It was quite late evening that David went home that day. He, Margaret and Heather had all had quite a bit to drink to celebrate the new arrangement, so Margaret ordered him a taxi, and just to show goodwill, paid for it herself in advance.
When he got home he poured himself another beer and went straight to bed. He turned on the radio for the news, and, sure enough, heard his employer was insolvent and into liquidation, so he would surely be out of a job. He'd need to go down to the Jobcentre Monday and sign on for benefit - Universal Credit it was called - and also look for another employer. He had never needed to do this before and didn't relish the prospect.
In bed that night, the effect of the chastity device was also having its effect. The grip of the titanium steel alloy was hard, tight, and relentless: he could not forget Margaret's grip on his balls three years ago. She had always been dominant in bed with him and he couldn't get her out of his mind. It constrained his length to scarcely two inches which was what he was when soft despite growing to nine inches hard when it could. He was what was known as a 'grower', Also he'd not had sex for some three weeks because his current paramour Penny Richardson, had been on holiday with her estranged husband to try and resolve their differences. David wondered how to tell her the bad news that their affair couldn't continue and he was worried about that too.
He reflected. He'd not worn that device for some three years, and then it had always come off at least once a week for when he had sex with Margaret so his sexual tension got regular release. Not any more: that was for certain.
Next day was Sunday. He got up and made himself some coffee and cooked a fry up for breakfast. He decided to get out the contract and do some arithmetic. Under the pay day loan he'd had with the Company interest was added monthly. So it was with the one with Margaret, albeit at a quarter the amount as she'd promised. But even so, he'd paying quite a bit more than he would have paid to his bank had he been able to get an overdraft facility. And Margaret had spoken the truth: she would indeed get a much better return on her investment than she could get elsewhere. He always knew she was smart. And now she'd got him by the balls as well, and no way out till he paid in full which in his present situation, especially with the added interest, was going to take him years. He wondered what she'd be like in action in Court. Pretty formidable he had no doubt: she certainly knew how to strike a hard bargain. But at least he'd no more liability on his flat as he'd paid the last month's rent and would soon be moving in with her and Heather. That rental agreement certainly was beneficial to him. He half wondered why: it was quite a bit below the current market and they could surely get more if they wanted. Oh well: be grateful for small mercies.
Monday morning he went down to the Jobcentre. He signed on and was given an appointment for an interview with a Work Coach who was to help him find a new job, He also got the bad news that he was not to expect first benefit payment for a good five weeks and they could not yet tell him quite how much. Universal Credit was quite complicated and would need to be worked out and the computer system at the Jobcentre was down for maintenance for a few days.
He went home and opened his post, which consisted of a few bills and a letter from the liquidator of his last employer confirming the termination of his employment.,
The telephone rang. It was Penny, his latest paramour. She was inviting him out for a meal Wednesday evening 7 p,m, at the new Thai restaurant, just opened, and which she'd found was excellent; and to be her treat to him as she had something to tell him. Penny was the last person he wanted to see just now, but it would have been impolite to refuse; and he was slightly intrigued anyway, as beforehand whenever they'd gone out together before it had been he who'd paid. He wondered how to break to her the bad news, but accepted.
To take his mind off things he turned on his desktop to view his favourite porn. He'd a number of porn websites he'd been visiting regularly since schooldays. But he had to turn it off before long as he was becoming so aroused that the pressure on his balls was becoming unbearable. The back base ring dug into the back of his scrotum from behind while the design of the penis tube both separated and put pressure on his balls from the front. Between them it felt like his balls were being squeezed in a vice and he saw that the design of his chastity cage was intended to do just that. It was a state of the art model and Margaret had plainly done her research very thoroughly indeed those three years back.
He somehow hung on till Wednesday and met Penny as agreed.
"Good to see you," said Penny. "Now, what do you fancy? For this menu, there's a first rate Japanese sake to drink which I highly recommend. Or else a Chang beer."
"That's extremely kind. I'll go for the sake. But for what do I have this pleasure?"
Penny ordered a flask of sake for two.
"I'll tell you shortly But first, what's your news?"
David told her about the job problems.
"Oh, I'm sure you'll get another soon. All the best, and let me know. And keep in touch. But for me I've just returned from a three week holiday with my estranged husband. And before I go on I must thank you for the fantastic time you've given me these last weeks. I shall never forget it. But the fact is: Gerald and I have made it up and worked out a way forward for us both. So I've agreed with him not to continue with our sexual relationship. But I hope we can stay friends?"
For David this was the best news he could have had, though he didn't say so of course.
"No problem at all. And I wish you and Gerald all the best for the future and I'll stay in touch, naturally."
"That's very kind. I'd dreaded telling you. You know, you should find a single girl and start thinking about settling down. You've been a fantastic lover. Some women say size doesn't matter, but they're usually lying, though it's not just what you've got: it's also how you use it."
"That's kind too. I've only had one girl with whom I've really found I could bond, but it won't happen because she's now found she's lesbian. But she and I are still good friends too."
David did not go into further details.
"Ah, well. But there will be others, I'm sure"
"I hope so",
They continued their Thai meal, and Penny ordered another flask of sake and a taxi to take them both home at her expense, dropping off David first.
From then on David was pretty much living off cheese and pickle and beans on toast. The following Monday he went back to the Jobcentre for his interview with his work coach, John Hardwick. John had researched the database and printed out some possible employers in the hospitality industry (combination of hotels, restaurants and pubs) to which he might apply. One was another chain, similar to his last one, but smaller and locally based with about seven outlets in all; and John suggested he try them first and could arrange an interview. David knew this Company, which had a bad reputation for staff relations, but didn't dare refuse or else he risked losing his benefit. The interview was in about a fortnight. Meanwhile John gave him a print out of how much Universal Credit he'd receive, with first payment due in about five weeks' time. The procedure was he was to be paid monthly, one further week in arrears, with the total amount due subject to a 63% deduction of whatever (if anything) he'd earned the month prior, which the Benefits Agency would obtain from the Inland Revenue who would get it from any employer. It ought to be automatic.
David went home, dejected. Not long afterwards there was a knock on the door. Someone was delivering a crate of his favourite beer. There was a card attached reading: "All best wishes and thanks again. Penny." He opened a bottle and poured himself a glass.
Come the fortnight David went for the job interview. It was on the fourth floor of a slightly shabby office block. He was ushered into a large room with about two dozen others. He was called in eighth. He'd no idea how many vacancies there were hence what was the extent of the competition. He was met by a nondescript man in a grey suit who asked him a lot of bland and obviously standardized questions till it came to his last employment.
"Ah yes," said the interviewer, "I see they went into liquidation. Bad business that. Tell me more about your experience and duties with them."
David told them.
