It was a sunny morning in mid-May. Dana and Jack were having breakfast. Jack noticed Dana seemed more energetic than usual. "What are your plans today, Hon?" he asked.
"We are getting the pool serviced today. It will be all ready for summer."
"Great!" he responded, "I love that pool!"
"I know you do, dear." Fifteen years ago, Jack insisted they buy this house because it had a pool. Barely out of college and recently married, this pool was an expense they really could not afford.
Finishing breakfast, Jack was off to work and Dana headed for a leisurely soak in the tub. As she relaxed in the hot sudsy water, she let her mind wander back to the first servicing of the pool . . . .
On that first day, Dana agreed to call Brady's Pool Service for an estimate and they would only open the pool if the cost was within their budget. The owner, Mr. Brady, came by later in the morning. He walked around the pool taking notes, and looked at the equipment taking more notes.
He came into the house and gave Dana the written estimate. At first glance, Dana knew they could not afford the bottom line amount. She gave Mr. Brady her brightest smile and asked, "Would like a cup of coffee?" He was in no hurry to get back to the office so he accepted.
"Now," she said, "We need to find a way to reduce the cost." She explained that while her husband loved the pool, they were just starting out and could not afford the amount he had written. Charmed by her good nature and even better looks, Mr. Brady was sympathetic and offered to give a 10% discount as they were a new customer, something he had never done before.
Dana saw the nametag "Al" on Mr. Brady's work shirt, which also included the company title bearing his name.
"Al," she began, "may I call you Al?" He nodded. "Would you like some more coffee?" Again, he nodded.
Over the next couple minutes they enjoyed a light-hearted exchange of pleasant conversation. Dana decided to make the first proposal.
"Al," she began, "when I was in high school, a few boys wanted to have sex with me. I was too young but I wanted to be popular without having a reputation like some of the other girls. Under the strict condition of secrecy, I agreed to give my date a handjob to keep him happy but preserve my innocence."
Dana continued, "Is that something you might consider in exchange for a larger discount?"
Al's face reddened, not expecting to hear that and not knowing how to respond. Dana took his reaction as not a good enough offer.
"OK," she continued. "In college the stakes were higher so I had to give a blowjob in order to remain in control of my personal affairs." Good choice of words, she thought, remembering encounters with dates, boyfriends, and a couple of professors. "However, at the first hint of breaking the secret, no man ever enjoyed my company again."
"My husband, Jack," she went on, "appreciates my attention and has been the only one since we became a couple."
"Now, it wasn't long ago I was in college so I could still negotiate, if you are interested."
Al's heart was beating so fast he could hardly think straight. He tried to do some fast calculations in his head. Finally, he said, "Tell you what, if you can pay for the materials, I will not charge for labor."
Dana looked at the invoice, once again. The materials cost was way less than labor and was completely manageable. "Our secret?" she asked.
"Absolutely," Al responded. "I can't afford to go around giving lots of discounts and I don't want any talk that would ruin my business."
Dana took a deep breath. "Deal," she said. "When can you start?"
Al was anxious to get to work, now for multiple reasons. "I'm on it, right now."
"Come in when you're finished. I will have a check ready and will complete my end of the deal."
Al hurried out to his truck. Dana went to take a shower and put on some clothes that would assure a quick conclusion to the arrangement.
About 90 minutes later, Al was back with a new reduced price invoice, which he placed on the kitchen counter. Dana was waiting, wearing a loose fitting tank top, braless, and some very short shorts. She placed the check on top of the invoice and turned to Al.