For 11 years, Stella and her girls cleaned out my office, and in that time we forged a friendship to where she would elaborate about her love life as one week it was about how this guy "treated her like a queen," and another week it was about how another treated her "like dog shit." I'd often sympathize with her, for I remembered when I was married to Angela, and how I wasn't the best husband either, and it would hit home when Stella, an older, black woman, would cry about the issues she was experiencing.
"I just want to be loved, rubbed, and spoiled," she told me once as we were sitting, eating ice cream as she and her girls were about to start their shift once I departed for the day.
I understood the rubbed portion that afternoon, as I'd been dealing with numerous clients over the phone as it was flu and cold season, and many of the clients were in their elder ages having issues with the hospitals clearing their insurance. I loved being in business for myself in this field of selling insurance as the dividends were more than just monetary, but also spiritual, in a sense, as I was able to help people sustain a decent lifestyle. Being in business for myself also had its drawbacks as I mentioned with the "issues," and on this day, a Monday, my mind was tired, and body sore, so when I started to grab my back after eating the ice cream, and trying to hint to the talkative Stella that I needed her and her girls to leave me be, she asked what's wrong.
"Just need a good massage," I told her.
She whipped out a card.
"Go see my buddy, Felix sometime. He's in Ogden, Filipino guy, with hands touched by God," she said.
She got up at that moment, then came around my desk to give me a hearty hug before her the girls commenced cleaning, and I packed my work bag with items before heading out the door to my Volvo. Once I entered the car I started feeling it more, as my back was starting to lock up a bit. I fumbled in my wallet for that card, calling Felix to see when his earlier appointment would be.
"Hello sir. I've got openings for deep tissue, Swedish, and just regular rub downs from now until 9:30 p.m.," he told me. "Each session is either 30 minutes, or an hour."
I let him know that I for sure needed an hour, and that it was 5 p.m. and I for sure would be there at 6 p.m. once I went home to shower thoroughly.
"Oh, and make sure you have a small meal," Felix told me. "Looking forward to seeing you, sir."
I did as mentioned as I went home to take a hot shower, then made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich before getting dressed and darting to Ogden for the massage. I made it to the place as Felix, a short, pudgy guy with small eyes and salt and pepper hair, greeted me, along with two other men.
"Hey there, you must be Joe," he said as I entered the door, extending his hand and taking me on himself. "We knew who you were because we don't have any other appointments set tonight, its a slow night."
He explained, then gave me a written medical disclosure, then went over the massage specifically as I chose a deep tissue massage. He offered me wine to drink to calm my nerves (a regular occurrence for some customers apparently as needed), then asked if I wanted music, or no music in the room.
"I opt for music," I told him, as he mentioned the music would consist of soft jazz.
"Ok Mr. Joe, if you will, follow me to the last room on the right, and sir, I will leave you privacy to where you can undress where you feel most comfortable," he said to me, as he had a strong accent.
