Therapy

"Anyway, Zorro did his usual routine with Susan chained her up, stripped her. Then when he spanked her, I thought Dr. Ann was going to faint. The color drained from her face and she started gasping. I couldn't decide if it was an orgasm or a stroke, although I think an orgasm would have put color into her face rather than taking it out. After that she just sat there and twitched occasionally. I actually was sort of worried about her."

"Repression will do that to you."

"Don't you start with that crap. After he took his bow, the usual pandemonium erupted. I was screaming with the rest of them, but Dr. Ann just sat and stared. Anyway, Zorro carried Susan back to her chair. He knelt down on one knee and put her shoes back on her. It was very elegant and sexy the way he did it. Then he kissed her hand and was gone. This all happened right under Dr. Ann's nose. It was perfect."

"So then what?"

"The lights came back up, and Susan went off to get dressed. Dr. Ann finally came out of her coma and said, 'we have to leave' so we left. When we got to the car, she said, 'that was very disturbing...very disturbing' and didn't say anything else until we got to her house."

"You think she was put off by it?"

"Yes and no. I'll guarantee she was as moist as the rest of us. That's part of what disturbed her. When we got to her house, we sat out front and talked for a bit. She wanted to know why I hadn't told her the real nature of the stripper act. I told her it was customary not to."

"Huh?"

"It's true, Bob. It's considered very bad form to tell anyone what's coming. The first time you see it is so amazing, you'd be pissed if someone had spoiled it for you. Even if you've seen it a bunch of times, it still has quite an impact, but the first time is special. One of the fun things is to bring unsuspecting friends and enjoy their reaction. It's sort of like reliving the first time."

"So bringing their friends is what keeps women coming back?"

"That's not the only thing. It's worth seeing more than once on its own merits. Wouldn't you like to see it again?"

"Absolutely."

"Then, of course, there's the chance that you'll be chosen. Once you know what's coming, it sets your heart pounding if he comes anywhere near you. Many women go back for that."

"I see what you mean."

"Anyway, Dr. Ann seemed to accept the reasoning. I told her that now she knew why everyone wanted to be spanked. She just groaned and said this would set feminism back a hundred years. I told her it wouldn't. It's erotic to have a strong man take charge of you like that. It's sexy, it's fun, and it doesn't diminish you as a person. Who wants to be on top and in charge all the time? It's nice once in a while to be made to feel fragile and feminine. She just groaned again."

"Then what."

"I walked her to her door. I wasn't completely sure she would find it on her own. She invited me in, but I declined. I had a feeling she might want some privacy and for that matter I wanted some myself. I drove home."

"So what's your overall assessment?"

"She put it quite succinctly. She was very disturbed. There's only one way you can be affected by Zorro's performance. The problem is how she'll react to being affected like that."

"What do you think she'll do?"

"I don't know. She'll be embarrassed by her reaction. She won't admit that she liked it, that it turned her on. She'll have quite a dilemma. I suspect Dr. Ann will go through the whole catalog of defense mechanisms: denial, repression, sublimation, etc. But she's smart enough to recognize what she's doing. She still won't give in. I predict she'll settle on intellectualization. She can pretend she's being detached and professional, thereby avoid dealing with her true feelings. Besides, she already does plenty of that. It works for her."

"Do you think she'll go for the next one?"

"I think so, but I'm not sure. You'll see her before I do. Your appointment's tomorrow."

"I guess we'll know more then. I do want to thank you, Helen. There was no doing this without you."

"And thank you. I'm having a ball. I've always wanted to work out on one of these over- educated dingbats. I really am enjoying myself. Call me after your appointment."

"Talk to you then."

After I hung up, I thought some more about what Helen had said. I wanted to prepare myself for my appointment tomorrow, but finally had to admit there was no way. I was going to have to play it by ear.

"Good morning, Mr. Canfield. Where did we leave off last time?"

Dr. Ann was formal and distant. I tried to draw her out, but got nowhere. The whole hour was a total waste. To top it off, she'd worn a pant suit and I was denied my usual pastime. She'd crawled into her shell and wouldn't come out to play. Maybe Helen would have better luck on Friday.

I called Helen that evening and told her about my session with Dr. Ann. She wasn't surprised.

"I didn't expect she'd open up to a man after last night. I'll see if I can put a few cracks in her shell on Friday. You couldn't let on that you knew, but she'll have to discuss it with me; there's no other possible topic. Besides, she'll have a couple extra days to calm down."

"Keep me posted."

I was on tenterhooks waiting for Helen's call Friday evening. I really did need to get a life.

Friday afternoon Helen called and suggested we go out for a drink. I told her we might as well make it dinner. I picked her up after work. We discussed her session with Dr. Ann as we ate.

"Did you get her to talk?" I asked.

"I certainly did. She was ready and I pulled a complete role reversal. Today, I was the therapist. I'm better at it than she is, you know."

"I know, but she's the one with the piece of paper."

"Disgusting, isn't it."

"Truly," I agreed.

"I told her she was going to have to face her feelings. I was right about her. She is frightened of men. Actually, she's not frightened of men, she's frightened by how men make her feel. She's scared of her own feelings, but transferred that fear to a fear of men in general and it's a big problem for her. Being a psychologist allows her to intellectualize everything and keep both men and her feelings at a distance. Needless to say, Zorro was a major overload for her circuits."

"Sounds like she's shorted out."

"No question. Shields penetrated. I told her exactly what she was doing--used all the clinical terminology, rubbed her nose in it."

"How did she take it?"

"She had to admit I was right. I laid it all out for her and she was cornered. I told her she had to face up to her feelings. She had to go back to that club. That was the only way to deal with it."

"You're so evil."

"I know. It's such fun. I think I'll send her a bill for today's session."

"You think she'll go?"

"Yes, I think so. She was worried about if she got chosen. I asked so what if she did? Someone with her education should be able to deal with it. That was hitting her where she lives. She's got a lot of identity invested in that Ph.D. Even so, she turned sort of green, so I pointed out there were probably more than two hundred women there. Her chances were less than a half percent. That calmed her down. She understands math."

"Sounds like it's time for the meeting with Ted."

"Set it up as soon as you can. I'll try to have her there the Tuesday after next."

We talked about other things. I enjoyed my evening with Helen. She was fun. We were very different, but often arrived at the same conclusions, although by different routes. We had dessert and an after dinner drink and I drove her home.

When we got to her house, she invited me in. She was still feeling the effects of her Tuesday evening with Zorro. I went in.

Early Saturday afternoon, I dropped by the club and had a chat with Ted. I told him what was up and he set up a meeting for me with Zorro. He told me the guy's real name was Dave, but I was not under any circumstances to reveal that information. Their agreement was that Dave was in charge of choosing the women and I would have to convince him. I wasn't pleased with having to jump through this extra hoop. I had assumed that since Ted was the owner, he would simply instruct Dave as to his wishes. It didn't work that way. I would talk to Dave on Tuesday. I decided to take Helen with me.

Dave didn't like our idea.

"Look, I appreciate that you came to see me," he said, "but there's no way. You have no idea how many people come to me, wanting me to choose a best friend on her birthday or a girlfriend or ex-wife. If it got out that the show was rigged in advance, not only would they stop coming, they'd scratch my eyes out and rip my face off. The whole reason it works is because it really can be any one of them. I don't even know who I'll choose until I get out there and start looking around."

"Your point is well taken, and I understand the problem, but let me see if we can make a case for an exception. The person we have in mind is a PhD. in psychology. She's been here once already to study your act. She'll be back next Tuesday. She feels you represent a major threat to feminism and to her own self esteem. Her goal is to negate the effect you have on the women in your audience."

"This is a joke, isn't it."

"They're serious," Ted chimed in. He had been hovering in the background.

"Can she really do that?"

"I don't know. How bad do you want to find out?"

"Even if I chose her, wouldn't that have the opposite effect?"

"No. I think it would put her in touch with her true feelings. The whole point of her campaign is to allow her to continue suppressing her real feelings and to justify doing so."

"Sounds like weird behavior for a psychologist."

"Unfortunately, it's typical. Way too many of them put themselves in the position of the pot calling the kettle black."

"So who is she?"

"Her name is Dr. Ann Culver. She was here last week with Helen."

"I remember you," Dave said to Helen. "You were at the table next to Susan. Was she the woman who was with you?"

"That was her."

"Yes, I recall. Nice legs. She struck me as a bit goosy; that was why I didn't approach her table."

"You're right about that."

"That's a problem."

"How so?"

"My selections aren't entirely random. I'm looking for the right type of person. A woman who's too eager would blow the mood I'm trying to set. I want someone who's reluctant but willing, but with the emphasis on reluctant. That actually covers the majority, but she has to be in that range. The worst case is one who's terrified of the whole thing. I give each woman a bail out phrase as I lead her to the stage. If she uses the phrase, it's over. There's no way I'll keep a woman chained to that pole against her will. But if I screw up and choose a woman who uses the phrase after I've got her up there, then the evening is a total disaster, and that's my problem with your Dr. Culver. She didn't strike me as someone who would go the whole course."

"Yeah, I see what you mean," I said.

"Don't worry," said Helen. "I'll make sure it's a point of pride with her to deal with whatever happens. A real woman wouldn't cut and run. She would deal with it."

"How will you do that without letting her know she'll be chosen?"

"Trust me, Dave."

"Trust her," I told Dave.

"Yeah, trust her," said Ted.

"Alright, I'll do it, but I'd rather choose you."

Helen paled a bit. Dave and I both laughed.

The next morning was my weekly session with Dr. Ann. She was nearly back to normal. I continued trying to convince her of the wonderful progress I was making. As we talked, she absent mindedly slipped one of her shoes off. I took this as an indication that she was even more relaxed than I had thought.

"She takes her shoes off all the time."

"Really?" I was having my evening conversation with Helen.

"Yeah, both of them."

"This is the first time she's done anything like that when I was there."

"About half way through my first session she had her shoes off. It was one of her little habits that I noticed. It goes along with the formality she insists on with you. I think she finds you intimidating. Combine the formality and the shoes thing, and I'd say she's very uptight around you."

"Well, she always struck me as being pretty uptight. I assumed she was always like that."

"Not around me."

"Interesting. Well, Friday's your day. You've got to convince her to go with you on Tuesday."

"Bob, trust me."

"Okay, okay, I trust you."

Friday evening I took Helen to dinner again.

"Done deal. She's going with me Tuesday."

"You think she'll cope?"

"I'd almost guarantee it," Helen asserted.

"How'd you do it?"

"I asked her how she could pretend to help me with my problem when the same problem turned her into a quivering mass of jelly."

"Brutal."

"Necessary. She has no concept of what it's really like to be a woman. She'd like it if she'd try it. She's way overdue for shock treatment."

"How did she react?"

"She admitted I'm right. She's making wonderful progress." We both burst out laughing.

"She knows I'm right," Helen continued. "She's determined to beat this thing. She has to save herself in order to be able to save everybody else. I think she's ready."

I was in the sound booth with Brad. He seemed surprised to see me, but didn't comment. It was a few minutes before nine and he was setting up for Gary's act.

I watched as Helen entered with Dr. Ann. They sat at a table in the center. A waitress brought them their drinks just as Gary was starting. Helen ordered more drinks as soon as Gary finished. Dr. Ann gulped hers down and ordered another. I hoped she wasn't going to overdo it. It was busy, and her third drink didn't come until nearly ten.

The lights went out, the noise stopped, the thunderbolt issued from the speakers, and there was Zorro, standing in the spotlight. He strode back and forth across the stage, dangling the handcuffs like before. Then he leapt into the crowd.

Zorro started at the far side and wandered all the way across the room, just looking. He didn't stop. On the way back, he started making contact. He stopped at a table, took a girl's head in his hands, and looked into her eyes. He did it again at another table. At a table in the back, he made a woman stand and examined her rather thoroughly, even lifting the hem of her skirt with his quirt to get a better look at her legs. He moved on. At another table, he looked another woman in the eye, and moved on. Then he was at Helen and Dr. Ann's table. He placed his quirt under Helen's chin, tilting her face toward his. He took her chin between his thumb and forefinger, moving her head to either side, brushing her hair aside with his other hand.

"Oh, Jesus, he's going to do Helen," I thought. I looked at Dr. Ann. She sat frozen.

Zorro continued his examination of Helen. Then he turned to Dr. Ann.

"Stand up," he told her.

Dr. Ann stood.

"Clasp you hands behind your head."

Slowly, Dr. Ann complied.

"Stand straight. Feet together."

Dr. Ann stiffened. Zorro lifted the hem of her dress to mid thigh. Dr. Ann remained rigid. He stepped close and looked deep into her eyes. She leaned away.

"Don't move," he commanded. He placed his quirt in the middle of her back and moved her back into position. He circled her, then looked into her eyes again. This time she didn't move. Then he was gone. Dr. Ann remained in place. Helen said something to her and she sat down.

Zorro did two more standing inspections and stopped at several other tables just to make contact. He didn't give anyone else quite as thorough an examination as he had Dr. Ann. I was pretty sure he was testing her to see if she'd make it all the way through. Apparently she passed. He was standing in front of Dr. Ann.

"I choose you, wench. Tell me your name."

"Doc...Ann, I'm Ann."

"Doctor, is it?" he said as he took her hand and pulled her to her feet. "Well, Dr. Ann, as soon as we get you prepared, I'll escort you to the examination room. Please place your hands behind you."

Dr. Ann didn't move.

"Do it now, Dr. Ann," his voice thundered over the PA.

Dr. Ann slowly placed one hand behind her, then the other. Zorro locked the cuffs on her wrists. Dr. Ann shuddered and tugged at the cuffs. They held fast. Zorro took her by the shoulders and turned her to face him. He produced a collar from within his cape. Dr. Ann's eyes were locked on the collar as he opened it and held it to her throat.

"Tilt your head back, Dr." Dr. Ann complied and Zorro buckled the collar around her neck. He snapped a leash on the collar.

"Follow me, Dr. Ann" He set off toward the stage. Dr. Ann stumbled along behind, pulled by the leash.

Zorro positioned Dr. Ann at the front of the stage. She was required to stand perfectly straight and look straight ahead. He was unimpressed with her first attempt at posture.

"I said straight, Dr.," as he smacked her on the butt with his quirt. Dr. Ann yelped and stood even straighter. Zorro circled her, inspecting. Dr. Ann remained rigid, something she was good at.

"Time to take your temperature, Dr. Open your mouth." Dr. Ann did as she was told. Zorro inserted a gloved finger into her mouth. Dr. Ann's eyes widened at the symbolic act of penetration.

Zorro withdrew his finger and began unbuttoning her blouse. Dr. Ann jerked at her cuffs.

"Hold still," Zorro commanded and she subsided. He finished with the buttons and stepped away. Her blouse fell open and Zorro pushed the two halves to the side, revealing her bra. He danced around, then returned and lifted her skirt with his quirt. Dr. Ann shuddered again, but didn't otherwise move. Zorro unlocked her handcuffs and made her stand with her hands at her sides. He took first one hand and then the other and unbuttoned the cuffs of her blouse. Then, stepping behind her, he pulled her blouse off her shoulders and down her arms. Dr. Ann started to raise her hands, apparently to cover herself, but Zorro blocked them with his quirt.

"I'll tell you when you can raise your arms." He turned Dr. Ann away from the crowd, led her to the pole, and backed her up against it. "Now raise your arms." Dr. Ann raised her arms about level with her ears. Zorro pulled one arm up straight and locked a manacle on her wrist, then did the same with the other. Dr. Ann stood against the pole with her arms chained overhead. Zorro danced away, leaving Dr. Ann to assess her new condition. She tugged briefly at each manacle, testing them, then stood frozen in place. Zorro returned. He knelt and wrapped his hand around Dr. Ann's ankle, then removed her shoe and tossed it aside. He took her other shoe. Without her heels for elevation, Dr. Ann's body was pulled taut by the manacles. Once again, she remained frozen in place. Zorro was dancing about the stage. When he returned, he unbuttoned her skirt and let if fall. With his quirt, he directed Dr. Ann to move her feet as he pulled the skirt away. After another trip around the stage, Zorro locked a chain on each of Dr. Ann's ankles so that they were now held about six inches apart. Then he reached behind her and unhooked her bra. Zorro pulled out his knife and held it up at eye level. Dr. Ann still stood frozen, but her eyes tracked the knife as it was passed back and forth in front of her. She shrank against the pole. Then he sliced her bra straps and let it fall away. Zorro danced away again and Dr. Ann stood with her breasts exposed to the crowd. She started to squirm. Zorro gave her a few minutes to get used to her exposure, then returned and cut her panties away. Dr. Ann moaned, closed her eyes, and turned her head away. Zorro cupped her chin in his hand and turned her head back to face him.

"Look at me, Dr. I'm looking at you. Look at me." Dr. Ann opened her eyes and whimpered. "You're beautiful, Dr. You have no cause to be embarrassed." Zorro stepped away and Dr. Ann cast her eyes down, but didn't move her head.