“Intercourse”

You mean…?


Intercourse, was the name of the book to be discussed. I wondered which definition of the word it meant?
When I first see the word I think of it meaning a sexual encounter, but I also chuckle as I recall another definition.

Years ago, when I was a shy, newly married young woman living up in the twin city suburbs, we moved into a new home. A neighbor was having a party and to make people feel comfortable they were playing the game of Charades, where you act out a word and the group guesses it. (Although acting like an idiot to help people guess the word you’ve been given makes me wonder how comfortable you're really going to feel!)

Anyway, it was my turn and the word I drew was: “intercourse”!

I panicked… but then I thought I would be OK if I could get them to guess the word on the first attempt to mean "communication".
Smart, right?
But they didn't guess it.

I was frantically trying to think of another way to demonstrate the word when one of the older married men apparently guessed my embarrassment and started laughing out loud.
While referring to the word I was trying to get across I asked desperately, "Do you get it?"
And he replied, "Yes… but not often!"

In the hysteria that followed, I didn’t have to continue with the game!

They were a great bunch of neighbors!