Seducing a Geisha
The regular meetings with Mineko became twice weekly at 9pm, always at my home. At first, they were scheduled requests from notes slipped under my door with an RSVP request the same way in return. Ultimately, they become set days -- every Tuesday and Saturday night. Mineko did not even knock. I knew she would be precisely on time so I opened the door at nine sharp so she did not have to linger. She was always just a step or two away precisely at 9pm.
On our second meeting Mineko came in western clothing (a Channel suit) with a bottle of
Suntory Hibiki Blossom Harmony Whisky
in hand. That particular bottle costs about $200 in Japan and upwards of $700 in the USA -- if you can find it. Mineko left the unfinished bottle behind when she departed, which I did not touch again until her next visit.
Whenever our bottle was near empty, she brought a fresh one on her next visit. I offered to pay for these, but she said since I was hosting it would be dishonorable for her to appear empty handed. Besides, she admitted, her benefactor kept her stocked in this whisky, she was not actually paying for it.
Our twice-weekly conversations sizzled with sexual inuendo and the intimacy of shared personal details, but Mineko would not allow me to touch her. She was very warm and affectionate in a very restrained way. While we spoke, she would touch my hand or shoulder and sometimes my thigh. It was very loving but did not cross over to sexual. I looked forward to these meetings even though they were becoming sexually frustrating. I wanted her more than I have every wanted any woman.
We played Geisha drinking games; she sang for me a few times, but thankfully only played the shamisen once as I hate the sound of that instrument. Her sparkling conversation was sometimes peppered with very vulgar double entendre after she had a couple of drinks. It was fun! I tried to kiss her several times and was rebuffed each time.
The first time I tried she said in Japanese, "You are getting free whisky, do you expect me to serve you cowrie shell sashimi too?" In Japan, the cowrie shell is metaphor for the vulva because the underside of the shell looks like a pussy.
I cleverly replied, "No, that would be too much to ask. Perhaps you can play the shakuhachi (bamboo flute) for me instead." In Japanese "playing the shakuhachi" is slang for giving a blowjob. That comment resulted in a surprised look and then raucous laughter.