ANOTHER WORLD TODAY EPISODE #111-2

Cass turned Charlie's face forward. "Your mother also told me that you bought condoms to protect yourself. Thank you for being responsible enough to take the proper precautions and not make me a grandfather before my time. I am currently much too young and virile."

"That's all you have to say?"

Cass turned to look at his daughter squarely. "What more is there? Do you actually want me to tick down the cliched list of do's and don'ts?"

"Won't your Father of the Year card be revoked otherwise?"

"Fine. Do always, always, always use protection — more than one form at a time is never overkill; don't ever give into pressure to do anything you don't want to do — hurt feelings are nothing compared to the alternatives, which include pregnancy, disease and death; don't be afraid to have fun and explore what you like and what you don't like in spite of all that; do make sure you and your partner are on the same page since sex doesn't necessarily always have to be about love, but there are still feelings — inevitably strong feelings — involved all the same. Do your best to be sensitive to that. Anything else?"

"Nothing about how my virginity is a sacred gift I should save till I'm married?"

"You, Charlotte Frame Winthrop, are an indescribably special gift for the man — or woman; let's be open-minded here — who will ultimately be lucky enough to snare your heart for the long-term. But, there is also something to be said for dry running through a few relationships on the way to your soul-mate. It helps narrow down what you want and what you don't want, what really matters and what's a total deal-breaker, so that, by the time you do meet that special someone, you have enough frames of reference — hey, see how I worked that pun in there? — to know that they're definitely the one for you, and enough life experience under your belt — the good, the bad and the ugly — to make that most important relationship work out for the rest of your lives."

"So what you're saying is, basically, don't get too attached to you first?"

"Depends. I'm sure somewhere — far, far, far away from Bay City — the first person you fall in love with does end up being forever. But, most of us just aren't that lucky. To be honest, it probably is optimal if your first time is less about raging hormones and more about the person you're with. Is that the case here?"

***

Cass offers Charlie the benefit of his own, uniquely Winthrop experience with sex, while Morgan works to convince Amanda that her quickie marriage is pretty standard - and equally doomed. Felicia and Lucas meet their new granddaughter, prompting Lorna to blurt out her true feelings regarding a long-festering resentment, and Grant receives a startling offer of help with Marley... and devastating demand to keep his end of a bargain.

All at: http://www.anotherworldtoday.com/2011/2011_111p2.html