A Girl Called Len

"I have no idea. You have this contract to fulfil. I need to find out where my career is going. Possibly the best thing is to go on as we are, and wait until the need to be together is overwhelming. What do you think?"

"I will need to see you more frequently. I am going back to Paris in September, Gerard has offered me another contract. Will you come over and see me. I will get away frequently and come to see you. Danny we can do it, but not without I see you often."

"We'll sort something out, Len." I looked at the clock, it was seven in the evening, just realising the time reminded me that I hadn't eaten since having toast with Len, that morning.

"Are you hungry?" I asked her.

"Ravenous. Are you going to offer me something to eat?" She was looking at my little fella as she said that.

"Later, slut. Later." She stopped me there.

"Did you call me slut." I was about to apologise but she went on.

"I liked that. Danny I am your slut. Anything you ever want from a woman, you get from me. Anything! OK?" I kissed her in answer.

"That is all I want, and the same goes for you, Len."

"I've already got that, my very first cum, and it was beautiful." I went back to the subject of food.

"I was thinking we should go out to eat. There's an Italian Restaurant close by. We can grab something there and then walk back."

"That sounds good. Oh! I need another shower."

We ate, enjoying the meal, drank some wine, and then wandered back to my flat slowly. My arm around Len's shoulders, and her arm around my waist. It was a pleasant evening, so when Len asked if we could walk some more, I was more than happy. There is something so good about walking like this with your girl, conversation isn't important, the feel of her body against yours as you walk is. You adjust into a rhythm that allows for the difference in stride, yet keeps the body contact. I don't know how far we walked, nor where we walked. Stopping frequently to exchange kisses somehow banishes time and place to the background.

For the next three days we went out and around. Up onto Dartmoor, with a distant view of the Prison, down the coast to Teignmouth then onto Torquay, and on the last day of our break we drove up the Exe valley towards Tiverton. Len loved the countryside up there, so did I.

"If ever I moved, I think this is where I would like to live." Len agreed.

"Oh in that case you would see a lot more of me. Could I come and stay, often?"

"As often as you wish and for as long as you wish." I think that was the only time up to now that we had discussed the possibility that our strange dislocated relationship may change.

We went to the station the next day in sombre mood, Len was returning to London, catching a flight to Berlin, then in September back to Paris where Gerard had booked her once more for a season. I had no idea when I would see her again. We had discussed my going over to Paris just after she got back from Berlin, but that was left open. But as usual in life events conspired to put an end to present plans.

On Monday the next week the manager, Mr. Jackson called a meeting of all staff. We gathered in the main office and he broke the news to us.

"I am instructed by the Head Office in Baltimore to tell you that as from the beginning of next month, this company is owned by IBM. This is what they call a friendly take-over, and all staff are assured that that contracts will be offered to continue working under the new management. That is all I can say now, further details will be forthcoming and individual letters will be sent to all staff, explaining how they will fit in to the new operation. For the moment please carry on with your work as normal. Thank you." There was a buzz of conversation as he finished, some of concern, and other's of confidence, as IBM were a much bigger company than us. As he left Mr. Jackson caught my eye and with a flick of his head indicated that I should join him in his office.

I knocked and he called me to come in.

"Sit down, Danny. I asked you to come in as I think this will affect you more than any others."

"In what way, Mr. Jackson." He smiled but it was without humour.

"Look, Danny call me Richard. I am not going to be your boss that much longer. I am going to take retirement, little early, but they have offered me a sweetener to go. The takeover is going to affect the management of the company more that the office staff or the sales staff. They will be integrated into IBM's organisation, but management? They have their own structure and our management will not be needed, and Danny, that includes you!"

"Me!"

"Danny they will offer you a position, they have to, that was part of the agreement, but I suspect it will not be what you want, and almost certainly not take you anywhere that I think your abilities deserve. They will offer an alternative. A lump sum compensation if you decide to leave." I sat there stunned for a moment. My life had to a certain extent been planned around this ability to understand problems and programme our machines to cope with it. Now a damn big spanner had been thrown into the equation.

"Mr. J...Richard. I need to think about this for a while. I'm not sure what I should do." He understood my problem.

"Danny. Can I say something, it may help, it may not."

"Yes, of course."

"Take the money, Danny. Start up on your own. You know our machines backwards, we have lots of customers with lots of machines out there, I don't expect IBM to be too interested in updating them, they will try to persuade them to buy a new IBM machine. That's a cost to which many of them won't want to commit. You can do upgrading for our customers, and they will pay well for your services. When they do want to buy a better machine, and you know they are coming on the market, you will be in prime position to supply and set up the system. Think about it, Danny."

Richard told me to take some more days off and think carefully about what he had said. Before I left the office I did make a call to Geoff in the States. I didn't want the cost of the call on my private phone account.

"Geoff? Danny here."

"Hi, Danny. I had a feeling that I would hear from you. I assume you have the news."

"Yes, this morning."

"Are you going to take the money?"

"Hang on, Geoff, I only just heard about it, I really haven't thought it through yet.

"Danny. Are you in the office?"

"Yes."

"Give me your home number. I'll call you this evening."

He called me just after eight.

"I was with other people when you phoned, and I didn't want to talk in front of them. What did your boss, it's Richard Jackson isn't it, say?"

"He believes I should take the compensation and set up on my own."

"Danny. I agree with him. You have skills which are going to be in demand in the future. I have already accepted a position with another company, and what they offered me was astronomical. They will be bringing to the market some great stuff, and they will want a damn good agent in the UK. I mentioned you to them, and told them what you had done already, and they just said "get him onboard." Danny you won't have to sell this stuff, it will sell itself, but only if it has the right programming. You can do that standing on your head. You could pretty well write your own agency terms, and they will supply you with all the equipment you need for demonstration and trial programming for nothing! Danny these people are good. Think about it"

"Give me a number where I can contact you Geoff, I'll get back to you within two days."

"Danny, look forward to hearing from you. I know you will make the right decision."

A month later I was in California, seeing all the equipment these people were making and all the new product they intended to introduce within the next twelve months. I was seriously impressed. I had taken some of my programming work with me, and went over it with their Chief Programmer. I had to admit that the comments put me on cloud nine.

"Shit! Danny. I know this equipment you were working with, and I had no idea you could make them perform like this." I met with the C.E.O and we shook hands on a deal. They promised to get all my demonstration and trial programming machines over to me within four weeks. They would also deliver to me any of their new product as soon as it had been tested and certified, so that I would always be abreast of the market.

Back in Exeter, I found premises, signed a lease and in August I was open for business. IBM's money helped a lot. They offered more if I would put my signature on a document that would prevent me working in competition. But my Solicitor told them to go whistle. Restraint of trade in the UK is illegal. But he did get me a little more than they originally suggested.

CHAPTER EIGHT Where are you Len?

Len had never been far from my thoughts in all this time. I had left messages for her, and she called me often from Berlin. My news I had related as each step on the way was taken, and she was really enthusiastic about my venture.

"Danny, they must think highly of your abilities to do all this for you." I passed it off as a joke.

"Hey, Kid (I had spent too much time in the States) I know how to make the tweaks and get things to perform properly."

"I know Danny. You made my body perform properly." Her giggles came down the line to me.

"Is that Dance or Bed related?" I asked

"Both, Danny." She whispered, then giggled again. "I shall need a service soon."

"I can't wait, Len. When we make love I lose myself in you."

"Oh!" There was silence for just a moment. "That was a lovely thing to say. You take me places I have never been before. I want to go there again, but I can only be there with you." Needless to say, conversations like this became painful as memories of making love together, built a frustration that both of us realised could not be assuaged for some time.

I called her flat in London quite frequently. I knew I would not speak to Len, but leaving messages on her answer machine somehow allowed me to feel better about the enforced separation. At the beginning of September Len should be back in Paris, and I was making plans to join her for a weekend, as soon as she let me know what date she would be there. I got no call. At first it wasn't a worry, as our contact had always been sporadic. However I began to get worried by the middle of September. I had it in mind to call her parents to see if they had heard from her, and also the Theatre in Paris to talk to Gerard Moiret, but my business was just getting off the ground, and I was so busy that I wasn't getting home until ten o' clock at night, and simply collapsing into bed, all thought of making those calls gone.

At last I remembered to call her parents. They hadn't heard from Leanne, and were quite worried. The last they knew was that she was in Germany until the first of September and direct to Paris from there and go into rehearsal. I promised that I would ask in Paris and let them know what was happening. Now I had to call Gerard. I had gone from mild worry to deep concern.

"Danny! I am so glad you called. Can you tell me where Lee is? I have had to book another act to replace her." That answered the question I was about to ask.

"Gerard, that is what I was going to ask you. I haven't heard from her, but of more concern, neither have her parents."

"L'enfer, maintenant je me suis vraiment inquiété." (trans. Hell, now I am really worried.) I think I understood what he had said. I got the word inquiété. It sounded too much like unquiet, good enough for me.

"Danny, I have already spoken to her Agent over here. I will call him again. He may know something."

Deep concern turned into panic. I left work and went home to pack a case. I had no idea where I was going, just that I knew that I would probably be going somewhere as soon as some information, any information got to me. Gerard got back to me within twenty four hours.

"Danny, Her Agent knows nothing. He suspects that she has met someone and just gone off. I know that cannot be true, and you know that as well. I am going to ask the cast tonight to see if any of them have heard from her. Ne pas inquiéter, je suis sûr que nous la trouverons. Oh I am sorry, Don't worry, we shall find her."

Worry? I was well past worry. Suddenly the full impact of my feelings came to me. I could not be without this girl! What I had told myself that it was a really good friendship wasn't the truth. I loved Len! Even the hit and miss relationship we had would be better than life without her. Yet at this moment in time I could do nothing. I would jump on a plane to go to her, but what plane? And where would I go? I was useless at home, at work, I could do nothing. The sheer futility of my situation angered me, yet I could do nothing without even the faintest clue as to where she was.

Work came very low down my priorities. Why? I wouldn't be able to work at anything with my full concentration, there was also the fact that the number I had given Len's parents, and Gerard was my home number, and I had to stay around just in case they or anyone called. I brought work home with me and arranged with the phone service to transfer calls to my home number. I rushed to the phone each time it rang but usually it was work not news of Len. The days went past and it was in early October that the phone rang just before eleven. I was pouring hot water onto coffee when it happened. I think I put the kettle down properly, but in my haste to get to the phone it was of little matter. I answered the phone.

"Danny? It's Janey."

"Janey? How did you get my number?"

"That doesn't matter, but Lee needs you now."

"Where is she, I am on my way."

"She's back in Paris. Meet me at the Bistro by the theatre. I have got to tell you things, then I'll take you to Lee. When will you get here?"

"I'll leave now and go straight to Heathrow, and get the first flight I can. I'll have to call you when I know what time, can you give me a number?"

"Call M. Moiret at the theatre. He will get in touch with me. Please hurry, Danny. Lee needs you."

I was out of the flat in ten minutes, picking up the case that I had the foresight to pack. Train or Car? I went for train, the A38 and the A303 would be bottleneck after bottleneck, my temper would not have responded kindly to the delays. I was lucky. There was a train leaving in five minutes, so within thirty minutes of leaving the flat I was sitting comfortably and on my way. Paddington always had a rank full of Taxi's and my cabbie was happy to hear me ask for Heathrow, this was a good fare. I negotiated with him for the quickest journey he could make, and with thirty quid on offer (1966 prices) he didn't mind exceeding the speed limit. Three and a half hours after leaving home I was at the Air France Desk booking a ticket. I could not get on the next flight, but BEA had one leaving just half an hour after the Air France, they got me onto that. I phoned Gerard at the theatre and told him I would be there about five in the afternoon. "What's happened to her? Gerard." He wouldn't or couldn't tell me. "Janey will tell all."

My Taxi from Orly did have the super suspension this time, and I encouraged the driver by visibly counting twenty Franc notes as he drove. He got the message.

I took a seat in the Bistro at four fifty. Janey turned up five minutes later. I couldn't bother with going through all the formalities, of how are you, and the cheek kissing business. I just demanded.

"What has happened Janey?"

"Danny. Thank God you're here."

"What has happened?" I demanded even louder.

"She's alright, Danny. Now if you want to hear, let me tell you without interrupting."

I nodded. "OK, but make it fast, I want to see her."

"She had finished the season in Berlin, and the agent she had here in Paris had been contacted by another booking agent in Belgium. Would she do a single performance at this club near Eindhoven. The money was good, too good as it turns out, the club was a Swinger Club.That bastard agent in Belguim didn't tell her agent that." I had heard of those in the States, and my heart sank.

"Oh Shit. No."

"Yes. Lee realised just before she went on, and decided that she would do the routine. She did her performance, and as she took her bow, two blokes from the audience came up. One grabbed her and the other who had nothing on, started to pull her legs apart. From what I gathered the clientele of the club, who were mainly pissed, and in the middle of sex with whoever, thought it was part of the act. By the time they realised that it wasn't, and the owner came back it was too late. The man had got into Lee and had climaxed. The two men were chased from the club by the other customers, seemingly the customers thought having sex with anyone who asked was OK, but didn't take kindly to those who don't ask. The one man got away, but the actual rapist was caught."

"So they called the Police?"

"No. They administered their own punishment. Four guys held him and one of the bouncers kicked him in the crutch for about ten minutes. That was long after he passed out. From what the manager said I doubt that he will have any interest in Sex, ever again. They then put him in a car and drove him way out into the country still naked and dumped him. The people who organised the club took Lee to a Doctor then to a private hospital. They kept her there for ten days. When the Doctor said she was alright to travel the owner of the club drove her back here. She had told him to bring her to the theatre. Gerard wanted to call you straight away, but Lee wouldn't hear of it. We got her a room at the hotel." I had many thoughts but my first and most important was Len.

"You say she's alright?" Janey had been watching me very carefully as she told me the story. She repeated that Lee was OK now, and my sigh of relief and the words "Oh thank God for that." brought the smile back to her face.

"Janey please, take me to her."

"I will, Danny, but you have to know that Lee told me that I wasn't to call you."

"Why?"

"The fact that you asked that question tells me I was right to phone you. Danny, She was raped!"

"You told me."

"She feels that you will not want to know her now that has happened."

"Janey, I love her."

"Danny, there's something else."

"Yes?"

"She thinks she may be pregnant." Now that was a shock. I took a moment to examine my feelings, funnily it didn't alter them in the slightest. I held my hand out to Janey. "Come on."

Janey took my hand and we walked to the hotel. We went up the stairs and Janey cautioned me to be quiet. As we got to the room she pushed me back so when the door was opened I couldn't be seen. Janey knocked.

"Qui l'est?"

"C'est Janey."

"One moment, Janey." Under any other circumstances this change from French to English would be amusing.

Len opened the door.

"Hello Janey. You coming in?"

"No. I have someone to see you." I stepped forward and Len's face turned from curiosity to horror.

"Oh no. Janey you promised."

"She didn't promise me." I pushed through the door, and took Len in my arms. She was crying, shaking with the force of her sobs. I didn't hear the door close behind me, but Janey must have done so as she left. Eventually Len was able to speak through her tears.

"Danny, I am so sorry."

"For what?"

"Everything. You don't know what happened to me."

"Yes I do."

"You do?" She almost screamed those two words.

"Janey told me."

"Oh what must you think of me."

"Janey told me, and I am here. Now does that tell you what I think?" She was quiet for a moment.

"You have come to tell me that we're finished."

"No, my darling Len. I came here to tell you again that I love you. You have gotten so far under my skin that to get you out of my system would need a major operation. That whatever happened to you, was not of your doing nor seeking. It is in the past now Len, what I do want to ask you is, will you put it in the past, and let us together, be the future."