Keshatrhia Chapter Twenty Three

Keshatrhia Chapter Twenty Three


                           ***George***


         Everyone expected something, no one wanted to watch tv, no let us watch George rip his soul out and ...oh.....so I get up and face  my peers with trembling and grinning, because boy did I have a good one.

        " Mistress Talmeurn raised champion angora hound dogs., you know, those kind with the very long straight fur.  Pain in the ass to groom, and she was a literal slave driver." I pause...

"Umm.... on tonight's bust up ole life of a snail we have George Edward Wisenburg, ..." pause.... breath.....pathetic plead to the reformer to just let me go on with the highlights, she clears her throat and I begin.

" When we left her basement she was a different person. "Now that that's cleared up, Mike take him to his room,  and get cleaned up. We are going to have alot of fun, but of course there is also work. I am going to teach you how to be hard working and socially presentable.   So that when you go back out in the world no one will be able to say that Ragina turned out some trash.  They'll say my boys are doing very well.  I like to have fun now, don't think I am all about the work. I believe in rewards ..well go to the amusement park, movies, you will get to earn extra privileges."   I noticed my reformer flinch.

"Then she showed us her Dogs, and demonstrated their talents. In my efforts to assess my mistress and be "fun", I made jokes about dogs. I mean all we did was care take and train them. We also had to preform domestic work.  Mike and I developed a code of sorts. You remember Jer?  Private language, well I made one with Mike.   Look there isn't much to dig into, she liked the jokes and even soft jabs at herself when socially appropriate, but god be begged if you slip up and embarrass her.  And it isn't like she didn't go out right to embarrass us.  Everyone knew we where in reform, she even had our uniforms a variation on the dog's costumes., while she always looked welld ressed and colorful.  But yes, we did get pizza when we did a good show, and we got prizes when she was very well pleased.  We where tournament achievers and her career show pieces, if we made it in this world we are ready for the real world. She claimed was doing her level best to give us opportunities....."   I shrugged haplessly.

 " Reformer, it was blinding hell for two months before I did break,  I mean I tried to obey but not matter what I did it was wrong.   This one time, She had us out socialising which often meant that we visited other reformers homes, a "friend" was showing off some home remodeling.  As punishment for burning the dinner the evening before we where denied food that whole day.  And  time was added, for any infraction in the mean time.

 "Her friend noticed that I was woosy, and suggested that my blood sugar was low and I ought to eat a cookie.  Misstress Talmuren's eyes got glassy with the smiling lie, and she put her hand on my chin and judged my health for herself.  She smiled at her friend " Well there was nothing in his file about hypoglycemia, Those doctors really should do a better job inducting prisoners, don't you think?"  " Yes I am sure they do as fine a Job as they can, but your reformee needs a cookie."
And the friend gave it to me. When I finished Mistress T instructed me to pick up the crumb from he floor, saying to clean up immediately was the only way to keep things new and I bowed doing so.  I was taken by a strange unrebellious calm, by that time.

"MsT goaded and flattered her friend to continue the tour, while I carried that crumb until I could spy a waste can. No no DON'T put it in my pocket, don't eat it, don't smear it on the light switch. God be begged, she'll take you to school about decorum. In the Hallway, We spotted a millipede and amusingly all stood shell shocked watching it. MsT said ' George, kill that.' I told her I couldn't have death in a new house. 'Well, go flush it down the toilet then.'  ' No I need,'  I said to everyone ' to take it out side where it will live.'  And I bowed down in disobedience to gather the millipede and release it." I sit  back down. " Pause, and now for a commercial break."

       " I am sorry to hear about that." Jerry remorsed. "MsSam was a genuinely kind person. She let us play and have humor.  We played pranks on each other.  Like this one time, we ordered a dirty magazine for her but gave the address of the old man across the street.  And he hand delivered it.?"
We all laughed, " Oh  Jer;  the Look on her face.. she went beet red and it took her like, two hours to figure out if that was a good joke or an infraction. " I added with relish.  " I mean that one is in response to the one she pulled when she reversed the hot and cold water spikets. She knew something was gonna happen.  But yeah we where over the line.  But at least we knew it Jerry.

 "At least  that, but Ragina was slippery.  I mean,  let me say I was scared of her,  I had to handle her delicately because she did hold my possible early release  over my head. "  Jerry studies me with keenness, knowing that I could not possibly have been broken. And asked me what I meant by that. "I mean that I snapped Jerry, I saw through her with sudden clarity.  But I felt different.

 "It was not about me getting one over on her anymore.  It was no longer about preserving my control thru petty rebellions.  Her treatment of me drove me to preserve myself.  She always told stories of how she drove herself thru the most terrible of situations, and she had to ignore many life altering moments. For example how when her father was dieing of a long sickness, she did not allow that to interfere with an important dog show. And that I was not going to be given  my customary four days  of solitude and mourning.   Because she knew the importance of  her responsibilities."  I noticed my reformer flinch again, and continued.
" And then all she did was work us, display us and beat us.  I saw her deeper motivations.  She always had to win, and she always had to look good.  She always had to have face and grace. It was all a show to her. Her real self was ruthless, and manipulating, crude and classless. 

"She took pleasure in intimidation. For example; most of the time Mike and I worked alone. Most of the time she was too busy to bother with us or her dogs. She come in and we would casually banter about ideas for the show. What tricks to coordinate for the talent act.  Here was where we where allowed to be fun, except for when her visit was a silent reinforcment of her presence and domination.  And I was suddenly bored with trying to avoid her lash and started to use my own." I grinned and my reformer's eyes twinkled, and I continued.

" Oh yes, those examples.... Clip show."  We share a moment of laughter.  " IF we started getting stressed out or like we wanted to say something back to her it went like this she was evilly more than happy to let us try to talk to her.  One on occasion she had been working very hard getting a show ready, She was over excited about it she was going on constantly about how well we where going to do. She had a chance to get  publicity, a magazine had offered a photo session and a story. But we where exhausted, and alittle grumpy and sleepy the morning of the show. She greeted us at breakfast  at first bubbly Miss Ragina, we tried to smile, but she asked us if we are starting to take her kindness for weakness again. and said " Look I want you to be excited this is an important opportunity. You never know who is going to be there, and who will remember you and you might just make a contact for work after you get out of reform.  I am trying to prepare you for getting back in the real world.  And Look at you two! I am disappointed already. "

 Mike was starting to shake, and he said " No Mistress, it isn't like that.  I want to do this show, I think your doing a great thing for us , but I just got to bed late is all, but we are ready , I won't let you down today.  Just you come in here and make us nervous about it, like and we aren't even there yet. We need to go on the same page Mistress."

    She became all glassy eyed with the sternness and dramatically closed  the door, sitting down and demanding, "So you have a problem with me?"  Staring hard at me.  I said "No Iam not the one, I am supporting Mike. I didn't want to bring anything up, but it is just that we are so concerned with putting on a good show Mistress Ragina."

 She looked hard at Mike. and he continued , telling her that we didn't let her down just because we where sleepy or grumpy just that we where tired from get it all ready.  He assured her begglingly, that by the time of the show we would be  just right. I jeered, "Yes Mistress wait for the result"   She locked her eyes on me again, standing. "Look, I don't need to carry anyone along that doesn't want to be there. If you really don't feel like it then you can stay and I will go myself and you will both be sorry.  " And I Stared blankly at her, and suppressed my grin. " No one said they didn't want to go Mistress, besides we put alittle something in the act as a surprise for your  birthday.  It  will be so cute. " And Mike chimed in with talking up the fun, and Ragina started to relax, assured within herself that she was indeed in control. " I noticed my reformer chuckle, and She spoke.

" George, fascinating.  But I think we need intermission, it is getting late. "  And she dismissed us to bed.