I travel fairly frequently in my role as MD of a UK software business and today I found myself in Osaka for the first time. I'd left the booking of hotels to our customer who had put me up in a hotel near their offices which was to the east of the city, a traditional looking building in the hills commanding great views.
I was tired and probably didn't present myself well when I first arrived that Saturday morning at the hotel. I'd planned the early arrival to get a day or so to adjust to the hour, something I found I needed to do as I approached my 50's. Thankfully the receptionist spoke perfect English and she made the process of booking in seamless which included accessing my room straight away.
When I thought I was done she asked what I was going to do for the weekend. I was stumped as I was neither expecting that question nor had a I given it any thought. "I really don't know," was my honest answer, followed by, "resting ahead of work on Monday is important as is sampling your delicious food as is taking in the sights and sounds of the area. Any ideas?"
Ema, I could now see her name on her badge, thought momentarily before responding with, "my suggestion would be that you go to your room, freshen up, take a walk along this pathway (she passed me a map) until you get to this Temple. Ignore the tour, just walk around but you must go to the viewing spot where they have this cool display explaining the skyline. Then, come back here and go to this restaurant for lunch, I will book, have the house Ramen which is amazing. Then, back here where I'll arrange for you to have a massage in your room. For dinner I can make more suggestions. Tomorrow I would suggest a trip to the city and, if you like, I can include you on a tour we have organised for a small group of English speakers staying here. How does all that sound?"
My brain was still a little slow, I probably needed a coffee, but it all sounded great. "Well, it sounds wonderful Ema. Thank you so much. Will I need cash for any of those (I didn't carry much)?"
"I don't think so no. The temple is free, the ramen shop takes cards and it is very reasonable. Dinner, I can book in places that take cards and the trip tomorrow can be added to your hotel bill."
"And the massage?" I added.
"I'm sure you can work something out with the masseuse but she's very reasonable."
"Perfect and thank you again."
I was already feeling more alive as I wandered of to my room.
After a shower, a brisk walk and some amazing views I was feeling refreshed and ready for anything. The ramen at lunch was stunning and similarly left me feeling quite vital as I returned to the hotel.
I caught Ema's eye as I returned who walked around the desk to intercept me.
"So, I arranged everything for you. Dinner was tricky as it is busy around here on a Saturday but we can sort it here in hotel. You need to meet here in the foyer at 10am tomorrow for the tour. I recommend trainers as there's lots of walking."
"Thank you Ema." I didn't ask about the massage as I didn't want to appear to be eager and come across wrongly. My mind had been completely dominated by the idea of some exquisitely beautiful local lady massaging my body for 2 hours since I'd left the hotel. I just hoped whoever Ema used happened to be half as lovely as she was with her small, perfectly formed Japanese middle-aged body that looked athletic on first glances with tennis player calves and a flat stomach supporting a terrific set of breasts that seemed to defy gravity. It's amazing what your brain can think in a millisecond, all the above as well as a chastisement for being a dirty old man and overthinking a perfectly innocent, respectable offer to try something that the locals saw as normal rather than grubby.
"Oh, I nearly forgot, the massage lady will be at your room around 3pm so you may be have a chance to get a quick sleep."
"Great, thank you again Ema." I left for my room thinking that I needed to find a way to thank Ema before I left at the end of the week.
I took a quick shower, dressed in shorts and polo shirt and then lay on the bed, setting my alarm for just before 3pm.
Sleep came over me really quickly and the next thing I know I could hear a light knocking on my room door, interrupting a rather saucy dream I was having that involved a bed full of oiled Asian beauties.
Jumping up to answer it I panicked thinking I'd overslept. I must have looked a bit shell shocked when I opened the door as Ema started giggling as she took in my appearance then stayed almost in a bow, her cheeks flushing slightly.
I smoothed down my mop of hair with my hand then put my specs on, checking everything else was in order from my shirt down. Everything seemed OK apart from my shorts which were tented slightly around my crotch. My alarm then went off on my phone which was still by my bed, confirming I hadn't overslept but now wondering why Ema was here. I toggled the alarm off using my smart watch than beckoned her in.
"Come in Ema, is everything OK, you had me worried I'd slept through my appointment?"
"No, sorry, everything is fine, well almost everything. Unfortunately the massage lady has a family problem so she can't come." The disappointment that washed over me as she said those words was huge but I didn't want to let on. "But, I have a solution. I am trained also. My shift finished at 2pm so I went home to get all my stuff." She waved the bag in her arm as she said this last bit, my excitement levels returning to their previous high levels.
"That's very good of you but I don't want to inconvenience you. Are you sure?" I hoped I conveyed that line genuinely as I didn't mean a word of it.
"Thank you but I would like to do this for you. You looked tired this morning, not so much now. I need to practice...not that you will be a guinea pig. I am professionally trained, I just haven't massaged professionally in a few months."
"Guinea pig or not, I'm happy if you are."
"Ok, let's do this. First, I'm going to put some towels on the bed for the oil and then I need you to get undressed and on the bed."
"Undressed? Everything?"