Human Interest

Copyright October 2011

Chapter 1: Opportunity Knocks

"Okay, people..... Everyone into the media room now!"

Christine hated these unscheduled interruptions. She only had two more hours to finish editing her "human interest" story for the News at 6 broadcast. When she stopped to think about it, it annoyed her even more that after a year of internship and six years of reporting that she was still stuck doing fluff stories instead of co-anchoring the news desk.

The room was about two-thirds full and Christine managed to get there just a half-dozen steps ahead of the production manager, Jake. Jake took a quick scan of the room and asked, "Where's Jimmy?"

"He's showing Lindsay Drake, that new intern, around like you told him to, boss," Bob replied, half wincingly, when he realized that Jake might take that remark as insolent rather than informational and fire him on the spot.

Jake just shook his head and said, "I should have known he'd milk that task all day if he could. That new intern is one hot babe. Christine, go find them and get them both in here."

There is a fine line between being annoyed and fuming and Christine was about to cross it as she turned and left the room. It wasn't the "hot babe" remark that Jake made that set her off, as those kinds of remarks were common around the newsroom despite all the mandatory "sexual harassment" lectures and network policies. She knew that she had been the subject of those types of remarks when she first joined station but despite being drop-dead gorgeous and graduating number two from Oldhouse School of Broadcasting, she had not gotten the assignments that she craved. Now she was being relegated to "gopher" and that really set her off.

In her present state of mind it was truly a miracle she didn't bite Jimmy's head off when she found the two of them standing in the shadows watching Austin wrap up the weather forecast. Well, maybe it wasn't a miracle but the brightly lit "ON AIR" sign that dictate her behavior. She gestured for them to come out of the studio and told them they were late for another one of Jake's unscheduled meetings. They both followed her down the hall sheepishly as her tone had told them that she was in no mood for conversation.

"Here it is, people", Jake began, "The network ratings came out 30 minutes ago and it's not good. The Atlanta area station is getting killed and the higher ups are looking for someone fresh to bring renewed interest to that group. Here is a chance for someone to get out of Bakersfield and into the big time but the same old stuff you've been reporting isn't going to cut it. They want new and daring. They want edgy. All of our affiliates will be going gung-ho after this opportunity so you are going to have to come up with something really jaw dropping."

Speaking of jaw dropping, if you had looked around the room at that moment, that is all you would have seen, starry eyes and slack jaws. Everyone was thinking "big time" like those were the only words out of Jake's mouth. Everyone but Christine that is. Her eyes had narrowed to two slits and her lips were tightly pursed as her mind began calculating her next move. She was determined to make the most of this opportunity and no one was going to stand in her way, not even the new "hot babe" on the block.

"The top brass want to take reporting to the next level ...real, in-depth stuff. They want people who are involved in their stories and not just detached, outside observers. They want to see your final cuts on the air by next Tuesday so that gives each of you tomorrow to come up with a plan, the weekend to develop and shoot your stories and all day Monday to edit. Don't let me down. Now get going!"

Christine didn't concern herself with all of the sidebar conversations that sprung up as the staff filed out of the room but headed straight for her office with her cell phone already autodialing. She emerged 10 minutes later and walked over to where Lindsay had become the center of attention.

Lindsay was used to this attention. She knew how to use her red hair, green eyes and flashing smile to melt and mold men's minds to her will. It didn't hurt her cause that being on the gymnastics team in college had put curves and muscle tone in all the right places on her 5'10 frame. She was a Samantha Egar look-alike with a bright future if she played her cards right, a little too bright for Christine's liking.

"Hi, Lindsay, is it? I'm Christine Donovan. Sorry we didn't have time for introductions earlier with the rush to the meeting and all."

"Lindsay Drake, charmed I'm sure. I recognized you right away when I came in, Ms Donovan. I saw that piece you did recently about the fundraiser for that fireman and his family after that paralyzing injury he suffered. It was really heart-warming."

"Please just call me Christine and thanks for the kind words but heart-warming isn't going to impress anyone in the front office. They want daring and edgy and that's what I...we are going to give them, if you want to work with me on this. "

"Oh, I'd love to.....first week on the job and going out on assignment already...this is exciting but why would you pick me?"

"I saw your great camera work on the demo tape you sent in along with your resume and besides I'd rather work with another woman on this one," Christine said coyly.

"You must already have a story in mind, don't you."

"I just got off the phone with my sister and she tipped me off to a very select spa out in the Mohave Desert. She was able to get me connected with the owner who felt it was time to increase their exposure to the public. It could be a great story and a free spa weekend for us, as well as free advertizing for them."

"What could be daring or edgy about a spa?"

"I'm not sure but my sister said it was just what the doctor ordered. Hurry now, we have to get to the equipment room before all the new HD video cameras are taken. We can swing by our apartments and grab some clothes. It's a 3-hour drive across the Mohave so I figure the network should pay for our stay at the spa since we are working this weekend, don't you agree?"

"Absolutely," Lindsay laughed as they hurried off to pick up a camera and whatever other equipment they might want. "Are we going to take a 'News at 6' van?" she asked.

"No, the owner didn't think the guests would appreciate seeing a TV van pull into the driveway. It could upset a lot of people. We'll take my SUV. Go pick out what equipment you need and I'll wrap up my piece for tonight's News and turn it in. They can use the one I put together last week for tomorrow's show."

................

The 3-hour drive passed fairly quickly as the two of them chatted while Lindsay familiarized herself with the brand new HD camera. All she had to do was smile at the young man in charge of logging equipment in and out and he gave her the latest, greatest, digitally-stabilized, HD camera, still in its original box. Of course, she had to give him a quick peck on the cheek to shut him up or he would have delighted himself in staring into her eyes while telling her how Lithium batteries were made.

"The Pampered Pony? What kind of a name is that for a spa?" Lindsay asked as they turned onto a side road past the small dapple-colored sign with a black arrow pointing left on it.

"My sister said it was for a "horse of a different color" to quote a line from the Wizard of Oz."

Lindsay had a totally confused expression on her face and wondered if this was some kind of a dude ranch themed spa. She definitely wasn't ready for what was to come. Six miles later at the start of the foothills they passed a small private airstrip and entered the mile long arroyo that served as the driveway for the ranch. It provided just the kind of privacy the owners needed.

Christine pulled up to the security box and pushed the button.

"Pampered Pony Ranch and Spa" the male voice at the other end said, "Do you have a reservation?"

"Yes, this is Christine Donovan. I made a reservation for two for the weekend about four hours ago."

"Ah, yes, Ms Donovan, I have it right here. Please pull up in front of the lodge. I have a special escort assigned to you while you are here. Please do not shoot any photos until you are with your escort. Our guests are entitled to their privacy."

There was a loud metallic creaking sound as the gate began to roll open. This was followed by a crunching sound that either could have come from the wheels rolling over the sand or the sand being crushed in the rails holding the gate up. Actually, Lindsay thought it was a miracle anything worked in this dusty environment. Fortunately, once they passed through the gate it became immediately apparent that there had to be a source of water somewhere. The valley was as lush and green as the Shenandoah itself. The sun was just beginning to bring an end to a very hectic Thursday and the long shadows created by lodge and the stables had the parking lot in semi-darkness as they pulled up to the front office.

"Hi, I'm Cyndi. Welcome to the Pampered Pony. You are just in time for dinner. I'm to be your guide for this weekend so don't hesitate to ask if you have any needs or questions."

"Hesitate....hesitate, did she say?" Lindsay thought to herself. She was stopped dead in her tracks right where she had turned the corner in front of the SUV.

Cyndi smiled and said, "I can see by your expression that we were not quite what you were expecting."

"That's an understatement if there ever was one," Lindsay replied staring over Cyndi's shoulder at what appeared to be a rather tall girl on a leash wrapped in heavy leather straps all around her semi-naked body.

"This is Twilight Girl. She is one of our Ponygirl staff here at the spa. She will tend to your bags while we join the others for dinner."

"Ponygirl? What's a ponygirl and what is going on here?" Lindsay's tone was much more demanding than it was inquiring and her hands on hips pose made both Christine and Cyndi burst out laughing. "What's so funny? This is serious....it's demeaning...it's....it's too weird." For once in her life Lindsay was truly at a loss for words and all she could do was shake her head in disbelief.

"Edgy and daring enough for you?" Christine chimed in. "The network wants to push the envelope and that's what we're going to give them. We're not working for the Family Channel you know."

"Twilight, be a dear and set Lindsay's mind at ease, please. You have permission to speak." Cyndi said as she drew the ponygirl closer by her reins, the bells on her nipple rings tinkled happily.

"I don't feel my attire or status is demeaning, Ms Lindsay. This is my work uniform and it not only helps to make the guests feel more at home, it's functional as well. This heavy leather corset I am wearing now provides support for my back when I take everyone's bags up to their rooms. The feathered bridle and clip-on tail Mistress Cyndi asked me to wear tonight is only for show so I look more in character. My regular bridle doesn't allow for normal speech and my normal tail is, shall we say, worn differently. Unfortunately, you won't get to see my whole tack ensemble until Saturday as I have lodge duty on Friday when most of the guests arrive. I hate it that I'm not allowed to wear my pony boots in the lodge but they do scratch the hardwood floors."

"Ponyboots?" Lindsay asked still trying to get a grasp on this alternate reality unfolding before her.

"Oh, yes, ponyboots. They are a little hard to describe but they are thigh length and soft, black leather. The bottom pads hold real horseshoes and there is a flat, steel shank inside that runs under my instep and up the back of my heel which is held about 5" off of the ground. The shank ends in a 3"-wide, padded, locking collar which prevents any possibility of twisting an ankle if I should step on a stone or something. I would wear them all the time if I could, even at school but my classmates aren't as open-minded as they'd like you to believe. My college is on a trimester system, so I go to school September to April and work here the other four months. I not only make enough money here to pay all of my school expenses but the staff get to participate in all the activities with the guest when we have free time. Working in a "sex positive" environment is so liberating."

Lindsay's head was reeling. She was way out of her element here. After having sat through a half-day, orientation lecture on Wednesday on "Sexual Harassment in the Workplace" policies, she couldn't believe what she was hearing from this....this....ponygirl. "Sex positive?" she ventured weakly.

At this point, Cyndi stepped into the conversation while unclipping Twilight's leash. "Thank you, Twilight. I think our guests may be a little overwhelmed by all of this. They can read more about our policies and practices this evening after we have fed them properly and they've had a chance to unwind from their journey. Please see to their bags now."

"Yes, Mistress Cyndi," and she headed for the back of the SUV, her bells jingling all the while.

Lindsay never liked being brushed off so lightly and so she persisted, "No, really, what did Twilight mean by "sex positive"?

"Some people view sex as a necessary evil. Here at Pampered Pony we view sex as the most positive affirmation of our humanity anyone could offer. Our only rules are that it is safe, sane and consensual. To seek to have sex with someone, whether boy or girl, is simply a positive reinforcement of that person's desirability. Lindsay, I suspect that this weekend you two will have multiple offerings if you are open to them. In fact, I know a certain ponygirl who is very partial to redheads."

An excited whinny of agreement was heard coming from the back of the SUV and Lindsay blushed almost as red as her hair before quickly turning and heading up the path to the lodge. Cyndi and Christine grinned at each other as they followed her in the front door to the sound of the dinner bell being rung.

....................

The dining room was just what you would expect to see in a ski lodge in Aspen with beautiful, grainy wood all around and a huge stone hearth at one end. The table was long and could easily seat forty guests but only six people were there despite the fact that it was set for fourteen that night.

"Everyone, this is Christine Donovan and her associate Lindsay Drake. They are here to do a human interest story about our ranch and spa for Channel 17."

Christine and Lindsay gave a brief wave "Hi" and Lindsay asked, "Where are the other guests? I see several empty settings at the table."

Tom, the owner, stood up to greet them. "Welcome, ladies. Our other guests for tonight are bedding down their ponies. They have had a busy day getting ready for this weekend's show and races. The rest of our guests will be arriving sometime tomorrow. We will have a full house this weekend, for sure."

"By' bedding down their ponies', you don't mean that there are Ponygirls sleeping in the barn, do you?" Lindsay asked.

"Well, we call them stables but yes, definitely Ponygirls and Ponyboys as well," replied Tom. "We cater to a diverse clientele here."

"Doesn't the temperature drop to near freezing out here in the desert at night? Won't that be too cold?"

"That's the spirit, Lindsay. You still feel compassion for the well-being of others even though you aren't too sure about what they are doing. You're going to make a great newsperson some day. The stables are completely climate controlled and are maintained at 70^oF at night and 80^oF during the day. I can't say the same for the lodge though as our furnace system is down for maintenance. Tonight, the only source of warmth will be the fireplace; the nice heavy quilts on your beds....or each other." Tom finished with a smile.

Christine stifled her urge to laugh as Lindsay blushed again and took advantage of the pause to suggest that they do an interview with Tom in front of the fireplace a little later. He graciously agreed as the other guest began to file into the dining room.

The conversation over dinner was mostly shop talk about the upcoming weekend's events and Lindsay just listened in trying to understand the strange logic of it all. Occasionally, she'd glance over at Cyndi and Christine who were sipping their wine and chatting freely, like they'd known each other forever.

"Ding-ding-ding" sounded as Tom tapped his wine glass with his spoon. "Ladies and Gentlemen, our chef has prepared a very special dessert for this evening to kick off the weekend. Don't worry, his lemon mousse cake only has 2000 calories per serving.....just kidding, besides the sauna will be up to temperature in about 30 minutes so you can sweat it off in no time. The moon is going to be full so we will leave the outside lights off by the pool....swim suits are optional this evening, as always."

Twilight gently brushed by Lindsay just as he said that as she began serving coffee while the chef brought the dessert tray around. Lindsay cast more than a casual glance at Twilight's perky 34C breasts as she passed and Twilight gave her a little shimmy that caused her to quickly shift her gaze back to her coffee. Twilight just giggled softly.

As the others finished up and headed to their rooms, Tom settled into a chair by the fire and gestured for Christine and Lindsay to join him. "Feel free to film this interview if you wish. It's fine now that the other guests are gone. I will sign whatever release forms you need so you can broadcast it", he offered.

"Do you mean that we can't film the activities here? How are we going to do a story about the spa without any footage", Lindsay inquired as she fired up the camera.

"You are going to be filming me," Christine said boldly.

"What? You've got to be kidding," Lindsay said as her jaw hit the floor. "You are going to running around naked and you want to be filmed for the entire world to see!"

"What did Jake say? Daring...edgy...be involved in your story! Remember Diane Fosse and her seminal work which led to Gorillas in the Mist. She lived it. How else can we truly report it but to live it? Besides, I won't be naked just dressed it special gear called 'tack' right?"

"That's right," Tom added. "Twilight, the ponygirl you met earlier is topless by choice. There is a special dress code here which ensures that everyone's personal limits will be respected and personal tastes can be accommodated. This weekend you will see some ponies dressed head to toe in latex or leather and I suspect some of them may let you film them. Others will be in various stages of undress. The code is simple. If they cover their "naughty bits" as the British say, they are here for the show and competition and will only have sex with their owners. If a ponygirl is topless, she is looking to have sex with other ponygirls or mistresses. If she is bottomless, it means she is willing to have sex with ponyboys or masters. The ponyboy code is just the opposite. If you see someone naked, that means they are up for anything. Is that helpful?"

"Helpful but still unbelievable. You certainly are daring, Christine. I don't think I could do it."

"It's only for a weekend and if this gets me a promotion then it's all worth it. Besides, it looks like Twilight really loves it so why not give it a try. Just try to film my good side," Christine smirked at Lindsay. "By the way, how do you like that camera?"

"It's great. It's super light weight, auto-focusing and digitally stabilized. You couldn't take a bad shot if you tried," gushed Lindsay, "I probably owe the equipment room boy another kiss for giving me this."

"Hey, if it's that easy why don't you conduct the rest of this interview and I'll film you. That way you can get some "face time" in front of the camera and if I get a promotion for this you might be next in line for my job. Who knows?"