Chapter 2

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At 5:30 P.M., I was pacing around my hotel room. I’d showered for the second time today and put on clean clothes: jeans and a polo shirt. I suppose I should get there early. I locked my room, put the keycard in my back pocket, and went to the elevators that would take me to her floor. I was early; it was only 5:45 P.M. I didn’t want to seem impatient, so I sat down on the floor outside the suite.

A few minutes later a woman walked up. I’d seen her at several other sessions.

“Hi,” she said. “She’s not in?”

“I don’t know. She said six and it’s only 5:50.” I held my hand out. “I’m Mishy.”

She shook my hand and sat down beside me on the floor. “I’m Lace.”

“I didn’t want to appear pushy so I’m waiting,” I explained. We sat there silently.

A guy walked down the corridor. “What ‘cha waiting for?” he asked.

“It’s not six yet,” I explained to him.

“It’s only five minutes early. Let’s see,” he knocked on her door. There was no answer.

He shrugged and leaned against the wall to wait with us.

Three other young people walked up. “Hi. Are you waiting for Mistress Yuriko?”

We each nodded.

“Did anyone knock on the door?” one asked.

“Yes, I did,” the first guy said.

A newcomer pursed her lips but didn’t say anything. She sank down on the floor beside Lace and me. The other two; a man and a woman, stood against the wall.

Finally, the door swung open and I got to my feet. Lace and the new girl followed me.

A young man in his early twenties stood there. He smiled at us.

“Are you all here to help with the demonstration?”

We each nodded.

“Which of you knocked five minutes ago,” he asked.

“I did,” the guy admitted.

“Then you’ll have to leave. You must have patience and precision to work with Mistress Yuriko. When she states a time, she means it. She does not like to be rushed. It disrupts the dharma. The others of you; come inside.” The man who had knocked looked like he wanted to object, but on second thought decided this wasn’t the place for him.

The young man held the door back as Lace, the new people, and I entered. We walked into the sitting room.

“Fill out these forms, please. Mistress Yuriko will be with you in a few minutes.” He turned and went into the other room.

Lace and I looked at each other and shrugged. All five of us sat down to fill out the forms. It was a normal application questionnaire: name, address, phone number, age, height, weight, did we have any physical limitations or had we ever had any injuries. There were questions about our professional life, how long we’d been involved with BDSM, were we or had we ever been collared, and several minor BDSM questions. It took a few minutes to complete.

I had just finished the application when the door opened and Mistress Yuriko stepped out of the bedroom. She had on a beautiful light green silk kimono.

“Thank you for coming to audition,” she said. “May I see your papers?”

We each rushed to hand her ours. She looked through them, thoughtfully.

“Stand in front of the couch,” she said. I stood up straight as the other four took their places beside me.

“Which one of you is Shadow?” Mistress Yuriko asked after moment.

A newcomer raised her hand.

“You state here that you had an ACL injury once.”

“Yes, Ma’am. It was operated on and it’s healed. That was three years ago.” She indicated a scar on her right leg.

“I’m afraid I can’t use you. I’m sorry, but I won’t take the chance. This is quite rigorous on the joints, especially the knees.”

Shadow sighed. “I understand, ma’am. I’m sorry, too,” she said.

“Now, do you others have any joint problems?”

“No, ma’am,” we all answered.

“Reach down to touch your toes.”

We did.

“Squat,” she ordered.

We did. The man moaned softly as we stood up. He was slower than the rest of us.

“I’m sorry,” Yuriko said to him. “I can’t use you either.”

The guy sighed.

Yuriko held her hand out to the third girl and led her into the bedroom.

Lace and I looked at each other as we sat down onto the sofa.

As the two who had been rejected started to leave, Shadow whispered, “Have a good time.”

“Thanks. I’m sorry you couldn’t be considered,” Lace said.

They nodded and closed the door softly behind them.