382 lines
26 KiB
Plaintext
382 lines
26 KiB
Plaintext
Jonathan's Introduction to Business
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Chapter 1
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Jonathan landed at LaGuardia Airport with two suitcases and a duffle bag.
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It was 4:30 PM on a sweltering July Friday, and he had to bulldoze his way
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through the crowd rushing to get out of town for the weekend. When he reached
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the taxi stand the line was long and their were few taxis in sight. Having
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been warned by his aunt he ignored the "limo" drivers offering to take him
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anywhere he wanted. He decided to share a cab since the line was shorter and
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appeared to move much more quickly. When the dispatcher asked for passengers
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going to the Upper West Side Jonathan stepped forward, bypassing about ten
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people in line. He found himself standing next to a stunning woman wearing a
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short black silk dress. She was tall with auburn hair that flowed softly over
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her shoulders. Her eyes were hidden by oversized sun glasses.
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The dispatcher led them to the next cab and helped the woman with her
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luggage as Jonathan threw his bags into the trunk. He entered the cab from the
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street side. When the other door opened Jonathan's eyes were drawn to the
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woman's long shapely legs. As she slid into the seat next to him her dress
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rode up above the tops of her black stockings. Her firm well tanned thighs
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were framed by the thin black straps of a garter belt. The cab was well
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air-conditioned and the woman sighed as she settled into her seat tugging her
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hem into position.
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Removing her sun glasses she opened her Mark Cross briefcase, took out her
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leather planner, and began to leaf through the pages. After a few minutes she
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began to make notes. Jon couldn't help but stare at her classic profile, green
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eyes and perfect tan. Her lipstick exactly matched the rich red lacquer of her
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fountain pen, which she rested on her lip, apparently lost in concentration.
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She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. After a few minutes she
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returned the planner and pen to her briefcase and looked up.
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She looked over to Jonathan and quickly examined him, scanning from head to
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foot. It was obvious her alert gaze missed nothing. Taking in his khaki
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pants, green La Coste shirt, Sperry Docksiders, and lost expression she
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smiled. " Welcome to New York, is this your first trip?" she asked. "Yes," he
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answered, " I'm hoping to find a job here." "A new graduate?" she inquired.
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"Yes, Dartmouth, Art History." "You look like an athlete, were you involved in
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any sports at school?" she probed. "I ran the 400 meters in track". "Any
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good?" she challenged. "Our 1600 meter relay team set the Ivy record. I
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anchored." "Hmmmm, you are an athlete."
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Reaching across she offered her hand, "Joan Simmons". "Jonathan Richards,
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I'm glad to meet you," he answered as he took her slender hand. "What kind of
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work are you looking for Jonathan?" she asked. "I'm hoping to get involved in
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gallery management or perhaps work for one of the auction houses," he
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responded. "That sounds like an unusual career for an athlete, what made you
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interested in art?" she continued. "Well, my aunt works for Sotheby's. She
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got me interested in art and the art business." "I do some business with
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Sotheby's on occasion, what's your aunt's name?" "Lisa Scott, she concentrates
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on Oriental Art - wood blocks prints and the like." "I'm afraid I don't know
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her." "She is in Tokyo for the next six months working with a Japanese
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dealer. She's letting me use her apartment while she's away." "How lucky you
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are, finding an apartment can be the most difficult part of living in New
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York."
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They talked about art as the cab traveled through Queens and over the
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Triborough Bridge into Manhattan. She told him that she was particularly
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interested in photography. As they turned west on 96th Street the driver
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asked for their destinations. "312 West 73rd," they both answered at
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once. "My that is a coincidence," she said "we'll be living in the same
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building". She stared at Jonathan with renewed interest. They continued
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their conversation about art as the cab drove across town. Before they
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knew it the cab had pulled up at the building. "I'll make a deal with
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you. I'll put this on my expense account if you'll carry up my bags?" she
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offered. "Sure," he answered. She paid the fare then said, "I'm in the
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Penthouse". With that she headed into the building.
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Jonathan waited at the curb, perspiring in the heat, as the driver
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took out his two suitcases and duffle bag. These were followed by her
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four large pieces. The building was a five story townhouse that had been
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converted to apartments. Fumbling through his pockets he found the keys
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his aunt had sent him, and opened the front door. Propping the door open
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with his duffle bag he brought his bags into the hallway and then went
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back for the rest. It took him two trips, since hers were not only large,
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but one was extremely heavy. Grabbing his duffle he stepped into the
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building as the door closed behind him. Dragging the bags behind him he
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shuffled to the small elevator and pressed the call button. When it
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arrived he pushed all of the bags inside.
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His aunt lived on the third floor, so he decided to drop off his bags
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before delivering hers. When the elevator arrived at the third floor he
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propped the door open with the largest of her suitcases and found himself
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facing his aunt's apartment, 3-A. He fumbled with the keys, first finding
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the Medeco key for the deadbolt, then opening the slam lock. Inside the
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apartment was sweltering. The windows were closed and his aunt had been
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gone for almost a month. He walked into a short hallway with the bathroom
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on the right and passed the kitchen and dining area on the left. The
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living room was very large with a brick fireplace and a large bay window.
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He walked over to the window. In the semicircular area of the bay he had
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a clear view of Riverside Park and across the North River to New Jersey.
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Reaching down he turned the air-conditioner on high.
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Exploring the apartment he found two bedrooms, the larger obviously
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used by his aunt had a queen size bed, a dresser, and a large built in
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closet. A small window faced onto 73rd Street. Stepping back through the
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living room he went to the other bedroom which his aunt obviously used as
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an office. Against the front wall was a large desk with a comfortable
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executive chair. On a table next to the desk there was a personal
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computer and laser printer. One wall was covered with bookshelves. The
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other wall had a window facing onto an alley, with a colletion of
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photographs hung on either side. He saw a picture of himself in his track
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uniform. It was a print of a picture taken by a NY Times photographer
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when his relay team had set the Ivy League record at the Penn Relays. He
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began to think back to that day. The large cheering crowd at Franklin
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Field, ... over 40,000 people ..., he began to daydream.
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Hearing a sound beside him he saw Joan standing in the doorway
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glaring at him. "So here you are! I thought we had an agreement? You
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were supposed to bring up my bags. You've kept me waiting for almost half
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an hour! Even worse you've tied up the only elevator in the building.
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Didn't you hear the buzzing? I came down and found my bags sitting on the
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elevator with the door propped open and you daydreaming. Don't you know
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this is New York? How could you leave my things unguarded like that?
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What's the matter with you? You even left your aunt's door unlocked!
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Haven't you ever heard of crime?" "Gee, I'm sorry. I guess I lost track
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of time. I saw my picture there and couldn't help remembering," Jon
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answered.
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"Dreaming of past glory? That is no excuse. If you can't pay
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attention to what your doing you'll never make it in this town. Now hurry
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and bring up my bags, and don't dawdle," she commanded as she turned on
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her heel and strode out of the room. He could hear her heels as she
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walked to the elevator. Following her out, he turned to lock the door,
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then stepped into the elevator with her. She stared straight ahead
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ignoring him. When the elevator opened on the fourth floor she stepped
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out and opened the door with a small electronic key device, about the size
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of a lighter. As she strode into her apartment he dragged her suitcases
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out of the elevator into the small hallway. Grabbing two of the bags he
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followed her into the apartment and dropped them in her foyer. He then
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turned back for the other bags. Depositing them with the others he turned
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to leave but was stopped by her command, "Where do you think you're
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going?"
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"Here are your bags," he answered.
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"So your going to just dump them on my doorstep? What impertinence.
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First, you keep me waiting, then you just throw them in here. You have a
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few things to learn young man. We had a deal. I lived up to my part of
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the bargain now I expect you to live up to yours. Bring those bags
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upstairs."
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"OK."
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Grabbing two of the bags he followed her up the interior staircase to
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the second floor of her duplex penthouse. At the top of the stairs was a
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small bedroom. He followed her past a short arched alcove that led to a
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closed door, then into her vast bedroom. Adjoining it was a luxurious
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bathroom done in white marble.
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"Put that suitcase on the bed and hang the garment bag in the
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closet," she ordered. Following her orders he fumbled with the garment
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bag. Undoing the snaps he opened it and searched for the hook. It was in
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a zippered pouch near the top of the bag. He hooked it to the ring on top
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of the bag, stepped into the walk-in closet, and hung it on the rod. As
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he looked around he couldn't help noticing her clothes. Their were dozens
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of designer dresses, along with silk blouses, skirts, slacks, and numerous
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sweaters. But what really caught his eye was the back wall of the
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closet. It was covered with leather outfits in a variety of colors,
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although most were either black or red.
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"Hurry up and get the other bags," she ordered.
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"OK."
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He turned and hurried downstairs. As he picked up the last two
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suitcases he noticed that one was different from the others. It was very
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large and very heavy, a small steamer trunk covered in black leather. The
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other suitcases were a matched set of Hartman luggage. He strained as he
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carried the last two bags up the narrow stairs. At the top he was met and
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told to put the leather trunk in a recess of the alcove. He then followed
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her back to her bedroom with the last suitcase.
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"Put that one on the bed," she commanded. "I think we need to have a
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little talk. Why don't you go downstairs and wait for me while I change.
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There is some cold Chardonnay in the refrigerator. Open it and pour
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yourself a glass. Then wait for me."
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"Alright," he answered as he turned to leave the room. In the corner
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of his eye he could see her mirror and saw her begin to lift her dress
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over his head as he headed downstairs. At the bottom of the stairs
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he turned into her living room. The large space was painted a bright
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white. A vivid abstract rug covered the oak floor. A white marble
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fireplace and a bay window were the room's most notable features. After a
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quick glance around he headed for the kitchen. It was through the large
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dining room which apparently replaced the dining area and second bedroom
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in his aunt's apartment below.
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The kitchen was very large, for a Manhattan apartment, and very
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modern. The counters had all the latest gadgets. Opening the
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refrigerator he found it fully stocked with fresh fruit and vegetables, a
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supply of cheeses and cold drinks. Laying on the second shelf he found a
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bottle of 1987 Kendall-Jackson Vintners Reserve Chardonnay. He took it
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and began searching through the cabinets. In the center cabinet he found
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a selection of wine glasses. Below it, in a drawer, was a corkscrew.
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Opening the bottle he poured himself a glass and returned to the living
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room. Upstairs he could hear the shower running.
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The air conditioning was running full blast and the apartment was
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very cool, at least in the living room. He sat on the large black leather
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couch facing the fireplace. Putting his glass on the white marble coffee
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table in front of him, he examined the room. Above the fireplace was a
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large abstract painting with bold geometric shapes in black, white, and
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red. On either side of the fireplace were black and white photographic
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prints of different men in leather outfits, bound with chains. She had
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said she liked some of the more avant-garde current photographers, so he
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didn't think too much about them. As he drank his wine he couldn't help
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but look at them. Something about the photos intrigued him, but the also
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made him nervous. One of the men appeared to be in great pain, but it was
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also an expression of near ecstasy.
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After a time he heard footsteps on the staircase and saw her bare
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feet descend the stairs. He turned to stand as she entered the room. She
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was wearing a white silk kimono with a wide black sash belted around her
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waist. The lapels of the kimono crossed at her chest and the shape of her
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firm, full breasts was apparent. She was not wearing a bra so her
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nipples and the shadow of her aureole was just discernible through the
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thin silk. "Get me a glass of wine," she commanded. Her long raven hair
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was still wet and was combed straight.
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He stood and went to the kitchen. When he returned she was sitting
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on one of the leather Eames chairs with her feet tucked beneath her.
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Offering her the glass of wine he waited for her to take it. She looked
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into his eyes as she took the glass, tasted it, and set it on the table
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next to her. "Why don't you sit down," she suggested. He sat on the
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couch and faced her, waiting for her to speak.
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"You seem like an attractive and intelligent young man," she began,
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"but, you obviously have a lot to learn. New York is not a sheltered
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campus in New Hampshire. If you expect to live and work here you have to
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learn to think, and to fulfill your agreements - without daydreaming.
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Now, what did you think you were doing?" she asked.
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"I don't know. I guess I saw the picture and remembered the day it
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was taken. I must have lost track of the time," he answered.
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"That is no excuse. Did you realize that while you were daydreaming
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someone could have been stealing my things? Did you know there are some
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older people in this building. You tied up the only elevator for nearly
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half an hour. Don't you have any sense of responsibility to others? What
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are they teaching at Dartmouth these days?" she demanded.
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"I'm sorry. I'll be more careful next time," he apologized.
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"I should hope so," she countered. Taking another sip of wine she
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looked at him thoughtfully for a minute. "Do you know anyone here in New
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York?" she queried.
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"No. Only my aunt, but she will be away until next January. A few
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of my friends from school will be coming in September. I wanted to get a
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jump on the job hunt," he answered.
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"But you don't know anyone here at the moment? At least not until
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September?" she probed.
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"No one," he affirmed.
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"Did you have any plans tonight ... or this weekend?" she inquired.
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"No, I just thought that I'd get to know the city a little. You know
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walk around, see the sights."
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"Why don't you join mr for dinner tonight? We'll go out and
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celebrate your arrival in New York. How does that sound?" she asked.
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"Gee, thank you, I'd love it," he answered.
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"Fine. Why don't you go and get settled in. Come back here at eight
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o'clock ... sharp," she said, dismissing him.
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He nodded, got up and went to the door. When she did not follow he
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let himself out. The door closed behind him automatically. He heard the
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lock click shut electronically. Back in his aunt's apartment he had a
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chance to look around. On the kitchen table he saw a note.
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"Dear Jonathan," it read, "Welcome to New York. I hope you had a
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nice flight. The super is forwarding my mail for me. The phone is
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working, but please just let the answering machine pick up. Wait to see
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if its for you before you answer. I've emptied the two top left drawers
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in my dresser for you, and you can use the left side of the closet. The
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sheets on the bed are clean, and you'll find towels in the linen closet.
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I'm sure you are looking forward to being a young bachelor in New York.
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Feel free to have any friends over if you like dear. Anyway I have to
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run. Good luck. I'll call in a few weeks to see how you are doing.
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Love, Aunt Lisa."
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Taking his suitcases into the bedroom he began to unpack. It only
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took a few minutes. He hung his two suits in the closet, but they clearly
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needed to be pressed. When he finished he looked at his watch and
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realized he only had thirty minutes. He didn't want to be late. Tearing
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off his clothes and grabbing his shaving kit he headed into the bathroom.
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Hurriedly, he shaved and brushed his teeth. He turned on the shower to
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let the water heat up. After adjusting the temperature he stepped into
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the shower, quickly lathered, and rinsed off. Grabbing a towel from the
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closet he hurriedly wiped himself dry. Returning to the bedroom he pulled
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on a pair of jockey shorts and a clean pair of chinos. He looked through
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his drawer and selected a blue Oxford shirt. Slipping his feet into his
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moccasins he checked his watch. It was 7:57 P.M. Brushing his hair back
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with his fingers he headed out the door, locking it behind him. Taking
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the stairs two at a time he was knocking at the door at exactly 8:00 P.M.
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He stood waiting for a minute, then the door opened electronically.
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"Come in and have a seat. I'll just be a second," he heard her voice from
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the intercom speaker. As he stepped into the apartment the door closed
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behind him. Walking into the apartment he sat on the couch to wait.
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After a few minutes he heard her walking down the stairs. She was wearing
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a short, simple but very elegant, black silk dress with a deep v neck that
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demonstrated her ample decolletage. On her feet she wore black patent
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leather pumps with three inch high heels over black silk stockings. A
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dazzling emerald and diamond necklace set in white gold with matching
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bracelets and earrings completed her outfit.
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"Hello again," she began, then seeing his outfit said, "No. That
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just won't do. We are going out to celebrate tonight, and that outfit
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just will not do. Don't you have a suit?" she inquired.
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"Yes, but they are pretty crushed," he responded.
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"Let me see them," she ordered.
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Jonathan hurried downstairs and returned with both of his suits on
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hangers. Taking the hangers from him she began to examine his suits.
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Holding up the blue one she said, " Try this one on." "Where should I
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change," he asked. "You can change in here," she answered leading him up
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the stairs into the small bedroom, flipping the light switch as they
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entered. Jonathan was struck by the strong scent of a floral perfume.
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The room was decorated with a very feminine pink print wallpaper. It had
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a double bed with a full canopy trimmed with white lace. The bed was
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covered with a pink and white coverlet with matching lace trimmed
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pillows. Sitting in the large Victorian armchair she asked, "What are you
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waiting for?" "Aren't you going to wait outside," he pleaded. " Don't be
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silly. We are in a hurry, we have a reservation to keep," she countered.
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Blushing, he slipped off his shoes and unzipped his pants. Then
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bowing to the inevitable he slid them down his legs. He folded his slacks
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and laid them neatly on the bed. Picking up the suit he took the trousers
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and slipped them on. Then stepping into his shoes he pulled on the jacket
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and turned to face her. After examining him carefully for a minute she
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reached her decision. "You look like a slob. Take that suit off and wait
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here for me," she concluded as she left the room. Removing the suit he
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stood waiting for her in his briefs and shirt.
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After a few minutes she returned carrying several hangers. "This
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Tuxedo should fit you," she said hanging it on a hook on the closet door.
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"Take off that shirt and put this one on," she ordered. Removing his
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shirt he stood facing her in just his jockey shorts. He took the dress
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shirt which was white with ruffled sleeves and lace trimming. As he tried
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to slip it on he realized that it buttoned in the back.
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Turning to confront her he said accusingly, " But this is a woman's
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shirt." "Yes, of course it is. Did you think I'd have a man's Tuxedo?"
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she rejoined. "If you are going to be in the art world your going to have
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to give up some of your bourgeois notions. I had thought that we could go
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out and celebrate in style tonight. Perhaps this whole thing is a bad
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idea? If you won't let me help you, if you won't trust me, then maybe you
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should just leave?" she challenged.
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" I didn't mean that. Its just I was surprised, you know?" he
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answered.
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"No, I don't know," she countered "will you do as I say form now on?
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Not question every little thing I do? If you can't agree to that I want
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you to get out now and not waste my time."
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"I'll do as you ask. I do want to stay," he pleaded.
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"All right, you can stay. Now hurry and get dressed," she directed.
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He to put his arms into the blouse then turned asking, "could you
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button me up please?" Stepping behind him Joan pulled the thin material
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together and began to button it. "That's better. Actually, this fits you
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pretty well. The ruffled sleeves give room for your arms and shoulders.
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It is tight in the waist though," she observed. "We may have to put you on
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a diet."
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When he turned to put on the pants she stopped him and went to the
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dresser. "I don't have any dress socks so these will have to do," she
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said handing him a pair of black silk stockings. He paled as he took
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them, then sat on the end of the bed in resignation. Slowly he began to
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pull one up his right leg. He was surprised at how soft and sensuous it
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felt against his skin. As he stretched the other stocking over his left
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leg he began to get stimulated. Noting his response she observed
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pointedly, "Now that isn't too painful is it? Why don't you stand up so
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that I can check the fit?"
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Slowly he complied, and stood facing her chair. Softly she stroked
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her hands up his calves and thighs stretching the flimsy material taught.
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He couldn't contain his arousal any longer, his manhood thrust visibly in
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his briefs. Ignoring his dilemma she looked at him and said, " All that
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body hair is very unsanitary, we'll have to do something about it. Those
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stockings will be very uncomfortable without something to hold them up."
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Returning to the dresser she removed a pink satin garterbelt and handed it
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to him. "Do you know how to put this on?" she asked.
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"No," he answered.
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"I will only show you once," she told him. Pushing him in front of
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the mirror on the closet door she pulled the belt around his waist and
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showed him how to operate the clasp in front, then rotate it to the back.
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She then demonstrated how to line up the garters and slip one of the
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grippers over the stocking top. "You do the rest," she instructed. When
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he finished he looked up and saw himself standing in a frilly blouse
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wearing black stockings and a pink garter belt. His jockey shorts looked
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strangely out of place.
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"Now hurry up and finish dressing," she ordered.
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Turning back to the bed he picked up the trousers and began to step
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into them. Then he noticed that there were no pockets and the zipper was
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supposed to go in the back. Turning them around he began to slip them
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on. He noticed that they were of a very light weight wool material but
|
||
were fully lined. Tucking the blouse into the pants he pulled them over
|
||
his hips. Reaching behind he clumsily tried to pull up the zipper.
|
||
Afraid that he would rip them, she stepped behind him to pull the zipper
|
||
closed. The pants were very tight, and, because they were cut for a
|
||
woman, they squeezed his buttocks and painfully crushed his genitals. He
|
||
groaned as she buttoned the waist. The trousers fit like a second skin.
|
||
She then handed him the scarlet cummerbund which he quickly fastened
|
||
around his waist. "Can you tie a bowtie?" she asked. When he answered
|
||
negatively she stepped behind him and tied the matching bow tie around his
|
||
neck. Returning to her chair she told him to put on the jacket so she
|
||
could see how he looked. "Stand up straight," she ordered. "Actually,
|
||
you look quite handsome," she concluded, "but, there is one final touch.
|
||
Put these on, " she commanded. He took the shoes she handed him and
|
||
examined them. They were black patent leather formal pumps, but they had
|
||
two and one-half inch heels. Slipping them on his feet they were long
|
||
enough but because they were narrow and pointed they were quite painful.
|
||
"Perfect!" she announced, "Now go look at yourself in the mirror."
|
||
Findidng it difficult to balance on the high heels he shuffled over
|
||
to the mirror to examine his appearance. Actually, he looked quite good.
|
||
Without looking very closely it was difficult to tell that anything was
|
||
amiss. The Tuxedo did have a rather flamboyant cut, and the shirt was a
|
||
little too frilly, but all in all it was passable. Even the high heels of
|
||
his pumps were hidden by the pronounced break in the pants. "Hey this
|
||
isn't too bad," he concluded.
|
||
"I told you, you'll have to trust me," she rejoined. "Now, lets go,
|
||
I have a car waiting downstairs. You'd better take my arm," she
|
||
suggested. Balancing himself with her help they headed downstairs. She
|
||
took a small black purse as they left the apartment. While he summoned
|
||
the elevator she locked the door electronically.
|