News Story

"Jean Meredith." That is what it said on the name plate sitting my new desk. The lettering was an Old English style. It was the first name plate I had ever had. Of course, this was my first job: the new junior reporter for the Hemmingsburg Report newspaper. The newspaper office is on the second floor of an old building in downtown Hemmingsburg. It was not the big time, but everyone has to start somewhere, so why not here?

I had had several questions when I interviewed for the job just a few weeks before. Firstly, why was a small town paper like the Report hiring in this economy? After all, newspapers were generally in decline. The internet has provided instant access to news all around the world with a few key strokes. What made this paper so much different that they could hire new help? Howard Billings was the editor and owner of the newspaper. He explained that the Report was a highly unique paper in the newspaper world. His reporters ferreted out unusual special interest stories. Not only did the paper report the usual garden reports, utility bulletins, high school sports results and local political concerns, but each bi-weekly edition always had some off-the-wall or over-the-line story that kept the readers curious about each and every upcoming edition. He explained, "We needed something that you could not get in other big circulation papers or on the internet. My reporters go to places and ask the why and how questions that no one else wants to ask."

Here I am now fresh out of school with a degree in journalism. I had worked school papers in high school and in college. However, my intention had been to get into work in more technologically advanced news reporting. The job market is slim. I had some leads, but I had no money. The Hemmingsburg Report seemed like a good opportunity until I can find something more lucrative. I was very happy when Mr. Billings made me an offer. And it was a generous offer. He thought I was the kind of reporter necessary for the type of stories he wanted researched and printed.

Mary Hammond, Mr. Billings' secretary, stuck her head around the corner and says, "Jean, Mr. Billings would like to see you in his office. It's first assignment time -- good luck!" Mr. Billings had come in late this morning and had been in meetings since then. I was anxious to get going. I walk down the aisle quickly. Mr. Billings' office is at the opposite end of the floor from my desk. I tell me self to be calm, breathe evenly and slowly, and to not talk too fast. I reach the door and give it a couple of light taps.

"Open," I hear shouted from the inside.

I open the door and say, "Good morning, Mr. Billings. Mary said you wanted to see me."

"Come on in, Jean. I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to talk with you earlier this morning. I came in late and got tied up with some record keeping issues. I'm sorry for not getting to you on your first day."

"No problem, Mr. Billings."

"Please have a seat." Mr. Billings walks behind his desk and sits. I pull up a chair in front of his desk and sit, too. "Now, we talked during your interview about the fact that my reporters go after cutting edge stories. I have an assignment for you that may seem off-the-wall, but that is exactly what I want. If you can get us a good story, it would be a huge feather in your cap. There is nothing like getting started off with a great story."

"It sounds exciting. I think I'm ready for the challenge." I was genuinely excited. It was going to be my first reporting assignment as a professional.

Mr. Billings leans back in his chair and looks out the window. "Let me set the stage for you. The explosive growth of the internet has been fueled, in part, by the explosive growth of the 'sex' industry. There are escort services, photo and video opportunities and other recreational activities. A new business opened up on the east edge of town about one year ago. I have done a little research. The name of the business is 'Man's World.' Their specialty is providing bondage fantasy opportunities for women hungry for something that they weren't getting anywhere else. The story I would like you to write is strictly research. Find out what they do at 'Man's World.' Who is their clientele? What kind of fantasies do they offer? It's the kind of place that is so far over the edge for most people that you could get a Pulitzer Prize for the right kind of story."

All I can say is "Wow!" I sit back and look at the floor for a second. I ask, "Do you think this is the kind of story a woman should do?"

Mr. Billings leans forward in his chair and crosses his arms on his desk. "I think this is exactly the story a woman should do. There is something about this place that draws woman. You may be able to detect that magnetism. What is it that pulls the women to a place like this? You may have insights that a man would not have. In the second place, you are young and untainted, so to speak. Most of my more, to be polite, experienced reporters might not take as objective an approach as you would."

"Mr. Billings, I accept the assignment." I was eager and ready, even if it was such a bizarre story. "Do you have any initial information for me?"

"As a matter of fact, the owner is a man by the name of Hector McDougall. I don't know much about him. His online bio states that he is a naturalized Irish immigrant, unmarried, and an entrepreneur. Here," he reaches into his sport coat pocket and pulls out an envelope, "Take this, there is a card with McDougall's phone number and one thousand dollars in fifty dollar bills. You may need this for any expenses that occur during your research."

"What kind of expenses?"

"I don't have any idea. It is just a good idea to be prepared. Don't forget the saying on the sign on the wall." Mr. Billings points to the wall on my right. I look and read the sign, 'The only difference between wishes and results is preparation.'

I stand up. "Thank you Mr. Billings. I will get started today."

I turn and walk to the door. Mr. Billings says, "Jean, remember, a good reporter cuts through the hearsay and gets the facts. A good reporter also suppresses his, or her, own opinions and personal preferences in order to create a balanced, interesting and useful story."

"Mr. Billings, I will do my very best." I was determined to do the best job I could.

"I know you will."

I close the door behind me and walk back to my desk. I must have been smiling from ear to ear. I got my first assignment. It was a weird one, but I am a reporter. I was ready to get the facts and nothing but the facts!

Jerry Winfield, a twenty year reporter, has a desk next to me. He looks over at me and says, "My, aren't you looking perky today. Did Billings ask you to check out the elementary school playground vandalism?" He sounded sarcastic or, maybe, condescending.

"Oh, no, it is better than that. Mr. Billings asked me to check out a business called the 'Man's World.' It is out on the edge of town."

Jerry looks stunned. "Yeah, I know where it is. That's a prime story, and he gave it to a first-day-on-the-job reporter. What a crock." He gets up, goes out the stairway door and walks down stairs.

I sit there for a second. I wonder what his problem was. Mr. Billings had told me during my interview that Jerry was his top reporter. But, in the couple of hours that I had known him, he seemed bitter and uninterested.

Nevertheless, I had a job to do. I did a quick internet search on 'Man's World' and on Hector McDougall. There was not very much there. The 'Man's World' webpage says the business offers edgy fantasies for the bored female: rope bondage, spankings and whippings, etc. I wonder what the 'etc' might mean. That is the job of a good reporter, eh? The searches on McDougall brought up a couple of articles on lawsuits from a fraud accusation and a bankruptcy. It was not a lot to go on.

I look at the card Mr. Billings had given me. I pick up the phone and dial McDougall's number. It rings twice and is picked up. "Hello."

"Hello, this is Jean Meredith of the Hemmingsburg Report newspaper. I am a reporter for the newspaper. May I please speak to Mr. Hector McDougall?"

"Why, of course, this is Hector McDougall. Please call me Hector."

"Thank you, Hector."

"May I call you Jean?"

"Sure, that would be fine."

"So, what can I do for a reporter of the Hemmingsburg Report?"

"My boss, Mr. Billings, would like for me to do a feature story on your business, the 'Man's World.' That is your business, isn't it?"

"Why, yes it is, Jean. I know your boss; he is a good fellow. Just what kind of story are you looking for?"

"I would like to learn about the services you offer and the kind of customers you have: why they are drawn to the services you have to offer."

"I think that would be an outstanding story, Jean. Let me look at my calendar." I hear him shuffle a few pages over the phone. "What about the day after tomorrow at 9 a.m.? Would that be okay?"

"That would be wonderful. I will see you then."

"I'm looking forward to it."

"Thank you, Hector. Have a good day. Goodbye."

"So long, Jean." I hang up the phone and sit back in my chair. I pick up my pencil intending to write down a few notes in my notebook. I need to be prepared. This is my first reporting assignment.

***

Two days have passed by. Today is the day for my first interview as a reporter. I had told Mr. Billings yesterday that I would be going straight to the 'Man's World' business in the morning. He encouraged me and said he was glad to see that I had jumped right in. And I was encouraged. I had a notebook full of questions and I was ready.

I jumped in the car, cranked it up, and pulled out of my parking space. I headed out of the apartment complex and onto the highway. I turn right onto the bypass, and drive toward the 'Man's World' building.

***

I can see the 'Man's World' building just ahead. It is a plain looking warehouse. It sits in a sparsely populated section of the bypass. As I drive up closer, I see there is a fence abutting the edge of the building and going back into a swampy wooded area behind it. There was no parking area in front of the building; it must be on the other side.

I slow down as I get to the building; there was a small sign that said 'Parking' and an arrow pointing to the far side of the building. I drive past the building and turn into the side road. The parking lot had about two dozen spaces. Only two cars were in the lot. I park in the first space. I sit there for a few seconds and try to focus. I take a quick peek at my notes, and then get out of the car. I walk up to the building. There is a door on the side of the building with a sign above the door that reads 'Office.'

The door is open and I walk in. The lobby is only about ten foot by five foot. There are two doors opposite the outside door. The one on the left is labeled 'Office'; the other is labeled 'Do Not Enter Without Authorization.' I walk to the left door and knock. The door opens and a man steps out.

He says "You must be the reporter."

"Yes, I am Jean Meredith. Are you Mr. McDougall?"

"Yes I am, Jean. Didn't you remember, please call me Hector. Come on in. Let's talk." He steps back into the office and I follow. He sits behind his desk and points to a chair in the corner. "Please have a seat."

I pull the chair up and sit down. I pull out my notebook.

"Jean, if you don't mind, let me start out by giving you the overview of the business."

"By all means, whenever you are ready."

"The 'Man's World' is a business designed to fit a very specific niche market. We offer erotic sexual fantasy opportunities for women. These opportunities include bondage, whippings, spankings, suspensions, chases and hunts, and other events that we or our clients dream up. We do no advertising other than the website. The events could range from very mundane to very painful. The choice is up to the client. We will mix and match. And the choice could be very specific or the client could take the 'Surprise Me' option. In that case, it is a total surprise to the client."

"What kind of women make up your client list?"

"Our events are not cheap. And we require payment up front. Our clientele is the upwardly mobile female. In most cases, she is in a significant leadership position. Or she may be in a relationship that does not meet her emotional needs. Our services offer her the opportunity to regress to a more savage time. We take them to a time when men dominated women. The client uses this as an escape."

"So, what you are saying, a woman walks in, she says she wants you to tie her up and beat her, you do that, and all this happens after she writes you a nice check."

"Jean, you make it sound like we are taking advantage. As I said, we offer no advertising, we offer no special deals. This is a take-it-or-leave-it business."

"I'm sorry, Hector, I let my prejudices get in the way. I am not being a good reporter, am I?" I did feel badly. I should not have let my disgust at what he was doing here cloud my interview.

"No harm done. May I try a little test?"

"What kind of test?" I am a little bit suspicious.

Hector opens the desk drawer and pulls out a red ball gag. "Let me fit you with this. Just temporarily let's let you feel what it is like having a ball gag. This will be a part of your research as a reporter."

I hesitate. I bite my lip as I delay an answer. "Oh, okay, but just for a minute."

He steps around the desk. "You can stay seated; this will only take a minute." He stands behind me and holds each strap of the gag as he takes it over my head and to my mouth. I open up and he gently pushes it in. He connects it behind my head. He walks to the side of the desk and looks at me. "How does it feel?"

I cannot answer. But it makes me tingle. I look at him and am overcome by a feeling of helplessness. I reach back quickly and try to detach the straps.

Hector moves back behind me, takes the straps apart and gently removes the gag. He drops it on the table. "I hope that wasn't too uncomfortable?"

"No. It was a new and different sensation for me."

"You mean that you have never used a gag before?"

"No. Never."

"Hmm. Well, it is as it is. Okay. Why don't we take a tour? Would you like to see our facilities?"

"Of course." I still have a rubbery taste in my mouth from the gag.

Hector stands and walks out the door and I follow. He goes to the other door, pulls some keys out of his pocket and unlocks the door. He pulls it open, looks at me and says, "After you."

I walk through the door. There is a hallway, about fifty feet long, with three doors along both sides, and a door at the very end. Hector walks up to the first door on the left, opens it and walks in. I follow.

The room appears to be a storage room. It is filled with shelves where I see lumber, ropes, poles, chains, blankets and pillows, clothes of all kinds, hoses and dozens and dozens of boxes with labels I cannot make out. Hector says "This is nominally a storage room. We have a large assortment of commonly asked for items. Sometimes, a client asks to have a fantasy in this room, usually restrained in some way or another on the shelving or just in a corner." I look around for several seconds, then Hector leaves the room and I follow. We walk to the next door, Hector opens it and we walk in.

This room is a bedroom decked with dark red silky tapestries. The bed is king size. There is a huge wooden headboard and a smaller footboard. The carpet is thick and white. The lighting is dim. Hector explains "This, obviously, is the bedroom. Surprisingly, it is not a commonly used room. However, we keep it up because when a client asks for a bedroom setup, this is a favorite."

I am curious. "This seems so, well, it seems so normal. How does this match up with your over-the-edge fantasy?"

"Use your imagination, Jean. We can tie a client to the headboard, the footboard, the frame, to the hooks in the ceiling," I look up; I had not noticed those, "or just tied to herself."

"Just to herself?" I ask.

"Yes, hogtying is a frequent request."

"I see." And I did see. For a moment, I pictured myself hogtied and laying on the bed.

"Also, the headboard can be raised to a full ten feet. Occasionally a client will ask to be tied to the raised board and whipped."

"Women actually asked to be whipped?" I could not believe that. But I pictured myself in that spot.

"Yes, Jean, although spanking is our most commonly requested 'punishment' treatment."

"Really?"

"Yes, especially for bosses. They unwind by taking it after a week's worth of giving it."

In my mind I imagine my dress pulled up, my panties pulled down, and a man giving me a good spanking. I do not know why I thought that. I had never been into 'kinky' sex. I had never imagined being in any of these positions. I am satisfied with my sex life. At least, I think I am.

Hector interrupts my thought when he says, "Let's move on." He walks out and to the next door.

The third room is a living room. There is a long couch, two chairs, two long coffee tables, one of wood and the other with a glass top. There is a large fireplace which looks like it has recently been used. Hector explains "This is another of our 'common' rooms. The living room is another fantasy location where a variety of actions may occur. This is a popular room, especially for the 'Surprise Me' option." He smiles, looks at me, turns and walks out.

We walk down to the end and enter the warehouse. The warehouse is huge. There are beams, tables, archways, crates and boxes. Hector says, "This is a general purpose room. Typically, any generic type bondage situation can be created here. There are places over to the right where we do suspensions." I look to the right and see several harnesses. "Upstairs there are crosses and stocks where we can restrain the customer." I look up above me but I cannot see any of those items from my vantage point. However, I can imagine myself in them. "In the corner to our left is a door to the outside area. Let's walk over there and I can show you the outdoor possibilities. While we walk, do you have any questions?"

"Yes, Hector. Do you video these events?"

"That is up to the client. And we can video and provide it to the client exclusively, or we can offer it up to a website that publishes that sort of stuff. Of course, these options have added cost which we have to pass on to the client."

"Of course. Who provides the services you offer? Are you the only employee?"

Hector laughs. "No, I am mostly the boss and an occasional participant. I have two full time employees: a nurse and a lawyer. The nurse is for the occasional accident or over-indulgence. The lawyer, well, I think his job is obvious. In some cases, the client will provide her own dominant male. In most cases, we will hire a dominant to provide the service."

We reach the door. Hector unlocks it, opens it and we walk outside. There is a large grassy area directly behind the area. Beyond that, the area is wooded. On my drive to the 'Man's World' I had noticed a creek that flowed into it. I look at Hector and ask, "What kind of fantasies do you have out here?"

"We do chases and hunts, camping scenarios, lost scenarios, primitive scenarios and the like. We have had occasion where the client likes to be taken to the creek and dunked forcibly. It is all up to the client."

"How much land do you have back here?"

"The property goes back about three miles. The frontage is two miles along the road but broadens out to three miles on the other side of the creek. There are fifteen cabins located randomly in the woods. The land is rolling. There are three small caves. To the back of the property the creek goes through several crevices in the bedrock. Would you like to walk back in the woods a bit?"

"No, thank you, that will not be necessary. I would like to finish up our interview and get my story done. It has been fascinating so far." In fact, I would have liked to have been hunted down in the woods. This was quite a place he has here. And we have three more rooms inside to visit.