Close your eyes and listen to
these sounds
. The instant coffee granules fall off the spoon and swish into the coffee mug. The teaspoon clinks against the china. The fridge opens with that characteristic sucking as the magnetic rubber seal is broken open. The milk carton scrapes against the plastic as it is withdrawn from the fridge door shelf. The electric kettle bubbles and steams and clicks to a boiling stop.
I lift the kettle off of its stand and carry it across to the sink. I clamp my left hand around my FavouriteToy's right wrist and lean my weight in, pinning her splayed hand against the cold stainless steel draining board. I whisper in her ear:
"Yes, it's all about trust."
The scolding hundred degree centigrade water falls from the spout and washes down onto the back of her right hand. The damage is instantaneous. On contact the skin on the back of her hand goes into a shocking metamorphosis from its uniform even coloration to a violently mottled organic patchwork of red and white. All the muscles in her hand go into spasm. The pairs of opposing muscles battle to no advantage and the only movement is a barely perceptible sudden curling up of the fingers lifting the fingertips off the surface of the draining board. I anticipate the unconscious reaction of self preservation, the jerking of her arm and body to yank her hand out of harm's way. I force all my strength into keeping her hand pinned to the surface and continue to pour the scolding cruelty over the back of her hand for as long as it takes to inflict the weeping, blistering second degree burns.
When I stop, there is a moment of silence.
The first thing this pretty stranger says is
"I trust you."
It is what I had played for, but I am almost in disbelief at winning this prize.
I put down the kettle. My left hand still clamps her wrist down onto the wet rapidly cooling draining board. My right hand comes up and unties the blindfolding silk scarf. She looks first at me and then kisses me full on the mouth. She looks down at her mutilated hand and sees, no damage at all. A cup with the last of the unbearably hot, but not quite scolding water stands at the side.
"You bastard!"
She arrived in stockings and heels, she compiled with my wishes not to wash, she wore yesterdays thong, she met me at my flat for a first meeting. I think this calls for a little more than a coffee. I turn her around on her four inch heels and lead her back into the living room where the champagne is waiting.
--- ooo ---
I found my FavouriteToy on Guardian Soulmates, one of the more respectable online dating sites associated with a broadsheet newspaper.
Having spent some time dwelling on a rather more alternative BDSM website, the idea was that perhaps I should look to fish elsewhere, spread the net a little further a field, in order to find what I am looking for. And what am I looking for, well a broadsheet reader duh! Well not really.
I sent her a memo. Her profile said she was not interested in long drawn out correspondence as she finds that "boring, boring boring!"
My memo concluded with:
MarcusStrapp wrote:
I hate wine (as you can see from my profile picture). I love to tease. I love to love. I am increasingly happy with breaking the rules. I don't do boring.
Hope to hear from you -- Marcus Strapp
Later that evening I get a reply:
WhoreInWaiting wrote:
Love your profile, love your message, yes, you do tease and yes, internet dating is a nightmare. Your photos are amazing. You've got my attention now what?
I can't help myself:
MarcusStrapp wrote:
Now what? Now what? Are you seven years old? We meet of course? :-)
I'd drive over and see you now, but I guess that would totally freak you out!
So how about dinner tomorrow?
My number is 07711 XXXXXX, (If you are feeling brave). You can prefix the number with a 141 if you want to withhold your number. You can call me anytime. Even tonight if you are a late bird!
-- Marcus
Have I judged it right? I have been a bit outrageous. I mean Guardian Soulmates isn't a BDSM site is it? Still it just felt like the right move to make.
I'm putting away the dishes and the phone rings. It's not a number I recognise. I answer and cannot place the voice. Then the penny drops. Wow, she is game.
It seems I have a live wire on the phone. She's obviously outgoing and apparently not too phased with my forthright approach. We start to pull apart each other's profiles. She makes mention of my interest in photography. I am a little coy on the subject. I comment on her profile picture and note that it is a professional shot.
There is that tentative feeling of the way. That delicate dance and play of making conversational advances and withdrawals in that search for boundaries. There isn't the safety of knowing that she has been exposed to and is interested in all the filth that one can assume of a member on BDSM website. This is a fish from a very different kettle. But by the time the clock has wound its hands from one day into the next, the conversation has turned to one of revealing secrets.
Like a bloodhound, I am off sleuthing around picking up scents and making inferences.
She says "What are you some sort of amateur psychologist or mind reader?", I reply "No! I'm just interested."