Twenty Questions

The situation described in this story is contrived, but the answers to the survey are real. If you are turned on by masturbation, or simply curious about the real life experiences of an ordinary college-educated guy, you might like this story. If such things are not of interest, don't waste your time. Unfortunately, it was necessary to exclude all experiences before the age of 18 so that the story could be published. Constructive feedback is appreciated.

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The e-mail blast from my University read, "Open minded mature adults needed for study on human sexuality. Please contact Dr ____ at the Psychology department for more information". I was skeptical, but a collogue of mine in the English department said he had participated in the study and encouraged me to do the same. He was a bit secretive about the details, but assured me it would be an experience I wouldn't soon forget. I wasn't so sure being a guinea pig for some Masters & Johnson thing was a good idea, but I had some time because the summer term was winding down and curiosity got the best of me.

The young grad student conducting the study was very convincing. She said she needed thirty subjects to complete her Ph.D. thesis project and that I would be the last one. She was getting worried because her project needed to be completed by the end of the term, and there were only a few days left. She said my obligation would be for a single private interview with her, and that such sessions were no longer than two hours. There were two conditions: a willingness to speak frankly about masturbation, and to answer a preliminary question that would determine my eligibility.

"You see, my research involves a new instrument that has been developed to obtain clinical information regarding the practice, and the answers you provide will help statistically evaluate the usefulness of the tool."

I hoped the flush on my face was not too obvious. The thought of discussing such an intimate topic with this lovely young woman was profoundly exciting, and I felt my penis stiffen at the prospect. "Oh my God, what a letch you are," I thought to myself.

"I promise that you can end the interview at any time (in fact, willingness of the subjects to complete the instrument is one of the variables we measure) and all of the information you provide (including the fact that you participated in the study) will be strictly confidential. Furthermore, the project has been approved by the University's IRB (Institutional Review Board). I know talking about this topic can be a little embarrassing at first, but I assure you I've been working on this project for so long, I just want it to be over. From my perspective, we might as well be discussing the whether. Would you be willing to listen to the screening question? It's the first question of the instrument, so you won't have to answer it again if you end being one of our participants."

How could I walk away now? I heard myself say, "OK, I'll bite."

"Excellent. The first question is, 'How would you describe the importance of masturbation in your life?' Our preliminary data suggest that this question is an accurate marker for a subject's ability to discuss the topic openly and an assessment of whether there is a sufficient experience base to provide relevant information. Please take a little time to consider the question before you answer. We don't want a knee-jerk response, but one that truly reflects your innermost feelings."

In reality, my response to this question was a no-brainer. The only issue was whether to answer, and how much information to reveal. I figured what the hell. It looked like my buddy at the English department might be right.

"Well, it's a little embarrassing, and I have never discussed this topic with anyone besides my wife, but I can honestly say that masturbation is a very important part of my life. I have masturbated regularly ever since discovering it, even though I have also had my share of very satisfying sexual relationships. Engaging in this practice with my wife provides an intimate and sharing way to enrich our lovemaking. There are times when I actually prefer to masturbate for her instead of having regular intercourse. And sometimes, believe it or not, I actually prefer masturbating by myself to having conventional sex. There is absolutely no pressure to perform, and I can devote 100% of my energy to satisfying my own selfish needs. It's a formula that leads to my most intense orgasms."

"Thank you so very much for this honest and comprehensive response. I believe you would be a perfect subject for our study. Can I count on you to participate?"

Forty-eight hours later I was sitting in a clinical psychiatrist's office with this beautiful young woman, answering the remaining 19 questions. She had short brown hair, intelligent dark eyes and a self-confident demeanor. A soft white blouse accentuated her small but alluring breasts. I couldn't tell for sure whether she was wearing a bra, but just a hint of nipple was visible through the silky material. She was radiating sexual energy. I was a nervous wreck. I remember wondering how a twenty-something like her could be so cool and collected while a battle-tested boomer like myself was feeling so threatened.

"She began by welcoming me to the interview, going over the ground rules one more time and asking if I was ready to begin."

I smiled and took a mental deep breath.

"Since you've already provided a response to the first question, I will begin with question number two unless you would like to add anything to your previous response."

"No, I think I already gave you more information than you needed to hear."

She smiled and said, "Yes, that level of detail was one of the reasons I really hoped you would agree to participate. Please try to be just as comprehensive for the remaining 19 questions. In order to deliver the questions in a standardized format, they will appear on this computer screen, but please provide your answer verbally. Your response will be recorded, and of course, I may take some personal notes."

The first question (actually number two of the instrument) appeared on the screen before me.

2. Do you typically use more than one technique to masturbate? Please describe the one(s) you use repeatedly.

I thought for a moment before responding to the question. "This is an area where I've found that variety is definitely not the spice of life – at least not for me. In fact, I quickly discovered a technique that I liked very much and used it pretty much exclusively for a very long time – probably 20 or 30 years. Would you like me to describe my ideal experience using this technique?"

"Yes, please do."

"Well, I'm circumcised and by far the most sensitive part of my penis is the ring that encircles the underside of my glans – as you probably know it's called the corona. My technique is a two-handed method that provides continuous stimulation to this special place. The first step is to encircle the base of my shaft with my right hand and slide it down my length. Each of my fingers instinctively tightens as it traverses the corona to provide optimum friction. As my right hand completes its journey, the left one automatically takes its place at the starting point. This process of alternate stroking continues as my arousal level increases. The pressure my fingers apply stays pretty much constant, but the pace of my stroking gradually quickens as my body prepares itself for the inevitable. My breathing deepens and erotic thoughts fill my consciousness. Soon, the familiar tingling begins to form in my body – almost imperceptibly at first. I embrace it. With the best climaxes, this feeling starts in my extremities and converges slowly toward my genitals. A thin layer of sweat evaporates, cooling my body. My hands are moving automatically now, powered by instinct rather than conscious thought. The rapid stroking continues just up to the point of no return and then stops abruptly – allowing the wonderful feeling to subside. I repeat this process over and over until my will to stop is overcome by an irresistible desire to continue. I give myself the mental OK and begin what will be the final series of strokes. The tingling begins to concentrate in my eagerly waiting erection. My body basks in anticipation as the tension mounts. This time as the threshold approaches I cultivate it with augmented stimulation. My mind and body cherish the few precious seconds when ejaculation is inevitable, but has not yet occurred. I take note of the exact moment when my body crosses the point of no return. If there is a heaven, surely my body will spend eternity in this state. But this is Earth, and time cannot be frozen. The moment is at hand to savor the ultimate expression of manhood in an incredible orgasmic rush. The desperately needed release materializes in the form of fresh hot semen, dramatically launching itself to the world. My body relaxes, exploiting the moment as my hands provide the final few strokes. Finally, practiced fingertips milk the last few drops of fluid down my urethra and onto the smooth wet glans. A forefinger and thumb squeegee it away leaving my softening penis feeling wet and cool. A moment of profound satisfaction follows before it is time to clean up the mess."

My interviewer was clearly engaged. Her breathing was noticeably heavier and those lovely nipples were undeniably more apparent than they had been. "My God, that was beautiful detail. So much more descriptive than any of our other subjects."

"Well as you might gather, not all of my sessions are so intense, but I thought you would want me to describe the kind of experience I always hope for."

"Oh yes. I definitely did. I can see why you would stick to this technique since it works so well for you."

"As long as I'm providing complete information, I should probably tell you about one small downside. It turns out that stroking in this fashion pushes my penis slightly to the left. One day my wife noticed that my erection was leaning in this direction all by itself. She was the one that figured out why. She used to tease me about it sometimes when she was in a playful mood."

"Fascinating, does it still point that way?"

"Actually no, not anymore. As I noted earlier, it took years, but I eventually discovered that a one-handed method also works very well for me. In fact, this method enables me to provide more intense stimulation to my corona than with my old standby. I simply encircle the area with the thumb and forefinger of my right hand and rub it firmly with short rapid strokes. I still use both methods, often during the same session, but those are the only two techniques I've discovered that I want to use over and over again. Fortunately, using my right hand positions my penis in the opposite direction, and my erection is now as straight as an arrow. My wife sometimes tells me it's a good thing I'm not left handed, or I'd be pointing practically sideways by now."

"That's so cute. It sounds like you and you wife have a very healthy sexual relationship. Here comes the next question."

3. When was the last time you masturbated? How often do you typically engage in this practice? Has this pattern changed over time?

"I had the feeling this would be one of the questions. I'll admit that thinking about this interview made me want to do it, but I didn't want to appear unable to control myself so I decided to wait. The last time was last Saturday morning. I remember because my wife told me she really felt like masturbating, and did I mind if she went solo. I said I would love to watch her if she agreed to do the same for me. She gave herself a beautiful orgasm as I caressed her breasts and sucked her nipples. After we snuggled for a while, she guided my hand to my penis and began to gently caress my testicles. I love it when she does that, and before long I experienced a beautiful orgasm of my own while she teased my anus with a moistened finger. That would have been five days ago."

"It sounds like masturbation is something that is important to both of you."

"Yes, very much so."

"Is five days a typical pattern for you?"

"At this point in my life that's probably about right. It's unusual if I haven't masturbated for a week or so. If I go much longer than that, the urge becomes too strong to resist and I'll act accordingly. Of course sometimes I do it more often. I find that I go through phases where I masturbate several times a week or more, and periods when I don't think about it so much. I tend to masturbate more often if I'm under unusual stress."

"That's understandable; masturbation is a very healthy way to deal with life's tensions. Have your habits changed over the years?"

"Of course they have. I used to do it in the bathtub, and I worried that my newfound obsession with cleanliness would give me away. I'm sure I took "baths" every day. During my young adult years I probably masturbated 3-4 times a week. Sometimes more, depending on whether I had a partner. My frequency has slowly decreased to where I am today. I'm sure I'll keep masturbating as long as I can, but I suspect I'll get the urge less often as I get older."

"Thank you. The pattern you describe is solidly within the typical range for males. Here is your next question. And I don't want you to think about it too much before you answer. Just tell me the first things that pop into your mind."

4. Ignoring the time you first successfully masturbated to orgasm, please describe five memorable sessions.

"Wow. Given that I've probably got several thousand times to choose from, this is a tough question. I suppose the one that is top of mind was after I had written my very first erotic story. I was well into my forties when this happened. My laptop computer from work was on my dining room table, and I decided it would be interesting to try my hand at writing such a story. It was about a childhood friend who liked to play a game she called "show." She had only a sister and apparently was curious about the male anatomy. In my story she had moved away from the neighborhood and came back for a visit. She was in college by then, and after we got reacquainted she coyly suggested we "show". We end up tenderly undressing each other and engaging in mutual masturbation before having steamy sex. Writing the story was such a turn on for me that I flopped down on the living room couch and gave myself an incredible orgasm while my family slept just down the hall. Despite my age, I produced six or seven forceful spurts. They just kept coming and coming. I remember thinking 'Oh my God, where is this coming from?' Obviously, it was a memorable experience."

"I guess another memorable experience was the first time I did it for my wife. We were not married at the time and were on a camping/motorcycle trip. Of course, we made love in my pup tent every night and morning, but one night after such an experience we ended up talking explicitly about our sexual feeling. I had never masturbated while another person watched before, and I told her it had always been a fantasy of mine. I told her in so many words that my male pride would be stroked if I could show her my erection and ejaculate for her. We decided to do it first thing in the morning when it got light. I don't think I slept all night. I waited patiently until she opened her eyes. She peeled back my sleeping bag to reveal my already erect penis. 'Oh my, what have we got going on here?' It didn't take long for me to cum, and she kissed me and said the sight of my semen coming out was beautiful. I think this was a watershed event in our relationship."

"Another time that involved my wife was at her mother's house. We were there for Christmas and for some reason I was feeling horny as hell. She was in her old bedroom taking a nap when I joined her. She felt funny about having sex in her old bed, so she said, 'Why don't you play a game of solitaire for me?' She didn't have to ask twice. The memorable part was that my ejaculate went higher into the air than we had experienced together. I think there were only one or two shots, but they surprised us both and she went, 'Uhhoooo!!'. Of course I felt a predictable rush of male pride."

"I also remember the first time when I moved into my own apartment. It was right after I left grad school and some of my roommates helped haul my stuff to another town. They spent the night, but I couldn't wait for them to leave so I could masturbate in my very own place. I filled up the bathtub and leisurely stroked myself with two soapy hands – just like the old days. This time, I didn't have to worry about making sure every last bit of semen went down the drain. There would be no one else around to discover the evidence!"

"Another time that involved soap was during a camping trip. We were on a lake with an island that was shaped like a horseshoe. I pretended like I was going fishing and parked our boat on the shore in the middle of the horseshoe. It was a very private place because there were no houses facing it. There was plenty of water to soap up my hands. I sat on the bow of the boat and worked my magic until I ejaculated into the still water. I watched my semen float on the surface before rinsing off my cock and hands. Needless to say, I did quite a bit of fishing during that trip."

My interviewer was getting more and more fidgety. Despite her disclaimer, it was apparent that my stories were turning her on.

"Are you OK," I asked.

"Of course, I'm fine. Are you ready for the next question?"

"I am if you are."

5. Describe five of the fantasies you most frequently use when you masturbate.

"Wow, you guys have thought of everything, haven't you? OK, I guess my fantasies come in broad classes. Interestingly, most of them have to do with masturbation. Probably the one I use the most involves a dominant female that coerces a male (I usually envision myself in that role) to masturbate for her. Often, she reciprocates, and vaginal sex may be involved, but not always. For example, one scenario I use includes a beautiful but aggressive younger woman and a middle-aged man. He is married to a frigid wife and masturbation is his only sexual outlet. The woman makes it clear that he is not worthy to have sex with her, but she takes pity on him and decides to give him a present. She removes her panties and coats them with her vaginal fluids before placing them under his nose. She then rubs them up and down on his erection and reveals that she is leaving a gap in the material, 'to accommodate the semen that I know your middle aged cock will produce.' After he comes she gives him the panties and tells him he can use them to think about her when he masturbates."

"I have many other such fantasies to choose from. A mother who explains about sex to her 18 year-old son and forces him to masturbate for her, a couple who meet online and end up demonstrating for each other, a beautiful girl who picks up a guy in a bar and makes him masturbate for her before she agrees to have sex. I could go on an on. The bottom line is I am very turned on by the humiliation experienced by the males in these situations. I'm usually assured of a satisfying orgasm when I place myself in such roles."

"Another closely related set of fantasies involves gynecological examinations – of both women and men. One I like especially involves an 18 year-old girl who is accompanied by her mother to her first exam. She is very pretty and very shy. She is first exposed to an examination of her breasts, and forced to demonstrate that she can do it herself. After denying that she is sexually active, she is peppered with questions about the behavior she engages in with her boyfriend. She is forced to admit that she lets him touch her breasts, her pubic area, both outside and inside of her panties, and that she also lets him touch the inside of her vagina; but not her anus. She is then forced to disclose how often she masturbates (after first denying that she does) and to identify what things she has inserted into herself during her sessions. Finally she is examined by another doctor who thoroughly studies her exposed vagina. She flinches when he touches her clitoris and admits it is 'sensitive'. He then asks, 'are you rubbing your clitoris when you masturbate?' He continues the examination by retracting her hood while explaining that 'this is the covering for your clitoris." Soon she experiences an orgasm, but pretends not to. Her mother is watching through a one-way mirror during the entire examination."