An invasion of armies can be resisted, but not the invasion of ideas.
– Victor Hugo
Gene usually got dressed quickly, gave Katherine some kind of rough estimate of when she should expect him to call again, asked her what she had planned for dinner and then told her what a lovely time he’d had before heading out the door. But when he fumbled with his shoes, tied his tie unevenly, and otherwise delayed leaving while making no conversation at all, she knew he was nervous about something.
“Kathy, I just wanted to let you know that I saw Victoria Tate, but I won’t again,” he finally blurted out.
She took his hand and smiled. “I think you sometimes forget that I’m not your wife, Gene; you don’t owe me fidelity. You can see Victoria or any other escort you like, and you don’t have to report it to me or seek forgiveness.”
“Well, usually I don’t; I mean, you know I’ve seen other girls before, and that I always come back to you. But somehow, it just seemed different with Victoria, like I was betraying you or something.”
“That’s silly; how could seeing Victoria be any more a betrayal than seeing anyone else?”
He paused for a moment, then: “Because we both know she’s marketing herself as a younger alternative to you.” If the statement hurt her feelings, she gave no outward sign. The situation was obvious to everyone in town: Victoria used similar advertising copy, presented herself in the same general fashion, even provided the same kind of amenities at her incall. Both women were tall, charismatic, classically-beautiful brunettes, both well-educated and well-spoken, both endowed with that indefinable quality known as “class”. But while Katherine was well over fifty, Victoria was still under twenty-five. And while Katherine had never really learned to take full advantage of the marketing possibilities the internet offered, Victoria knew every last one.
“Do you remember Melinda Van Doren? She was the most highly-regarded escort in the city when I started working in 1975.”
“No, I didn’t try the hobby until after my first wife and I divorced in ’81, and I don’t remember the name.”
“That’s because she retired in ’79. Well, you know it was all services and word of mouth in those days, but I had new ideas. When I first started it was just to pay my way through school, but by the time I graduated I realized I wanted to make a career of it. So I paid bribes, placed private ads, offered spiffs to every concierge in town, and slowly began to win Melinda’s clientele from her.”
“I can’t imagine you being so…”
“Ruthless is the word,” she laughed. “I was a different person then, an awful, hungry little upstart intent on invading and capturing my rival’s territory. It wasn’t until Melinda confronted me that I changed.”
“What did she say to you?”
“Oh, it was so long ago…suffice to say she made me see the error of my ways. She retired not too long after; moved to one of those countries where American dollars go a long way. Costa Rica, I think it was.”
“Well, I’m glad you changed; I don’t think I’d have liked you like that. I know I don’t like Victoria. Hey, maybe you need to talk to her like Melinda talked to you.”
“Yes, maybe I do.”
After Gene had gone, Kathy opened up the email folder where she had saved all the other messages on the subject…and there had been several, both from clients and from escorts. She was very popular and respected, and a number of people were upset about Victoria’s tactics…which had in the past few months gone from mere competition to character assassination, rumor-starting and, last week, a poorly-executed attempt to get her arrested (which might’ve succeeded if she hadn’t had an informant in the vice division). Clearly something had to be done, and soon. She picked up the phone.
“Hello?”
“Hi, Victoria, this is Katherine Nolan.”
“How did you get this number?”
“That’s not really important. We need to talk.”
“About what?”
“I think you know the answer.”
“Look, I really don’t have time right now…”
“Yes, you do. In fact, I think you’ll be very interested in what I have to say. I’ve been thinking about retiring for a long time now, but putting it off because I needed someone to take care of my gentlemen for me. And I think you just may be the woman to do it…”
An hour later, Victoria opened the door to usher Kathy into her incall. Though she had been understandably suspicious of Kathy’s motives, the offer had been too good to pass up: the older woman had said she was tired of drama and felt it was better to bow out gracefully rather than contribute to strife in what had previously been a largely-harmonious community. A few hours of small talk, a few empty promises, and the field would be clear; if there was any chance at all Kathy was being honest, Victoria had no choice but to risk it. And so they chatted over coffee, and after a while Victoria actually found herself beginning to like the veteran courtesan, and to feel a few pangs of regret for her unscrupulous tactics.
“Think nothing of it, my dear,” said Kathy; “you’re young and determined to succeed, so it isn’t surprising you might overstep the bounds of propriety from time to time. Why, when I first started working, years before you were born, I was just as ambitious. But then I had a meeting with the older lady with whom I was in competition, just as you and I are meeting today, and after that day everything was all right.”
“So she made you the same offer that you’re making me?”
“Yes, that was how she got me to invite her over, just as it got you to invite me.” Kathy’s voice suddenly sounded different – cold, strange and very, very old. Victoria was transfixed by her gaze and felt a sudden wave of inexplicable terror wash over her; she tried to scream but the sound was strangled in her throat, and though she tried to struggle it was as though she was held fast by the tentacles of some invisible nightmare.
*******************************************************************
“You know, I really need to compliment you on your exquisite taste; some of these pieces are really fine,” Roger said as Victoria walked with him to the door.
“Thank you, but I’m afraid I can’t take credit; an older escort helped me find a lot of it. You may remember her, Katherine Nolan?”
“No, I only moved here two years ago, but I think I’ve seen her name mentioned on the boards. She’s out of the business now, isn’t she?”
“Yes, she retired in 2010 and moved to one of those countries where American dollars go a long way. Costa Rica, I think it was.”
.
(Inspired by a comment made by Dr. Laura Agustin about a statement made by Gloria Steinem.)
Gaaaaaah!
Two quick questions—first, is this in your book, and secondly, what was the Twitter comment? Great story, BTW!
The story selection book was finalized around Halloween, so the then-pending “The Other Side” is in it, but nothing published since then. Assuming this collection sells well enough to justify another, this will be in that one, probably January 2016.
I’ve now embedded the link in the “Laura Agustin comment” phrase.
Thanks again. I knew if this was a new story it wouldn’t’t be in Ladies of the Night but I thought it may have been a reprint of an old story.
Excellent story! No holds barred, seductive and realistic. I like it.
p.s. any details on what Kathy really is, given the illustration? Some kind of psion? A medusa? A vampire? Or just a human with superb skill at hypnosis?
I suggest you consider three clues:
1) From the story: “Kathy’s voice suddenly sounded different – cold, strange and very, very old.”
2) From Gloria Steinem: ““Prostitution involves body invasion and so it is not like any other work.”
3) Whatever she leaves behind when she changes identities isn’t even enough to be identified as a corpse, hence “she went to Costa Rica.”
Thanks. I wonder if that lady from The Straight Dope message board is going to freak out when she sees the medusa picture?
I don’t think that’s a Medusa, though it’s certainly reminiscent; it looks more like a disembodied mass of tentacles to me. I suggest you look at it that way.
I’ve often fancied spending winter in Costa Rica. But I was an inveterate body invader, so now I’m scared that it might not be such a good idea.
But a wonderful story! And congratulations on getting your book of stories published!
Thank you! For readers who missed it, my book is now out and available on Amazon; just click on the picture in the upper right corner of the page!
Oh, and look, it has nothing but five star reviews…
My first review! Thank you, Gordon! 🙂
What I don’t get is why Victoria is so similar to Katherine (and Katherine so similar to Melinda). I could get it if they were all tentacled monsters, but Victoria seems completely human (if quite ruthless).
Katherine was completely human, too, until Melinda visited her.
And presumably Melinda, too, until her predecessor visited her (and so on). However, that doesn’t answer the question of why they are so similar.
Literary shorthand, to get the reader thinking of them as similar situations; helps to set up the payoff.
OMG, I wish I could like this more than once. BRILLIANT!
Thank you! 🙂
This may be my new favorite story of yours. Mostly due to my strong disgust towards escorts who steal personas and copy from other escorts.
I think this one probably has more in-jokes than any of my others. 🙂
I’m not entirely clear on one point: Did she retain the clientele? I would think they would recognise the antiques and be too curious for their own good.
The invitation card was nicely played 🙂
This is probably just a coincidence, but is one of the in-jokes that the two clients’ names in this story have the same first names as two famous movie critics who once paired up on TV in the 80’s and 90’s?
Let that be a warning to every young one who thinks her stool smells like air freshener.
Anyone who thinks that needs a lesson, whether they’re young, rich, beautiful, smart or whatever makes them better than some other people.
In an alternate world where sex work in America was considered at normal (and legal) as being a teacher or taxi driver, this would make an excellent Twilight Zone story. Rod Serling liked to air stories where people got their just deserts at the very end, and both Katherine and Victoria (and also presumedly Melinda) get what’s coming to them.
An entertaining and thought-provoking story – just what we’ve come to expect from you Maggie – and you never disappoint.
Thank you! 🙂
Very Lovecraftian. The ending caught me by surprise. Bravo.
Old, Cold, Possessed of Imnical Intelligence and the ability to forcibly inhabit the body of it’s new young host, so full of life… Schluppp. Shub-Niggurath and the hosts of R’yleh send their greetings, Ancient One.
The Master would be proud, Maggie. 😈😎