EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND : Debra Gets A Job
Debra Barone was seated at the kitchen table perusing the "Help Wanted" ads in the local Long Island newspaper. It wasn't that she desperately needed money; it was just that she was bored and really needed to get out and away from the house. The kids (twins Geoffrey and Michael, and daughter Ally) were back in school after the seemingly endless Winter break; and the only thing Debra had to look forward to every day was the guaranteed arrival of her bitch of a mother-in-law , Marie. When she and Ray were first married, she had thought it a blessing when they bought the house directly across the street from her in-laws; but as the years passed they had become steadily more obtrusive and meddlesome. It was to the point where she cringed at the thought of Marie's daily invasions; which were always accompanied by numerous criticisms and insinuations that she was not a good parent or housekeeper. In the back of her mind, she also wanted to start putting some money away for the trip to Paris that she had always wanted to take; but Ray kept telling her they couldn't afford. She wanted to expose her children to some culture, before they turned out like Marie and Frank (her boorish father-in-law).
She had circled several employment opportunities that had caught her attention, and decided to call one that advertised for a "p/t receptionist. No experience necessary. Pleasant personality needed." When she called, she found out the business was "Relaxation Sensation," an establishment only about forty minutes away that offered physical therapy and relaxation therapy. By coincidence, she remembered that Robert (her NYPD sergeant, brother-in-law) had undergone physical therapy there when he had been injured on the job ("gored in the ass by a bull," she laughed to herself). It turned out they needed someone for a few hours, a couple days a week; and Debra made an appointment for an interview that afternoon.
She had dressed conservatively for the interview; an ankle length skirt with a blouse and jacket; and thought that it would be a perfect job for her. The hours would be when the kids were in school; and it was fairly close to home. She found the location with no trouble; she had actually been with Ray once when he had picked up Robert from therapy. It was in a nondescript building that was divided into two parts: one part for the more medically prescribed physical therapy , and one part for the relaxation therapy. The office, which served both places , was located in the middle of the building. The young woman who interviewed Debra informed her that she would be handling phone calls, and scheduling appointments. All of the therapists available hours would be entered into the computer, so it was actually quite a simple job. All of the payments and insurance forms would be handled by someone else. She took Debra on a quick tour of the facilities, and she was surprised how clean and clinical the physical therapy side was.
The relaxation therapy side was more welcoming; more "homey"; more relaxing. The interviewer explained that relaxation therapy was actually just massage therapy, but they tried to keep the word "massage" out of the advertising because it seemed to infer something seedy and illegitimate.
Debra laughed to herself because on the drive to the interview, she had thought of the Lifetime Network show about massage parlors that starred Jennifer Love Hewitt. There were several massage rooms, and everyone there seemed to be very business-like. Debra was offered the job; she readily accepted; and agreed to start the next day.
Ray accepted the news with reservation (he didn't really want Debra to work outside the home); Marie, of course, was against Debra working when she obviously didn't have time now to do her housework; Frank was indifferent; and Robert actually seemed shocked she had chosen "Relaxation Sensation."
He told her that he still occasionally needed some physical therapy for his injury and he might run into her there.
Debra's first day on the job was uneventful and her four hour shift went quickly . She found herself happy to be back working, and actually looked forward to each subsequent day. As the days went by, and she saw much less of Marie; Debra became more confident and extroverted. She got to know the masseuses and enjoyed conversing with them. She learned that in New York State you needed a license to be a masseuse. They were an eclectic group of people; Leylani, a very petite girl of Asian descent; Jasmine, a full-figured Black woman; Ingrid, a large-busted blond of Scandinavian heritage; Russell, a very muscular Black man; Heather, who looked like she was barely eighteen; and Vanessa, a beautiful Black woman who handled the billing and occasionally worked the massage room. There were others, but these were the ones who usually worked the hours Debra was there. The physical therapists didn't really stop to chat with Debra like the masseuses did, and were much more reserved and business-like. She learned that "Sensation" had a fairly large "celebrity" clientele , with several former and current professional athletes patronizing them . She recognized the names of a couple Islanders players from hearing Ray mention them while discussing his column for New York Newsday (and she always thought those conversations went in one of her ears and out the other).
The first couple weeks she only worked two days each; and the next week she was there three days. As a receptionist, she was barely making minimum wage, and kept requesting to work more hours. Vanessa, knowing Debra wanted to make more money, one day asked her if she would ever consider becoming a masseuse. She told Debra that they could skirt the license requirement by officially listing her as an apprentice in training. She assured Debra that the rest of the girls were incredibly fond of her and had all offered to instruct her on the finer points of massage.
She asked Debra, " you've probably had plenty of experience giving massages to your husband,right?"
To which Debra responded, " not really; he doesn't need any encouragement to jump on top of me."
Vanessa asked Debra to give it some consideration overnight; and if she wanted to give it a hand , pun intended; she could start with Heather the next day. She encouraged Debra by saying, " it appears you have a dynamite body under all those middle-age housewife clothes; and that means big tips!"
