The Game Ch. 19

"What business are you in exactly?" I asked Dom.

Dom turned to me and I saw a frown flit across his face. He raised an eyebrow and turned back to Ron. Jasmine was suddenly silent. Dom said looking at Ron, "You haven't told her?"

Ron shrugged and said, "She knows the gist of what you do, but not the details. I am not sure I could do your story justice. Why don't you tell her about it?"

Dom grinned and was once again smiling. He turned to me and said, "Sara, this is turning out to be a very interesting day indeed. What exactly has your future husband told you about me?"

I shrugged and said, "Um not much. He told me you met a few years ago and you needed help getting a deal done and Ron helped. He told me that you had a company that produced adult movies."

Dom turned back to Ron. "Helped me get a deal done?"

Then he turned back to me. "My dear your future husband is much too modest. I had a company that was near bankruptcy because of a problem I had with my partner. I was about to lose everything. In a week Ron had somehow managed to put together a financing package to buy out my idiot partner and provide us with start up capital. Since then, the company has quadrupled in size. You husband saved my company and probably my personal financial future."

Ron shrugged and said, "Dom you make me sound like a white knight. I just happened to know a guy and you had a great business. You just happened to suck at financing."

Dom laughed and smiled back at me and said, "He is much too modest. But as far as my business, I do technically make adult movies, but not for mass distribution. Instead I am focused on a niche market for those people who want to make their own movie."

"What do you mean?" I asked, now very curious.

Dom grinned and said, "Well thanks to Republicans and religious zealots that seem to run this fine country, there are a lot of sexually repressed people in the world. In this country alone, porno is a multi-billion dollar industry. Most is bought by men, but more and more is being consumed by women, at least in the movie business. However, most of the movies are of low quality with poor acting and ridiculous plot lines. May I make the bold assumption that you have perhaps viewed one of these so called movies?"

I nodded and said, "Yeah I've seen porn before."

He laughed and said, "Excellent. Then would you agree that the acting is terrible and the plots suck?"

I nodded and said, "Sure."

Then as if a professor making a point he said, "Then why Sara, if the quality is so bad, do these movies keep getting purchased at very high profit margins for the production companies?"

I shrugged and said, "'Cause they turn people on."

"Indeed they do. But you have to overlook a lot of crap in order to get from A to B. Wouldn't you agree?". Dom said smiling.

I laughed and said, "I never thought of it like that, but you are right".

"Did you know that in a porn movie most people who buy them only watch one or two of the scenes in them?" Dom said.

"Know I really never thought much about it." I said but thinking back to the porn I had watched and realized that he was right at least for me.

"Well that is because everyone has their own personal version of what a 'turn on' is. And most people buy porno because of something that 'connects' with them personally. That is why you see so much 'specialty porn' on the market. Everybody has their own thing. Would you agree?" Dom asked.

I smiled and said, "Sure. To each their own right?"

Dom grinned taking another drink of his coffee and said, "Precisely. I could not have said it better. And that is what I do is tailor my movies to the individual fantasy."

I took a sip of my own, non-Irish coffee, and said, "So how do you do that?"

Dom beamed. "Well I have a small video production company that, for a fee, will make very personal fantasies come true for an individual. You see we let our audience basically write their own script and star in their own movie. Some people, of course, prefer to have actors rather than being the star, but in my business most prefer to participate."

I laughed and said, "No fucking way! So people hire you to film their fantasies? Wow that is amazing."

Dom smiled and said, "Not just film my dear. We bring not just the film crew, but also the actors and actresses, props, and even have on occasion rented the exotic location."

My head was spinning. "And how much does this cost?"

Now Dom really beamed. "Well our basic film you with your lover package is 5000.00 dollars, and our most complicated project cost around 250,000. But we average around 12,000.00 per video."

Now I was stunned. "12,000.00? to make a porn for one person?" I asked incredulously.

Dom smiled and said, "My dear I know at first it may seem like a lot, but think about it. How much would you pay to have your wildest dream come true? We have a 6 month waiting list right now."

"Holy fucking-shit" I said.

Dom drained his glass and said, "Holy fucking-shit indeed".

Janelle took Dom's glass from him and refilled it with coffee, but omitting the whiskey this time. I stared at her and Dom smiled. "Janelle was one of my first models and she has been with me for years. I think she has adopted me and tries to keep me out of trouble." He grinned at her with warmth, but reached across the table and added two splashes of whiskey to his drink.

Janelle sighed and said, "Dom is a genius, but he is also his own worst enemy. But I love him."

I was re-thinking Janelle from the stereotypical blond bimbo to perhaps something a little deeper. Not much deeper, but a little.

Dom now turned to Ron, "And now Ron, you must come clean with me on this 'favor'. You know I don't do anything sleazy."

I laughed at that.

Dom turned to me looking harder than he had before.

Ron intervened and said, "Dom has some very specific rules about his work. Nothing dangerous. Everyone gets tested within a week of the shoot for disease. Nothing illegal. And nothing deceptive. Have I just about covered it?"

Dom smiled and said while still looking at me, "Yes. I define sleazy as something that might hurt someone else. As long as everyone is safe and fully aware of what is going on, then I am okay with it."

I nodded and said, "Sorry if I offended."

Dom shrugged and his jovial demeanor returned, "My dear I could never stay mad at someone as lovely as you."

Dom scooted up to the table and he was immediately very serious, "So tell me about this favor Ron. The suspense is killing me."

Ron smiled and began to talk. As he spoke both Dom and Janelle were leaning in closer and closer to the table, mesmerized by his words.

When he finished Dom said, "This will be an ambitious project to get just right".

Ron smiled and said, "Dom I don't expect you to do this for free."

Dom looked offended and said, "I told you your money was not good here. It's not the money, it's the sheer magnitude of coordination. And does this have to happen today?"

Ron looked at me and I shrugged feeling my heart fall in disappointment.

Dom saw my look and smiled and said, "Of course it does. Let me make a few calls. Janelle who do we know in Chicago?"

Janelle quickly retrieved a Blackberry from a pocket and began scrolling.

Dom turned to Ron and me and said, "Why don't you two go get breakfast and let Janelle and I work some magic. Come back in two hours."

It was not a request.

Ron and I stood up from the table and left them to do whatever it is they did.

It was amazing.

..... To Be Continued.