Sylvia Gronovski had worked her way through law school, been a successful lawyer, and had finally become a judge. People valued her straightforward manner – her non-nonsense way of dealing with things, and her common sense. She sat the bench for just over twenty-two years and then she went into semi-retirement. Rather than see jury trials, Sylvia, now in her late fifties, moved into the field of arbitration, hearing cases and acting as a referee, hoping for a settlement with the goal of avoiding court time and clearing badly crowded docks. She felt this was a satisfactory to finish her career and leave the practice of law gracefully. Kindly and grandmotherly looking, Sylvia had a soft demeanor, a quiet spoken way that soothed angry litigants and helped resolve complicated matters. Almost never did anyone contest her final decisions and her services were eagerly sought after by people who had heard that using arbitration could yield a happy resolution and save money at the same time. Widowed for ten years, Sylvia was relatively happy with her life, but still, there was something missing.
When Sylvia Gronovski read the briefs for the current case, she was amazed as she had never run across anything like it in her career. A woman was suing a man for assault and battery. The man was counter-suing for breach of contract. Both parties had decided to use arbitration to settle both matters and - something that was very unusual - both had agreed to abide by Sylvia’s decision yielding their right of appeal. It was a most interesting case and it would challenge Sylvia’s talents and wisdom.
When all parties had convened in the small conference room, Sylvia met Rachael Pineforest, a full-blooded American Indian woman and Howard Pratt, a retired school teacher. Rachael was a slender woman, perhaps in her mid twenties, with beautiful dark eyes, a tired look but an easy smile who spoke so softly that often it was difficult to hear her. She wore an unassuming plain dress with a simple pattern and had her hair up in a tight bun at the back of her head. Howard Pratt was a distinguished middle-aged man fifty-nine years old who had retired from high school science teaching one year earlier. He had a full head of gray (almost white) hair, appeared in good physical condition, and wore a business suit and a dark tie. As per agreement, neither litigant was represented by council.
Sylvia began by talking with Rachael Pineforest. "Please tell me," she said, "What happened and what you did. Take you time. Even though I’ve read the briefs, I want to hear from both of you and have you tell me the story in your own words."
Rachael paused, and slowly said, "It was about a month ago when I came to work. I usually go to work at about five in the afternoon and work until early the next morning."
"Where do you work?" interrupted Sylvia.
"I work at Personal Services, which is downtown in the business district. It used to be sort of a hotel but Miss Flora has turned it into her company and I work for her."
"And what do you do there?"
"Well, whatever the men want. Mostly I tie them up and sometimes I whip them or punch them or tickle them. We make our money by doing things to men that they want that their wives won’t do. But we don’t do sex at Personal Services. We just do bondage stuff and whipping and that sort of thing."
"I’m sure that’s all.. Go ahead. What happened?"
"Well, I went in and it was all quiet. I didn’t see Miss Flora or no one and then I walked into the hanging room. That’s the room with the high ceiling where we sometimes hang up men by their wrists or when they are in a cage or something like that. That’s when I saw him."
"By him, do you mean Mr. Pratt?"
"Yeah, him. He was in a cage that was hanging from the ceiling. And when he saw me he started making lots of noise and trying to move the cage around and get my attention."
"Tell me, how was he dressed and what else had been done to him?"
"Oh, he wasn’t wearing nothing at all. But he was all tied up so very tight – more than we do to most of the men - and all jammed into the cage. And he was wearing a big gag so he couldn’t say nothing I could understand. But I could tell he was upset the way he made sounds and made the cage swing around. It scared me to see him all crowded up in that little cage – he couldn’t move nothing at all."
"Haven’t you seen men bound up like that before?"
"Sure, lots of times although maybe not so tight. But they never made so much fuss and were so upset. So I figured that somebody had put him there and then forgot him and he was angry and hurting and I decided that I had to let him go right away before there was trouble. You see, once before we forgot a man and left him for a long time, and he got really mad and caused lots of trouble for us."
"I see, so what did you do?"
"Well, I went over to the wall and released the rope that held the cage and let it drop to the ground. And then I ran over and opened the cage and began to pull the man out of the cage and cut the ropes with the emergency knife that we keep in each room where we have the men."
"What did Mr. Pratt do?"
"He made even more noise and got even madder and angrier and once he was cut free, even before I could get the gag off, he started hitting me and punching me. He was so angry. That’s when Miss Flora came running in with two of the men who work there, and they grabbed him and held him, but he had hurt my face and made me sick in my stomach."
"Did Mr. Pratt do anything else?"
"Well, Miss Flora removed the gag as the men held him, and she said she was sorry – she kept saying it over and over and he got calm, and then they took him away and I didn’t see him no more. So then I decided to sue him for hurting me because he shouldn’t do that."
"Yes, I agree," said Rachael calmly. Turning to Howard Pratt, Rachael said, "Now Mr. Pratt, tell me why you were at Personal Services."
"This is all somewhat embarrassing," said Howard. "It’s why we agreed to arbitration rather than a court case – to forestall any chances of it hitting the newspapers. We don’t want any notoriety – either one of us. Anyway, ever since I can remember, even as a little boy, I have craved bondage. I used to find ways to get other kids to tie me up – playing cowboy and Indians or Cops and Robbers. Anyway, when I married, I summoned up courage enough to tell my wife that I wanted her to tie me up. She not only refused but said it was sick, and that she didn’t want to hear any more about it."
"Is that when you started using Personal Services?"
"Oh, no. My wife said that if I did anything like that she would leave me. I loved her so much, and we had a good life together so I did without and sort of forgot about it. But two years ago, just after I retired, she became ill and a while later she died."
"I’m sorry."
"Thanks. Anyway, I decided that maybe I could find a way to fulfill my fantasy. I checked here and there – you don’t want to let just anybody tie you up you know – and I finally found Personal Services. I talked at length with Miss Flora. She said that what I wanted was quite strenuous, and that she would only agree if first I had a full physical examination including a look at my heart. I agreed, saw my doctor, got the physical exam telling the doctor that I was thinking of white water rafting and maybe a masters triathlon. He gave me a clean bill of health and that was enough for Miss Flora. We made the arrangements and set a date."
"And what exactly did you request?"
"I asked to be bound and gagged in severe restraint for twenty-four hours."
"Had you ever been tied up for anything like that before?"
"Of course not. But it was what I thought I wanted. It was what we agreed to do and I paid the fee."
"How much did Personal Services charge?"
"Ten thousand dollars. It was expensive, but it was what I wanted. And we agreed that no matter what, they would not release me and I would stay in full bondage for the entire time. No exceptions. Usually they have a safe word or signal of some sort, but I refused. I wanted the full treatment, so to speak. I figured it might be my only time and I wasn’t going to do any less I wanted my fantasy all or nothing!."
"So obviously things didn’t work out as you hoped?"
"Certainly not. Things were fine until she showed up," he said pointing to Rachael. "When I arrived just after Noon, they took all of my clothes – two very nice young women with Miss Flora watching. They tied me up, put on the gag, and then surprised me by putting me into the little cage which they then hung from the ceiling. Then they left me alone. Of course I was still there when she showed up. Now, you need to understand, part of my fantasy was to believe that I was being held captive against my will. Miss Flora and the girls talked about this before and that was well understood. So when I saw her, I of course made noise and indicated that I was in significant distress. It was all part of the fantasy."
"You made all the noise you could?"
"Yes. And I really did want to be released at that point. I had started wondering what I had gotten myself into, and wishing that I had asked for only a few hours rather than twenty-four."
"You really did want to be free?"
"Well, yes and no. I wanted to be free, but at the same time, I wanted to do the entire time to prove to myself that I could. Anyway the gag was quite effective and I couldn’t do much more than grunt, but I did my best and I rocked the cage as hard as I was able despite being folded up and bound that way."
"And when she started to release you, what did you do?"
"I tried to tell her to stop. I signaled that I was fine and that she should leave me alone, but she kept right on pulling me out of the cage and cutting the ropes as fast as she could."
"Now, Mr. Pratt, let me understand this. You were tightly bound and very well gagged. You were not able to make any sounds that anyone would understand, and you were tied so that you couldn’t signal anyone really. Is that correct?"
"Yes."
"Then why did you think that Rachael here would know not to untie you. Wouldn’t she think that you were still in distress? Wouldn’t she work all the faster to release you thinking that you were in trouble of some sort?"
"Well, I suppose. But it did ruin the whole thing."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, the idea was to create the feeling of being held captive and for a long time. That was my fantasy. But she ruined it. Oh, Miss Flora offered to have them tie me up again and put me back in the cage and start my twenty-four hours all over again, but it wouldn’t have been the same. I was out of the mood, and angry. I got dressed and went home. When I found out that she was suing me, I decided to counter-sue as ten thousand dollars is a lot of money to pay for a great disappointment. We did have a contract of sorts – a spoken contract, but a contract nevertheless."
"I see. Well, I think I understand what happened," said Sylvia Gronovski "I want a little while to think this over. Both of you wait here. Do not talk to each other. I’ll be back in fifteen or twenty minutes."
With that Sylvia left. Howard Pratt and Rachael Pineforest sat and waited trying not to look at each other. When Sylvia returned, she sat quietly at the end of the table and smiled. "I think," she began, "that I’ll deal with the assault charge first. It is clear that you, Mr. Pratt, lost your temper and hit Miss Pineforest. Despite the fact that she ruined your fantasy, you should not have hit her. For that I think you owe damages, and considering her costs and pain and suffering, I am going to fine you ten thousand dollars. You will pay her as soon as you are able."
"I can pay her now," said Pratt taking out his checkbook.
"Good," said Sylvia. "As for your suit for breach of contract, I want time to think about it. You will return in one week and we’ll discuss it and I will give you my verdict."
"But I hoped to have this resolved today," said Howard.
"I’m sorry Mr. Pratt," said Sylvia firmly, "but some things take time, and this is difficult as you have no written contract. You will return in one week, same time, same place."
As Howard Pratt and Rachael Pineforest rose to leave, Judge Gronovski motioned for Rachael to stay behind. After Howard had left the room, Sylvia told Rachael that Miss Flora would be joining them in a few moments. They waited silently and after about fifteen minutes Miss Flora entered the room and sat at the table.
"Mr. Pratt was cheated," began Sylvia slowly. "He paid for twenty-fours of your services and got only around four or five as near as I can tell."
"That’s true said Miss Flora. And he is right, we did have a firm agreement."
"I’ve done some research. Howard Pratt is a man of strict routines. He follows his daily schedule carefully. Regularly at about six in the morning he walks from his home about a quarter mile to an exercise club where he works out. Miss Flora, you offer, among your ‘services" kidnapping. Isn’t that right?"
"Yes. We have two or three men who go out and kidnap men or women who want to have that experience."
"Good. Day after tomorrow you will kidnap Mr. Pratt as he walks to his club. Hopefully he won’t recognize your men. Take him blindfolded to your establishment, bind and gag him in some way different from what he had before. But make it very restrictive. Oh, take the bag in which he carries his clothes and remove whatever else he’s wearing. Let him know that he’s been kidnapped and that a ransom note for one million dollars will be sent to his brother. I’ve found out that he and his brother haven’t spoken for years – they dislike each other. He is to understand that he will be released when the ransom is paid. Keep him in very tight bondage, gagged and blindfolded for forty-eight hours. He’s paid twenty thousand dollars now – that should cover two full days with you. Then release him, let him know where he was, what happened, and that I ordered it. Is that agreeable with you?"
"Sure," said Miss Flora. Rachael smiled and also agreed. "Count on us – he won’t know what hit him."
---------------
One Week Later
Judge Sylvia Gronovski looked up as Howard Pratt entered the conference room. He smiled at her and sat down.
"How was your week, Mr. Pratt?" Sylvia asked.
"Judge, I’m dropping my suit. I want to thank you very much. Aside from my marriage, this week was the most exciting wonderful experience in my life."
"You felt you had really been kidnapped?"
"Oh yes. I didn’t know what was happening. I knew my brother wouldn’t pay any ransom, so imagined I would be held forever. I struggled, cried into the gag – everything. It was my fantasy fulfilled beyond my wildest dreams."
"I’m glad, Mr. Pratt. Then I’ll mark this case closed and resolved. Now, why don’t we go and have a nice cup of coffee and talk?" she added.
----- ---------
One Year Later
Sylvia Gronovski, now fully retired, relaxed and happy. At last she had found what was missing in her life. She walked into her bedroom and stood next to the bed. Slowly she bent down and kissed Howard Pratt on the forehead. Howard would have responded had he not been so tightly bound, hog-tied, and gagged. He looked up at her and knew better than to protest. It was only the start of his third day trussed up that way, and he understood from past experience that he had a long way to go before he would be free again. With Sylvia, he never knew what she would do. That was why he loved her so.
12.09.02