LAND OF PLENTY
Laura & Sonia were high-school colleagues back in the ‘90s and they both can preach some top-shelf poetry between the sheets. Think that’s about all they have in common... They haven’t spoken to each other since their graduation day - not a “how do you do?”, not a “how’s that douche you call a husband treating you?”, no social graces of any kind… Nothing till Sonia decided to bring her kid to the pool the same day Laura was exposing me to her many talents in one of the showers. After half-hugs and full-forged pleasantries, Sonia suggested we take it to a table. Underneath the shade of centennial oaks, the spell of dry rosé was mounting, gossips soaring.
“So you two were classmates…”
“Yeah, International ’94,” said Sonia, all smiles.
“That’s a nerdy one… Right on!”
“That’s why I barely got out,” said Laura.
“Too porno for the locals? A teacher couldn’t hold it in his pants anymore? Suggested some lewd quid-pro-quo? Head for the midterms… Full service for graduation?”
“My God, you’re just like your book!” smiled Sonia.
“You got it?”
“Yeah! Last winter. I like your writing.”
“And… I’m hard.”
“Really? After everything in there?” asked Laura.
“I like how you see things - sex, this generation, life, women…” said Sonia.
“What are you doin’ tonight?”
“You’re an asshole!” overrode Laura, some pecans flying my way.
“You two are together? I know she checks the age box, but I thought you don’t want relationships...”
“Are we?” I asked Laura.
“Do you wanna go in that direction?”
“I thought we were just exchangin' fluids…”
“Is that all I am to you? A walking vadge?” she smiled, inhaling her fag.
“Your blow’s no slouch, either…”
“Nor are your camera skills…” cut in Sonia.
Her retort got segued into a brief silence.
“Camera skills…? You some kind of photographer? Actress?” I shot in the dark, every guess met by another smile from Laura, shaking her head to my every try.
“I videochat.”
“Well, if it helps heat the pool…”
“Like no other métier…” said Sonia.
“And that makes you what… A freelance model on Instagram?”
“Once upon a time, I was one, yeah…” smiled Laura. “How can I find you?” she continued, picking up her phone.
“Teddy Hill.”
“Here, I sent you a request.”
I picked up mine and checked her profile.
“Travel addict… Cool that! 55 countries… You must be a busy girl.”
“You into the big thing now? Clients overseas?” asked Sonia, lighting another smoke.
“Yeah, about two years ago I signed with a modeling agency… They have clients all over the world… Mostly Dubai. Made some acquaintances in high places, then I left the agency.”
“Your parents must be so proud,” smiled Sonia.
“You sound like livin’ the good life, Bettie Page…”
“So you two were classmates…”
“Yeah, International ’94,” said Sonia, all smiles.
“That’s a nerdy one… Right on!”
“That’s why I barely got out,” said Laura.
“Too porno for the locals? A teacher couldn’t hold it in his pants anymore? Suggested some lewd quid-pro-quo? Head for the midterms… Full service for graduation?”
“My God, you’re just like your book!” smiled Sonia.
“You got it?”
“Yeah! Last winter. I like your writing.”
“And… I’m hard.”
“Really? After everything in there?” asked Laura.
“I like how you see things - sex, this generation, life, women…” said Sonia.
“What are you doin’ tonight?”
“You’re an asshole!” overrode Laura, some pecans flying my way.
“You two are together? I know she checks the age box, but I thought you don’t want relationships...”
“Are we?” I asked Laura.
“Do you wanna go in that direction?”
“I thought we were just exchangin' fluids…”
“Is that all I am to you? A walking vadge?” she smiled, inhaling her fag.
“Your blow’s no slouch, either…”
“Nor are your camera skills…” cut in Sonia.
Her retort got segued into a brief silence.
“Camera skills…? You some kind of photographer? Actress?” I shot in the dark, every guess met by another smile from Laura, shaking her head to my every try.
“I videochat.”
“Well, if it helps heat the pool…”
“Like no other métier…” said Sonia.
“And that makes you what… A freelance model on Instagram?”
“Once upon a time, I was one, yeah…” smiled Laura. “How can I find you?” she continued, picking up her phone.
“Teddy Hill.”
“Here, I sent you a request.”
I picked up mine and checked her profile.
“Travel addict… Cool that! 55 countries… You must be a busy girl.”
“You into the big thing now? Clients overseas?” asked Sonia, lighting another smoke.
“Yeah, about two years ago I signed with a modeling agency… They have clients all over the world… Mostly Dubai. Made some acquaintances in high places, then I left the agency.”
“Your parents must be so proud,” smiled Sonia.
“You sound like livin’ the good life, Bettie Page…”
* * *
Six hours later, Sonia was killing her cigarette on the ashtray upon my ribs, her body shining in bedroom lights.
“So… What the hell did you see in her?”
“Besides the obvious?”
“Yeah, I know… But still, you could have killed the time with somebody else… One that doesn’t suck it for a livin’.”
“They most do ‘round here…”
“True that… How much time did you smoke with her?”
“I don’t know… Two days? Why?”
“Two more than you should have had… She’s a slut. Never liked her.”
“I can concur, but still… Not bad to have around for some fast sweat.”
“Sperm bank, I get it… But doesn’t it bother you to have it in the same holes as the Lawrences of Her Labia?”
“You’re right, fuck that slut…”
She smiled and bit my lip. Ran her hand down my body, nothing around but her risqué breath and George Michael’s Jive Talkin’.
“What about you?”
“What about me?” she asked, biting my chest.
“Why the fuck did you get married? You seem way too cool for that shit…”
“Thought I was in love… Turned out I was just stupid. Now I’m thinking of divorcin’ him.”
“Well, it’s never too late…”
“Our marriage died years ago, but I’m really fortunate to have the kid… and my job.”
“What do you do?”
“I’m a dentist.”
“Aw, then we’re both assholes… Least you don’t strip for a livin’… Guess that’s somethin’ rare nowadays.”
“I don’t… But I thought about it. Thought about takin’ the easy way out. Couple of times, actually… But I couldn’t look myself in the mirror afterwards.”
“You’re somethin’ else… I hope you know it.”
“Well, that’s how I was brought up… Don’t suck it left ’n’ right,” she said, inhaling her cigarette in hot sights. “Though these last two hours here might label me a fucking liar…”
“You ain’t no liar. You might very well be the only chick with some decency left ‘round here…”
“Least I ain’t no travel addict,” she smiled.
“Well, yeah… Your friend’s the one tryin’ to pass for somethin’ else. She ain’t alone, though… City’s packed.”
“I know… I even had some friends… Married with children, livin’ in penthouses on this fucking street, actually…. But apparently livin’ across the park ain’t cuttin’ it when you got hitched for the money… Your husband’s plastic money…”
“See? That’s why you’re different. You’re smart… You see this crap. Most others, they don’t… But I guess that’s the reality of this fucked-up day and age, really…”
“I know. Especially of this fucking North-side… This neighborhood… The land of plenty... Douchebags that should be in jail, instead they’re passing as plastic millionaires… Their worn-out wives runnin’ in the park to keep them interested, sucking their personal trainers for the cardio… Lunch with the husband, dinner with the lover… Pics from happy holidays on Instagram… Everything’s gotta look fucking amazing from the outside… Like they ain’t cheatin’ on each other… Like the kids ain’t already fucked-up ‘cause of all the fightin’…”
I sat and watched her, half-spent, even more enthralled by her looks, her words, her touch… There, in the stains, she flamed in shades of lust and sense… of a world now gone with the wind.
She smiled and bit my lip. Ran her hand down my body, nothing around but her risqué breath and George Michael’s Jive Talkin’.
“What about you?”
“What about me?” she asked, biting my chest.
“Why the fuck did you get married? You seem way too cool for that shit…”
“Thought I was in love… Turned out I was just stupid. Now I’m thinking of divorcin’ him.”
“Well, it’s never too late…”
“Our marriage died years ago, but I’m really fortunate to have the kid… and my job.”
“What do you do?”
“I’m a dentist.”
“Aw, then we’re both assholes… Least you don’t strip for a livin’… Guess that’s somethin’ rare nowadays.”
“I don’t… But I thought about it. Thought about takin’ the easy way out. Couple of times, actually… But I couldn’t look myself in the mirror afterwards.”
“You’re somethin’ else… I hope you know it.”
“Well, that’s how I was brought up… Don’t suck it left ’n’ right,” she said, inhaling her cigarette in hot sights. “Though these last two hours here might label me a fucking liar…”
“You ain’t no liar. You might very well be the only chick with some decency left ‘round here…”
“Least I ain’t no travel addict,” she smiled.
“Well, yeah… Your friend’s the one tryin’ to pass for somethin’ else. She ain’t alone, though… City’s packed.”
“I know… I even had some friends… Married with children, livin’ in penthouses on this fucking street, actually…. But apparently livin’ across the park ain’t cuttin’ it when you got hitched for the money… Your husband’s plastic money…”
“See? That’s why you’re different. You’re smart… You see this crap. Most others, they don’t… But I guess that’s the reality of this fucked-up day and age, really…”
“I know. Especially of this fucking North-side… This neighborhood… The land of plenty... Douchebags that should be in jail, instead they’re passing as plastic millionaires… Their worn-out wives runnin’ in the park to keep them interested, sucking their personal trainers for the cardio… Lunch with the husband, dinner with the lover… Pics from happy holidays on Instagram… Everything’s gotta look fucking amazing from the outside… Like they ain’t cheatin’ on each other… Like the kids ain’t already fucked-up ‘cause of all the fightin’…”
I sat and watched her, half-spent, even more enthralled by her looks, her words, her touch… There, in the stains, she flamed in shades of lust and sense… of a world now gone with the wind.
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