O'Farrell Theatre

After Darren Jr. was born and she lost the weight she had gained, Darren insisted that she change the way she dressed. He wanted her to wear shorter skirts, tighter jeans, to bare her flat tummy and show off her perfect C-cup breasts--that had been B-cups when they first met. Short shorts in the summer, high heels, even with jeans, no bra or panties except for a necessary few days each month were what he wanted. At first she resisted but not for long because she didn't seem to be able to deny Darren anything. It wasn't long before the wardrobe she brought from Oklahoma had been entirely replaced with apparel that he thought was sexy.

They hadn't been going to church since they arrived in California. Their lives were rapidly changing. They were both teetotalers when they met but now Darren drank beer and even ordered a bottle of Napa Valley wine--which he drank by himself--the last time they splurged and went out to dinner at a nice restaurant. "Come on Jan, give it a try, you'll like it. I promise you won't go to hell."

"Darren, you know I don't drink. I never have and I'm not going to start now," she declared.

After one of his trips when he pulled his T-shirt over his head she saw the tatoo above the big hard bicep on his right arm. It was two strands of barred wire, intertwined, that encircled his arm. What she saw shocked her and she let him know it. "My goodness Darren what's that on your arm?"

"Obviously, it's a tatoo. Most of the guys on the ship have at least one. They've been ragging me since the first voyage and in Thailand, I finally gave in."

"Can you remove it?"

"Of course not. I wouldn't if I could. I think it's cool."

He was changing all right. He had started smoking but respected her wishes that he not smoke in the apartment or even in front of the children. In her parent's world, smoking was in the same category as bank-robbing. When she kissed him, she didn't like the taste of tobacco in his mouth, at first, but eventually she got used to it.

A few months ago he bought them a computer and signed on with an e-mail service so they could keep in touch during his voyages. Once or twice during each trip she would ask in an e-mail, "how many girls have you been with?"

To which Darren would reply, "Let's see now, counting you nine." Then, as time went on "eleven," "fifteen" until the last e-mail she had received on Thursday, the day before they disconnected the power he had typed "twenty-four" in response to the question that wasn't as much fun asking as it had been. Two dozen women, she thought. Twenty-one since he had been sailing away from her for nearly two years. Twenty-one pairs of breasts and pairs of legs. Twenty-one mouths and vaginas.

As she drifted off to sleep, she couldn't help wondering: Why did he do it? What were the women like? How did she compare with them?

Chapter 2

Jan was up at the crack of dawn the next morning. She drove to the nearest PG&E office and paid the two-month bill with cash. They promised that her electricity would be on by the time she got home which, thankfully, it was.

At home she put the kids in front of the electronic baby sitter, the television set, tuned it to the cartoon network, and then turned on the computer to check her e-mail. Sure enough, there were three e-mails in her in-box, all from Darren.

The most recent one sent yesterday, Sunday, read:

"Honey, how come you haven't answered my e-mails? Hope everything is okay. We're docked in Hong Kong at Kwai Chung. Write when you get this message."

Jan remembered that it was in Hong Kong that her husband had been with another woman for the first time since they were married. It was there that Gus had taken him to a place and he had intercourse with "a really beautiful, tall, slim and elegant" prostitute.

She read the previous e-mail that had been sent on Saturday which read:

"Jan, I sure hope my e-mail last night didn't upset you. I expected some kind of response before now. If I asked too much of you, let me know."

How strange she thought. What could he have written that would upset her. She saw that there was only one other unopened message in her in-box. It was, of course, from him and dated Friday night.

"Baby, I've been thinking a lot about us and there's something that I want you to do. I really think that it will be good for you and good for me. In a way, I'm glad that I'm not there so that I can ask you to do this and not have a big discussion about it. I'm sure that I wouldn't ask you to do it if I was there. Well, since I'm not there, here goes."

"You know how much I love it when you wear the sexy clothes and all the guys look at you. It makes me proud and it turns me on. Also, you keep asking how many girls I've been with and you know the answer to that question. I think I know that you've only been with me and that doesn't seem fair, now does it? Well out here when we're between ports there's not much for me to do. As you know, I'm busiest when we're loading and unloading so I spend a lot of time in my rack with just my thoughts. Lately, my thoughts have been focused almost exclusively on you. I love your beautiful face, hot body, your boobs, your ass and your pussy. I think it would be so hot if I wasn't the only person to see them."

"I've been thinking about this for a long time but never had the courage to bring it up. Also, since we need some extra money I thought now was as good a time as any to tell you my idea. I won't be home for a few weeks and by the time I get back I hope that lot's of other guys will have seen what only I have seen so far, all of you."

"I'm sure you think I'm rambling on like a crazy man so let me get right to it. Before we left, I was looking through the ‘San Francisco Chronicle' classified section and found myself in the help wanted section. The following ad caught my eye and made me think of you. Here it is."

DANCERS NUDE DANCERS WANTED O'FARRELL THEATRE corner Polk /O'Farrell. The best place to work in S. F.! FT/PT, must be 18+ Auditions Monday night 6 PM call Tony, 415- 555-1900 aft 11AM

"So that's it Jan. It would make me hot as hell to think that you had called the number and auditioned. Hope you don't hate me for it. Like I said, I will never lie to you. What do you think?"

After reading his e-mail twice, Jan was still staring at the glowing computer screen trying to catch her breath. Was this some kind of sick joke she wondered, but she didn't wonder for long? She knew that it wasn't a joke. He had made it very clear for the last several months that he wanted other men to see her. It was also unmistakable that it would turn him on and, if men did more than just look at her, then that would be even better. Since she had been keeping his score of sexual partners, he had told her that she would have to hurry up and get busy if she was ever going to catch up with him. He had explained that she was "entitled to twenty-three encounters, including the two before her" and he thought she "should get started." "The sooner the better."

She pushed the compose button on her e-mail program and typed her answer to his request that she call the number in the ad:

"Darren: The reason you hadn't heard from me since Friday morning is because they turned off the power on Friday afternoon. Your direct deposit didn't hit our account in time to get the cash to make the payment until this morning. Now, I have had a chance to read your e-mails to me, especially the one you wrote Friday night."

"I've read it over twice just to make sure that I didn't miss something. I expected a hidden phrase like, ‘just kidding.' But, as you know, I didn't find anything like that to explain your bizarre request. I can't believe that you would really want me to do something like that. After all, I'm your wife and the mother of your children. I've never denied you anything but wouldn't you say this is going too far?"

"I don't know when you'll read this but until I hear back from you I'll just put what you ask me to do completely out of my mind? I hope you're safe. I miss you terribly and I still love you with all my heart. Jan x x x x"

She could never figure out exactly what time it was where he was. It was 10:30 in the morning in San Leandro. She knew that it must be the next day where he was and fifteen or sixteen hours later so that would make it about 2:30 in the morning for him she figured. He must already have ‘hit the sack,' as he liked to say, so she didn't expect to hear from Darren for several more hours. But, she was wrong, she didn't have to wait for several hours to hear back from him.

Fifteen minutes later she saw that she had another message from him.

"Hi baby: Sorry about the electricity. Wish I could have been there to help. I've been out to a strip club with Gus and another guy on the crew. It was hot watching the women and I couldn't help thinking of you."

"You're right Jan, there wasn't any hidden meaning to discover in my e-mail. Not anything would turn me on more than knowing that you had responded to the ad and were going to S.F. for an interview. My cock would be so hard it would almost burst. Like I said, we could sure use some extra money. I think the girls that do that are paid very well, certainly enough to pay for a baby sitter and have something left over unlike the other job you had. Also, as the ad said, it's for full time or part time, you'd get to choose. I know you've been bored, need something to do while I'm gone and are qualified for that kind of work. So, I sure hope that you will make that call. Let me know what you decide."

Jan immediately composed and sent the following:

"Darren: I'm an old married lady with two young kids. It's not likely that anyone would be interested in me. Also, I could never take all my clothes off in front of a room full of strangers. You can be sure that the girls who they hire are all professional dancers. But, just to make you happy and give you something to think about, I'll consider it and e-mail you tomorrow. Sleep well my love. Jan x x x x "

Jan had no thought of considering his request until ten minutes later when she read his response to her last e-mail:

"Thanks for thinking about it baby. You are married and you do have two kids but take it from someone who has become a great judge of female flesh in the past couple of years, there isn't anybody better than you. You studied ballet as a girl, danced on the dance team your freshman and sophomore years in high school, then two years as a varsity cheerleader. Considering that who could be better?"

"Jan, this wasn't just a sudden thought that I had. I really want you to do this. I really want to be able think about what you're doing. That would be better for me than fucking the hottest chick in any port of call that we make."

"I don't want you to e-mail me tomorrow. Tomorrow is Tuesday where you are. The ad said that auditions are on Monday. I want you to call the number now--as soon as you finish reading this e-mail--and make an appointment for tonight. How can that hurt anything? Have Rita take the kids for a few hours. Drive over to San Francisco. Get away by yourself. Check it out. Find out how it works and what they pay. Find out about the hours that you can work. After you've done that I would love for you to e-mail me and tell me what happened. I'm exhausted so I'm going to hit the sack now and dream about you and, hopefully, your new job. I sure hope I won't be disappointed when I read your next e-mail to me."

She looked at the digital clock on Darren's night stand and saw that it was already after eleven- thirty. Could she do it? Of course not, it was absurd. Up to this point, she had never been able to deny Darren anything. Would this surprising request be the exception?

For a brief moment she thought that if she went over for an interview, they would probably laugh at her. Then she realized that they probably wouldn't laugh at her. She knew that she was more than cute or pretty, she was beautiful. Since she had developed breasts, boys and men had been looking at her in ways that confirmed her attractiveness to the male population.

The kids were still watching television so she took off her clothes and stood before the full-length mirror attached to their closet door. She was pleased with what was reflected in the mirror. She saw a lovely creature that stood five feet six inches and weighed a hundred and twenty-two pounds. Just three more pounds than she had weighed when they married. Darren teased her and said that a pound and a half had been added to each boob. And, thinking about her breasts, about the only change she saw in her body was the thickness and length of her nipples. After nursing two children, for a year each, they were thicker, longer and more sensitive than they had been when John or Darren first sucked them. Continuing her critical evaluation, she decided that she was happy with her hair, skin, hands and feet. Her eyes were a deep blue, her hair a rich light brown with auburn highlights that fell to her shoulders. Her parents had paid for the best orthodontist when she was in middle school. The investment in braces in the eighth and ninth grade had been worth it because now her white teeth were perfect.

It can't hurt to just call she thought. Besides, I have nothing else to do. She printed out Darren's e-mail and dialed the number on the page, 415-555-1900. Her hand was shaking and her heart was pounding. They answered it on the second ring, "O'Farrell Theatre." .

"I, ah . . . I saw the ad in the paper."

"What's your name honey?" Asked a male voice.

"Jan."

"Have you danced before? Would I know you?"

"No . . . well I mean, I was on the dance team in high school and I was a cheerleader."

"Whoops. Before we go any further, how old are you?" The man asked cautiously.

"I'm twenty-four." She heard a sigh of relief on the other end of the phone.

"Okay, that's fine. Look, so that we don't waste each other's time I've got to ask you if you're good looking. All of our girls are great looking. If you're too fat, too skinny, too short, too tall, have an unattractive face . . . let's see, oh ya, if you're clumsy or have ugly hair . . . I think you catch my drift. If you're like that, then it would be better if we ended it now."

"I'm not like that," she said with confidence.

"Then why don't you come over so that we can take a look at you. You should be here about 5:45 this evening. Would that work for you?"

There it was, the time for Jan to make a decision. There was no doubt what Darren wanted. But there was a great big doubt in her mind if she could go through with it. She was trying to decide when the man on the other end of the phone said, "did I lose you? I asked if you can be here by 5:45. Can you?"

Could she be there? Yes she could, she had nothing better to do than watch the idiot box with the kids. Should she go over there? That was a different question. What would the interview entail? She would never know if she didn't go over and, like Darren said, "just check it out."

"Jan, it is Jan isn't it?"

"Yes, it's Jan."

"Well? Are you going to come over at 5:45?"

"I was just checking my schedule." On my imaginary social calendar, she thought to herself before saying, "I think that would work."

"Great! Where are you coming from?"

"East Bay, San Leandro."

"Are you going to be driving over or will you take BART?"

"I'll drive over, "she answered.

"Let me give you directions. Take the Bay Bridge to San Francisco and take the 9th Street Civic Center exit. There is a stop light at the bottom of the off ramp, pass that (you will be on Harrison Street) and stay in the right lane. The next light will be 9th Street. Make a right turn, then go up 9th street four blocks, past Market Street on to Hayes Street. Then make a right turn at the 2nd light onto Van Ness. Turn right onto O'Farrell and the theatre is on the right hand side of the street. There's an attended parking lot one block away on Polk at Geary. Did you get all that?"

"Yes, I think so. I'm sure I can find it."

"Cool. Any questions?"

"Not that I can think of," she said. Then she thought of one, "so I should ask for Tony?"

"No, ask for Jack Patterson when you get here, he's the General Manager and he handles the auditions. See you this evening then."

With the phone still to her ear and the dial tone buzzing after Tony had hung up on the other end, she pushed down the switch hook, released it then dialed Rita's number. "Hey Rita, it's Jan. I hate to ask you but I need a great big favor. Are you going to be busy tonight?"

"Sure, Robert Redford has invited me to the Opera."

That's Rita, she thought, always the comedienne. "Seriously Rita, something unexpected has come up and I was wondering if you could watch the kids for a few hours."

"Sure I can. What time are you going to be leaving?"

She thought she should allow about an hour since she had never driven into the city before by herself. "A little before five," she answered.

"Not that it makes any difference to me, but what time do you think you'll be home?"

"I'm really not sure. Could be two or three hours, maybe longer, I just don't know. Is that a problem?"

"Oh, oh, does pretty Jan have a hot date?"

"Hardly. Just something that I have to take care of. She didn't feel like talking anymore or taking a chance that Rita could get the truth out of her if she asked enough questions. "I really appreciate it Rita. I'll bring them over between four-thirty and a quarter to five. Thanks."

Within an hour the kids had eaten their lunch and by two they were down for their naps. During the next hour she tried on nearly every article of clothing that she owned and modeled each ensemble in front of the full-length mirror. What does one wear to an interview for a job as a nude dancer, she wondered? She finally settled on a black dress that she had only worn once before for a special night out at a fancy restaurant with Darren. She took out the same pair of patent leather pumps she had worn with the dress. She couldn't go wrong with that, she reasoned, "both tasteful and sexy--the perfect combination," as Darren had said when she wore them for him.

She ran a tub, stepped in the steaming water and immersed herself. For five minutes she stopped thinking and just soaked. Then she carefully shaved her long legs, at least her calves because she didn't have any visible hair on her thighs. For months, she had been accommodating Darren's newest strange request by shaving her pussy into what he called, "just a narrow landing strip," of pussy hair above the cleft of her vagina. The lips should be "eating bare," he had instructed. She knew that he had got his inspiration from all the strip clubs he had visited in the Orient. This required that every time she shaved her legs she trimmed the side and bottom of her pubic hair growth. But she couldn't deny him anything. After she finished, her fingers touched the smooth, velvety soft lips, the lips that had surrounded Darren's penis, his fingers and his tongue so many times before. Could she let another man, other men, see them? She really didn't know but she didn't think she could. After all, she rationalized, it's just an interview I'm sure no one will see anything.

Somehow she had subconsciously substituted the word audition, which was in the classified ad, for the word interview which she had read in Darren's e-mail four hours earlier.

She couldn't remember when she had been more careful in getting ready to go out. Her finger and toe nails were painted the bright red shade that Darren liked so much. Jan put her hair in rollers and carefully applied her makeup. Then, she pressed her lips together after covering them with the same shade of lipstick as the nail polish, took the rollers out of her hair, shook it vigorously and then brushed it. She wasn't having her period and had promised Darren that she wouldn't wear panties except for those few days and also no bra as she had also promised him. When she finished, she slipped the skimpy dress over her nude body and stepped into her four and a half inch high heels.