Closure

 October 3, 2021

This is a flashback to the end of the 2017 summer season at Muir Grove, in October, just after the trailer incident with Dylan.

After taking off all my clothes and leaving them behind in the car, I checked into the office at Muir Grove on a Sunny Saturday morning.  Patty and Laura were both happily naked, working check-in and registration when I came in from the parking lot.  Patty gave me my car tag and then mentioned, “Val, Mr. Hills will be at his place around 2:00 today and wanted to know if you could stop by.  I’m pretty sure he wants to welcome you on board as summer staff for next year.”  Excited, Patty came around the counter and gave me a big naked embrace.  I had a great time working with Patty last year when I helped part time at the club, and I was really excited about being part of the team full time next summer.

It was a glorious day for October and I swam some laps and stretched out in the sun and chatted with other families that were at the club that morning.

After eating lunch by the pool, I left the pool area and walked naked on the road that wound up around the pickle ball court toward the Hill’s house.

Mrs. Hills met me at the door on her way out to the orchard to pick some lemons.  She hugged me and kissed me on the cheek letting me know that her husband was waiting for me in the study.    

The Hills had built a beautiful gothic home at the top of the hill overlooking the Muir Grove property.  It was much grander than anything you would expect to find in a naturist park.  Many of the club members jokingly called it the Hogwarts of naturism.  Instead of learning dark, arcane magic, we all were learning a singular, supernatural power; being naked and happy.

Some would say that the showy splendor of the Hills home was contrary to naturist values; being your true and honest self, respecting the environment, living with less.  The Hills home was full of galleries and libraries.  Walking inside its halls made you feel that  history, philosophy and science were the motivators for this experiment in living naked, this wasn’t just about it feeling good to not wear clothes.  The house was built as a gathering place, with spacious parlors for presentations and group discussions.  

The private quarters in the house were in a small glass pavilion on the north side of the structure. Three tiny nooks for beds, and not very private at all.  You could see into the bedrooms from the path that wound further up the hill to the water tower.  Their bath was an outdoor sink and shower in the garden and I think they just used the toilet in the study.  When I stumbled into the light-filled glass wing of the bedrooms, I knew I had gotten lost in the house once again.

I eventually found my way into the study and Mr. Hills greeted me with a glass of fresh squeezed lemonade.   I sat at the table with him and enjoyed the delicious drink, telling him about my applications to different schools and how I was waiting to hear back from Art Center.

“Valerie, we are staring to make arrangements for staffing next summer”  Mr. Hills noted  “and if you are still interested, we would like to offer you a full time, live-in position here at Muir Grove next summer.”

“Thank you Mr. Hills, I am very pleased to accept this offer.”  I replied quickly.

“We are lucky to have you.”  Mr Hills smiled.  He paused and then started on a more serious topic.  “Valerie, it also came to my attention that there was a very disturbing incident that happened between you and Dylan Hammond.”  He took a deep breath, as if to speak, but didn’t seem like he was sure what he wanted to say next.  “In all my years of owning Muir Grove, I’ve…

“How did you find out?”  I asked him, knowing only two people knew what had happened, and I hadn’t told anyone.

“Dylan told his family everything, and they all came to see me.”  He informed me.  “Valerie, this is a very serious matter, and I can’t believe you didn’t come talk to me about it when it happened.  The Hammonds are all very concerned for you.  They care deeply about you and the understand the seriousness of what their son did.”

“I care about them, and I didn’t want them to be embarrassed.”  I explained.  “Despite everything that happened, Dylan isn’t a bad guy, he’s not a predator or anything, he just made a stupid choice in how to act with me that day.”

“I understand that.”  Mr. Hills explained.  “He is part of our family, and tried his best to be one of us.  I guess that is how we all ended up letting you get into that situation - that is how I let you get into that situation.  Valerie, you see, I feel I share the blame for what happened.  This is a social experiment,” Mr Hills said looking around, beyond the walls of the study,” the rules I’ve put in place are meant to guide the social experiment, but in this case the rules failed you… I failed you.”

“Mr Hills,” I confessed “This has made me question the rules.  If Dylan had been allowed to go to the social areas dressed, I wouldn’t have been isolated with him, he wouldn’t have gotten the wrong message.  I would have just been part of the group he was with.  If you allowed clothing for some, my brother would be more likely to try it, my farther would come more.  More people would come and understand how wonderful this is.”

Mr. Hills drew in another deep breath and replied.  “Clothing optional may address some issues Valerie, but you have to believe me when I tell you that it brings a whole other set of problems that are far more impactful.  This special feeling, this safe and accepting environment you’ve come to love, if we become clothing optional, it will be lost.  We just can’t afford that”

I nodded in agreement.

“The Hammonds want to meet with you tomorrow if you can come.  Dylan wants to personally apologize.  After tomorrow, Amy, Bill and Kayla will all be welcome as members but Dylan will be banned from the club for the next two years. “  Mr. Hills informed me.  “There is one other matter - your blog.”

“You don’t have to worry about that Mr. Hills,”  I assured him.  “I’m sort of done with that blog.  I am going to be taking it down.”

“Well,”  Mr. Hills smiled,  “I was going to ask you to put an entry in about what happened.  I spoke with the Hammonds and they agreed.  You should continue to tell the truth about your experiences.  Valerie, you do an excellent job of protecting people’s identities.  You change just enough about the people you write about that nobody gets exposed by your writing.  Sure, some of the club members might know who you are talking about, but chances are, most of the regular club members already know what happened.  This should be part of your story.”

“Mr. Hills”  I responded,  “I don’t have anything inspiring or positive to say about this.  It’s not going to be a feel good essay about naturism.”

“You don’t have to say anything but the truth.”  Mr. Hills assured me.  “You see, I don’t think you are going to stop being you Valerie.  You are going to continue to come be part of us, you are going to continue to be unashamed and un-afraid of who you are, and that says plenty.”

I left Mr. Hills house unsure about how I would write about what happened.  I was glad that I would get a chance to see Dylan and his family and this would be our chance to put this all behind us.  I thought about Dylan being banned from Muir Grove for the next two years.  Deep down, I knew Dylan well enough to know that this wouldn’t be punishment for him.  For him, this would be a favorable outcome.  What I will always know is that he is the one missing out.  His family found something special and wanted to share it with him.  Because of what happened, he will be with his friends instead, doing teenage boy stuff and his sister and parents will continue to come and experience something real and special at the club and I look forward to being there with them.