WARNING: this is strictly SOFTCORE, with zero sex acts. It probably fits in Humor, more than this category it started in. If you haven't, read the original story first. This might not make much sense without the context. I happened to re-read it the other day and spit this out just now, because the idea tickled me.
______
Janet Humphries was aggravated. This was the last blouse she owned that wasn't ripped or torn. Well, until a moment ago, anyway. She threw it on the ground and yelled, "Fuck this fucking curse!" One of her breasts popped out of her bra as she ranted on emotionally. Ryan was very accustomed to the accidental exposures. He'd met Janet two weeks ago when this supposedly all first started for her. They'd become fast acquaintances since then. More than acquaintances, actually. "Oh, honey. What happened this time?"
"I thought I was going to make it, Ryan. I'd driven all the way to the dollar store, did my shopping, went through checkout, everything -- no issues! Then, just as I was leaving, the door closed hard and caught my blouse. It tore before I could stop myself."
"I'm telling you, Janet. If it isn't supernatural, it's got to be some weird psychological thing. Go see someone. A doctor or a professional."
"I can't even go to work. The third time I accidentally flashed everyone in the morning meetings, Tom asked me to take some time off."
Janet had recently acquired her house through an inheritance. She discovered her grandfather's old porn stash in the attic the night she met Ryan, in fact. Most of the material was softcore, wartime paperbacks and comics. Over ninety percent of it was an extensive collection on the character of 'Jane' who always found herself losing her clothes at the most inopportune times. Ever since Janet reviewed these materials, she's had the same kind of trouble.
"What if I asked my sister, Meredith, to come talk to you?" Ryan asked. "She's a licensed therapist. Mostly deals with family issues, but she may know someone who can help."
Janet sighed, shrugging her shoulders. "I guess. I just feel so stupid trying to explain this to anyone."
"It's fine. I'll back up your story."
**
Two days later, Meredith Langston was interviewing her brother's new girlfriend, Janet, trying not to take too much notice of the nipple that had escaped the young woman's low-cut top. What Meredith didn't know is Janet really had no choice on the attire, as most of her other clothing had been ruined in multiple, bizarre accidents these past weeks.
"What have you done with this pornographic collection of your grandfather's?" asked Meredith.
"It's still in the attic. I'm afraid to read any more of it, for fear things would only get worse."
"I'm sure this is just some bizarre set of coincidences, Janet. Or maybe the material somehow influenced you subconsciously."
"Like I allow these accidents to happen? That I want them to?"
Meredith smiled, shaking her head. "No, I don't think you want them to, but it is an interesting case. Would you mind showing me some of this collection? I'd like to take some of it for my colleagues to review. We could evaluate to see if there is any evidence that the material intends to influence the reader."
"Like subliminal advertising or something?"
"Exactly. Whether it works is often debated, but around that time in history, utilizing subliminal stimuli in advertising, messaging and print copy was... I guess 'common' might be the word to use. And nations wouldn't engage in the art of propaganda if it didn't work. When individuals read... they absorb... and they can be influenced in ways they aren't always aware."
Janet sat up, snarling a bit. "If you look at Gramp's porn stash, you don't fear what's happened to me, might also happen to you?"
Meredith laughed. For one, she had a gut feeling that Janet enjoyed showing off. Janet had an incredible body, after all. While Meredith had a plainer look, she wasn't ashamed of it, but she was certainly no show-off like she suspected Janet to be. Meredith's wardrobe consisted of nothing like lowcut tops and short skirts. She reassured Janet about reviewing the stash of vintage porn. "I'm sure I'll be fine, but if I do run into any problem keeping my clothes on, I won't blame you for it."
"Better not," sighed Janet, getting up. Her entire breast spilled out on one side and she seemed unaware and unflummoxed. "Ryan, can you help with these boxes?"
**
"What the fuck, Ryan?" screamed Meredith, late the next day to her brother. Ryan was holding his phone far away from his ear to protect his eardrum, because his sister was so loud. "This is like an actual curse. There's no other explanation!" she cried.
"Meredith, please calm down. What are you going on about?"
"I can't be in someone's presence for even five minutes without having some unnatural sequence of events occur that leaves me stripped of my clothing. It doesn't make any fucking sense, Ryan! I thought your girlfriend was just... well, I hate to say it... disturbed. Maybe full of shit."
"Oh, so you thought she was making it all up. Flashing people on purpose."
There was a lengthy pause over the phone. "Like I said. Maybe."
Ryan sighed, "I can't say I haven't had the same thoughts, Meri. It supposedly started the very day I met her, you know. Janet claims she never had issues before that day, but I kind of wondered if she's an exhibitionist."
"Does she know you have these thoughts?"
"Lord, no. It just crossed my mind that it could be a possibility. I have to admit, if Janet has these 'accidents' on purpose, she's a world-class actress."