Joe Romeo had a
shop on Lark Street where he sold knickknacks; he lived above his shop and
could access his home through a back door. I had a 2 pm meeting with him and
dressed as nicely as I could. I was told that he was looking for models for a
book he was working on.
Joe answered the
door on the first ring. He was handsome with his dark Italian looks in his
little white tank peeking out through a cut up short sleeve flannel shirt. His
arms were strong looking and he flexed a muscle as he placed his hand on the
door frame. He was impeccably groomed with a little 70s porn moustache,
twinkling blue eyes that had just a hint of mischief and he was wearing tight
blue jeans with black work boots and had a body that clearly lived at the gym.
He smiled, cooked his head, put out his hand and said “Geoff, You’re much more
handsome than I thought you would be.” His eyes twinkled and a smile crossed
his face. He was charming and I could tell that I was not the first that he
turned his charm on with.
Joe motioned for
me to follow him into his house. “Can I get you something to drink?” he asked
holding the door open for me. “Just water,” I responded. Joe pointed to one of
the light brown leather couches that were separated by a coffee table. “Of
course,” he said and then walked into what I was sure was the kitchen.
Quickly, looking
around the room, I saw frames filled with pictures of muscle men they decorated
the walls, the pictures sat on bookshelves, in piles on the coffee table and on
the sideboard. It was dark in his apartment, the curtains were drawn over the
windows but I could see the light peeking through the sides. The furniture was
early Art Deco and a full ashtray sat on the coffee table, its ashes had
spilled over the side and lightly dusted the table.
Joe walked back
into the room, placed the water on a coaster in front of me, pulled out a
cigarette. He lit up while sitting down, his eyes twinkled again. “Do you know
what I do?” he asked his eyes showing that mischievous twinkle.
“You are a
photographer and you’re looking for models for a book that you are doing?” I
responded reaching for the water. It was suddenly hot in here. “I am,” he said
reaching under the coffee table for something. He fumbled for a moment then
pulled out several photo albums that all had varying thicknesses to them and
placed them on the table. He opened the first book and slid it towards me. The
pictures in the album were all soft porn and the models all had something over
their privates, a hat here a drape there. “I shoot for various magazines and
you would look great in their pages,” Joe said pushing another photo album in
front of me. Each album started to show more skin and less soft porn.
I pulled a cigarette
out of my pack and lit up; it was getting hot in here! I took another sip of
water and said “Do you think so?””Be cool,” I told myself. I was learning to
work the game as well, let’s hear where this offer was going. “Can I get you a
drink?” Joe asked leaning forward on the couch. “I’m fine with water,” I said
thumbing through the books.
“I would like to
shoot you in your own setting,” Joe said suddenly getting back to business,
“The pay is good and it’s a one day shoot.” “Can you stand up for me?” he asked
dragging on his cigarette. I placed the book I was looking at on the coffee
table and slowly stood up. “How tall are you?”he asked looking me up and down.
“Six feet,” I responded. “Can you take your clothes off for me?” Joe asked
waving his hand as if to make my clothes disappear. “I’m sorry?” I asked again.
“Can you take your clothes off?” he said waving his hand again. For some reason
I hadn’t thought that this would be part of it. “Sure,sure” I said putting out my
cigarette trying not to seem nervous. Joe leaned back on the couch and looked at
me. I stepped on the back of my shoes and slipped one foot out at a time, and
then I reached down and took off my socks.
I could feel the
sweat forming on the back of my neck as I reached down and grabbed the bottom
of my shirt. I pulled in up in one quick jerk and over my head and threw it
still turned inside out onto the couch. Joe smiled and motioned with his chin
for me to remove my pants. I grab my belt buckle and yank it back and the top
of my pants slide to my knees, bending over, I push them to my ankles. Joe
pauses for a moment as I step out of my pants.
I look at him and
he motions again with his chin “Your underpants as well,” he says through
whispered breath. I turn and face the
couch with my back to him, my stomach starts to lurch, this doesn’t feel right
at all. “Your underpants as well,” he says a little louder this time.
I hook my thumbs
in the front of my waistband and slide them to the floor and step out of them.
“Turn around,” he whispers. I stand frozen. “Turn around,” he whispers again. I
swallow hard and slowly began to turn towards him. “Nice, nice,” he says in
that whispery tone. I stand facing him with my arms at my sides; I never look in his eyes, I’m not really here.
“Now……I….need…..you….to……get…..an…..erection, “he says slowly pausing on each
word, I continue to look at the ceiling.
To be continued……
Geoffrey
Doig-Marx holds all written and electronic rights to his writing "A Day in
the Life". It can not be reprinted in part or whole without his written
consent.
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