Sunday 22 June 2014

Sunday, June 22, 2014 -

Tales of Chastisement: Volume 1

by Rick Marlowe
Published: May 29, 2014
Words: 24,356
Category: general
Orientation: M/F
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OPENING EXTRACT
The Recruiters

You wouldn't think that much good could come from a broken clothes dryer. For Donna and me, however, it was one of the best things ever to happen to us. Call it serendipity, if you will, but it was because of our broken appliance that we met Katy.

When I arrived home late that Thursday, Donna was not in a good mood. That's an understatement.

"Here - grab a couple of these," she said, pointing to a few large plastic garbage bags, "We're going to the Laundromat." Not exactly your welcome-home-after-long-day-at-work kiss. A grumpy Donna explained as we loaded up the car how she discovered the non-functional dryer. When she went to transfer a load of laundry from the washer, the previous load was still sopping-wet. Since we were down to so few clean clothes, she continued to run loads through the washer, storing the clean-but-wet clothes in the garbage bags.

"We'll grab some Chinese or something while we're there," she said as we finished piling the bags in the trunk of the car.

The Laundromat was mobbed. Had people nothing better to do? We were fortunate to find even one dryer available, and that was due only to some good timing, as an older Indian woman was just then finishing with it.

We had barely started the first load when Donna poked me in the side, then pointed unobtrusively. When my eyes followed her pointing finger, my jaw dropped. Oh - my - gawd! The backside of the petite woman leaning over to reach inside one of the washing machines across the way was simply marvelous. I'd never tell Donna this, but it was even better than hers. The legs of her shorts, almost as if she had felt someone watching. Her face was no disappointment - cherubic, with upturned nose and framed by tight blonde curls. Definitely worth a go. Donna looked at me quizzically. I nodded.

I made myself busy, first counting quarters, then untying the garbage bags, only to re-tie them again, all the while watching Donna out of the corner of my eye. She walked down to the change machine, inserted a few dollars for some change, and then headed back. Just as she reached Miss Perfect Bottom's machine, she stumbled, and with an 'oops' dropped her handful of quarters onto the floor. I smiled as our quarry immediately squatted to help retrieve the scattered coins. By the time they had been recovered, the hook was set. No one is better at this than Donna.

I had commandeered a second dryer and was folding the first load of clothes when Donna made her way back to me. Although I had kept watch while Donna worked her magic, it was too far away for me to hear what they had been saying, what with all the machines running and all.

"So?"

"Let's see - her name's Katy, new in town, just starting her studies at the university for a master's in art history, recent nasty break-up with her boyfriend."