Outstripped

by Avery, T. C.

  "Well, we've not managed to break into Europe so far, maybe you could assist."

  "I need to think about it some more and it might not be right away. He can't know anything about me, though. I'd want to be dealing with you, at your end, so to speak, (they reciprocated a little 'double entendric' grinning) business wise that is, but I'll fill you in on; who he is, what he does; and how to get him to buy."

  "Why the need for secrecy."

  "I couldn't possibly let anyone know I was dealing in sex toys. I was brought up as an innocent and chaste, good little Catholic girl. No one, absolutely no one can know I'm involved. Okay?"

  "Okay, Okay, again with the seriousness. What's in it for me then?"

  "Money of course. Duh! And maybe if you're good to me and my needs, I might just take care of a few of yours. I can be very persuasive you know."

  "I bet you can. But first things first, I need another cerveza."

  He raised his arm to order but Jody pulled it down again and said, "Just one other thing. Can you make alterations to these toys?"

  "You mean custom make them?"

  "Not really, I know you design and make them. What I mean is customize. Something like, um, changing the battery to a smaller physical size but upgrading it to a higher voltage so it maintains its full power, but it also makes room for something else. A bit like a secret storage space between the battery and the vibration motor."

  "Of course, anything can be done, so long as we can sell enough."

  "You leave that to me. I'll make sure the orders are in first before any alterations are made."

  "Okay," he said, then waving his arm in the air again He whimpered, "I'm dying of thirst here, and Jody you know I have needs. I'm on holiday too. Can we come back to this later after you deal with some of them?"

  "Are we talking before or after dinner?"

  He paused for thought. Trying hard to make sure he got the right answer and said, "After. I think"

  "Good, coz I'm in the mood for a dance first. A bit of a warm up for the main event," replied Jody, offering him a very seductive preface of things to come.

  "Sounds like a plan to me," he said, acknowledging a 'good thing' when it was going to rub all of its naughty bits in his face.

  A moment later after the cogs had been turning again he suddenly said, "Hang on a minute. Why, or who, even, would need a secret storage space?"

  Jody took her time, took a sip of her drink, and responded with, "Women always have a need for secrets. Trust me."

  Chapter 12

  Its all in the Music

  The 'Meridian Glory' trip turned out to be a pivotal point for Jody. Besides enjoying the cruise for what it was and how it would influence her future recommendations for customers, she gained a new perspective on business opportunities and even managed to fill in the missing blanks in her plotting and scheming.

  Oh, and she got more of a jolly good rogering than the proverbial cabin boy to boot.

  She and Vincente parted company on the best of terms with a mutual respect for outlooks on life, love and business. It would take a little time, but Jody would be going into long distance partnership with him supplying the UK (initially) with his range of adult toys. Jody was confident in her ability to initiate sales and orders without having to hold stock, and since it was an untapped market for 'Placeres Privados', Vincente had no qualms in letting her in on the action.

  Obviously there would be paperwork involved to formalize things and he would soon be sending her one of the incredible presentation cases so she could get the ball rolling and ply her trade, so to speak. A certain large customer would need direct contact from Vincente, under direction from Jody, to facilitate the sales channel, assuming she could get it to work, but the sales drive would be borne of her doing, with a little help from her friends.

  For now, this would be a softly-softly operation that would take time and infiltration. The immediate and main focus of her attention and concentration would be the opening of her new strip club.

  She'd spent hours and hours, days, nights and a shit load on alcohol in the pursuit of that special name for the place. In the end, all it took was a tipple of her favourite beverage with a few friends, and a very productive impromptu brainstorming session resulted in her preferred choice of "Bliss".

  As it turned out, Bill had managed to get hold of a key to the old hotel whilst Jody was afloat and had begun sizing up the place for refurbishment. He didn't want to overdo things or even choose the decor itself, since Jody was determined to make this her own personal triumph, but he was instrumental in the physical side of things.

  A huge clean up operation inside and out needed planning and undertaking along with the refurb’ but as previously mentioned Jody already had the full cast of "The Young Ones" on hand for this task and Bill had some of his own staff take care of the more 'manly' jobs. His big burly trucking blokes came in very handy for shipping things in and out and each of them was promised a spot at opening night for their free gratis assistance. Naturally they were very receptive to this kind of bribery (I mean offer).

  Adverts were placed, word was spread, gossip was mongered and auditions were duly held once they had possession of the building. Their planning dictated it would take six weeks to get the place ship shape and ready to open. It was all hands to the pumps not just for the fit out but also for the show, and Jody was fussy.

  The usual 'circuit girls' were given a wide birth. 'Bliss' was going to be just that, and heaven had no room for excessive tattoos, gum chewers, hags and has-beens. It was about class, quality, dreams, delectables, the gorgeous, the glamorous and the fun filled spirit of a fairground attraction for adults. And it all needed doing with a smile.

  Jody wasn't looking for perfection, she knew there wasn't much of it 'out there', but what she did want was attitude, enthusiasm, willingness and pride. The seasoned veterans and the long in the tooth will do as they always have done. They'll manage and they'll work, but they won't deliver. They won't enthrall. They won't engage, encourage and wow their audiences. But a keen and pleasant novice behind the bar is worth ten grumpy professionals. A delightfully helpful hostess will keep the punters happy, contented and spending. And an enthusiastic and exciting stunner on stage who's willing to learn, practice and improve on her moves, her moods and her performance will keep 'em coming back time and time again, rather than an experienced but sad and tired old timer just going through the motions.

  Jody was looking for bright sparks, party people and team spirit. She was desperate to grow her patronage, of course, but she wanted it done with togetherness, pride and fun. Everyone can benefit, so long as everyone's in it for everyone. Obviously tips are personal, and individual success is governed by effort, but bitches and backbiting and bullshit would not be tolerated.

  So the auditions were in full swing, and it was turn again for the performers. Unfortunately 'strippers' can have connotations of sleaze, so Jody preferred 'Performers', 'Dancers' and 'Entertainers', who all just happened to get their bits out and make dicks stand on end.

  "It's all legitimate, its all for fun, and everyone's here coz they want to be so don't give me any of that women's lib bullshit about oppression and inequality." She'd say.

  "Everyone's getting what they want here. Punters and performers. So if you don't like it, don't be here."

  As it turned out, Sarah's ability to surprise just went on and on. Jody had hoped she would stay out of things as much as possible but she just kept turning up, and at some of the least likely times and events. Although she'd been quite explicit about her time 'around the block' in her tirade at Jody in the restaurant, Jody had presumed it was just a turn of phrase, not a literal confession of experience. So when she swanned in to the 'Performers' auditions and just plonked herself down next to Jody, it came as both an unwelcome interference and a complete shock.

  "Thought I'd lend a hand and offer up an old bird's experience with young chicks," she nonchalantly said to Jody as she took off her raincoat
and sat down.

  "I didn't think this was your scene," said Jody, not knowing quite how to handle the situation. She certainly didn't want her there, and she was bloody certain she didn't need any advice from her. "What could she possibly have to offer, here?" crossed her mind.

  "Told you before, I've been around a bit, seen a few things, done some shit, earned my wings, still got the T-Shirts."

  "I thought you were an accountant?"

  "How do you think I paid my way?"

  "We'll I......"

  "No, you wouldn't, would you."

  Jody was dumbfounded and a little bit torn between intrigue and incredulity. The need to know more and the knowledge that a seemingly militant, older outsider has first hand experience of the world that she lived in.

  "So did you, er, dance, wait on or....." and before Jody could blurt out the words she didn't want to have to bring up (turn tricks that is), Sarah saved the day.

  "Strip dear. It’s called Stripping." She mouthed slowly with as much sarcasm as was humanly possible.

  "I know."

  "Well you don't seem too comfortable with it. We are opening a strip club aren't we, not a dance club?"

  "Of course, I just want it to be a little more fun and frivolous instead of...."

  "That's where we differ then. It's always been the same you know and it'll never change. But I can give you some tips, if you let me that is."

  Jody was torn again. This time between wanting a full blown argument over just who's club it was and who was running the place and wanting to possibly, potentially, tentatively even take tips from an ex-pro from a different era, who just might actually have something to offer the new generation, that they haven't seen before.

  Swallowing gulps of pride and fighting back eons of instinct to confront, she caved and said, "I'm sorry, I just didn't realize you'd done all of this before. I'd be happy for some or any advice you have to offer."

  "Don't go all soft and soppy on me now, Missy. I've put good money into this. You're supposed to know what you're doing. I thought you had balls?"

  "I have!"

  "Well show me them then. Don't be letting any outsiders like me piss on your parade."

  Perplexed again, Jody didn't quite know how to respond. She felt like saying, "Well fuck off then. Get out and let me run my own show, you interfering cow." But what she actually said was, "Right. You are of course welcome to stay, but please don't interfere in what I'm doing, and do not under any circumstances question my judgement in front of others. If you've got something to say, you can say it in private. OK?"

  "That's a bit better. I know what I'm getting into now." Contentedly, Sarah straightened herself, eyes front and folded her arms to await the parade of 'performers', or rather 'strippers'.

  Jody's resolve had just been tested, and for no justifiable reason, in her mind, yet her respect for the 'bitch' continued to grow. She couldn't bring herself to like her, just yet, but admiration was on the up, for starters.

  And out came her first parade.

  The bubbly, the blonde and the big breasted. The bold, the black and the beautiful. Word certainly had got around and though Jody was pleased with the variety in the initial line up she was a tad disappointed with the talent and the lack of stage presence, or confidence rather, amongst some of them. "Never mind, we can work on a few, if they're prepared to work on themselves," she thought.

  "Next!" And out came the next line up.

  It was a similar experience.

  "I hope you lot can dance." She told them, with genuine apprehension in her voice.

  Jody went into the changing area to pep talk with her potential protégés. I say changing area since the stage and dressing rooms hadn't been constructed or readied at this point in proceedings. Ropes and curtains were all they could lay their hands on to provide some form of sanctuary for the girls for now, but all this would dramatically improve in the coming weeks.

  "Eyes and teeth," she told them. "We have to believe you're enjoying yourselves. Pretend we're all studs with big dicks and six packs, or pretend we've got a shit load of money in our pockets and it’s yours for the taking."

  Giggles abounded and the mood lightened.

  "And I hope you all paid attention to your instructions. It's not your favourite piece of music the punters are interested in, its gotta be something you can do your best dancing to. Something that sets the mood. And don't try keeping up with the quick ones. And ....... No actually I've probably said enough, just do your thing, you'll all get a chance, just make it work, make us believe in you, and good luck."

  Jody was genuinely keen for them all to do well. Okay, maybe not all of them, but she would at least give them a shot, and who knows what they may uncover (there go the puns again).

  The session went as well as it could, but only a couple of the girls were really up to scratch. Jody let a few of them down gently and told others that 'she may be in touch again' depending on what the next few weeks’ worth of searching unearthed.

  Sarah took Jody aside at one stage and decided to impart some interesting knowledge from her deepest darkest wizened old past.

  "It's the song choice you know. It really is. They all want to dance to this modern crap they call music. What they should be doing is going back a few years and listening to real stuff."

  "It's not all rubbish," chipped in Jody before Sarah could get onto the top deck of her sanctimonious soap box.

  "I'm not saying it is, but a little variety and tempo changes and class could mix it up a bit and create a few opportunities for 'show stopper' type numbers, rather than just the same old monotonous drone of this modern duff-duff stuff."

  "Such as?" Jody put her on the spot.

  "Such as......" she paused and pretended to dig deep into the annuls of her misspent youth.

  "How about 'The Zoo' by the Scorpions, or......" and she stopped to pull out a tatty piece of paper with a pre-prepared list on it of all her old classics. She rattled off a dozen songs that simply hadn't crossed Jody's mind, or anyone else's for that matter. Possibly because they were too young, or hadn't even considered looking far enough into the past for what should be any self respecting and well informed stripper's forte, i.e. music awareness.

  The list contained some beauties:

  Amii Stewart with “Knock on Wood”

  “It's a Mans World” by James Brown

  Queen with “Fat Bottom Girls”

  Inxs with “New Sensation” and “What You Need”

  En Vogue's “Free Your Mind”

  Lita Ford and “Hungry”

  Thunder with “She's so Fine”

  Billy Idol's “Flesh for Fantasy”

  Robert Palmer and “Addicted to Love”

  “Man, I Feel Like a Woman” by Shania Twain

  Heart and “Bad Animals”

  Genesis, “Mama”

  Prince and Sheena Easton with “U Got the Look”

  Jody was gob-smacked. "This woman's ability to surprise was incredible." She knew most of them and was kind of embarrassed that they hadn't sprung to mind.

  "You really should pay attention to old dog's tricks occasionally. They might just surprise you." said Sarah. "There's a couple I think you should save for yourself, but the rest, you should throw out to the pack. Get them to listen to some old stuff. Actual songs, not just beats."

  "You're right, you're quite right." Jody accepted the advice on behalf of her troupe to be.

  "There's one you should have a go at yourself, besides 'The Zoo' which I think should be done as a group, and that's 'Hitchin’ a Ride' by Saraya. No one will have heard it, but it’s truly awesome. A stripper's 'piece de resistance'."

  "I've never heard either of them."

  "That's coz they're old. Oldies but goodies. You need to get down to the second hand music shops or get on that Internet thing and dig some out. Radio One's not going to help you with this stuff."

  Jody's first lesson from Sarah struck a chord. She didn't know everything after al
l! And there were some bloody good choices on that list.

  The refurb' progressed to plan but it was hard work finding the right girls, or rather enough of them, 'performers' and 'hosties' that is, to fill the place. Bar staff and bouncers were easy by comparison, since Bill and his mates seemed to have lots of contacts in that field.

  The chrome and the brass were getting shinier, the smell of fresh paint was everywhere and the electrics actually worked, properly. Bill was proud of his part time, back seat efforts and Jody was struggling to contain her excitement as they got nearer and nearer to opening night.

  The mirrors went up, the poles were erected, the lights looked fantastic and the carpet finally got laid, which was more than could be said for Jody over the last month or so. "My bits are healing up nicely," she would say to Rachael and Lucy.

  She finally had her squad together, and practice, rather than full-blown rehearsals, was coming along fine. All the food and drink was ordered, accounts were opened, glasses, bottles, bits and pieces, toiletries, even the club currency had arrived and was safely tucked away in the huge safe that had been conveniently left on the premises, on the grounds it was too heavy to shift.

  Rachael had been kept very busy with Jody's travel agency and hadn't really had much of a hand in setting up 'Bliss' but she was mad keen to get her tits out on opening night. Lucy was well ensconced in the 'whole shebang' since she was almost single handedly running the office whilst taking orders from Jody and Bill. Luckily and for the most part, Sarah kept her nose out of things, but she did want a copy of the accounts sent through every week.

  "You must be getting it right, somehow," Bill would say to Jody, "Otherwise she'd be down on you like a thunderbolt."

  "Is she coming to opening night?" Jody asked him.

  "Absolutely. You couldn't keep her away. She might come across like she's some sort of stuck up prude, but she's not. Probably won't set foot in the place ever again, unless the money turns ugly, but she'll be here for day one."

  "Pity, she makes me feel like a bloody schoolgirl. Although, I suppose on the flip side, that's not such a bad thing in a strip club." Bill gave her the pointed finger and smiled as if to say, "You got it".