What I Learned

May 17th finally arrived. My mystery customer was due soon. After cleaning the shop and restroom, I listened to a baseball game being played in Yankee Stadium. One good thing I brought home from the Korean War was a love of baseball. The armed forces broadcasting service covered many games every week. They obviously didn't want us to hear how the war was going so any way to occupy our minds was their objective.

The year 1961 had many historic feats and changes in baseball.

The American League began playing 162 games, up from 154. In 1962, the National League followed suit.

On April 10th, the Washington Senators played their first ever game in franchise history with President Kennedy in attendance. They lost 4-3 to the White Sox.

On April 12th, Douglas MacArthur declined the offer of becoming commissioner of baseball.

Warren Spahn threw his second career no hitter on April 28th at the age of 41.

On May 9th, Baltimore Oriole Jim Gentile hits two grand slams in consecutive innings, the first ever to record that feat. He had nine RBIs versus the Twins that day.

On June 8th, Milwaukee set a record of 4 consecutive HRs (Eddie Mathews, Hank Aaron, Joe Adcock & Frank Thomas). On June 9th, Ryne Duren set a record of seven straight strikeouts against the Red Sox. Duren had a blazing fast ball and was notorious for his poor eyesight. He wore thick eyeglasses. Batters were scared to face him as a pitch could just as easily cross your head as the plate. Casey Stengel once said if Duren's fast ball ever hit your head, you might be in the past tense.

On June 11th, Norm Cash became the first Detroit Tiger to hit a homerun completely out of Tiger Stadium.

On July 25th, Roger Maris hit four home runs in a double header with the White Sox. Roger went on to hit a record 61 home runs in 162 games. Babe Ruth hit 60 in 154 games.

A few minutes after 7:00, someone knocked on the door. When I opened it, I almost fainted. There stood the most famous blonde bombshell in the world. She'd starred in many movies and had a new contract just signed with Fox Studios. She was in all the news for her sexy appearance, voice and acting, mostly in dumb blonde roles.

I invited her and the two bodyguards in. They followed me to the curtained area, and all listened as I explained the procedure. I attempted no small talk. In fact, I was having trouble talking at all.

The two men sat in chairs just outside the curtain while I worked on this famous lady. Very few words were spoken and she did as I requested. It went quickly and I shaved all the areas I normally did. If she had an orgasm when I used the small trimmer around her clit, it was subtle.

She was pleased with my work and thanked me. She and her guards were away by 7:40. I later saw her on TV singing Happy Birthday to President Kennedy in New York. She was one hell of a lady who died only fifteen months later. A damn shame.

The following Tuesday, Jamie called and said she'd be a bit late for our appointment. There was a final inspection issue at her new shop. Later that evening, she knocked on the door and I walked to let her in. As she entered, I could tell she was upset. I asked, "Are you okay? You look angry."

"Sorry, yes, I'm really pissed with that damn building inspector. That asshole has demanded that we relocate some of the electrical outlets farther away from the washbasins. That's going to cost hundreds of dollars. Seems like a new building code requirement went into effect last week and our dumb ass electrician didn't know about it. That's the last time I'll use one of Linda's boyfriends for construction work. The only good thing is that the total project cost is under budget and we have the money set aside for contingencies." That was the first time I saw Jamie upset. The little woman had a temper.

"Well, come on in and have a seat. I have some Cokes in the back if you want one."

"Thanks. I would. I just can't believe how much shit you have to put up with to build a business in this town."

We walked together into my office, and I opened the small fridge and pulled out two cans.

"Have a seat."

Jamie sat in a visitor's chair next to my desk. I found the church key and opened the cans. I could tell she was starting to relax as she sipped the Coke.

I said, "I just had my first referral come in. She was so impressed that she made a follow-up appointment." I didn't say anything about the "mystery" woman.

Jamie responded, "Congratulations, you're off and running. Anybody I know?

"You know I'll never tell you that. What happens here is nobody's business except the customer's."

"You're right. I'm just curious. By the way, I also want to make another appointment."

"Robert was pleased?"

She laughed and responded, "He was out of his mind all week. I must admit that I enjoyed the new sensitivity I had to his touch. We screwed two or three times every night and at least once each morning before he went to work. We were worse than newlyweds."

Now I laughed. "So, you want a touch-up, do you?" She didn't miss my meaning.

"Yes, I do, you dirty little boy. How about we do it Thursday evening?"

"I've another client then, how about Thursday afternoon. I'll close the shop early, so around 4:00 would work."

"I can do that. The electrician will be at the shop, so I'll need to be out of his way."

She continued, "Let's talk about something more pleasant. I've been thinking about a business plan for you. You want to hear it?"

"Of course."

"Well, the overall plan is to transition your shop into one dedicated to women's grooming. Not hairdressing, nails or makeup - just personal grooming. You've a talent that appeals to the secret interests and desires of many women. You're quiet, considerate, professional and talented with both a razor and your hands. You never take your cock out of your pants and you don't talk out of place. Women won't see you as someone trying to get into their panties or get your kicks fondling them. That's important, as we women don't want to be victims.

"Ladies, including me, need your shaving skills and we love your attention to our bodies in the process. Just thinking about you rubbing my pussy and ass with that warm oil gets my juices flowing. And I think I'm typical."

She continued, "I checked with some long-time girl friends about this trend in grooming. One of them had tried to shave her pussy. She cut herself several times and it caused razor burn all over her vulva. So instead of having an enjoyable sexual encounter with her husband, it was painful. I described for her just a snippet of my experience with you and she was intrigued. I think you may hear from her soon. Her name is Barb.

"There is a market, maybe small now, but certainly growing. In a town this big and with the focus on sex like we see every day, I think you'll be on the leading edge of a new trend."

She was exactly right.

Over the next few years, my business boomed. I remodeled the shop with proper tables for shaves and massages. I upgraded the lighting so I could eliminate the need for the spots. The new restroom was a work of art with a bidet as well as an elongated toilet preferred by women. It had large mirrors (one full length one on the back of the door) with makeup lighting and chairs that were like those used in dressing rooms for the stars. With Jamie's help, I added many amenities and toiletries that a lady might need in the restroom. Once my clients learned about the lighted mirrors, they often brought a small bag of their makeup to do a touch up before leaving. I also added a sound system to play the latest hits and romantic songs from Sinatra and others. I sold special soothing oils and powders for the ladies to use on their freshly shaved areas to help avoid any irritation and ingrown hairs.

Jamie assured me that the overall effect of this remodeling would create a comfortable haven for ladies and enhance their experience. She was here very often to help with the little design details that she thought would be appreciated. One of her best ideas was to always have fresh flowers in the shop and ladies' room. I received hundreds of comments about the beautiful flowers over the years.

I got to know much more about Jamie and we became very good friends and confidants. She continued having me shave her every two or three weeks. She gradually taught me about those erogenous zones that women have and how a woman reacts with my attention to them. The mentoring included many very open and honest discussions about women and how they think and react to situations. I'd never realized how women often see themselves as victims and how they suffer when the men they love demean their efforts. She had committed early on that she'd help me prepare for the time that special lady entered my life. She did that and more.

Jamie even invested in the business and became a minority shareholder. She believed in me, and I believed in her.

Each day, I'd arrive at the shop around 7:00am and prepare for my first appointment an hour later. Each appointment was for one hour but I allowed a second hour for any unforeseen delays. My day didn't normally end until 9:00pm but there were usually breaks when no one was scheduled.

During my career, I shaved and induced intense orgasms in nearly a thousand different women. Even today, I can't tell you for sure that I knew their real names. Everything was on a first-name basis, and it worked. An upset husband or lover never accosted me, so the clients evidently kept my existence to themselves.

I learned each woman's erogenous zones and what got their juices flowing. Their average age was about 30, give or take a year. But I also had some 60-year-olds who were still sexually active and in reasonably good shape. I saw and worked around every size and shape of pussy and ass that you can imagine. I could create or trim a landing strip in my sleep.

The clients I groomed enjoyed sex and came for the attention I gave them as much as for the hair removal. Over the years, I only remember a dozen or so who didn't have orgasms as I worked. Even they went away pleased, but I never knew why they were different. It's not like I could ask them, "Why didn't you have an orgasm when I was vibrating your clit, vagina and ass hole?" I still wonder about that.

To my surprise, there were many who wanted me to finger fuck their vaginas and rectums and I was always willing to accommodate. I became a world expert on G-spots and how to start raging orgasms and squirting. The clients and I had a lot of fun together and they rewarded me with a great career and all the money I needed.

Only one time was there an accidental client overlap. A lady forgot her appointment time and showed up an hour early. It turned out not to be a big deal. The two clients knew each other and had talked about this shop and me many times. I learned later that there was an underground lady's society called "Mark's Angels" that many of my clients had formed. That came from my habit for calling many of the customers "Angel." Like Shelley said, there're no secrets in LA, at least among the ladies.

The odd thing is that I never set a price for my work. I let the clients decide how much they were comfortable paying. Some would pay $50 but others would pay $200 or more. It was all in cash.

Both Shelley and Cathy became repeat clients and were here dozens of times. Shelley was always the proper lady and more reserved than most women. But she loved the feel of my hands on her pussy and ass and her orgasms were quiet but intense.

Cathy was always full of energy, craving full body massages and the three or four very intense orgasms that resulted. My goodness, that gorgeous lady had exciting orgasms. She could squirt a pint it seemed. Even after she married, Cathy returned every two or three weeks for a "refreshment" as she called it.

They referred many of their friends and their friends referred friends until my schedule was booked. I had to plan far ahead for any vacations or for any time off.

One might ask, "Did it ever get boring?" I can honestly say, "no".

Every two hours a very interesting woman would come into my world. She would take her clothes off, as if it was perfectly normal; then spread her legs and have me shave her pussy and ass. Many times, the client asked me to shave their legs which I also enjoyed doing.

The clients and I got to know each other on many different levels, and I admired them all. Most became dear friends who discussed literally everything in their lives with me. In fact, they probably confided in me more than in their psychiatrist, priest or doctor. I just hope I was never the root cause of their psychiatric treatment or confession.

What was there to be bored with?

During all those years, my cock never left my pants and I never kissed a client or initiated an inappropriate touch. But I had many clients who wanted to pleasure me like I pleasured them and openly said so. I always told them how flattered I was with their offer but declined for one reason or another. They respected that.

I admit that I rarely had a boner to the degree that I did early on. It occasionally happened, especially with the 19--21-year-olds just getting comfortable around men. They were so cute and wide-eyed when they experienced their first earth shattering orgasm at my hands. Many of them told me it was the first one they ever had. Most of them became regulars.

I had my share of well-known movie stars come and they were treated just like the other ladies. No pretenses or egos were allowed in my shop while they have their legs spread at a 90-degree angle.

There were also several porn stars that became clients. Much to my surprise, these ladies enjoyed my handiwork as much as anyone. I had just assumed that with all the professional sex they had on camera, that they didn't crave it off the camera. I was totally wrong and learned that many of them had never had an orgasm in front of the camera. It was all acting. In my shop, they had real, bone shaking, mind blowing orgasms and they loved it. I learned a lot about the porn business from them and may write about it later. Many of them remained friends, even today.

I will also say that Cathy and Shelley had the two most memorable bodies I ever saw. Others were also beautiful and stylish with great personalities; but these two ladies led the pack.

There were a couple of other major events that happened, and I'll tell you about those now, as I conclude this narrative. They are both sad and joyful.

In 1971, on August 12th, I answered a call early one morning from Linda, the business partner of Jamie. She was crying hysterically. She was gradually able to tell me that there'd been an accident at the docks and that Jamie's husband had been killed. I was devastated. I thought my heart would burst.

After staring at the wall for several minutes, I realized that I had clients coming soon. I called and, fortunately, was able to reach all the ones due in that morning. I was able to reschedule them because of a "family emergency."

As I drove to Jamie's home, I struggled thinking about what to say or how to say it. She had become my best friend and advisor over the last 10 years. This was a tragedy that was just beyond anything I could imagine.

There were several cars in the driveway when I arrived. After knocking, I was allowed entry by a lady I didn't know. Jamie saw me and came running. She was crying so hard that her whole body was shaking. She literally threw herself into my arms and we embraced for what seemed like two minutes. We both cried.

As we slowly parted, I used my fingers to wipe the tears from her eyes. She smiled and said, "I knew you would come as soon as you heard. Thank you."

She took my hand and walked me over to meet her father and mother, Robert's parents and several of the brothers and sisters.

I think they were confused since no one had heard of me or knew how I fit into Robert and Jamie's life. They were relieved when Jamie told them I was an old friend and was a barber. They assumed I was Robert's barber.

I stayed only for an hour or so, gave condolences to everyone and walked with Jamie to my car.

"Mark, there were only two men in my life who really counted. Now one of them is gone. You're the other one. Thank you for being here for me. I need you." We hugged and cried again.

The funeral home was packed. It seems like a hundred of Robert's co-workers and dock management came as well as many of Jamie's customers and their husbands. A few weeks later, I learned that the dock management and the union lawyers negotiated a very large financial settlement for Jamie, which she deserved.

We continued to talk by phone, and she came to the shop just to visit as her schedule allowed. It was a very difficult time of mourning.

About two months or so after the funeral, I called Jamie at her shop and asked if we could have dinner. For all the years that I shaved her, we had never had a meal together. Isn't it odd that a man could know every little dimple, crease or mole on a lady's pussy and ass like the back of his hand but didn't even know what kind of food she liked?

Jamie accepted. We picked Saturday night and chose a new Italian restaurant that was close. At the appointed hour, I went to her house, and she was more than ready. Her new dress was beautiful, and it complemented her skin color. Her eyes were as interesting and mischievous as always. I could see that she was recovering. In the car, she was talkative and told me all about her business and how well it was doing. Neither of us mentioned Robert as that didn't seem to be the time or place.

We had a wonderful meal and chatted about all the little things we could think of. Jamie reached over and took my hand several times as we talked. This continued for two hours through several courses, as only the real Italians know how to serve. The food was delicious and so was the conversation. I dreamed of her all night.

This was followed by three other dates and many phone calls. During this time, I learned many things about Jamie. She was from Oklahoma and grew up on a ranch. Her mother was born in Spain but came to Dallas with her parents. Her grandfather was a petroleum engineer. At last, I knew now how she got such beautiful skin.

One afternoon, Jamie called the shop. When I answered, she shocked me by requesting an appointment. Oh shit -- has she found someone else? This really hurt; but I confirmed one for the next evening and we said our goodbyes.

All I could think of was what I may have done wrong. Maybe I should've expressed my true love for her by then; but I was concerned about whether it had been long enough since Robert died. I was devastated. Did my effort at being "proper" kill my chances with Jamie?

The next day, I was a walking zombie as I went through all the appointments. Several of my clients noticed that something was wrong, and I shared only that my girlfriend and I broke up. They were sympathetic and offered to introduce me to some of their unattached friends and even daughters. I'm not sure how that would work: me dating, maybe marrying, the daughter of a woman whose pussy and ass I was shaving and massaging.

At the appointed hour, I was a nervous wreck. To my surprise, when Jamie arrived she was all happy, even giddy, like nothing had happened. She reached to hug me but immediately sensed that something was wrong.

"Mark, has something happened? Why are you so down and depressed?"

"Oh, it's nothing."

"I was thinking you would be glad to see me."

I replied, "I'm always happy to see you, but why come now? Are you planning to see someone else? You never came unless you had a big session planned with Robert."

"Silly! I'm doing this for you. It's time we take our relationship to the next level and I want the experience to be the best it can be for you."