The Hornometer
by Mudak
part 9
As she had promised the night before, Caitlyn called Tara to work out the arrangements for filling out the paperwork for employment at Slippery When Wet. Caitlyn had already called the club, and arranged for Tara to interview with the boss. She said that her sister would be working there that afternoon, starting at 1, and that the three girls could go together. Samantha would surely regale them with stories of the previous day’s work en route to the club.
Tara had agreed to be at Caitlyn’s house around about 12:30, just after lunch. She found herself just as excited about this new possibility and the realization that she wanted to be an, ahem, exotic dancer as she had been the night before. As a result, the morning crept by slowly.
Tara spent most of the morning in her room, dancing in front of her mirror, imagining herself doing the real thing in front of who-knows-how-many curious and eager guys. Maybe a few girls, too. Who knows?
Watching herself in the mirror was exciting in and of itself, and it gave her an energy she wasn’t entirely familiar with. But it was a comfortable unfamiliarity, and, as such, it kept her going and allowed her to pass the time without too much distraction or, for that matter, without being with her parents for too long.
Shortly before noon, Tara hastily ate lunch and left to meet Caitlyn and Samantha at their house. The two sisters were finishing their own lunches and invited her to join them. Tara, too excited about the prospect of what she now knew she wanted to do, politely turned them down.
Seeing Tara’s expression, Samantha realized that she was a bit overeager about becoming a stripper and decided to say something in recognition. “You seem ... excited.”
“Yeah. I’d never thought about it before last night, but I really want to. I wanna dance naked and tease some guys and, who knows what else?”
“Nick, the owner of the place where I dance, will love your attitude.”
“Thanks, Samantha. Do you mind if I ask, how did you realize you wanted to be a dancer?”
“Funny you should mention that, Tara,” Caitlyn interjected. “Sam and I both kind of realized it about the same time.”
“So.... Why—”
Samantha interrupted Tara. “Why am I already working there, but Caitlyn isn’t?”
“Yeah.”
“It’s kind of complicated, but, long story short, I needed to get a new job in a hurry so my parents wouldn’t get suspicious. I quit my job at the bookstore a couple of days ago. So I needed someplace to go so that my parents wouldn’t know I quit.”
Caitlyn continued. “I thought she should’ve just told our folks the truth, but Sam pointed out that our parents—our dad especially—wouldn’t really appreciate this kind of job.”
“I hear you. My parents probably wouldn’t approve either.”
“So,” Samantha concluded, “I started working there yesterday. You two will probably be able to start later on today or tomorrow.” Glancing down at her watch, she added, “We’d better get going. C’mon!”
The three girls quickly filed into Samantha’s car, giggling and chatting noisily about what it’s like to work at a place like Slippery When Wet.
Samantha was somewhat coy about the actual experience. “Seriously, girls, no matter what I say to you, it’s nothing compared to how you’ll feel when you’re up there. It’s like, you know, the music and the lights and the whole atmosphere flows through you. It’s just kind of ... I don’t know ... magical.”
After a short silence, Caitlyn spoke. “Do you use your real name, Sammi, or do you have a stage name?”
“Good question, Cait! They gave me a choice. I thought about it for a while and decided that I would stay ‘Samantha’. Have you thought about it at all?”
Caitlyn shrugged her shoulders and said, quiety, “No.”
Tara chimed in with her own “No.”
Samantha laughed. “Personally, I think Caitlyn and Tara are both great strippers’ names.”
Caitlyn smiled. “Yeah. You’re probably right. So, um, what’s the money like?”
“It’s really good. I wasn’t sure of what to do about the money, so the owner recommended that I get an agent, one who knows what I’m willing to do and all. So I met with this guy named George Erasmus. He runs the jewelry store a few blocks away. Nice guy. He’ll manage all of my costs and expenses as a result of being a stripper, and take care of everything I could need. I’ll introduce you two if I see him today.”
“Thank you, Sammi,” Caitlyn remarked.
“So, um, what about the guys?” Tara asked, hoping she didn’t come off as sounding too impatient.
“They were all really sweet, actually. A few of them put their money in their mouths, and I picked it up with my tits. But really, they were all really respectful and appreciative. I don’t know if you realize this, but there’s an interesting power play that goes on with these guys.”
“What do you mean?” Caitlyn asked.
“You see, Cait, on the one hand, guys—don’t ask me why—just love to look at your tits and your ass. But you already knew that.”
“Yeah,” both other girls said, dreamily.
“Well, if you just love to show off your tits and your ass, you’ve got to strike a balance between doing what you love, and them seeing what you love. In the end, you come out, er, on top. But this is about power, girls, not doing what you love. And these guys want to give up that power but not too quickly. Can you blame them?”
“I think I see where this is going,” Tara commented.
“So the trick is to let them think they’ve got more power than they really have. You know, draw it out until they’re ready to cede all power to you.”
“And what happens then?” Caitlyn asked, eagerly.
“Then you can literally do whatever you want.”
Caitlyn let out a squeal of excitement and anticipation. “Anything?” She reasserted.
“Well, of course you can fuck the guys if you really want, but it’s always got to be your idea. After all, in this place, you’re a stripper and not a hooker.”
“Right, of course!” Caitlyn responded. She decided not to say anything, but the idea of being both a porn star and a hooker appealed to her. For starters, though, she should just work here and see what opportunities arise.
“You girls want to know something funny?” Samantha asked, with a giggle in her voice.
“What’s that?” Tara asked.
“Two guys proposed to me yesterday.”
Tara laughed loudly. “What did you say?”
“I told them both the truth: I’m not ready to settle down. One guy gave me his business card in case I change my mind.”
“That IS funny,” Caitlyn said as they pulled into the parking lot.
As the three girls got out of the car and entered the nondescript building through a back entrance, Samantha said, “I’ll bring you to Nick’s office, but then I’ve got to go get changed. Good luck!”
Caitlyn and Samantha both said, “Thanks!”
When the three of them entered the building, they were in what looked like a small warehouse. Samantha walked a few feet, then turned left down a small corridor lined with pictures of various scantily-clad but very beautiful young women. Beneath each picture was a name. Caitlyn paid close attention to all of the pictures and their names:
Summer was a leggy blonde girl with fishnet stockings.
Raven had long, flowing black hair that partially covered her otherwise exposed breasts.
Britney had pig-tails and a Catholic schoolgirl uniform that was cut like a miniskirt, revealing that she wasn’t wearing panties underneath.
Caitlyn was about to ask her sister two questions when they were both answered by the next picture: there was her sister, wearing a bikini; her thumbs were under the straps of the top. Caitlyn mused that it would be fun to meet these other girls.
There were four or five more pictures on the wall after Samantha’s picture. At the end of the row of pictures, was a wooden door with a golden name plate bearing the name Nick Tilton.
Samantha smiled and said, “Well, I’ve got to be off. Good luck, you two!”
“Thanks,” both girls echoed in return.
Samantha turned around with a flourish and walked the other way and quickly out of sight.
Tara looked at Caitlyn and then back at the door. “I guess we should knock.”
“I guess.”
Tara made a fist and knocked lightly on the door. Not sure if anyone on the other side of the door could hear this, she knocked harder, louder.
A man’s voice called from the other side of the door. “Please come in!”
Tara took a deep breath and opened the door. Feeling somewhat nervous, she stood straight and stuck out her chest, as she slowly entered the office. Caitlyn was right behind her.
“Ahhhhhhh,” Nick Tilton said as he stood up from behind his desk. “You must be Tara.” He took her hands in his and clasped them warmly.
Tara, unable to think enough to speak, nodded her head and let out a quiet squeak of affirmation.
Nick dropped Tara’s hands and clasped Caitlyn’s. “And you’re Caitlyn, right? Your sister had great things to say about you.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Please, no need for such formality. You can call me ‘Nick.’”
“Oh. Okay. Thank you, Nick.” Caitlyn said with a lilt in her voice.
“You’re welcome. Before we get down to business, I’d like to introduce you to an associate of mine.” He gestured towards the older gentleman sitting in a chair off to one side of the spacious office. “Ladies, I’d like you to meet George Erasmus.”
Both girls turned to George. Caitlyn shot him a smile that said she recognized him, but wouldn’t say anything. Tara paused for a moment. He looked familiar but couldn’t place where she recognized him.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, ladies.”
“Nice to meet you,” Tara responded.
“Charmed,” Caitlyn said.
Nick spoke again, and both girls turned to face him again. “Mr. Erasmus owns the jewelry store a few blocks away. He also helps me keep track of the books. In fact, many of the girls who work here take advantage of his financial services and let him handle their taxes, tips, and overall earnings.”
“Yes! My sister said something about that.”
“Your sister,” George said, purposefully and intentionally, “did quite well for herself in her first day yesterday.”
Nick, looking over Caitlyn, said, “And I suspect you’ll do just as well for yourself, if not better. Shall we get down to business?”
“Yes, please.” Tara responded.
“Very well.” Nick reached into his desk and pulled out two folders, each one containing several papers. He placed the folders, closed, in front of two chairs on the other side of the desk, and gestured for the girls to sit down.
Once seated, the girls opened their folders and glanced over the papers inside. Both girls started reading the top page and started to scowl.
“Let me explain these papers. The first sheet confirms that you are not actually employees of this location; instead, you are considered contractors. Essentially this means only that you will be responsible for your own taxes and not subject to the rules of being an employee.”
Tara and Caitlyn looked at each other. Tara gave a tentative shrug of the shoulders and Caitlyn nodded. Both proceeded to sign the first page.
“Now, of course, that means that you technically may leave us at any time and take your services to one of my competitors. This is a binding contract that states that you will each work here exclusively for at least eighteen months following the signing of this form. You have the right to request an exception to this contract. Depending on the circumstances, I will more than likely grant you this exception.”
Caitlyn was less certain about this one than Tara, who signed it without question. Seeing as how her friend was signing the form, Caitlyn signed it as well.
“This next form certifies that you are responsible for your own costumes, and that if you need cash for a new costume, then you may request a loan from me.”
Neither girl had any problems with this form and both signed without hesitation.
“This next form is an interesting one. It certifies that you understand that your responsibilities will include nude dancing, sometimes in relatively close contact with our clients and sometimes with little or no active supervision. Our bouncers are here for you and if a client does something that makes you uncomfortable, then the bouncers will support you, however everything you do, at your own risk. Additionally, it underscores that this is not a brothel, and that, if you choose to engage in actual sexual activity with one of your clients, it is your own choice and not the result of anything that we encourage or condone.”
Tara raised her head on this point. “If we want to have sex with a client...”
“I have no right to tell you not to,” Nick finished her statement. “But any decisions to engage in any type of sexual contact with our clients are yours and yours alone. In the event that your decision proves to be illegal, such as in the case of the appearance of prostitution, you will not get my support. In fact, the club may actively disavow you.”
Tara looked at Caitlyn. “What do you think?”
“I think that,” she started slowly, gradually picking up speed, “if we want to fuck some guy, we tell him to see us after we get off work.”
“Good idea.” Both girls put their heads down and signed the forms.
“The next form is your declaration of your stage name. Put your real name on the left-hand side and the name you want to go by, on the right, then sign it.”
Both girls wrote down their real names as asked. Caitlyn started chewing on her pen. “Do your dancers usually use their real names?”
“Most of them do, actually. Did you see the pictures of the girls in the hallway leading up to my office?”
“Yes.”
“Of all of the girls there, only ‘Britney’ isn’t her real name.”
Tara wrote her own name down as her stage name. Caitlyn demurred.
“Are you trying to decide whether to use your real name, or are you having a hard time thinking of a good stage name?”
“Both.”
Nick looked up at George Erasmus, who had a small device in his hands. He pushed a button on it and Caitlyn closed her eyes. After a few seconds, she opened them; she had a look on her face that gave the impression that she was looking forward, but not seeing anything. She opened her mouth slightly.
Nick smiled genially. “I think Caitlyn’s a great stripper’s name. Why don’t you use that?”
“All right,” she said in a slight monotone as she wrote her own name as her stage name.
“Great. One final form and we’re through. As I mentioned to you before, you have the right to have Mr. Erasmus over here manage your finances. If you remember, in your first form, you said you understood that you’re an independent contractor. Mr. Erasmus has very generously offered to assist with your overall situation so that you’re not hit with a large tax bill every year as a result of your dancing. This is an optional form, but if you want him to help you with that, just sign it.”
Both girls turned to look at the man sitting near the wall. He smiled genially.
“Samantha did this, didn’t she?” Tara asked.
“Yeah, she did,” Caitlyn responded.
Tara, without saying another word, signed the form. Caitlyn saw what her friend was doing and followed suit.
“Very good, girls. I’ve got a few more things I’d like to know about. We often ask our girls to engage in staged oral sex with each other for the viewing pleasure of our patrons. It can be staged or it can be real, as long as you either have a real orgasm or can have a realistic faked orgasm. Do you have any problems with this?”
Caitlyn and Tara looked at each other, neither one sure of what to say. They’d always preferred guys and never even thought about doing anything like this with another girl.
George immediately pushed a button on each of two small controllers he was holding and both closed their eyes. “That shouldn’t be a problem for two pretty girls like you,” he said, slowly.
The two girls, almost in perfect unison, responded, “That shouldn’t be a problem.”
George put the controllers away and the two girls opened their eyes.
“I’m game for that!” Tara said, excitedly.
“Me, too!” Caitlyn giggled.
“Great! Do you have any questions for me?”
Tara said, “When do we start?”
“Well.... Do you have costumes for today?”
Caitlyn started to open her blouse, revealing a red satin bra underneath.
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
“You two can start later on today, but I’d like it if you watched the other girls for at least four or five hours before you start dancing yourselves. If you’d rather start dancing tomorrow, that’s perfectly acceptable. Any other questions?”
“Yeah. What about during, you know, that time of the month?” Caitlyn seemed a little bit shy and wasn’t sure if she should ask this question.
“You should not work during your menstrual period, don’t worry. I do recommend, though, that you get on the Pill if you aren’t already, if for no other reason than to maintain a regular schedule so that we can schedule you on and off on certain days. I do recommend that you douche regularly, especially in the first day or two after your period has ended.”
“How much can we work?” Tara asked, eagerly.
“As much as you’d like. Six times a week if you’d like, but no more than eight hours per day.”
There was a short silence. Recognizing that neither of his new dancers had anything else to ask, Nick continued, “I’m assuming you have no further questions. Why don’t you join me and Mr. Erasmus, then, and come out to the dressing room, where we’ll show you around.”
“Okay,” Caitlyn said, and stood up. Tara was right behind her as the two men led them out of the office and towards the dressing room.
The dressing room was laid with a series of chairs at a table, beneath a large full-length mirror. Miscellaneous cosmetics and personal hygiene products littered the table. There were numerous racks of clothing around the room.
Tara giggled. “Looks like backstage at any of the school plays.”
“Yeah.”
There were two girls getting ready to go onstage. Caitlyn and Tara introduced themselves. The two dancers’ names were Brianna and Amber.
The four girls chatted amiably for a moment when they heard a man’s voice coming over the sound system. “And our next girl, here to dance for your pleasure is the one, the only, Amber.”
On hearing this, Amber strode confidently to a door on the opposite side of the dressing room and opened it. Caitlyn and Tara got a little glimpse of what was on the other side of the door: a dimly lit room with two or three poles that came down from the ceiling. They couldn’t tell how crowded the bar was, but there was no shortage of applause, hoots, and hollers as Amber took the stage.
A few minutes later, Samantha came back to the dressing room and changed into a silken nightgown.
Nick looked at Samantha and said, “You’re doing a great job out there today!”
“Thank you, Sir!”
“You’re very welcome. Tara, Caitlyn, shall we finish the tour of the facilities?”
“Of course.”
He led the two girls out the door through which they came. In short time, they found themselves in the main hall, which contained two long stages and which were surrounded by chairs. Each stage had two poles, and Amber was swinging wildly around on one, climbing it nearly to the ceiling and dry humping the it as she came down to the floor. The other stage was empty. There were two large-screen televisions mounted on each wall, with each television was showing highlights from the previous day’s sporting events.
Nick indicated the far corner of the main hall, where a DJ sat at a table, playing the music to which Amber was dancing. When facing the DJ, if you looked to the left, you could see a corridor, behind which there were several booths. “That’s where you’ll do the semi-private lap dances. A client can’t do anything to you but touch your ankles.”
The girls nodded understanding.
On the other side of the DJ’s booth, was a door marked ‘PRIVATE: VIP ROOMS’. “That’s where the completely private dances take place. You may do whatever you want with a customer in there,” Nick pointed out.
“In both places, our clients buy time with you. The bouncers will signal you that it’s time to finish up with a white light that is positioned in such a way that you’ll be able to see it but your customer won’t. Of course, if your customer wants you to keep going, he’ll need to pay more money. Got it?”
“Got it!”
“Great. Now why don’t the two of you sit over there and watch what everyone else does.”
The two girls sat a little bit away from the stage where Amber was dancing, but watched her intently.
Nick strode behind them and asked, “So. Do you think you’d like to begin dancing tonight?”
“I know I’d like to,” Kara said.
Caitlyn agreed, “Me too.”
“Good. I’ll let you know when you should start.”
“Thank you.”
“No. Thank you.”
Nick walked away, chuckling. George Erasmus, who hadn’t left Nick’s office, smiled upon Nick’s return. “What do you think?”
“You are the luckiest motherfucker in the world, you know that?”
“Yeah. I know. But you’re not that bad either.”
Nick scoffed. “So how much time do you need to give these two girls the expertise they need, to be good strippers?”
“The usual. Three hours. Shall I begin?”
“Absolutely. Can you do them both at once?”
“I can do up to four people at one time.”
George opened his briefcase and pulled out a laptop computer.
He connected the two controllers he had used on Caitlyn and Tara, to the computer and booted it up.
Once it was booted up, he launched a program called ‘Training Module Number 7.’
The screen flashed a message that it recognized two trainees and gave him instructions to choose the trainee(s) to be programmed. He selected both trainees and clicked on a button labelled ‘Train.’
He looked up from his computer and commented to Nick, “They’ll be ready before you know it.”