The Bondage Questions

Part 1 of 3: The Big Interview

Early morning.

An empty restaurant had always been Julia's favorite place to conduct an in-depth interview, since the atmosphere was so relaxed. She was friends with the restaurant owner, who allowed her to conduct private interviews there, while the staff prepped in the kitchen.

Julia and her guest sat at a dining table which had drinks and a few breakfast pastries arranged. She had papers in front of her, interview questions, and a few research documents. There was also a recorder.

The man was much older than she was. He had a stern face and dressed with class. He had a sophisticated demeanor about him.

"You know, it's nice to chat with a real journalist for once," Louis said. "Not some blogger or someone who hides behind a screen."

"I used to be a blogger. These days, many new journalists have backgrounds in blogging."

"Times are changing. I must be getting old."

"Are you ready to begin?" Julia asked.

"I thought we already started."

Julia hit the record button.

"So, Louis, how does it feel being the most hated man in the city?" she asked bluntly, with a slightly cheeky tone.

He couldn't help but laugh. "Is that what I am? I thought that title was reserved for criminals and politicians?"

"Well, according to the local media, it's you."

"Aren't you part of that same media?" Louis asked.

"I'm just a woman who writes."

"Hopefully you won't write a hatchet piece about my character."

"That depends," she replied. "If you give me anything to hatchet, I'll do it. If not, the article might be a positive spin for you."

"So you're a typical member of the media, it seems."

"If you think so, then why did you agree to this interview?"

"You have a pretty face. Looking at you is a great way to start my morning."

Julia sharpened her gaze. "So, let's get to the point. Tell me a little bit about yourself."

"I'm an ordinary man with expensive taste. But I'm not the story. You want to know about the sex club."

"Fine. Tell me about that. How did it start?"

Louis collected his thoughts. "The club itself was not my creation. The original club was a high-end place in New York City, where socialites and the rich can go to fulfill their darkest fantasies. All in privacy, of course. The owner is a beautiful woman in her late 50's. She inherited wealth. And she wanted to do something meaningful with her money. That's why she opened the bondage club. A place where people can go without being judged. I won't go into unnecessary detail, but she was my submissive. She later hired me to be a dom at the club."

There was a brief pause as he took a drink and collected his thoughts.

He continued, "After a while, I was bored of New York. You see, I've always been a traveler. I've traveled my whole life. I never stop. She understood this. And when I told her I was moving to this city, she mentioned that she had real estate out here. She was interested in creating a franchise of bondage clubs. And so she asked me to get involved."

"Why would this woman ask you to open a bondage club for her? She knows that you like to travel."

"Because I have experience with business. And she trusts me with her money. We were close. We still are. Also, I have the option to leave whenever I want. Someone will take over when I'm gone."

"This doesn't sound like it's motivated entirely by money," Julia noted. "It sounds like there's more to it."

"Correct. It's not necessarily about money. It's about providing a chance for like-minded people to explore. Or curious-minded people. Anyone. Anyone with a dark fantasy. Bdsm, s & m, whatever the hell you want to call it. We provide that platform to consenting adults."

"But critics say that you provide a platform for abuse."

"And who are these critics?" he scoffed. "What the hell do they know?"

"Well, the critics are a certain segment of this city's population, along with a few local politicians and members of the media."

"Let's not forget a few community leaders and members of the religious right-wing."

"Them too," she added.

"All I can say is that we've obtained the necessary permits. It's our right to open this club. Adults have the right to explore their bodies and desires."

"But critics would say that your wealthy 'friend' from New York had bribed certain officials to get those permits."

Louis gave a clever smile. "I wouldn't know anything about that."

"Of course not," Julia said with a hint of playful sarcasm.

"Look, the reason I'm doing this interview is because I'm well aware that the club has generated some negative publicity. I think that's unfortunate. I really do. We are not the deviants that people say we are. We have doctors, lawyers, small business owners, church goers, you name it."

"So you actually care about your image. And the image of your club."

Louis nodded. "That's why I'm here. I don't like to see our clients being vilified for doing what they enjoy."

"Very well. Tell me about your club then. What's it like?"

"It's a small two-story building. Fully renovated. It has a state-of-the-art design and modern surroundings. It's a classy place. You'd be surprised. We have rooms for just about everything."

"Define everything."

"Everything means we have rooms for bondage, whips, spankings, group sex, everything..."

Julia gave a slow uncomfortable nod. "I see."

"Does this bother you."

"Not at all."

"You seem uneasy about this," Louis noted.

"Please, I've covered a lot of things in this city."

"Including sex?"

"No. Your story would be the first to include sex."

He gave a suave smile. "Writing about sex is much different than covering politics or local stories. It's a lot more exciting. More fun. Isn't it?"

"I try to approach each story the same way. With a fair & open mind."

"Do you normally do all your interviews like this? Face to face in an empty restaurant."

"It depends," Julia replied.

"On?"

"On who I'm interviewing. If I'm interviewing a local politician, I would go to their office and we'd talk. Then I'd write the story later."

"That sounds like a good plan," Louis noted. "Send me a message and we'll continue this interview at the club. I'll give you a personal tour."

Louis prepared to leave, and Julia looked peeved.

"You know, I don't have to do this. My editor suggested this story."

"I think you'll want to," Louis replied.

"And why is that?"

"Because you've already gotten this far. And I think this is a story you want to pursue."

With that, Louis got up and left the empty restaurant. The only thing Julia could do was turn the recorder off and wonder whether she had just wasted her time.

***

Being a journalist was in her blood.

Julia's mother was a news anchor. Her father was a segment producer for a rival network. They met at a party and the rest was history.

Growing up, it was an easy decision for Julia to be interested in the news business. She grew up hearing about it during household discussions. Plus, it helped that Julia was a curious girl. And she was a smart girl too. Her grades were always good and she excelled in writing.

With a curious mind and a family trait, she majored in journalism while in college. She knew it was right for her.

During college, she had a few small internships. Nothing major, but it was enough to give her valuable experience. After graduating, she spent a few years as an editor, before eventually becoming a writer for a major newspaper.

That was largely thanks to her parents' connections, which helped Julia land big interviews with local politicians and business leaders. It was good for everyone. Julia got to write big important stories. And the politicians and business leaders had positive press coverage.

Her goal was success. She wanted to write nationally for a major website or magazine. Maybe she would cover politics or pop culture. Maybe both. All she needed was the right story to break into the mainstream...

***

When she returned to her small downtown apartment, Julia listened to the recording of her interview with Louis. She sat down in front of her computer and tried typing.

The opening paragraphs were always the easiest. She wrote about the controversy surrounding the new sex club, and the 'mystery man' behind it all. Writing the body of the article was much harder. There wasn't enough information from the interview. She needed more.

She leaned back on her chair to relax for a moment. She looked at the different files on her desk and the pictures on her wall.

There were other stories she could write about. There was plenty of controversy and bad news in the city. But all of those stories were routine. It was Louis's story that was interesting. It was Louis's story that people were talking about.

She was lucky enough to nab an interview with him, and she was worried that he might eventually go to another reporter.

Julia thought about her goal of working for a national outlet. She needed a big story to do that, and Louis's story might have been it.

She took out his business card and looked at his email address. She kept thinking to herself, wondering if it was a good idea.

Part 2 of 3: Our Privacy is Valued

Early morning, days later. The bondage club was much nicer than Julia had expected. It was located on a quiet street on the outskirts of downtown. Outside of the building looked bland, but that was to avoid unwanted attention.

Inside, there was a receptionist and a beautiful lounge. Whoever did the interior decorating had modern taste, she thought.

The receptionist gave Julia the easy directions to the office.

She went alone. She was nervous, wondering if she would see anything obscene on the way to Louis's office. But to her surprise, there was nothing obscene. Most of the doors were closed. Hardly anyone was around, which shouldn't have been a surprise, since it was early in the morning. Who goes to a sex club in the morning?

And the people Julia encountered looked like staff or people cleaning the place. It appeared like a professionally run business.

It wasn't hard to find the office. The door was open and she saw Louis sitting behind the desk. They made eye contact and smiled.

"The office look doesn't suit you," Julia said jokingly.

"Which is why I'm not the corporate type. But, someone has to do it. And I'm the unfortunate soul."

Louis stood up and went to Julia.

"Aren't we going to do a sit-down interview?" she asked.

"I think it's best if I give you a tour. That way, you can see exactly what I'm talking about. And you can take notes if you wish."

"That sounds good."

"I hope you remembered that recorders aren't allowed here. It's a strict policy we abide by."

She reached in her purse and took out a notepad. "I remembered."

"Excellent. Let's begin the tour."

***

They casual made small talk while walking down the hall. Louis reached for the key in his pocket and opened the door to the main club area. When he turned the lights on, the club was revealed. It was small by most club standards, but it looked effective. The design had a comfortable and vibrant feel to it. Yet there was a darkness to it, the gothic kind. Overall, she was very impressed by the layout of the empty club.

"Gorgeous place," she observed.

"It's amazing what good designers can do. It takes a very special talent."

"What about your talents? You're a professional dom right? Have you always had those set of skills?"

"Not necessarily," he replied after a moment of thought. "No one is a perfect dom from the start. Believe it or not, it takes practice, and experience. But even then, instincts are very important. Not anyone can do it."

"When did you start? How did it happen?"

"In college with a girlfriend. I dated a girl who had dom/sub fantasies, which she learned about from dirty magazines. Her father had a stash of them, and she used to secretly read them. Anyway, she had asked me to try it with her."

"Were you any good?" Julia asked.

"Terrible. I was the worst. I thought everything was about the pain threshold. It was a disaster."

Julia took quick notes.

"I'm assuming that particular relationship didn't last very long," she said.

"Not really. Pain is a very delicate thing."

"So how did you learn the proper way?"

"Several years later, I went to a bondage club near my house. I didn't know what the hell I was doing there. I just wanted to see what it was all about. I didn't know much about doms or subs. But I quickly realized that I didn't like being the sub for a dominatrix. That wasn't for me. I needed to be in control. I had to be the one giving the orders. So I learned."

Julia took more notes.

"You learned from who?"

"A dominatrix who worked there," Louis replied. "I waited outside the club at 3 am. In hindsight, I must have looked like a real creep. I was young, barely a man, but I wanted to learn. I guess she saw something in me, and she decided to be my mentor. The dominatrix taught me everything over the months to come. Little by little. She gave me her knowledge. She taught me the psychology. She was getting older, so I suppose she wanted to pass her knowledge."

Julia took more notes.

"Obviously this knowledge served its purpose."

"I run a successful bdsm club now. I was taught very well."

"Why do some people enjoy this so much?" Julia asked. "For the normal person, how would you explain the appeal of domination & submission?"

"I would explain it like this: Why do married couples love their spouse? Why do people have hobbies? Why do people have goals?"

Julia thought about that statement. "So you're saying, it's something that people naturally have inside of them."

"In a way," he replied. "I can't explain why some women crave to be submissives. But in my experience, there are women with great backgrounds who want nothing more than to be called 'sluts' while on their knees. In privacy, of course."

"Some would call it abuse."

"And sometimes it is. But we don't do that here. We take every precaution to ensure that everything is consensual and willing. We don't tolerate abuse."

"Many of the prominent community leaders say that your sexual practices do contribute to abuse. They say that your club provides an avenue for abusers and sadists to legally hurt people. How do you respond?"

"They're wrong," he bluntly replied.

Julia took notes.

"Can you be more specific?"

"We screen very carefully. I'm a great judge of character. And what you're saying is actually a negative stereotype towards our lifestyle. If it's abuse, then we don't allow it. Unless, of course, the person wants to be abused."

There was a slight smile on Louis's face, which made Julia a little uncomfortable.

"And how do you respond to the allegations that your club is misogynistic towards women?" she asked.

"How so?"

"You keep women tied up, don't you? There have been reports of group encounters and so forth, with women being on the rough end of things."

"First of all, many women that come here want to be tied up and restrained," Louis said. "Secondly, there are men who also want to be restrained. Men and women both enjoy bondage. In a place like this, there are no traditional gender roles. A man could be in charge, or he could be submissive. The same goes for women. We have plenty of dominant women who proudly enslave submissive men."

Julia furiously took notes.

"I see."

"Why don't you come and have a look?"

She raised an eyebrow. "I'm already here."

"I mean at night, when the real action is happening. You'll have so much to write about. And your writing will be authentic because you'll have actually seen the lifestyle."

"I can't."

"You can't, or you won't?"

She crossed her arms to stop the interview. "Look, I'm here to write a story. Please don't be an ass."

"Don't forget, you arranged this interview. You chose to come here today."

"Okay, you're right," she admitted. "But that doesn't mean I want to see, whatever it is you do here."

He nodded, "There's your problem."

"What?"

"You want to write an article about a sex club, and after everything we've discussed, you still have no idea what happens here. That's not the sign of a good journalist, is it?"

She crossed her arms even tighter. Louis had a valid point, and she couldn't deny it.

"Suppose I came to watch," she said. "How would that work?"

"Well, the way our club works is, you can do whatever you want, with whomever you want, in any room. As long as it's consensual, of course."

"And I can just stand back and observe?"

"Observe, participate, whatever you want."

"Watching sounds doable," she finally said. "You still provide masks to the people who request it, right?"

"Yes. But there is a condition for wearing a mask."

Julia sharpened her eyes. "Which is?"

"In this club, we expect our guests to be open & honest. However, that is not always possible since many of our members prefer their identities to be concealed. Which is why we provide masks."

"So what's the condition?"

"If you wear a mask, you have to be naked," he said.

"You're out of your mind if you think I'm getting naked."

"That's the rule."

"I get the feeling that you're trying to take advantage of me."

"The rules are the rules," he explained. "If you want to remain clothed, you have to show your face. If you want a mask, then you have to be naked."

She shook her head. "I can't be seen in a place like this."

"That's a sentiment shared by a number of our members."

"Really? What percent would you estimate?"

He thought for a moment. "Probably about 1/3 wear the mask. Those people include doctors, lawyers, accountants, teachers, and even some of the church going zealots who oppose this place."

It wasn't a very surprising comment to Julia. In her line of work, she knew that hypocrites were everywhere, especially when it came to sex.

"Well, the answer is no. But if you ever make an exception, I'd be happy to observe."

"That's too bad," he said with a half-shrug. "I would have liked to see you accept my invitation."

"And see me naked, right?"

"You could always keep your clothes on. But of course, you'd have to show your face."

She gave a half-smile. "That's never going to happen. Ever. Not here."

"I understand. But think about it. You're a beautiful young woman with so much potential. So why not give it a try? There will be a lot of other naked people too. If you don't like it, then leave. But at least try it. Then maybe you can capture the essence of the story you desperately wish to write."

There was a confidence in his voice, like he knew what he was talking about. And of course, he did.

***

That night. Julia sat in front of her computer and wrote much of the article.

She was determined to make the most comprehensive and journalistic article she had ever written. It was her ticket to the mainstream news organizations, she hoped.

So far, she had written about Louis's beginnings and his journey towards running a sex club. Then she wrote about America's secret obsession with bondage and the bdsm lifestyle. Then she described the club and how the process worked.

Now matter how much she wrote, the article still felt incomplete.

The details felt missing. The real life stories. The interactions. In Julia's past articles, she had a meticulous approach towards research. She prided herself on having a high journalistic standard. And she prided herself even more on telling the stories of the American people.

When it came to the dom/sub lifestyle, she didn't know much. Only the basics. She was a complete newbie on the matter.

What she needed was inside information. She needed to get up-close and personal, just like she always had before.