This book is dedicated to Inge Roell who long ago taught me that
"Auch ein blindes Huhn findet mal ein Korn. "
Or in English
"Sometimes even a blind hen finds a kernel"
This book is a work of fiction although much of its content is based upon actual events and places.
My Time at Club Oase
Chapter One
When John was transferred from the US headquarters of Alliance to its Frankfurt offices in Germany we were excited at the chance to live in Germany but we had no idea how expensive housing was in Frankfurt and that is why we settled into an apartment in a small village north of Frankfurt called Nieder-Eschbach.
Our apartment in Nieder-Eschbach was only a few blocks from the U Bahn station into central Frankfurt. We had always had our routines and quickly fell into a routine in Germany. Monday through Friday John would leave the apartment at 6:54 to walk the few blocks to the station where he would catch the 7:07 train into Frankfurt and his office returning every evening on the train arriving Nieder-Eschbach at 6:03.
On Wednesdays he had a strategy meeting with his team at a gasthaus near their offices arriving home a little after 9 in the evening. On those days I would treat myself to a meal out at the Darmstaedter Hof, a small gasthaus near our apartment. On Saturdays we would sometimes go into Frankfurt on the train in order to enjoy the craziness of Sachsenhausen and have apfelwein with rippchen and sauerkraut. Sundays we spent at home and I would cook us a nice meal.
Life was good and we liked our routine, or at least I thought so until the Wednesday I took the U Bahn into Frankfurt to spend an afternoon walking around the Palmengarten. I came home on the train arriving in Nieder-Eschbach at 6:03. The train was packed and as I got off the train onto the platform I noticed John ahead of me in the crowd already going down the steps to the street. I hurried to catch him up but before I could he hailed one of the cabs waiting at the train station and was gone from sight. It was only a five to ten minute walk to our apartment. Was he feeling ill? Was he so tired he did not feel up to that short walk?
I had intended to stop at the Darmstaedter Hof for my evening meal but instead decided to go straight home and see what was wrong. After all it was a Wednesday and normally he would not be home until after 9 in the evening and here he was taking a cab from the train station?
When I got home the mystery deepened. John had not been home. I waited an hour and then ate some leftovers while I gradually became more and more fearful wondering what was going on? Then a little after 9 he came in and I said, "Where have you been?"
John got a beer from the fridge and distractedly answered me, "It's Wednesday, we had our strategy meeting in Frankfurt."
I knew that was a lie but did not know what to say and after a pause simply said, "Oh, I forgot it was Wednesday."
Later I wanted to ask him what was going on but did not know how to bring it up and for the next week my suspicions grew until Wednesday when I went to the train station and sat across the street in a coffee shop waiting for the 6:03 train to arrive. When I saw him come down the steps to the street and hail a cab I went home and waited. A little after 9 John came home, smiled at me and asked how my day was as he got a beer out of the fridge.
My response was that my day had been uneventful and I asked how was his day and he told me uneventful but that the strategy session had decided on some new cross trading strategies between US and German bonds. I started to say something then reconsidered and simply said that sounds rather boring and if you don't mind I am going to bed because I think I might be coming down with something.
Chapter Two
That week I tried to behave as if nothing had happened between us and as far as John knew nothing had, but I also resolved to find out where he was going on Wednesdays and that Wednesday I waited in a cab parked about half a block from the others while I waited for the 6:03 train to arrive.
John came off the train and got in the first cab waiting on the street. I let the cab pull away before I said to my driver that I wanted him to follow that cab but to stay well behind it so they would not know they were being followed.
The cab John was in went through a small farming village just north of ours and past the Hotel Alte Brucke and then out of the village onto a small farm road in the direction of Friedrichsdorf but then turned off into a parking lot full of cars in what at first appeared to be a farmer's field until I noticed the massive building and parking lot.
My cab driver said, "You are at the Club Oase."
I answered him with a question, "What is this place?"
"It is a gentlemen's club, one of the best in all of Germany."
"Do you mean a strip club?" I asked.
"No, I mean a brothel." He answered.
"Please take me back to Nieder-Eschbach." I said in a shaking voice.
''''''''
The next day I spent several hours looking over the website of the Oase Club. I noticed that the club advertised itself as a day spa with available women and that the club offered its spa facilities to women as well as men. The place looked like some sort of over the top Roman spa complete with sauna and swimming pool as well as a nice bar and food buffet. When I saw that they offered pedicures, manicures and cosmetics and had an esthetician I began to think that perhaps the cabbie's description was not entirely accurate after all.
Friday I revisited the sight and decided I would ask John what was going on with him going there over the weekend. Perhaps on Saturday night after a good portion of rippchen and sauerkraut and enough apfel wine to give me the courage. But that Saturday in sachsenhausen we had so much fun that I just did not want to ruin the evening and decided that I would visit the club myself before confronting him.
Chapter Three
The next Monday I walked to the train station and got a cab. When I told the driver Club Oase he looked in the rear view mirror and then drove off. After a few minutes he asked me how long I had worked there and I nervously laughed and told him that I was just going to visit. His response to me was that if I wanted to work there they would be happy to have a beautiful American that speaks good English for the visiting American and English speakers.
My response to him was that I might be a little too old for that kind of work and that from what I could see from the club's website most of the girls were in their 20's. His response to that was that he thought I was in my 20's. "Well you do know how to flatter your fare's but I am 34 years old"
"Many men prefer more mature women but 34 is not in that category and I have driven many of the girls that work there from the station and you are as beautiful as the best of them and about the same age," he said as we arrived.
At the reception I opted for the two hour admission that was offered until four in the afternoon. The cost was 30 euros and I thought to myself if that includes a pedicure, manicure and cosmetic makeover I have found the best deal in all of Germany!
I nervously took off my clothes and put on the robe and sandals that were supplied and cautiously walked into the club. I was relieved when no one seemed to take notice of me and found my way to the bar and ordered a stiff drink. After my second drink I surreptitiously used the mirror behind the bar to get an idea of the place. Two things shocked me. The first was that all the girls were totally nude and secondly although the men would appreciatively gaze at them none of the men were overly aggressive or offensive. The men ranged in age from late 20's to early 50's with the large majority of them between early 30's to late 40's and many of them were attractive enough to make me wonder why they would come to a place like this to hook-up with someone.
I could smell the food from the buffet and decided to take a look at what was on offer but on the way to the buffet I noticed the large swimming pool and since it was a beautiful warm and sunny afternoon I decided that I would swim a few laps before having a bite to eat. During my second lap I was joined by one of the girls that was sunbathing when I came outside. When we were both catching our breath at the same end of the pool she said to me, "Sie sind ein guter Schwimmer Aber ich bin besser."
I smiled at her and she smiled back at me and then said, "Willst du Rennen fahren?" And began swimming for the far end of the pool.
It only took me a second to realize that I had been challenged to a race and my competitive instincts from my college swim team days came out and I pushed off after her. I gave it my all and was surprised that I did not catch up to her until we had traversed more than three quarters of the pool and we both seemed to hit the far side simultaneously.
With an infectious laugh and a radiant smile she said, "Vielleicht sind Sie besser." And then she asked, "Dies ist Ihr erster Tag hier?"
