clitoris as she began to moan in sexual frustration, her legs began to give out. She couldn’t take it anymore and moved up onto his lap with his big hard erection pressing against her clitoris making her extremely wet. Some precum started to form on the tip of his penis.

May wanted to feel everything inside of her and began to rub her body against his. David held his cock and slipped it between her wet thighs. He pushed the tip of his erection into her extremely tight vagina. He held onto her waist and pushed it slowly until his whole cock was inside of her. He hugged her tightly so both of their bodies were completely touching. May began to move slowly up and down at her own pace. David kissed her chest and began to suck on her nipples. May’s moaning became louder and louder until finally she orgasmed. May fell onto the bed as a street light reflected off May’s face. She was smiling. A big smile.

David awoke with a start. He lay there. Hot, sweating, and exhausted. It was still dark. What a dream! Then he heard it: May’s breathing. Her hair was draped over his shoulder. She seemed to be dreaming but she had a smile on her face.

For the first time in his life, David was happy to lie there in the Taipei steamy night.