| After 25 years of marriage many things change, | | | | were considered the best, but we haven’t |
| things that let you know you’re getting older. | | | | been for years.” |
| They’re especially aging when they catch you | | | | “Well, maybe you’ll learn something new |
| by surprise. Most shocking is when a word or symbol | | | | tonight,” Troy said with an unexplainably |
| you’ve used all your life suddenly means | | | | revolting tone. |
| something else. Swinging couples is a good example | | | | Just then, a young woman with long dark hair called |
| of this. | | | | for our attention. |
| Swinging couples used mean a lively night out dancing. | | | | “Hello, everyone, my name is Kaily,” |
| My wife and I were one of the best swinging | | | | She announced. “Welcome to our swinging |
| couples around. Now swinging couples can mean | | | | couples retreat.” |
| something dangerously different. When you’re | | | | Many of the guests cheered enthusiastically. |
| planning your 25th anniversary, ask one of your kids | | | | “Now that you’ve all had a chance to |
| to look over your shoulder to make sure | | | | mingle with all the other guests,” she |
| you’re not making a huge mistake. | | | | continued, “let’s begin the key party. |
| It was a month until our 25th wedding anniversary. I | | | | Gentlemen, please bring up your room keys.” |
| was trying to find something that would make the | | | | “What is a key party?” Mary whispered |
| occasion memorable. Then I found an advertisement | | | | to me. But I didn’t know. |
| for a swinging couples retreat. My wife, Mary, and I | | | | “Excuse me.” I said, addressing the |
| loved to swing dance when we first got married, but | | | | couple we had been talking with. “What is a |
| we hadn’t been dancing for quite a few years | | | | key party and what do they want with my room |
| now. Still, I imagined it would willingly come back to us | | | | key?” |
| when we got out on the floor. And the ad said new | | | | “You’ve never been to a key party |
| swinging couples were welcome. If needed, we could | | | | before?” Dianne asked, surprised. “Well |
| take a lesson or two to remind us. I thought a | | | | the first time is always the most exciting. A key |
| swinging couples retreat would make a perfect way | | | | party is where swinging couples split up and the |
| to commemorate our 25 years together. | | | | woman picks a random room key. Then she spends |
| After an elegant dinner, Mary and I drove to the | | | | the night with the man who left that key.” |
| hotel where the swinging couples retreat was being | | | | Mary gasped loud enough that every swinging couple |
| held. All Mary knew before we arrived was that we | | | | in our corner of the room turned and looked. |
| needed to be well dressed. | | | | “Thank you,” I said as I gripped my |
| She responded as I had hoped she would when we | | | | wife’s hand. “Mary, let’s |
| arrived at the hotel and I revealed the surprise. | | | | go.” |
| “Swing dancing! What a romantic idea, | | | | I didn’t look to see the reaction of the other |
| Leonard,” she beamed. “But what if we | | | | guests. |
| can’t remember the steps?” | | | | We drove for the next hour trying to wrap our |
| I assured her we would remember. We checked in at | | | | minds around what had just happened. Eventually, our |
| the front desk and she took my arm as we walked | | | | disgust turned to humor and relief that we were far |
| to the ballroom. | | | | away from our swinging couples retreat. Still, I |
| I was surprised to see how young many of the | | | | couldn’t let our 25 th anniversary end like that. |
| swinging couples were. I hadn’t realized swing | | | | I pulled over at a small beach where we could be |
| dancing had become some popular with younger | | | | alone. I helped Mary out of the car and we began to |
| crowds. | | | | swing dance in the sand. We danced until the sun |
| We took some hor d’oerves and mingled as | | | | went down. |
| we waited for the dancing to begin. | | | | In 25 years the world has changed around Mary and |
| Many of the other swinging couples were very | | | | me. We are part of another time and we are old. But |
| friendly. There must be an open bar, I remember | | | | since our swinging couples experience, we |
| thinking, because some were quite friendly. | | | | don’t feel a need to fight that anymore. |
| We began a conversation with another couple | | | | We’re happy with the world we fell in love in |
| nearby. Troy and Dianne were their names. | | | | and happy to part with the one that has tried to |
| “So how long have you been swinging?” | | | | redefine our language of love. We are still a swinging |
| Troy asked. | | | | couple. In fact, we swing every week now and we |
| “We used to go swinging almost every week | | | | are more in love than ever. |
| in college,” Mary explained. “In fact we | | | | |