My Trip to the Lae

My Gap Year.

My name is Hamish Macbeth, apart from having a really crappy name, I have wild bushy red hair that's always untidy and needing cut, blue eyes which means I am in the one percent of the red haired population category, five foot eight and a wee bit in height, weight not too bad but could lose a few, or so, pounds. Not very outwardly going, always dreaming about where I would like to go and what I would like to do.

I have just successfully completed my degree at a University in generally what is referred to as engineering physics of materials. I am a bit of a maths buff and love doing maths that surround the physics of molecular fission, that's why I chose my subjects. Ok I am a geek too, it's what I am good at and it complements my social skills. My tutor who is also a bit of a geek, I think that is why we got on so well. Through his contacts, arranged for me a work placement which would help me complete my follow on Master's Degree Theses, due in, early next year.

You don't get any payment for this type of work placement from the sponsoring company, but you get some freebies, in my case a complimentary canteen lunch each workday, use of their office facilities and a good quality laptop computer, which you get to, keep if you finish your work placement. However I also managed to get an education grant to contribute towards my accommodation and living expenses. An ageing aunt who wrote short stories, whom I inherited my name from, left me a money grant that I was to spend on my education. When I did my spreadsheet calculations I could, just about afford to do this placement.

I found affordable B&B accommodation within walking distance of the company near a Lake. It comprised of a single bedded attic room, with a small free standing wardrobe, small desk and chair, which doubled as my bedside table at night and two stick-on hooks on the back of the door, one of which keeps falling off. Yes and it also had a small skylight window that didn't open, no breakfast included as I couldn't afford it.

I started in the company one Monday morning, got my security pass and completed all the paperwork, that I had already completed but they had lost in their recent office move. In the afternoon attended a safety talk and had the grand tour of the company, which was actually quite interesting. The tour guide couldn't answer any of my questions as it was only his second week in HR. I felt sorry for him and didn't ask him any more questions, which I think he appreciated.

My second day was much more interesting, I was shown to my large open plan office and had the choice from twenty empty desks, I picked one near a window. I was also introduced to my first office colleague, who had only started the week before me, his name was John Smith, who was also doing his Masters Theses. I liked him because, he didn't have a crappy name and didn't comment on my name while trying not to laugh. Our job was simple, we were to get the office ready for the NSRP trials readiness and hand over teams.

We were to organise and accept the office, as whiteboards, pinboards, filing cabinets, coffee and tea machines arrived and were installed. It was fun to do, telling everyone where to put things, and make sure everything worked, there was an office plan but that was only for guidance purposes and did not need to be taken too seriously. Then the IT installation team arrived, I thought I was a geek, I was normal in comparison. John and I got on great, during those two weeks we became great friends.

On the last day we were handed a sign-off handover certificate, confirming receipt and acceptance of everything listed. Audits were my strength and John's too as it turned out. As soon as we found something missing, like magic it appeared including four large combination security cabinets, two fridges, a commanders safe weighing 250lbs and a Regulator's gun safe, I never found out who that was for. We didn't realise at the time how well this would set us up for what was expected of us over the next eight months.

We also found out our job titles for the first time, from the desk name labels supplied, mines was, Assistant to Chief NSRP Handover Engineer - Core Barrel Package, John's was, Assistant to Chief NSRP Handover Engineer - Steam Power Package.

John always seemed to have something on or to do at nights, I just worked on my theses preparation, invited me out that final night for a beer, although short of money I said yes. This turned out to be the start of a redefining moment in my life.

We went to a pub named after a ship that was sunk in the Falkland's, it had a band playing, bit rustic but ok. Wasn't long before John realised I was short of money and asked me how I was managing. Only just was my spontaneous reply. He said he was the same when he was a final year student at University in Plymouth but managed to get a local part time job as an Escort.

Innocently I asked escort for what, his reply almost decked me; lonely business men. The geek came out in me as I asked what does that entail. They take you out for a meal, whatever, you keep them company and get paid. I said is that all, yes unless you make other arrangements with them, which is entirely up to you. I didn't ask what other arrangements meant; I wasn't that geekish.

I didn't know what to say, he then bluntly asked me; interested? I said yes or at lease someone did. I was probably looking for a thrill, anything other than being a geek. He stood up and said let me make a call, I went to call him back as he walked away but hesitated and didn't.

He came back a few minutes later and said ok my Broker, that's what we call him, will see you tomorrow for lunch, he is staying in the Abbey House Hotel, which was a very nice, but expensive hotel for executives about a ten minute walk up Abbey road from my accommodation.

As I looked in amazement at him, John said he has a new assignment up here for me and is here to give me a brief on it tomorrow morning. I think he could see that I was questioning what I had let myself in for. He said, don't worry about it you will be great, let's go for a burger or a pizza, the Broker said he will pay for it. We got two very large pizzas and beers on this mythical Broker.

By the time I got back to my accommodation I was hyper, what had I done, but somehow I was also very excited by it and sort of relaxed about it too. I was awake most of that night just thinking about it, all I was doing was making myself more hyper. I got up early, borrowed an iron from my landlady and made myself as presentable as possible, then I walked up the hill to the hotel.

The Broker was waiting for me at the hotel reception, John had sent him my photograph, we had lunch, discussed what I was doing and what he wanted me to do. It was just as John had said, including about any other arrangements, he would arrange it all. The arrangement seemed to be based on mutual trust. The money on offer was very good and going to make a significant difference to me. Like having food at weekends I wasn't working. We agreed that he would prepare a portfolio about me and see if he could get interest. I was actually a bit disappointed about his use of the word; could.

The following week John and I received all the new starts and got them settled into the office. Friday afternoon I got a call, I was to go to and see a photographer and makeup artist in Windermere for a photo shoot on Saturday afternoon. A package had been sent up there for me, all I had to do was go dressed smart casual. I used a local bus which took me right to their door. From the top deck the journey was quite scenic, which kept my mind off what would come next.

The studio was above a small convenience store. I met the owner Alex, the photographer, and his partner Tim, the makeup artist and hair dresser. Who was wearing the smallest and tightest shorts and cropped top that I had ever seen on anyone. We went into his makeup studio, by now I was stripped off down to my underwear. Tim did a fantastic job on my hair, then gave me a shave with an open razor, my first time. Being red haired I also had a faint reddish body hair, slowly he shaved it all off and then put waxed strips on me to remove any remaining hair stubble. It was a bit eye wateringly painful.

After it I felt fantastic, I was really hyper now, what an experience, Tim then said take off your underwear so I can groom you down there too. Well I had gone this far, as I stood there naked with him looking at me, I was starting to show signs of being aroused, nothing to serious. He leaned over me and held my shaft in his hand, which instantly went rock hard, nobody had ever done that to me before. I just stood their frozen in time.

In his other hand he had the open razor, I think he could see the terror in my eyes and said no, no, I am going to use a mini electric razor, this razor is far too sharp for that area. I heard myself sigh in relief. Slowly Tim trimmed me back as far as he could, it actually was quite nice being held there with a mini electric razor vibrating away. I was starting to get really aroused by it and was beginning to think I was going to squirt. He then applied fine waxed strips, this time, as they removed the hair stubble, which felt like one at a time, was quite painful. As I had gone this far I persevered.

He then said last one, had me bend over and lean on the stool I had been sitting on, then I could feel him applying broad waxed strips in-between my buttocks, pushing it right in with his fingers, that's what it felt like, must admit I quite enjoyed it. Tim then said; here goes; and peeled it off in one go, it was noisy, and agonisingly painful; I could feel tears running from my eyes and down my cheeks. His next comment sort of captured the experience. I bet that would bring tears to a glass eye, he was so right, I couldn't move for about five minutes and just stood there leaning on the stool. I felt as though in-between my buttocks were on fire.

At this point Alex came in and suggested to Tim to apply a silver tint, a sort of aftershave spray with a silver sparkle in it. As he sprayed it on my body, legs and other parts, I felt as if I was on fire. After a few minutes the stinging passed. As I was standing there naked, I could see the silver glint reflect off my skin in the free standing full length mirrors. My skin tone looked quite reflective and good with it.

Alex beckoned me in to his photographic studio and explained he would start with skin only shots, then speedos, that looked too small to me and had a loud colourful pattern, then very revealing underwear, gradually getting dressed. As each time you put something on it knocked the silver glint off. I was a bit uncomfortable about getting photographed naked but he assured me these would only be side or end on, unless I wanted some frontal shots for myself. Although I didn't really mean it, I said yes I would.

I stood in a sand box in front of a white screen which lit up with beach, sea or other backdrops as Alex photographed me. Tim came over and showed me how to pose, by superimposing himself bodily on me, even for the full frontal shots. It was actually quite good fun. I learned for natural shots never look or point at the camera lens straight on. Slowly I got dressed layer by layer.

It took overall about three hours to do, I then headed down onto the lakeshore to catch a bus back to my accommodation. As I sat on the bus, although I really had a lot of fun doing it, I was beginning to wonder what I had let myself in for. Because I never expected today to turn out as it did.

I had a flash drive with about thirty photographs of me on it, some full frontal and naked. Alex was going to photoshop about half of them before sending them off to be included in my portfolio. I relaxed and said to myself I would look at the photographs when I got back to my room and take it from there.

The following week John and I received the last of the new starts and got them settled in, ready for our new boss and team leader Commander John, Duke, Wayne USN, Retired arriving from the States on Thursday. When I read his name, I smiled into myself.

On Wednesday I received a glossy hard copy of my portfolio, it had five photographs from Saturday included, which were all very good, as well as my profile and CV. Must admit it was very professional and I was proud of it, I think in my imagination it reflected what I always wanted to be and look like. The covering letter also said that the client liked it and wanted to meet me, details to follow. My heart skipped a few beats when I read that. Too late to change my mind, I wondered what he would be like and actually want from me, and what were the other arrangements he might want.

When I went in early on Thursday morning, I was always first in, he was standing outside his office. Was mid, late fifties, over six foot tall, broad build with a very upright commanding stance and looked like his Hollywood name sake. As I went over to introduce myself, he greeted me by name and my Core Barrel Package team leader. Instantly I felt very comfortable and trusting of him in his presence, I was usually so reserved meeting new people it was embarrassing.

The rest of his team arrived over the next hour, over coffee, tea and bagels, I introduced his team to him, although I don't think I needed to, as he seemed to know everyone's name, background and skills, without notes. We got the first of what was to be his morning team briefs. He told us his background in NSRP work, his Company and his past service in the Navy and the Pentagon.

We were to refer to him as Commander or Duke, he smiled and shrugged his shoulders at that point, a name he acquired when he went to the Naval Officer Training Academy. All his team would be working on first name terms.

We then all gave a synopsis of our respective backgrounds. In the afternoon he gave all of us a one to one briefing of what he was looking for from each of us, I was last. I was in there for over an hour, very informal, he seemed to know a lot about me, equally it was already there in my CV, study application, my tutor's recommendation etc.

Then he came out and said he also wanted me to be his assistant as well as doing my Core Barrel Package readiness work. I said ok, sounds interesting, and it will help me getting more in depth practical knowledge for my thesis. Then he said that his partner in their company, also has a master's student doing practical training for a thesis in a similar field and I will meet Jacarei, Jac, Carlisle when he come over here with his partner for the final handover trials. I thought great we can exchange experiences and inputs for our theses.

The remainder of the following week and the next week were demanding as we organised everything for the audit stage, long hours with a seven day week. We all got on great under Duke's leadership and tutoring. Because I was working I was getting well fed under my sponsoring company arrangement.

The next weekend, my first off, since I went for my photoshoot in Windermere, I helped Duke move into his apartment, a converted Victorian town house, that's what the estate agent Ralf called it. He was staying in the Abbey House Hotel, which I knew, and I was also sent up to Lancaster to pick up his new lease car, a bright red Jeep Cherokee with a monstrous engine and all the extras. I really enjoyed driving it back and gunning it up the steep hills on the 590.

After completing his move as way of a thankyou he took me out for dinner, what's more I could drive, can't remember where we went. Post code into the satnav and off we went through the Lakeland hills, I really enjoyed driving the Cherokee. Duke liked a few beers, quite a few, so I had to drive back as well; great. As I dropped him off at his apartment he invited me to join him tomorrow touring Bowness and Lake Windermere. I walked back to my B&B about ten minutes away.

The next morning we left at nine for Bowness with Duke driving. By the time we got to the narrow lakeshore road with its high dyke stone walls, tight bends and driving on the wrong side of the road, as far as Duke was concerned, he was struggling. After a couple of near misses, one with a very large truck, we arrived at a Bowness car park and parked up. After that I always drove him, which was great as I really liked driving the Cherokee. We did all the touristy things including lunch and headed up to Ambleside and down the other side of Lake Windermere through Hawkshead and back to town.

After we parked up and went to his new apartment for a few beers. He dialled up his partner in Washington, what a set up a secure video and voice controlled communications link. The video link display was a wall mounted 84 inch flat screen, with three movement sensor's ball shaped cameras on top. As we sat on the couch opposite, his partner appeared on half of the screen sitting on a large armchair, we were on the other half.

We were introduced to each other his name was Charles, Chuck, Norris, I almost fell off my seat when I was told his name. He was of similar height to Duke, of Native American ancestry, with the build of a full back, which he was when they were in the Navy together.

Duke asked is Jac there; no he was down in the gym practicing his Aikido; no problem I will introduce him next time we are on. After Duke briefed him, without any notes, on this week's developments. We said our goodbyes and signed off, this was to become one of our regular briefing session.

The next week progressed well, again long hours but we were getting there and the weekend off, spoke to Jac and Chuck almost daily on the phone. On the Friday night Duke proposed we visit John Paul Jones's birth place cottage in Arbigland, near Dumfries on Saturday, it's one of these American Navy, Holy Grail places to visit. I thought, great never been there before. On the Sunday we could go to a private spa that his company had complimentary membership off; better and better.

Friday night we had our end of week team beer, then I went back to Dukes apartment to give our brief to Chuck and Jac, but I had my notes prepared this time. They were both out at some project completion do in the Pentagon. No problem we had a Pizza delivered and some more beers, he seemed to have one of these magic fridges that filled itself with fresh beers.

On the Saturday a bit later than we planned we set off for the John Paul Jones cottage, stopped off at the Gretna Green blacksmith centre, another on his to visit list. It was about 270 miles round trip so a long tiring day.

We ended up back at his apartment, another pizza and many, many beers, but this time I fell sound asleep on his couch. Woke up in the morning with the noise and smell of fresh coffee being made, wearing only my revealing designer underwear that I had used for my photo shoot. As a student I had experience this disorientation quite a few times. Well one does, it part of a rite of passage when you are a student.

As I was sitting there drinking my coffee, Duke had only on a white fluffy robe. The video screen suddenly lit up, it was Chuck in his black tuxedo and tie, he was just back from another Washington do and tried to catch us to arrange a conference for tonight. We agreed a time and it closed down. I went to apologise to Duke over my state of undress, he said forget it, we were in the navy together for over 30 years and never formally dressed for each other. Anyway given the flip side timing between here and Washington we sometimes hold these meetings while one of us is still in bed. There is a repeater screen in the bedroom.

After coffee and bagels I headed back to my B&B, with my newly pressed trousers courtesy of Duke's trouser press. My landlady gave me a letter that had arrived on Friday from the Broker, which she had forgotten to give me. I opened it and it contained details of who I was to meet, which decked me, not what I expected.