My Date with Zeus

Most mythology buffs know Zeus would frequently come down from Mt. Olympus searching for luscious women to ravage. He was a horny god with a penchant for earthly females. I always wondered why he would choose a lowly human woman when he had a bevy of gorgeous goddesses. Like the movie, 'Too Beautiful for You', I suspect Zeus got bored with his high maintenance goddesses and preferred the company of simple, beautiful mortal maidens.

This past year I became acquainted with a Zeus who lives in San Francisco. He is a debonair, prominent, respected, and wealthy demagogue attorney whom I met online. Demagogues are not like us mere mortals-my Zeus occupies the high rise floor of a skyscraper office in the Embarcadero and lives a block away in another palatial apartment.Though I am no stranger to those with wealth, I had never dated a demagogue so illustrious, thus, the nickname Zeus.

Wealth, power, fame, beauty, and even intelligence does not necessarily impress me. Being a simple earthly maiden, I am more attracted with what lies within more than the accoutrements that come with genius, prestige, and power. But this Zeus had a certain charm, humor,and a touch of pathos going for him. More than anything, I was fascinated that he would fly down from Mt. Olympus to partake of white bread when he has his choice of nibbling on the best San Fran French pastry anytime he's bored.

My first date with Zeus was somewhat bizarre. We met at the hotel he was staying at in my city. Anxiety washed over me driving to my first potential hotel liaison. Although we'd communicated enough through email and phone conversations to ease my initial reservations about doing this, I couldn't shake the feeling that it made me feel like a hooker. No matter how liberated I feel as a woman, cultural conditioning sometimes dictates that my desires are subject to harsher scrutiny and aspersions. Being a sexual woman does not afford me the same approval men receive for their 'conquests'. This sometimes produces ambivalence in me for enjoying my sexuality and having the same sexual rights as men. Men share that ambivalence,too. Though they say they want a woman to be sexual, they are the first to condemn women as a slut and whore when they are.

Our meeting began in the hotel bar. Zeus does not drink but I had a glass of wine. He appeared in human form with his rather drab athletic wear. Considering his background as the king of San Francisco law, I would have expected something more god-like. Politely he asked if I'd like to go up to his room and I did so willingly. We talked for hours. Zeus confided to me he was dying of pancreatic cancer. Being an indomitable lawyer of high regard, he was waging a war against his final opponent. At some point well after midnight I became not just tired but totally exhausted emotionally and physically. All this added up to ambivalence of how to respond erotically to a dying man. This set off a scenario of a irresistible force hitting an unmovable object. A tense standoff ensued which had me thinking this was one of the biggest mistakes of my life. As I hastened to leave, I shot Zeus a look of abject confusion. Surprisingly, he dropped his armor and visibly softened his stance. He lightly grabbed me by the arm and asked me not to leave. I did not comply. Again, he pulled my arm and, in an contrite voice, asked me not to go. I stayed.

After the fiasco of being emotionally paralyzed, Zeus was able to assuage my emotional numbness, cut through my exhaustion, and settle me down. What ensued could only be described as Cirque du Soleil sex. For a dying man, he had plenty of libidinous energy. Who knew the power and allure of sex could bring Lazarus back to life. I'm talking about me here. The fated Zeus resurrected my ability to overcome my apprehension, teaching me that life isn't always diminished by the process of dying. Sometimes life does save the best for last.

Zeus has visited me a couple of times since our first encounter. Each time he reveals a bit more of himself, giving me insight into his 'human' behavior. His Aquarian nature lends himself to be like the Fool in Tarot: he follows a path only he can see. Almost defying description, he is a study in contrasts. His god-like attorney swagger does not intimidate me. Underneath, he is a fragile human just like the rest of us.