Junior high school “health” class antiseptically taught by a gym teacher.

“Some boys — they masturbate. They masturbate. I don’t know what it does to you, but it’s not good.”

Somewhere in there he gave a brief description which I don’t remember because by this time my face was burning with shame. My face had to be screaming, “I do it — I MASTURBATE!!!” I longed to die in that moment.

A friend said to me, “D. P. does that — that thing Mr. G was talking about. Hee-hee.” How could he have missed the flashing neon sign of my own face?

Years later a psychologist my parents sent me to said, “you rub your penis (seeing me coloring) you rub your penis DON’T WORRY ABOUT IT everybody does it. You’re not going to use it up.”

I am quite indebted to that man.