Experiencing Local Culture Ch. 01

Audrey Henderson finished her slide presentation and looked expectantly towards the twenty listeners hoping they would ask questions to indicate their engagement in the subject matter. Instead, there were only a few seconds of nervous looks before everyone slowly rose and began leaving the room. It was her third session in as many days and in each case, the vibe had been the same. She knew the company was counting on her to get the message across and the lack of connection was causing her distress.

Audrey's company had recently made a significant acquisition in Asia and she was part of the integration team. As a young attorney, she had been tasked with establishing a compliance monitoring process, and to conduct training. The headquarters was in Bangkok and she had been in-country for almost four weeks. Before her lay another four to six weeks of work before she could return to the states with multiple follow up trips likely for the next year. Her area had been one of the primary points of emphasis as the CEO had clarified he didn't want to deal with any ethical issues. This was the main reason Audrey felt stress since she knew the company was counting on her to get the message across.

"When are you leaving?" Audrey asked Bill Martinez, one of her colleagues from the states.

"Saturday. My wife is about to drive me nuts," he replied with a laugh.

"Colin too?" she followed, even though she already knew the answer.

"Yes, and Warren and Tom," he responded, then added, "Looks like you'll be holding down the fort."

The names he called out represented the remaining team members still in Thailand. Several others had already finished and left, and now she would be the only person remaining. She knew that several would be returning in a month to take up permanent residence, but she still felt somewhat abandoned.

When the opportunity to be part of the team first came up, she had been excited and made it clear she was eager to go. It was a good time for her as she had been in a rut since ending a relationship several months prior and was ready for a change. At first, it had been all she had hoped. It was interesting to see a business being purchased, and the team leader had mixed in some fun with the work. Thus, they had seen the sights in Bangkok and even made a few quick forays into the surrounding countryside. However, she had started to long for the familiarity of home and wondered how she would cope with being on her own.

On Friday, she noticed that most of her colleagues had stopped by to say goodbye in the early afternoon. She suspected that they were leaving early to discreetly explore some of the more sinful elements of the city before going home. She wasn't naïve and knew that it wouldn't be the first time, as there had been plenty of snickers and innuendo. At three, when she left her makeshift office to get some water, she made a point of walking the floor and realized it was just her and the locals.

"Audrey, you work so hard," a female voice in a lilting accent said from the door.

Looking up from her work, she saw it was Pattaree Chandraprasong, the wife of the man that had owned the company. The plan was for her husband to stay on for six months to help effect the transition, so it was not uncommon to see her in the building. Since she had a Ph.D. in education from the local university, she was commonly referred to as Dr. Pat or just Pat. Audrey had gotten to know the woman through several social functions and enjoyed her easy charm and constant smile.

"There is always something to do," she sighed.

"If I understand, all your friends are leaving," Dr. Pat said.

"Yes, they're leaving me behind," she laughed.

"Would you be my guest tomorrow at the spa? It would be a pleasant experience," the local woman asked.

It took her only moments to realize that getting out of the hotel and away from work would be a nice break, so with a smile and a nod she replied, "I'd love to. Thank you very much."

After that, they chatted for several more minutes, and then, after agreeing on a time to meet, Dr. Pat left. Much later, when she was snuggled into the soft bed of her 5-star hotel, Audrey's mind wandered to her male co-workers. She wondered what mischief they had found and if any had taken it to an extreme. Were they at that moment in a sexual situation while their wives remained oblivious half a world away? She doubted Bill or Warren would partake and Colin was iffy, but Tom could be a real dog, so if she had to bet, he would get her wager.

Audrey was standing near the front door of the hotel when a black Mercedes sedan pulled up. As the window rolled down, she spotted Dr. Pat. and quickly hopped into the back seat.

"The spa we are going to is the best place in the city. The prices are Thai prices. Not the tourist prices like the hotels," her hostess explained.

Even in the heavy traffic, it only took a few minutes to arrive at the place situated in a small shopping plaza. The building wasn't fancy like some of the newer centers, but it was well-maintained and they walked to the central courtyard then took a small elevator to the third floor. An ornate wooden door identified the spa, and as soon as they entered, the young girl at the counter snapped to attention, clearly recognizing Dr. Pat. There followed a flurry of a discussion in Thai between the two women, and when it ended, the Thai woman turned to Audrey.

"I told her we want the combination of facials and massages, but perhaps you would like to try something else," she said while handing Audrey the list of services.

"That sounds fine with me!" she replied without looking at the paper.

Immediately, they were led down a corridor to a changing area and provided fluffy white robes. Dr. Pat explained that behind the doors along one wall were small changing rooms and when she stepped towards one, Audrey did the same. Inside, the young foreign woman slowly disrobed and when she was down to her bra and panties, she decided to leave them on. Her hostess was waiting when she emerged and an attendant collected their things and locked them in a nearby cabinet. Then, the two women were led to a pleasantly appointed room with soft oriental music playing and for the next hour, they were pampered with a facial treatment.

Audrey sensed when things were winding down, so she wasn't surprised when her hostess declared it was now time for their massages. This time, an attendant directed them to a long hall with several small rooms accessed through sliding doors. Each room had a waist-high table prepared, and Dr. Pat was left in the first one while Audrey was taken to the next. She was instructed to position herself face down with her head resting on a pillow, and then the attendant departed, sliding the door closed behind her. The young American woman did as she was instructed, removing her robe in the process while covering herself with a large towel left on the table. It was only a few minutes later that she heard the door sliding and when she lifted her head, she could see she had been joined by a middle-aged woman.

The woman spent a minute bustling about without speaking before Audrey felt the towel leaving her shoulders and seconds later, she felt strong hands on her shoulders. The masseuses' movements were slow and deliberate and soon, Audrey drifted off. It was only when she felt a gentle tap on her arm, she realized it was time to turn. She rolled to her back with her eyes closed and the woman's hands immediately returned. She discreetly worked around her bra and panties while working her muscles and then spent a few minutes stretching her legs before ending the session.

"Did you enjoy?" Dr. Pat asked when they met in the changing room.

"Oh, yes!" she declared without hesitation.

It had been a relaxing experiencing and she was happy to spend some time away from the hotel. Quickly, they changed, and were soon in the car, chatting happily during the ride back to the hotel.

"Take this," Dr. Pat said, handing her a card from the spa.

"Oh, thanks," Audrey replied, and after some final pleasantries, she exited the vehicle.

Later, just as the sun was setting, she went down to the bar for a drink, but the massage had left her so relaxed that she barely finished one before she retreated back to her room and went to bed.

The following week, she felt lonely and awkward at work without the other team members. In addition, she seemed to get a different vibe from the local staff. It wasn't something she could describe, although the feeling stayed with her. Compounding the change was the fact that she no longer had any companions for dinner, so all week she took room service. Walking through the lobby of the hotel on the following Friday afternoon, she passed the bar and saw it was crowded, and not wanting to spend another lonely night alone in her room, she dumped her bags on the bed, and then returned to get a drink.

The room was a mixture of locals and foreigners and she took a seat at the bar next to a group of three older men. From their accents, she easily identified them as British, and she had barely received her drink when the nearest man turned and initiated a conversation.

"Good afternoon," he said in a confident voice while letting his eyes wander over her body.

Audrey was still in her work attire which consisted of a modest knee-length dress and medium heels. It was far from sexy, but she knew she looked good and decided to engage the man.

"Hello," she replied with an easy smile.

"A yank I see," he answered, which brought laughs from his friend and Audrey.

For the next two hours, she chatted with the trio and let them buy her multiple rounds. The man closest to her, named Malcolm, made his interest clear, and his innuendos became bolder as the night progressed. However, while Audrey enjoyed the company, she wasn't ready for a night of sex with a stranger, so with some effort, she said her goodbyes and dealt with the disappointed pleas of the men. On the way upstairs, as she struggled with wobbly legs, she realized just how drunk she was, and it took several attempts with the card key before she could get her door open.

Quickly, she was out of her dress and glancing at the clock she saw it was not quite eight. On the nightstand next to the clock was the card from the spa that had been there all week, and suddenly a massage before going to bed seemed like an excellent idea. She knew it would be easier to call down to the hotel health club, but they were expensive, and while her company wasn't cheap, it was something that definitely couldn't appear on her expense report.

"Uh, hello," the young woman said after she heard the voice from the spa speaking in Thai.

"Yessss? Helllloooo?" the voice replied.

"Are you still open?" she asked.

"Yesss..." the voice said.

"Okay...uhhh...can you come to a hotel?" she asked, deciding the trip over would be a hassle.

"What hotel and what service?" the female voice asked.

"Massage," she replied and gave the hotel name.

"Hold on," the woman said, and then she could hear rapid-fire Thai being spoken before the woman's voice returned, "Sorry, no one available."

"Oh...okay..." she responded with a sigh that signaled her disappointment.

"Hold on," the voice said again, and after several seconds of background conversation she returned once more, "Only man available."

"Man? You mean a man to give the massage?" she asked, unsure in her inebriated state if she understood correctly.

"Yes, man. Masseur. Very good masseur," she replied.

Audrey was just about to decline when the craziness of it all hit her and she had to fight back a laugh. It would be one thing to have an American man as a masseur, something she had yet to experience, but this was an Asian, which made it seem risqué. Still, she considered it, and then, suddenly, she was giving the woman her room number.

As soon as she hung up, she had an urge to call back and cancel, but she fought it off deciding it was a legitimate spa and she was overreacting. She had been told it would take about thirty minutes for the man to arrive and with nervous energy she put on a robe and then moved about the room, sometimes stopping to watch TV while occasionally checking herself in the bathroom mirror.

It was twenty-three minutes after she ended the call when she heard a light knock on the door. With a deep breath, she took the few steps over and looked through the peephole. A mature Thai man of average stature stood looking at the floor.

"Hello," Audrey said, slowly opening the door.

The man gave her a quick nod, but didn't speak, and entered the room carrying a backpack. While she stood back and watched, he went to the bed, removed the comforter and prepared a spot with a single pillow near the headboard. Next, he disappeared into the bathroom, returning seconds later with a towel he placed on the bed. Then, with a simple nod, he returned to the bathroom. The young woman knew he was giving her space to discreetly place herself under the towel, so she dropped her robe on a chair, lay face down on the bed in her bra and panties and covered.

Somehow, the masseur knew the moment she was ready because she could hear his movements. The TV was deftly switched to a music channel, and the lights were extinguished leaving the room only illuminated from the bathroom. The towel was moved so it was positioned better on her body, and then he turned it down exposing her entire back down to the beginning of her shapely ass. There was a pause in his actions that created a certain tension as the seconds slowly ticked by, and just when she thought she might turn to see what he was doing, his hands landed on her shoulders carrying with them warm oil. The sensation caused an involuntary sigh to escape her mouth and made her body trembled for an instant.

At first, the man's touch made her tense, but his efforts were so rhythmic and professional that Audrey soon lowered her guard and surrendered to the experience. He worked her neck and shoulders diligently, only touching her bra to reposition the straps, and then proceeded down her back until he arrived at the bottom of her spine. Audrey had been drifting in and out of sleep, but she suddenly became alert when she felt the movement of her panties, and it took her a moment to realize that it was occurring due to the therapist's adjustment of the towel.

Audrey was not a big spa person and had never received a massage from a man. The drinks had left her in a playful mood, but she had still elected to keep her undergarments on. Nothing so far had indicated that the man would try to take liberties, but now that she was back in the moment she began to concentrate on the slow movement of his fingertips. He was stroking her lower back while occasionally letting his fingers rise up on the swell of her tight rear. However, each time he came into contact with her panties, he would stop and move in the opposite direction.

"Okay?" she heard him ask in a way that made her think he spoke little English.

"Yes...fine," she quickly replied, wondering if she was giving off a bad vibe.

With that, the man's hands left her and seconds later she felt the towel being pulled over her back. Its size covered her from her neck to her knees, but seconds later she felt the bottom being folded back onto her rear. It was impossible for her to tell exactly where she was exposed and she fought the urge to rise on her elbows and look. Then, she felt his hands on her left thigh, right above the knee, and once more he started a slow sliding movement.

The minutes ticked by as he worked her leg slowly, but his location and movement had Audrey's full attention. Thoughts of dozing were long gone, and as he moved upward and his hands found her soft inner thigh, her concentration became more acute. When his fingers were mere inches from her vagina, she got nervous, and it was then she felt small movements of the towel informing her where it rested on her body. Shockingly, she realized it was likely he had a nice view of the crotch of her small panties.

The Thai masseur started a circular motion with his fingers and on each cycle, he seemed to move just a little bit higher. It made Audrey wonder how close he would dare get, but for some strange reason, rather than stop him, she decided to let it play out. When he started purposefully moving lower, she actually felt disappointment and let out an involuntary sigh. She didn't know if her sounds provoked his next move, but he began to move higher again, and that's when she realized she had become wet. It was a surprising development and compounding her concern was the thought he could see it.

Audrey tensed as his touch grew closer and her nervousness caused her to bite her lower lip. However, his attention to her soft inner thigh only lasted a few seconds and then he was descending once more, this time moving all the way to her calf. Strangely, her mind vacillated between thankfulness and disappointment and her thoughts still weren't resolved when she felt him lift her leg by the ankle and pull. For the next few minutes, he performed stretching exercises, and as her body was forced to move, she was certain she had become even more exposed.

When he was through with the stretching, he moved to her other leg without adjusting the cover. It heightened the strange feelings coursing through her body and as his fingers started their circular motion on her inner thigh, she felt her pussy begin to throb. Like before, waves of confused feelings washed over her making her tense, and when he worked her upper thigh without coming into contact with the towel, she was certain he was getting an eyeful. His descent down her leg allowed her to relax and he performed the stretching without incidence.

When he finished, he had her turn while holding the towel up and turned his head to provide her some modesty. It was the same method she had experienced in all her massages, and she had to admit that other than some potential exposure, the local man was acting professionally. In fact, it was her own thoughts that had bordered on the inappropriate.

The masseur adjusted the towel to coincide with the top of the cups of her bra and worked her neck and shoulders. She had expected her front to be uncovered as the masseuse had done at the spa and simply work around her covered breasts. Although the garment was sheer, she was mentally prepared, and once again she felt an odd twinge of disappointment.

He skipped her torso and turned his attention to her legs where, using gentle pressure, he got her to spread slightly and worked on her upper thighs. Almost immediately, Audrey's naughty feelings returned and with her eyes shut, she tried to imagine what he could see. She knew that if he had a view of her panties, he could likely see the effects of her secretions. However, unlike when he had her positioned face down, he proceeded quickly and soon, he moved to her other leg. Just a few minutes later, he was finished and he said something indistinguishable while tapping her lightly on the shoulder. Audrey understood the meaning and she opened her eyes to see him moving towards the bathroom.

As soon as she heard the door close, she rose and put on her robe. She was sitting nervously on the edge of the bed when he returned and watched as he collected the bottles of lotion and placed them in his pack.

"Thank you," she said and held out the agreed fee plus a good tip that together totaled a mere fifty dollars.

"Ahhh...thank you," he answered and gave her a bow with praying hands. Then, he took the money and started to put it into the pack, but stopped and turned back, "You call again when you need massage. Any time. Any time is okay."

"Okay, thanks," she replied, and then asked, "What's your name?"

"Sonchai. You call Sonchai," he eagerly responded, and then went to the desk, wrote something on a pad and handed it to Audrey, "Call number when you need massage. Any time."