CHAPTER 6 -- THE OLD MAN'S WIDOW
Barbeque sauce ran down my chin as I devoured my second beef barbeque sandwich. I sat alone at a table on the patio at
Vern's Brisket and Vine
. The sign hanging over the eatery, however, had been replaced with a new sign that read
Sally's BBQ.
Beneath the lettering was a profile of a hogtied naked woman wearing a ball-gag. Opposite her was the profile of a roasted pig with an apple in its mouth. For the life of me, I couldn't imagine why this was considered sexy. It almost gave me a 'Sweeney Todd' cannibalism vibe. Nonetheless, it didn't have any affect on my appetite. Once my second sandwich was gone, I washed it down with the rest of the beer from my frosted mug.
Biding time until my waitress decided to show up with my check, I began skimming the weekly park entertainment guide that was printed on my barbecue-stained paper placemat. Each day, there looked to be dozens of bands, singers, dancers, and demonstrators performing throughout the park. Damn, they had far more park entertainment than we
ever
had at Notts' Faire.
At the bottom of the placemat, a disclaimer read:
All performers/demonstrators are contracted by 'The Kingdom'.
Unsanctioned public performances/demonstrations are
punishable by fine and/or Kennel accommodation
"Can I get you anything else, Miss?" a voice asked from behind me. I looked over my shoulder to see my waitress, holding an empty tray by her side. She looked to be in her mid-20's and was attractive enough to have been a supermodel. Like all of the servers, she was dressed in a sexy Oktoberfest-style outfit. And similar to the female concierges from check-in as well as the maid in my suite this morning, she too wore a burgundy choker around her neck. The nameplate in the middle read 'Tina'. I had come to guess that all female employees of The Kingdom must have been required to wear one of these.
"Uh, I think I'm all finished," I replied.
"Alright, then. You're free to hang out for as long as you'd like. There's a bluegrass band playing here in about 15 minutes if you wanna stick around," she added, leaning over my shoulder to point to today's date on the entertainment guide on my placemat.
"Uh, I think I'm good, actually," I replied. "I'll probably just head out."
"Sure thing! Thank you for visiting Sally's BBQ. Have a great day at the Kingdom!" she said smiling.
"Wait, uh-" I replied, "Do I get a check or..."
"Oh, no ma'am," she answered. "All counter service meals are free of charge. Or rather, they're included in the meal package you've already got."
"Oh," I replied, "Well, I don't have cash. How do I pay tip?" I lifted up my key car that was dangling from the lanyard around my neck.
The server smiled and shook her head. "That's very sweet of you, but we're not permitted to accept tips."
"Really?" I asked. "Sorry, that kinda sucks."
"Oh, it's quite alright," she leaned in and whispered, "We get paid more than enough without it. Discretion has its perks."
"Oh," I replied. "That's good." The woman giggled and began to walk away.
"Have a great day," she replied.
"Thanks. You too," I responded.
I wiped the remaining bbq sauce from my hands and face and folded my entertainment guide/placemat to take with me. I winced as I stood up. The soles of my feet still ached horribly from my ordeal in the woods.
What I needed a pedicure! A
pedicure
! Why hadn't I thought of that earlier?!
I wondered what were the odds were that The Cedarhouse Spa was still up and running. Unlikely, but worth checking out, nonetheless. During the regular season, The Cedarhouse was my go-to place for pedicures, manicures, and massages. And as you may have guessed, the entire parlor smelt of cedar wood.
Exiting the restaurant patio, I made my way through the crowded street. Nearly every woman I passed was either naked or practically naked. All of them wore various types of restraints and gags and were led by their male "owners" by a leash. I did my best not to stare, but most of these women were drop-dead gorgeous. As a bisexual somewhat-kinky, sexually active woman, it was quite the challenge to ignore the view.
And despite my eagerness to blend in, nearly every woman I passed seemed to lock eyes with me and stare jealously at my lack of restraints. The unwanted attention I was garnering almost made me want to get a fake collar so I could avoid everyone's scrutiny.
After meandering my way through the busy streets, I finally arrived at Cedar Square. But to my disappointment, The Cedarhouse was no longer. A new sign now hung over the store-front window that read, "Murphy's Hall".
Dammit
.
In the courtyard in the center of the square, a large group of people were gathering. During the regular season at Notts', this is where the Cedarhouse massage chairs sat. Now, a large banner hung between the lampposts that read "Murphy's Hall". Beneath the banner, an older bald man in jeans and a white t-shirt was encouraging the crowd to draw closer for a demonstration of sorts. He looked to be in his 70's but had a surprisingly athletic build for his age. Beside him stood what looked like a futuristic piece of fitness equipment that resembled a giant spider. Jointed metal arms extended forward from both sides of a pod-shaped body. The entire contraption stood several feet taller than the old man and was nearly half as wide. But a sea of heads were preventing me from gaining a clear view of the device.
I reached into my pocket and retrieved my folded placemat. I scanned the guide to see who was demonstrating, but couldn't find any performances listed at the Cedar Square courtyard during this time slot. Similarly, I couldn't locate anything that referenced the name 'Murphy'. Out of curiosity, I stowed the placemat back in my pocket and pressed forward, eager to get a better look.