The Coffee Shop Pt. 02

"WOW!" John exclaimed as he came back awake. "I never knew that hypnosis could be like that! It was great!" He looked at his watch. Looking back at me with a very surprised expression said, "You had me under for 2 hours? Is that why my body is a bit sore? From sitting in a chair for so long?"

"Yes, I guess so," I agreed with him. "How do you feel otherwise?" I asked.

"Great!" He replied. "Can we do this again sometime?"

"I'm sure that can be arranged," I said to him. I turned towards Bob and Doug and said, "What about you two? How do you feel? Do you want to do this again sometime too?"

"Very good," Bob said.

"Me, too" chimed in Doug.

"Well I don't know about Doug, but sure, I'd like to try this again sometime," Bob said smiling at me. "It was probably the best experience I've had in a long time."

"I second that," Doug said grinning at me.

"I'm glad to hear that," I told them. What I did not say was how relieved I was that their own natural amnesia had kicked in to erase tonight's events. All it took was a further command from me before I left to silently reinforce the situation.

I left Sterling & Son a few minutes later, after saying good bye to all three men. They went back to work happily. I looked forward to my Friday night tuxedo fitting.

Chapter 10: The Awards Dinner

The awards dinner was in a party hall of one of the finer hotels in the city. It wasn't a large banquet room, but it was amply filled, and with a lot of good looking men in tuxedos. (I believe the phrase is, 'a target rich environment'.) With all modesty, I counted myself among them, even if no one else might share my opinion. My new tuxedo was wonderful. John had outdone himself. Oh if you're wondering what happened during the fitting on Friday night, well I hate to disappoint you, but it was all business. John didn't have time for anything else, and neither did I. There was nothing to tell or to describe. John wanted to get the fitting over with as quickly as possible and so did I. Still he had done a wonderful job with my tuxedo. I had certainly gotten my money's worth. There were also a lot of beautifully dressed women in the room as well, the majority of which were the wives, and dates of the men in the room. There were only a handful of women managers in this company. Progress is sometimes slow, it seems. As far as I was concerned though, I could not have cared less what the women were wearing. Sure I looked around and noticed them, just to be polite, but my interest and focus remained on the men in the room.

The meal itself was very good, even if I don't recall exactly what it was I was eating. To be honest, I was too distracted by all the good looking men at all the tables to really have cared what I was eating. It could have been shredded cardboard and I would have eaten it. How can I describe what this room of men was like? Have you ever been to a wedding where there were many men in tuxedos? Well this is what that room was like only there were at least 60 men in the room, ranging in age from late twenties to late fifties. Some were a bit out of shape, but most were in good physical condition and did not have any noticeable gut or beer bellies. All were seated at various tables, enjoying an after dinner drink or smoke or both. As much as I dislike cigar or cigarette smoke, I stayed in the room for the view. (You know which view I mean. Don't lie to me now.) I was one of the minor mangers and so no one really took much notice of me, which was just as well. I was having enough trouble controlling my roaming eyes. Finally, though, I had to leave the room for some fresh air. I could only take so much smoke. There was a small and semi private balcony off of the room and so I headed out there.

The air was refreshing and comfortable. Not too cool and not too warm. It was very relaxing and quite out here. I found my thoughts drifting and roaming around in my head. I let my mind relax and tried to enjoy myself. I looked out at the night sky and at the city lights, wondering to myself if there really was someone for me out there somewhere. In all the years of having and using my powers I was still alone. There wasn't anyone special in my life, and I was starting to doubt that I would ever find someone like that. Somewhat depressing thoughts to be having, especially with a room full of okay to great looking men just a short distance away from me. I tried to shake such melancholy thoughts from my head, but they wouldn't leave. I'd hit the nail on the head so to speak. I was alone and lonely. It was depressing, and I could not see any solution to this problem. As I stood there silently feeling sorry for myself, I recalled that there had been only a handful of women managers at this dinner. Not that it was a problem for me, but it was ample proof that in this company, at least, women mangers were still the exception than the rule.

"You're quite a figure in that tuxedo, Paul," a familiar voice called out to me softly.

I whipped around in surprise. "Mary! What are you doing here? How'd you get in anyway? This is supposed to be a private affair." My old mentor was standing there in a simple outfit that was very out of place. She looked at me and smiled and then shook her head at me sadly. I never knew when she might show up, and I was certainly not expecting her to be here of all places.

"For someone who has made so much progress in the development of his powers," she said to me shaking her head slowly. "I'm surprised that you can be so dense at times. I would think by now that you'd know all I had to do was create a low level compulsion field around this room and I'd be able to move through it freely. No one's going to pay me any mind or even notice that I'm here. Did you forget everything I've taught you?"

I blushed in embarrassment. She was right. I should have realized that the instant I saw her. Talk about being slow on the uptake. I wasn't thinking clearly. I was too mired down in my own problems to really pay any attention to her. I looked at Mary and wondered to myself if I should confide in her about my feelings of loneliness. She shook her head sadly at me again and sighed as she walked over to stand next to me. She looked at me and let her gaze travel up and down my body for about a minute before she sighed again.

"It is such a waste," she said sadly. "You'd be a fine catch for some lucky man, and here you are all alone and feeling sorry for yourself. I don't need to use my powers to read your mind, Paul. I can tell just by looking at you. I can remember feeling like you do now. You have to take the next step. You have to start doing scans of the minds that you meet if you want to find that special someone you are looking for. Before you say anything, I know you have an ethical problem with such an idea. So did I at your stage. There is a big difference between scanning someone deeply, looking into the private parts of their mind, and doing a short surface scan. You can use a short surface scan to find out if a guy is homosexual."

"Consider this party that you are at," she said as she pointed back to the room where all the other men were. "If you thought about it for a second or two, you could come up with some way to make use of this opportunity. Just have a little confidence in yourself, and most important of all, have some fun. You have a gift. Use it. You know how."

She winked at me and left. I was puzzled and didn't really understand what she meant. She had snapped me out of that blue funk I was in though. I thought about what she said for a while and slowly an idea came to my mind. I thought about it a bit more, and finally understood what she meant. I smiled and then grinned. It was time to liven up this party just a bit. I went looking for Mr. Lawson, the manager who'd invited me here. I finally found him talking with another man whom I did not know. When there was a break in their conversation, I took the opportunity to thank Mr. Lawson and ask him if there was anyway I could thank him. Eventually, the conversation got around to after dinner entertainment, and I suggested a hypnosis show. At first he was mildly surprised at my suggestion, but it didn't take long to convince him that I didn't have anything embarrassing in mind. That was the truth too. Best of all, I didn't have to use my powers on Mr. Lawson to get him to agree to a show. I just had to be charming and direct. With the help of a few other guys I managed to set up a clear area and a 'stage' for the show. This unexpected activity caused a bit of a buzz in the room as the others in the room looked up from their conversations and wondered what was going on.

I won't bore you with the specific details of how I managed to generate some interest in putting on a hypnosis show. I was direct and to the point. If they wanted a show then I needed some volunteers. All I had to do was get them up on the stage and the rest was easy. It was a real hypnosis show with just a light touch of my powers used on the more stubborn subjects. I restricted myself to just male subjects, by using the joke that I didn't want to cause anyone any problems, nor to get beaten up in the parking lot after the show by a jealous husband.

Imagine it if you can. A row of ten good looking guys in tuxedos, sitting in chairs and very deeply hypnotized. If I hadn't been in public I think I would have been drooling (and doing something else that I won't describe here). It was a lot of work keeping these guys under control and being sure not to cross the line. Still I had a lot of fun, and so did everyone else in the room.

It was amusing to see some of these guys trying out their best pickup lines on other guys whom they thought were good looking women. Suit boxing was another event in my show as was playing leapfrog. The football team practice was fun too, but I had them remove their jackets first since I didn't want to damage anyone's clothes. (That's not exactly the whole truth. I wanted to see their butts in those tuxedo pants, and that is the real reason I had them remove their jackets.) I couldn't help myself, though. I just had to do the 'hand stuck in a pocket' and 'hand stuck on a butt' routines. These guys were just too cute not to do this with. Mind you, having one guy's hand stuck on another guy's butt was sort of getting close to crossing the line, even if it got a lot of laughs.

Of course I ended the show with a male strippers act, but it was from the waist up only. I did get to see some beautiful chests and flat stomachs during the show. I only wish I could have had it taped. I was so busy keeping an eye on each guy that I couldn't really sit back and really enjoy the show. There were a lot of cat calls from the female members of the audience, as well as a few bids. I had to remind them that this was not an auction.

It was a huge success. Everyone enjoyed themselves and even my subjects had a good time. I felt better about myself and my powers than I had in a long time. None of the guys on stage had turned out to be gay though, and that was the only disappointment of the evening. I had scanned each of them when I shook their hands to thank them for volunteering. I headed back out to the balcony for some fresh air, and to relax. I also had to cool off, in more ways than one. Ten good looking guys stripped to the waist and thinking they are the best male strippers in the world? Is it any wonder I was hot?

It was very relaxing to look out at the stars and the lights of the city. I smiled as I stood there gazing out into the night and reviewing the show in my mind. I was still basking in the joy and pleasure of that show, when I felt a light tap on my shoulder. I turned around to see a young man in a tuxedo (What else would he have been wearing?) looking back at me. This man had medium brown hair, light brown eyes with flecks of gold in them, a square and rugged jaw with a firm mouth and gentle nose. His clean shaven face was handsome and his body matched. He was about five feet ten inches in height, and maybe 155 pounds. His overall build was difficult to describe since he was wearing that tuxedo. He was well muscled but not a body builder. I had no idea who he was, though. I'd never met him in my life.

"You're Paul Walton, right?" He asked me.

"Yes, I am," I replied in a neutral tone of voice.

"That stuff you did out there with those guys, was it real or was it a put on?" He smiled at me.

"It was real," I told him. "Why do you ask?"

"No offense intended," he said carefully. "But it seemed too good to be real. If you're that good at hypnotizing people why aren't you doing it professionally? I'm sure it was all staged and I was wondering if you'd admit to it."

"No offense taken," I assured him. "Everyone is entitled to their opinion. However in this case you happen to be wrong. Those guys were hypnotized. None of them were faking it."

"If you say so," he replied doubtfully. "But you'd have to prove it to me." With that he grinned at me. He had beautiful white teeth in a killer smile. My cock started to harden, as a naughty idea crossed my mind. I smiled back at him.

"How would I do that?" I asked him, trying to look innocent.

"Hypnotize someone else right now with me watching.," he answered, in a challenging voice. I had expected such an answer.

"Okay," I replied. "But why not you, here and now?" I asked.

He was taken aback for a second before he replied, "I don't want you to and I know that you can't hypnotize someone against their will."

"But you would be a challenge, and a real test," I said to him. "After all, if I can hypnotize you then there must be something to it, right?"

"Yeah, IF you can," he agreed with a heavy emphasis on the 'if'. "I know that you won't be able to, but if you want to waste your time trying go ahead." He was sounding just a bit cocky and that was turning me on too. Usually that type of attitude is repulsive to me, but in this case it wasn't. I think it had something to do with his man's deep and sexy voice. (Okay, his killer smile and good looks were a turn on too.)

"What is your name, by the way?" I asked him.

"Bert Pope," he replied, as he held out his hand.

"Nice to meet you Bert," I said to him as I shook his hand and looked him in the eye. (Yup, he was a goner from that point on. He didn't know it but I did. I smiled at him, and sent him the mental command that he would be unable to resist the suggestions I was going to give him. That's all I needed to do. To my delight he was gay, too.)

"So are you going to try or not?" He taunted me.

"Not, I think," I said to him.

"I thought as much," Bert laughed softly. "It WAS a set up after all."

"Think what you like," I said to him warmly. "I'm enjoying your company anyway. Have you ever taken a good long look at the city late at night, like this?"

"No, not really," he replied offhandedly.

"Why not take a look now? It is something you really have to see, " I said to him in warm and soothing tones.

"Okay, but what am I looking for?" He asked as he looked out at the city skyline.

"Nothing in particular," I answered. "Just look at every thing. At all the lights and let your eyes roam around. Soon you'll start to see patterns and even pictures in the lights. Just let you mind roam and set your imagination free. I find it to be very relaxing and a lot of fun. Try it for yourself and I'm sure you'll agree."

Bert took me up on my suggestion. (As if he had a choice?) He let his gaze wander around looking at the city lights, the buildings and street lamps.

"It's okay, I guess," he said in a bored tone. "I don't see what it is that fascinates you, though."

"Just keep on looking, Bert," I urged him. "Don't force your eyes to move around. Just let them move naturally and at a pace that is comfortable for you. It's quiet out here, and kind of relaxing, isn't it?" I asked him.

"Now that you mention it, yeah, I guess it is," he reluctantly agreed.

"As you keep looking at the lights and letting your eyes move from light to light to light, you'll find it becomes a bit easier to do so," I said to him, keeping my voice smooth and even. "It's very relaxing you'll find and soon you'll take a long slow deep breath and let it out in a wonderful sigh. And when you do that, you'll feel even more relaxed and better able to keep looking that the lights." I turned my head and focused on the doorway of the balcony. Quickly I set up a very powerful compulsion field and tied it off. The field would insure that Bert and I would not be interrupted by anyone wanting to go out on the balcony. They would be able to do so, but they would ignore Bert and I entirely, and not even consider asking us what we were doing out here. Setting up the field took only a few seconds of careful and intense thought. I returned my attention back to Bert. A few seconds later he sighed deeply.

"Now you know why I like to come out here, Bert," I said to him. "It's so relaxing and comfortable. I could look at those lights for hours. How about you?"

"Yeah, sounds good to me," he said absently. Then he turned his head to look at me and smiled a silly grin. His head swung back quickly as his eyes returned to looking at the city night lights. He had taken the bait. He was hooked. All I had to do now was reel in the line and land this fish.

"Just keep on looking, Bert," I said to him in a soothing tone. "Letting your eyes move around easily, and as you do, you can feel yourself relaxing just a bit more. When you feel that happen Bert, just nod your head a bit, and keep on looking around." In less than a minute Bert nodded his head, not once but several times, and he sighed again.

"Yeah, it sure is nice," he said to me. "Glad you told me about it."

"Do you see the parking lot over there?" I asked him as a pointed to a cluster of lights nearby.

"Yeah, what about it?" He asked me. His voice was slightly dull and his eyes seemed a bit unfocused.

"I really like looking at them. They seem warmer and more soothing than any of the other lights around here," I told Bert. "I always find my eyes going there and then I don't want to look away."

"Sure, I can see why," Bert agreed almost immediately. "They sure are nice to look at."

"The longer you look at them Bert, the harder it is to look away, and the harder it is to look away the more relaxed you feel," I said to him softly.

"Sure feels good," he agreed. "Wonder what kind of lights they are...."

"The kind that can make your eyes feel tired when you look at them too long," I said to him. "But you like looking at them don't you Bert? You'd never get tired looking at them would you?" I asked him.

"That's right," he agreed. "Great lights and I could look at them all night." He sighed and then stifled a small yawn.

"Even though you can feel your eyelids getting heavier as you continue to look at the lights, Bert, you just can't look away," I said to him. "The longer you look the heavier your eyelids become, and the harder it becomes to look away. And soon, you'll find yourself blinking more and more frequently." I enjoyed looking at Bert as he gazed dreamily at the lights and started to blink more and more often.

"Your face muscles becoming more and more relaxed as you continue to look at the lights. Your legs and body relaxing too, but easily supporting your weight as you remain standing without any strain," I said. Bert was starting to have trouble keeping his eyes open now. His eyelids would drop down slowly and nearly close, and he would wrench them open so that he could keep looking at the lights. It was kind of amusing to watch him struggle, but after a minute or so I figured that he'd had enough. "Eyelids getting extremely heavy now, Bert. When your eyelids feel as if they were made of lead just nod your head."