Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Nazi Sex


WWII. France. Germany.

Who would have guessed?

A new book is coming out regarding the sexual romps of the French women and the Nazi soldiers they entertained.

"A new book which suggests that the German occupation of France encouraged the sexual liberation of women has shocked a country still struggling to come to terms with its troubled history of collaboration with the Nazis.

Like a recent photographic exhibition showing Parisians enjoying themselves under the occupation, the book’s depiction of life in Paris as one big party is at odds with the collective memory of hunger, resistance and fear.

“It is a taboo subject, a story nobody wants to hear,” said Patrick Buisson, author of 1940-1945 Années Erotiques (“erotic years”). “It may hurt our national pride, but the reality is that people adapted to occupation.”

Many might prefer to forget but, with their husbands in prison camps, numerous women slept not only with German soldiers – the young “blond barbarians” were particularly attractive to French women, says Buisson – but also conducted affairs with anyone else who could help them through financially difficult times: “They gave way to the advances of the boss, to the tradesman they owed money to, their neighbour. In times of rationing, the body is the only renewable, inexhaustible currency.

Cold winters, when coal was in short supply, and a curfew from 11pm to 5am also encouraged sexual activity, says Buisson, with the result that the birth rate shot up in 1942 even though 2m men were locked up in the camps. "

You can read the rest of Matthew Campbell's article in the UK Times here.

Friday, May 2, 2008

The Week's End, Quiet Man

On Saturday, I had plans with my sister in law and my other brother’s girlfriend who wants to be my sister in law. We were going out drinking. We never went out together before.

I had invited Ricky the day before and he seemed tepid about going. I reminded him that Dane was more enthusiastic.

So my two sisters in laws were very exited to go out. I was drib drab about it; I did not hear from Quiet Man, though I realized he must have arrived around 2 am. I put it out of my mind, endured the sister in law scolding of not making any excuses to not go, and made time to get some things done.

I decided we where going to go to a restaurant with a fantastic wine bar. Or that is what I heard. I knew Quiet Man knew the owner, but he had never invited me to go to this particular place.

One sister in law was happy to get out of the house and dress slutty. She is CD’s mother. The other is more of a beer girl and I was surprised she agreed to go to an upper crusty type of place.

We arrived at Boat which for the elegance it has, is in a freaking mini strip mall type of place which does not even face the road.

We look around at the amount of luxury cars in the lot while one sister in law smokes. She was dressed in a drab longsleeved black sweater and jeans. She did nothing to herself to improve her look. CD’s mother wore her usual lowest of the low cut shirt, skin tight. I on the other hand was the odd girl out-I wore an olive green spaghetti stretch dress with low slung mules and a bright yellowish waffle type of spring jacket. The dress was low cut and I adorned the neckline with a thick gold necklace that detracted from the garish gold glitter dust I mistakenly dumped on my décolleté.

As I was waiting for the smoking girls, since CD’s mother joined the other, I was being eyed up and down by two well dressed country club type of men, except they were not WASPs. One was nice looking but the leering made me sick.

We enter Boat. It was incredibly modern in dark chocolate brown, white and varying shades of yellows.

The ambience was sleek and sexy. The wine bar was illuminated glass which shone one each and every bottle that made up the color in the glass walls from which they laid.

We found our way to the long wide bar. It was crowded but we found three seats together which we claimed. The men from outside where near us. They were again staring, but I turned my back to them.

The bar seats where huge low squares with four wooden bar stool legs. They where woven in nylon and leather and were comfortable.

We began to drink. After a few, I called Ricky, even though he seemed so disinterested in coming. He answered the phone quickly and to my surprise I thought I heard him that he would join us. It was so noisy in the bar area I could barely hear him.

There are two parts to Boat. One was the white linen dining area and the other the bar area. In the bar, there were long high tables also in dark chocolate brown with matching high chairs. People who were not together were sitting with each other cafeteria style, but high up. Every seat was taken. The chatter and noise in the place was electrifying and exiting. People where enjoying themselves.

I was drinking Belvedere on the rocks. It is my drink, but as of late, I was having a hard time with it. I was on my second or third when Ricky showed up.

Being a little tipsy, I stood up and yelled hello to him in glee, and he hugged me so tightly, I thought, the perv, wanted to feel my chest on his.

So Ricky, who is jubilant, joins us. My sisters in laws, both Aquarians, greet him as they do everyone-they are friendly and accepting, in the Aquarian manner. Ricky is a wine drinker so he orders himself something, a red.

We were already swooning somewhat from the liquor, as CD’s mother is proud to say, “Liquor is Quicker”, and Ricky was joining in on the antics. CD’s mother was getting drunk and more loud, the other was almost done speaking with someone she knew that she saw on the way in-the ex husband of her friend who was meeting up with us later.

CD’s mother is a wanderer-and so she goes around the bar, to the bathroom, poking her head into the open space kitchen and any other place she finds greetings.

So Ricky places himself next to me. He takes the liberty to squeeze me, kiss me on the side of my head affectionately, bury his face in my hair or stick his thick hand up against my neck and up into my scalp. Sometimes he would play with the hair lying on my back.

I was not happy with my make up that night. I chose to wear false eyelashes that did not look right and I should learn that if there is difficulty in applying them, I should not wear them. The eye shadow was a bit harsh in browns, tans and whites and did not complement my chosen lipstick in a deep fuschia pink. I had bronzed my cheek lines to ward off the pale, monochromatic effect of the foundation combination created by SMASHBOX Photo Effect and BARE MINERALS.

My hair also had a hard time, probably due to its length, to keep the curl tight, despite the shellacking I gave it with hairspray, especially around my face. It looked fine when I left the house, but then it tended to hang like a china girl’s thereafter.

This what was going through my mind when Ricky was attempting to be amorous during my intoxication. He apparently did not notice not one flaw of the many I was sporting that night.

So, I was drinking my vodka, and letting Ricky get his thrill. By this time he was sandwiched in between myself and one sister in law. I decided that this was an appropo moment to call Quiet Man and goof on him. Ricky did not want any part of it-of course not, he would prefer to be the only man with us. This revelation on my part woke him up to stop for a while the groping and stroking he was doing.

So I dial. No answer. I let it ring. I continue to talk with Ricky and one sister in law. I know the phone is still on, but I did not know if he picked up or went to voice mail. My sister in law tells me my phone is on. Oh, is it? So I shut it.

We continue drinking. My beer drinking sister in law decides she wants to meet Quiet Man and takes my phone and call him. He does not answer and she tells him where we are and what we are doing.

Ricky and I are now sitting at the bar side by side. He has a new glass of wine. My sister in laws decide to do shots of Jack Daniels. Do I want one? Why would I want one when I am drinking straight vodka at this point? Ricky does not want one either. They are doing shots whooping it up, so I am ignoring them thinking I was so glad the bar was at capacity so their barroom behavior was not noticed at Boat.

CD’s mother was pinching my rear end all night in an effort to get a rise out of me. Both sister in laws wanted me to take off my jacket to show off the dress. I was not interested, and besides it was not so warm in the bar area.

Ricky and I were sitting head to head because otherwise I would not hear him. I was trying to ignore the sisters in laws.

I feel someone touch me and I turned to think I would find CD’s mother who was not quitting bothering me.

As I turned, I saw who it was and I screamed. I did not expect to see Quiet Man.

He came to see us, eh, me. He was out with Sal. Sal was very proud to have the porn star from Las Vegas out on the town with him and Quiet Man was with them because Sal wanted to use the Rolls Royce, but was not allowed to use it on his own. A Rolls to impress a porn star; apparently, according to Sal, she was a famous porn star. Man are truly idiots.

Quiet Man was telling me the story and I was laughing. He was helping Sal out by posing as his chauffer, because Sal is not allowed to drive the Rolls. Also Sal paid Quiet Man quite a handsome sum in the thousands of dollars for this service. He showed me because I did not believe him. He had his pockets stuffed. He quickly put the envelopes back in. I stuck my hand in his pocket and pulled out the envelopes stuffed with $100.00 bills. I then reached into his back pocket and grabbed what was in there. I opened his wallet and Ricky poked his head in and tsk, tsk-ed me about doing that. So I put it back, but was annoyed with Ricky’s interference. Quiet Man did not care, he was amused. He probably liked that I stuck my hands in his front pockets, too. It was a platonic sticking, by the way.

Quiet Man then spoke to my two sisters in laws and then went to speak to a man whom he brought over and introduced me to who owned Boat. He also owns several other swanky places in the city and the surrounding wealthy suburbs.

I shook his hand warmly, he seemed friendly. My sisters in laws who smoke, took turns going out for a cigarette with Quiet Man. They came back to report that he let his friend, owner of Boat, to take the Rolls to pick up one of his girls who came into the restaurant. She must have kept him busy since I did not see him after that.

Quiet Man came back and I went to him. I could not resist. He came to sit with me while he was chatting with my sisters in law and he put his hand on my left knee. Ricky was on my right and he was chatting with me, his eye focused on Quiet Man’s hand on my knee. It was an odd combination, but being liquored, I did not care.

Quiet Man and I then left our seats and we went to lean on one of the long tables behind us. I could feel Ricky boring eyes into my back. Quiet Man, was half sitting on a high chair; one leg on and he stood on the other. I found myself between his legs. He held my hand and we held each other around the waist. I was talking his ear off in the noisy bar. Being nore relaxed, I felt the urge to touch him. I would put my hands on his waist, or nearer to his chest, and then would remember myself. I would then find myself rubbing his upper thigh a little above his knee. I would then realize what I was doing and then would just lean on his leg.

I was becoming weak at being so near him. I felt the warmth of his body on mine. The warmth of his neck, as he leaned into me when his face would brush my cheek, would make me swoon. Well I was drunk and he had to catch me a couple of times from falling backwards.

“Muse, I must go,” he started.

“I am not keeping you,” my voice revealing a curtness displaying my unhappiness he had to leave. In fact, I get annoyed when he does that. I tell him I do not stop him, so why does he act like I am telling him not to go. Go!

He had to go and fetch Sal and the porn star from the Hilton or wherever they were. They were going south into another larger city. It was probably around 12 am when he left.

I followed him outside after he left the bar. He was parked in front.

I went to the car and he rolled the window down. He apologized about leaving. I told him I understood and that I was not stopping him. Geez.

Then CD’s mother comes out to see what I was doing. Talk about having a chaperone.

Then the next thing I know, Quiet Man gets out of the Rolls and opens up the trunk. What is he doing?

He pulls out a perfume box and puts it in a bright red gift bag and hands it to my sister inlaw. I was flabbergasted. She got a gift? He then gets another for the other sister in law. CD’s mother is whooping it up she got a gift.

Quiet Man turns to me, Muse, you no want; they are only half full bottles and they are not a good perfume. In fact, they were not perfume at all, it was only Victoria’s Secret, but still.

So he kisses me on my head goodbye and I wave him off.

I enter the bar to see the second sister in law with her red bag, sitting with Ricky. I sit down and she is complaining about her gift. CD’s mother, pretty drunk by now, tells her that the gift was originally mine and I said I did not want that crap, so it went to her. That was not even remotely true. CD’s mother was cracking herself up hearing the interchange.

The only way I could convince sister in law number two was to have her call Quiet Man and ask him directly. I can’t remember if he answered or not, but I think he did and she felt better about the gift.

I turn to Ricky and tell him what kind of nerve did Quiet Man have giving them something and not to me. He said, Muse, that is cheap, sample stuff-he has something entirely different reserved for you, making a sexual reference.

So I began to feel sick. I could not drink the vodka I left earlier and shared half with Quiet Man. I had my head on the bar hoping I would not puke. Ricky did what he did earlier and put out his palms indicating he would let me puke in his palms. Quiet Man heard this earlier and was not very amused.

Sister in law number two and I went to the bathroom and she asks me about Ricky.

“He is so cute!” she tells me, “Why don’t you go for him? He really likes you.”

“I don’t like him like that, and he is married anyway.”

“OMG, he is?” she said, sounding shocked.

“So is Quiet Man,” I told her.

I think she found Ricky attractive. That is all I need, my brother’s girlfriend falling for my married friend.

So we are back at the bar. This time, sister in law number two used my phone to call Quiet Man. I was beginning to wonder about her.

Earlier, when Quiet Man was talking to his friend, I sent her over to ask him what she wanted to know.

The bar had many notices about it would be closed in about a week for a day because a Hollywood movie was going to be filmed there. And what a cast-and one of the famous male leads is gorgeous. I would love to meet him. That is why I sent her over to ask if we could be allowed there on filming day.

She runs over and I see her yacking away. She returns quickly and is squealing with delight. The owner said he would if there were tables opened. Damned, I thought how cool would that be?

Quiet Man came over and instead of addressing sister in law number two who asked, he said to me that if it was possible, his friend would tell him and he would tell me. I think he wanted to avoid anything with sister in law number two.

So this was the prelude to what she did when we returned to the bar after the bathroom, which by the way was a model of exquisite KOHLER sleekness, or some other luxury bathroom brand.

I let her use my phone to call Quiet Man. I hear her say disgusting thing to him about riding his cock and wanting to fuck him, she then tells him her name is CD’s mother. OMG- I reached over and grabbed my phone from her. What was I going to tell him when I saw him?

One sister in law, CD’s mother, was pulling down her top to reveal what she did not reveal by the use of clothing and Quiet Man ended up pulling down her shirt for her, while looking at me to see how I would react. I was not happy about that. She did it in good fun, but I still did not like it. She was about the bar telling anyone who would listen how she could not wait to get home and have sex with my brother, which grossed me out. And now, number two was leaving filth sexual messages for Quiet Man. This is what happens when you leave two girls to their own devices and after about two hours of drinking, to do Jack Daniels’ shots. Multiple ones at that.

Ricky is still at it trying to hug me and kiss my on my head like Quiet Man. I then make the decision to leave the bar since I noticed that we were the only ones there. No one was asking us to leave either. I found out later on it was courtesy of Quiet Man.

So we head out to the diner with Ricky at the wheel. We ordered our eggs and coffee and then headed back to our car. Ricky expected me to ride back with him, but I declined and went with my two sisters in laws. Poor Ricky. He picked up our bar tab and then our diner tab.

On the ride home, they commented that both Ricky and Quiet Man were both fighting for my attention.

“Oh, they always do that,” I said. CD’s mother tells me that in some weird way, I cannot remember how she said it, that it would be OK if I had a relationship with Quiet Man, even if he is married. I wonder why she said that. I think she wants me to be happy and if it comes in that form, so be it. I found that odd, because my brother, he husband who is very handsome, riles her jealousy of other women who are attracted to him. I believe they both saw my attraction for Quiet Man or vice versa.

CD’s mother drove pretty good, I did not even realize she was still drunk according to my brother who told me the next day why did I let her drive, and the other was passed out on the back seat.

I awoke the next morning. I did not leave the house until about 1 pm. I went to see CD who is a joy. His mother was throwing up all day and was a mess. CD’s mother wants to go out with them again, because they “rock” and they are “awesome.” She is twenty something, that is how she expresses herself.

While I am holding CD who is talking more and he is looking at me saying in his sweet high pitched baby voice, “Hi”, my cell rings. It is Quiet Man. I take CD out with me to sit on the lawn. His mother is behind him, wide eyed, going “UM HUM!” at the call.

I sat in an Adirondack chair with CD in my lap. He was saying “Hi” intermittently into the phone as I was trying to talk to Quite Man. He only slept three hours and was at the office with Fred for some reason. He refused to go to the southern city with Sal because he drank too much with us and did not need a DWI, so poor Sal had to find another way to send his porn start to the airport. It was now about 2:30 pm. He sounded exhausted. He just wanted to know how the rest of my night went and if I got home safe. Odd, he never asked this of me before on nights I stayed out with him until the sun rose. So I answered him. He had pulled over in shopping center to talk to me on his way home because once he passes that center, he loses reception. So we say our goodbyes. I longed to see him, having heard his voice, but he was going home to sleep.

I hung up and kept him roaming in my thoughts for the rest of the day.


Thursday, May 1, 2008

What a Week, Quiet Man, Part II

The next morning, Tuesday, I was on my way to Trudy’s to meet her to go to the casino. First I had to suffer her bowling league. I rang Quiet Man, then hung up. I had my DD coffee I was trying to drink, drive and call. It was too much, so I hung up before he answered.

While I was in the car with Trudy, her husband and her sister, while having to look at where Flat Foot lived when he was young, Quiet Man rings. I ended up hanging up on him by mistake. I dialed his number. The cell timer was moving, but I did not hear him. Trudy’s sister decides to show me baby pictures of her first grandchild. I was talking to her while looking at my cell with the initial indicating who was on the line. I hung up since I think the phone was hanging.

I did not want to call him again because I did not want Trudy to know I was talking to him. She already asked him about me at New Years.

When we arrived at the bowling alley, GTD called me, so I made my excuses to not go in to bowl, having business with which to deal.

I then used GTD as an excuse to call Quiet Man back.

He told me that he was listening to my conversation with Trudy’s sister. We spoke for about 40 minutes during two phone calls since he had to have me wait for him to call me back and then had me on hold for a long time.

I was happy to talk to him, my speech running rampant since he elevates my adrenaline. He is a good tonic for me, uplifting and exiting. It must be the laughter. His laugh is deep, resounding and genuine. It feels good to hear him.

While at the casino, I spoke to him, while leaving Trudy to bet on the horses. I could hardly hear him, but he was on his way home and his cell service would cut off soon.

On Wednesday, he rings me to find out how my night was at the casino, what I played etc. He called to invite me to have coffee with him later on that afternoon since he was driving to Michigan to fetch another luxury car he had purchased or Fred purchased, I cannot keep track.

I reminded him I had a lunch date with a friend and we made plans to see each other after 5 pm.

When my lunch date TR came, he surprised me with his new purchase he made a week ago. A cute bright red Porsche Boxter. He took me for a ride and I brought him to Quiet Man’s office. Quiet Man and I discussed me bringing TR to see the cars, which so many men find fascinating. We arrive, and he is no where to be found. I ring him. He was in the next town and would return in an hour.

“Too late,” said TR, “but what about this Mercedes SL?”

Like I know nothing about cars, so I passed him to Quiet Man and they chatted. TR said he was interested and would return. We then went to the country club to sit outside and have some cocktails and appetizers. We talked for a while and I rang Ricky to come and meet us. TR and Ricky liked each other, which was nice. TR had to leave and I was left with Ricky.

“So, Doll,” he told me, “what are you doing now?”

“I am waiting for Quiet Man because he is going to Michigan and he wanted to have coffee with me before he left.”

Ricky looked at me.

“Do you want to join us?” I asked so that he would not think anything else about it; he agreed.

I can’t help but think that Quiet Man is right about Ricky. He hugged me hello so hard, I felt my chest squash into his.

Ricky and I went to my office where I finished a few things. He sat on my couch waiting for me to deal with clients. It was a little after 7 pm and he decided to go home.

I myself headed back to my house and around 8 pm, I rang Quiet Man to find out what happened to him.

“Allo Muse!”

“So what happened to you?” I said dryly.

“Muse, I no have chance. I am already on road.”

“Why?”

“My wife send my son to go with me.”

I laughed. Heartily.

“She is a smart lady-my mother used to send all her children with her husband if she was not going,” I replied.

He laughed.

“Muse, I call you later, when my son is sleeping,” he said.

“OK.”

“After 11 pm OK? I call you to talk so I no fall asleep.”

“Yes, Quiet Man, that is fine; I will be up.”

I did all I could to not fall asleep. I had the feeling he was not calling. Sleep summoned me more strongly than my desire to speak with him.

The next day was Thursday. I supposed he made it to Detroit. I was not sure. The day passed with my only gossipy companion was Ricky. Poor Ricky, I always engage him in girl friend conversations-he does it because he likes me. I do it because I don’t like him like that and he is sweet enough to give me girl friend advice because then he is in the know about what I do.

Friday, my cell rings around 7:30 pm. It was he. He was driving back home. He was in a Black 1976 SL convertible. Enjoying the top down.

It was hard to hear him but I teased him relentlessly and he laughed. The banter and exchanges I enjoy with him are just that: Pure folly. It is the prelude to either something more or the becknoning tide between us that separates us with good measure.

I said something to him about being a man. He volleyed with a response and I chided him for having forgot he was not a marshmallow of a man. He is roaring with laughter.

“I AM A MAN!” I heard him scream into the wind, while driving. It made me laugh, thinking of him driving in the dark, with the top down and the heat blasting, holding his cell phone to talk to me while proclaiming his manhood to the open road.

I did not speak to him long when his cell went out-he warned me it would and I promised to call him back in ten minutes.

When I rant him back, the reception was much poorer. I decided to tell him I had to meet someone and would call him when I returned. He immediately stopped the conversation abruptly and told me to go. No problem. I would, and would call him when I returned.

I called him about 11 pm, just enough time to let him stew.

He had about two more hours to arrive home. He was tired but would not admit it. He was cold because he kept the top open and had the heat on. How exiting it sounded to drive the car home on the open road. I wished I went with him. He told me he stopped to eat dinner and walk around before heading back on the road. He did not ask me whom I met or what I did.

I told him that Sal called me that morning looking for GTD and asked me how my time at the casino was; funny to me I did not remember telling him I was going. He then told me he was going later that afternoon and was staying over. Funny, I thought; wasn’t Quiet Man and I supposed to go with him?

“Muse, he call you to ask you to go with him,” was Quiet Man’s response.

“No, silly, he did not ask me and if he did I would not go-I don’t know him.”

“No matter, Muse. He is gentleman.”

“Please. He is also ugly.”

We chatted about a few other things until his cell gave out.
After trying to ring him twice, I decided to go to sleep.