A 43-year-old media professional named Tammy shares a week’s glimpse into her intimate life with boyfriend Charles, a 65-year-old she met three months ago. Attracted by his handsome features, charm, and sharp mind, Tammy stays over three or four nights weekly. Yet, no sex has occurred due to one major turn-off: Charles’s nightshirt, which she describes as revolting.
Tammy maintains a strong sex drive from her previous relationship, where intimacy happened twice daily during work-from-home routines. With Charles, the nightshirt creates a barrier, leaving her frustrated and questioning the relationship. ‘It’s making me understand why people have affairs,’ she reveals.
Friday
Tammy wakes up with an orange tan glow, enjoys breakfast, swims, and indulges in a thorough shower routine. Working from home, she prioritizes grooming for the weekend ahead with Charles. Arriving at his place via Uber at 7 p.m., they sip gin and tonics before joining a neighbor’s gathering of 12 people, including a new couple.
Charles fixates on the pretty newcomer, awkwardly pausing when introducing Tammy. She overlooks it, noting his tendency to notice attractive women.
Saturday
Tammy wakes alone to thick cigar smoke; Charles rises at 5 a.m. and smokes for hours. She opens windows despite his complaints about the cold, reminding him she did not sign up for a smoker—he misrepresented his habit and age on Hinge.
His erectile dysfunction likely ties to smoking and drinking, but the nightshirt proves the biggest obstacle. Resembling a Victorian relic, it repulses her, especially when he lounges in it until late morning. Dressed sharply in shirt, chinos, and cashmere, Charles appeals to her; she guides his hand to her bra, but he brushes her off, focused on Formula 1 racing.
Lunch wine flows early, yet he promises a ‘damn good f***ing’ inspired by the race—words that once excited her but now ring hollow amid inaction.
Sunday
Hosting friends for lunch, Charles urges public affection. Tammy obliges with a kiss; guests call them ‘cute.’ Charles impresses with education, manners, and thoughtfulness, providing security. He performed oral sex twice the previous night—her preference over penetration—though the second time exhausted her.
Post-dinner, they tidy up and watch Top Gun: Maverick.
Monday
Finding Charles in his nightshirt amid cigar haze, Tammy holds back a quip about museum curators. He boasts of being ‘rock hard’ overnight, but she recalls only a feeble nudge she ignored. The nightshirt imagery kills any desire.
Unable to focus at his home office, she heads back for yoga after unpacking.
Tuesday
Relishing her clean sheets, Tammy notes Charles’s bed rarely feels fresh. The grubby nightshirt disgusts her most. She ponders buying new ones but struggles to source them.
Prepping and conducting a celebrity interview precedes gym time.
Wednesday
Searching yields Halloween costumes in synthetics. A Reddit thread mocks nightshirts as outdated. Tammy transcribes the interview manually, distrusting AI, then runs.
Thursday
Calling Charles about new nightshirts, he snaps defensively but later messages he bought four cheaply online. This step eases her revulsion slightly.
Tammy values Charles’s qualities and their shared love of hosting. Fresher nightshirts might reignite intimacy.
