Entry 2 -- Linda's New Love
Later that evening, Linda was flipping through the diary rather haphazardly. She was reclining in bed, not quite ready to fall asleep. Much of what she had found so far in the diary was rather dry and unexciting—discussions about procedures and staff difficulties, purchases and dull meetings with various local patrons. She was hoping to find another entry like the one she read in her office. And then, when she was about to put the diary down and go to sleep, she saw this entry for June 23rd:
While I do not entertain any thoughts of the female sex being stronger than their male counterpart, we females are certainly endowed with gifts and talents, that, when used at the correct and proper moment, can bring great power. This is particularly true when any said male exhibits certain weaknesses. Let me provide an example from today.
Our most esteemed chancellor, I have found, has a certain penchant for ladies foot ware and stockings. Priding himself on his high moral standards, the chancellor has endeavored to keep this interest hidden, maintaining a professional cordiality with me at all times, despite his wandering eyes. I have not had need to use this knowledge until yesterday, for you see, a letter arrived from his office detailing some financial obligations the library would have to make in the coming year.
Not wanting to see this distinguished Library suffer when other, less reputable institutes within the university are less than deserving, I made an appointment to speak with the chancellor this morning. In addition to bringing my ledger and pad of statistics, I also dressed accordingly, with a higher than usual pair of leather boots--the pair with the laces--and the sheerest of stockings that I possess.
Before leaving my office in the Library, I slipped a small pebble into my right boot. Naturally, this allows me to make a barely perceptible limp in my gait as I enter the Chancellor's office. As he rises to great me, I wince just a bit.
"Miss White. Do tell me, is something awry?"
"Mr. Chancellor, please forgive me. I did not mean for my discomfort to show. For, you see, there appears to be a pebble or some such thing in my right boot."
With genuine concern, the Chancellor implores, "Please, Miss White, take a moment to correct the situation before we begin our meeting."
He moves over to his desk, and means to turn away in an offer of some privacy. However, I did anticipate this gesture.
Before he turns, I say, "Alas, I am afraid, I must put up with the discomfort till I return to my office. For, you see, the design of a woman's garments limit my ability to reach my shoe." I make as it to bend over, stopping myself before my hand can reach far enough.
"That is most distressing," he replies. I can see the thoughts going round inside his head. "Is there anything I can do?"
I hear the anticipation in his voice, and know now that the day is won. "Oh, I could never impose, dear sir."
"Please, please, Miss White. The health and comfort of all of the staff are my highest priority." He pauses and smiles. "Tell me, what can I do."
I indicate in my most demure fashion that should he wish to, he could remove my boot, and the bothersome object, for me. Eager though he was, he took the time, and in a gallant manner, lifted the hem of my dress and the silk slip beneath to just above my knee, careful not to wrinkle any fabric, nor to linger upon my body. Then, he undid the lacing, and delicately, as if I and my attire were a precious piece of museum Chinaware, slipped the boot from my foot. He upended the boot and the offending pebble clanked to the floor. His hand then took my foot, almost in a loving embrace, and guided it back into the boot.
The whole encounter took twice what it would have taken me, but it was clear that the ploy worked. One can say that my strong assets clearly won him over and in return he quickly reinstated the Library's funds.
Linda put the diary down and smiled. While ethical codes were different today, she appreciated the way Clarissa rose to the occasion. She also remembered the days in college when she teased and seduced many of her classmates in a similar fashion, although not usually for any specific gain other than for pleasure. Images and scenes flooded her memory. Like the time she wore her high heels in physics class to attract the attention of a certain very-well-built male named Ivan.
At first, she sat herself in front and below him in class (the room had stadium-styled seating). After feeling his eyes on her, she switched locations a week later, and he soon made is his way to a seat directly behind her. It wasn't long before he was helping her with problem sets and soon after that helping her with French and Greek, in a manner of speaking.
And then there was that cute boy in Junior-year chemistry class, Samuel, who had a penchant for sweaters, especially a soft, cashmere-like one, with a low cut that revealed a little bit too much of my ample assets. Through some maneuvering, Linda became his lab partner, and then just his partner. She found herself blushing when the memory arose of the two of them literally engaged in their own experiment next to the Bunsen burners after all the other students had left at the end of class.