48 Hours on Blue Bayou Pt. 03: Julie

"This is Anne. She's been with me for years, and has a knack for being in the right place at the right time. You will go with her for the rest of tonight's tasks."

Master nods at Anne, who returns a nice salute, and he leaves. Before this new character in my life can get the wrong idea, I make my grand announcement. "Please, Mistress Anne, it is a pleasure to meet you. I will try to work well with you."

A bit "over the top?" Well, I don't want to get on the wrong foot with someone Master had so much faith in, do I?

Anne's face shows amazement, cooling into concern. "That's a hell of an announcement, kid. Don't you think that's a bit over the top? You don't know me or what I'm going to do with you tonight.

"The first thing is a slave never speaks until she is asked a question. Said another way, you don't talk until I ask you to talk. Then, you just answer the question. Straight and without holding anything back. Do you understand, slave?"

"Yes, Mistress Anne. Slaves don't speak unless asked. Thank you, Mistress Anne." I am trying to backtrack as fast as possible.

"The second thing is that I'm not your Mistress. Your Owner is 'Master' and I've heard you say that. The rest of us on the crew are 'Sir' and 'Ma'am' to you. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Ma'am. Sir and Ma'am. Thank you, Ma'am."

"Third, your 'trying' is a given. What we all expect is your success. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Ma'am. Success, Ma'am. Thank you, Ma'am."

In just a few exchanges, Anne has put me firmly in my place, that is to say, at the bottom of this society, ready to perform whatever is ordered. I don't even have the right to speak, unless someone has given me a temporary license by asking a question. I'm already sure that my mouth will be the first to earn me what they call "a correction."