It's hard not to smile while getting public rubdown

It's sleeting here in Bow, at the place that makes the stuff no one notices or cares about - consumer packaging. It's an exciting and glamourous job. There's free coffee, a stoner admin asssistant who prides himself on doing a half assed job, stimulating conversations about what caliper paperboard comes from what mill and for God's sake can I please get one million cartons to Manassas, VA by Friday? Yeah.

I ventured out at lunch (which was actually 2 pm and I ate lunch at 10 am) to try to relieve some cabin fever. I ended up at the Steeplegate Mall in Concord, where I happily spent a few dollars from Christmas gift cards.

It wasn't until I stepped out of the store that I experienced the (so far) highlight of my day.

A coin operated Shiatsu massage chair. Oh yes. A row of black leatherette chairs lined the mall wall. I said, "Ooh. What's this about?" It's very possible I said this out loud, in case you were wondering. I stepped up and read the directions. "$1 for 3 minutes, $5 for 15 minutes...sit back and relax."

That's all I needed. I plunked down and grabbed my wallet and in moments I was in Shiatsu heaven. It started gently and slow, like an unsure lover. Soon, the knobs beneath the leather-like cloth came together in the center of my lower back and pressed hard against my muscles, like it knew I wanted that. I sat up a bit. It felt good, almost too good to experience in the mall in front of the GP. At that moment, I wished I had someone with me to share the experience and to help explain to passersby why I was seemingly smiling at nothing.

I wanted to close my eyes and really get into the sensation, but I was alone and didn't want to risk any possibility of having my purse grabbed or God forbid, my new grey pants and fuchsia sweater. I realize now that I was in Concord, not Brooklyn, but one can never feel too safe and secure!

Just as I started to predict which direction the skilled knobs were headed next, the chair stopped. My three minutes of work relief and Becky time were up. But not for long, because I will return! Next time I will go for 15 minutes and I'll wear a t-shirt to allow for more penetration. Hopefully I'll be able to keep just the smile and not start moaning, "deeper, deeper..." in front of the other mall patrons.