Julie discovers a new side to herself as well as experiencing many hidden aspects of society including fetishism, bondage and then a much darker aspect - abduction and slavery.   Any Job in a Storm Chapter 1 - Interview by Maddy Bell Copyright © 2003 Maddy Bell All Rights Reserved.

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Fifty-three letters and just two replies. This job searching was to say the least depressing. Julie looked at the two applications that had turned up, the first one was for a position in Tele-sales, the other was a non specific post, one of those 'if there's a vacancy, we'll call' type of things.

Well telesales was not exactly what she was looking for but it looked the best option here, so she filled the long form out, wrote the envelope and sealed it up. She couldn't afford not to fill the other one in so she started to fill out the form. As usual the first two pages asked for all the information she had sent on her CV, typical. The next bit was headed ' About you', she hated these bits, they were so vague usually, but this one was a sort of multi- choice thing.

Julie read down the page;

' Do you consider yourself:

Well that last was a bit different; she ticked boxes and then sat to contemplate the last question. She could put what her girl friends always claimed ' at 10,000 feet with (insert the latest heart throb here)', or 'anywhere with my boyfriend/husband (delete as appropriate)' but to be sure, they weren't Julie's fantasy. She wasn't really sure what it was. After some thought she put something about it not needing to be physical but unusual would help. You try putting something like that into words.

Another envelope written and filled, searching in her bag, she found a couple of stamps, slipping a pair of trainers on, she popped down to the post box at the end of the road. Walking back home she reflected that if she didn't get a job soon it wouldn't be home for too much longer. Although her Grandmother had left it to her lock, stock and barrel, without a reasonable income she couldn't afford to run the place. It was nothing special, a South London semi in a quiet street, she could probably get a good price, but she would have to leave the area. A lodger was an option, but she didn't want to do that.

The last job, well proper job went west when her employer moved their office to Wales, she didn't want to move so that was that. Since then she had waitressed at four different establishments, served bar at three, stacked shelves at the hyper mart and cooked pizza, burgers and do-nuts. Currently she did four hours a day at 'Omega Cabs' and an evening shift at the 24-hour store. It just wasn't how she wanted to live; after all she had been a department head, in charge of ten people and a six-figure budget. She was over qualified for this and still stubbornly single.

She was a bit surprised when a week later, by recorded post no less, she got an invitation to a group interview, not for the Tele-sales, but for the undefined job with 'Papillon'. She read the instructions: wear sports gear, bring a swimming costume and clothes you would wear to go clubbing. That last looked a bit dubious, but a swimsuit sounded like it would be a fun day, even if she didn't get the job. It was on Thursday, just two days away, time enough to get cover for work and get organised. She had to get to Orpington for ten, introductions till 10.30 then the rest of the day was the group 'session'.

Thursday arrived and so did Julie, bang on time. It wasn't a big group, eight all told, five girls and three guys. A couple of the girls were talking and so were the three lads, the others were variously touching up make up or reading. Their attention was caught however when a woman came in wearing aerobics gear.

' Hi everyone, I'm Polly. At 10.30 we'll all go upstairs to the studio, until then if you go next door, there's soft drinks and snacks, go and get acquainted.'

Once they had all availed themselves of the refreshments, Polly clapped for attention;

' Introductions, tell us your name, first only, and tell us your claim to fame, in the corner, you go first'

' Hi everyone,' we all mumbled a reply, ' my name is James, Jim to my mates and my claim to fame is being chucked out of every pub in Croydon'

Muffled laughter. Well if that was the level we were at.

'Next'

'Hi, I'm Nikki and I once served Bill Oddie when I worked at the petrol station.'

That was more like it.

'Mike, I ran the London marathon last year.'

'My names Sarah and my claim to fame is not really mine, my brother, that's Steve, is a roadie with Pulp.'

'Ok Sarah, who's next?'

'I'm Niamh, and I come from the real Ballykissangel '

That got some comments.

'I can't top that, I once saw Damon Hill at a set of traffic lights, oh yeah, I'm Dave.'

That left just two of us. I was beaten to it!

'Er, oh yeah, I'm Summer and I got onto the pyramid stage at last years Glastonbury.'

My turn now.

'Julie, and I was once on Blue Peter.' It got the expected response, I was quite embarrassed by it, but that was the sum of my exciting life.

We all chatted for a few minutes then Polly took us up to the studio.

' OK folks, get them street togs off, it's exercise time!'

There followed an intense, but fun and light-hearted session of aerobics and other forms of exercise lasting about an hour. After a shower and drink, a session of team games occupied us all until lunch, taken at an Italian restaurant just down the road. After eating we returned to the studio where Polly handed us over to John. John was in combat pants and t-shirt, not exactly management style.

'Hello everyone, this afternoon is to really find out more about you all. If at any point you don't want to go on, we won't hold it against you, just sit it out. We are going to do some role-play' I think everyone gave a little moan,' but with a difference. First I want you all to change into your swimsuits.'

We departed to the changing rooms and returned ready for the water. But there was no water.

' Good, everyone ok?' a group mumble of yes,

' Ok, in these boxes over here' he drew our attention to some storage boxes, ' are some costumes. Now they are not exactly Snow White or Santa Claus, but I want each of you to collect a blue box and put it against the back wall and wait there before opening the box. Go.'

We fetched the boxes and waited for John's instructions.

'Right, everyone ready? Yes? Ok then, in side each box is a selection of garments, some bits match and others don't. It's not a race but I want to see all of you in a matching costume in fifteen minutes. You get points for imagination and initiative, you can swap bits if you like, shoes, gloves that sort of thing but however inappropriate you must keep the garment on the top of the box, and you must be wearing it at the end. Everyone ok with that?' more mumbles, ' ok, go.'

I opened the box, on top was a rubber corset, so I would have to keep that, I pulled the other bits out, a pair of leather gauntlets, a rubber vest, combat boots, a peep hole bra with matching pants, a hood and a whip. A quick look around showed the others had similar piles of stuff, different but what one might call 'alternative'. I spotted the things I wanted and went bartering for them.

At the end of fifteen minutes we were all just about dressed and a more bizarre looking bunch I'd never seen. Compared to some, I'd got off easily. My final costume consisted of the rubber vest, teamed with a rubber circular mini skirt. The corset was over the top and I had rubber stockings and rubber wrist gloves with fur trim! A rubber hood with a hole for a ponytail completed the outfit apart from the combat boots.

'Very good people, some nice costumes there. What we do next is from the red boxes we are going to find one item that will change your costumes look completely, it could be footwear, a hat, belt, gloves well use your imagination. Once you have your item go back to your box and put it on. Ok. Go.'

I spotted just the items straight off, a pair of stilettos. However they weren't quite what I thought, they had very high heel and ankle straps that used a clasp to shut. Still I put them on and stood teetering while everyone else finished.

' Excellent everyone, you've all just about grasped that a simple accessory can change your appearance dramatically. Does anyone think they would go out dressed as you are?' Nervous laughter, but although it wasn't my style, I probably would but without the hood.' Just the two of you Julie is it?' I nodded,' and Mike. Now then do either of you go around dressed in rubber normally and Mike, in a dress?' more titters,'no? Ok then, split into pairs, one pair to each corner.'

I got Mike.

'Alrighty, the person with the name that comes first alphabetically is the horse, you carry your partner to the opposite corner then swap and return. Go!'

As job interviews go, it was different and I have to admit quite fun. We did some odd games and I think we all forgot we were dressed quite bizarrely in leather and rubber. Time passed quite swiftly and then we were done.

' Ok people, thank you all, you've been great. You probably are wondering why we asked you to bring your clubbing gear, well, as a thank you we're all going out for the night. Don't worry there's taxi's home and your other gear will be dropped off tomorrow for you. All up for it?' well no one was going to turn that down, 'oh I nearly forgot, we will write to everyone in the next week.'

I'm not sure how, but I ended up wearing all the rubber gear to the club, which was a bit of a hit. I really would not buy this sort of stuff, apart from the price only pervs wear rubber, but I have to admit I really enjoyed that night.

I awoke Friday morning still in the rubber stuff. Obviously I would have to get it back to John, but not till after I'd washed it off and had a shower, well I could do all that in one go. Afterwards I dressed in my normal street gear and rang the Orpington number; I got Polly whom if my memory serves was the one who instigated my party in rubber.

'Ah Julie, saved me a call love'

'Polly I need to bring your rubber stuff back, but it will be this afternoon, is that ok?'

'John want's to see you Julie but don't bring the rubber, it's yours, you earnt it.'

'No I couldn't, it's far too much and I only did the interview'

'I mean it Julie, you keep them, you look great in them, I tell you what, I'll fetch you and drop your own stuff off at the same time, in.... about an hour. That ok?'

'Ok, in an hour'

It was looking like I'd got a job, but what was the job?

Bang on time Polly knocked on my door, I was ready with the rubber stuff, but seeing it in my hands, she tutted and took it and placed it on the stairs.

'I told you they are yours, an advance if you like.'

She was wearing what I call 'trendy mum' stuff, you know, nearly fashionable but something missing, in fact I wouldn't have been surprised to see a couple of kids in the car. Well perhaps not, it was a Mercedes two seater, and on closer inspection, the stuff she was wearing was all designer labels. I got my bag and after locking up, joined her in the little sports car. The sun was out, the roof down, and spotting some friends, I waved, boy how their jaws dropped, this could be fun. Polly grinned across at me, I grinned back.
All too soon we arrived in Orpington but not at the studio, Polly explained that they had only hired it for the day. Instead she escorted me to the offices of Papillon, occupying rooms above a row of shops.

Upstairs John was dressed a bit more formal; well he had jeans and a shirt on.

'Julie! Welcome to Papillon. Please sit'

I did so.

'Did you enjoy yesterday?'

'It was different, but I guess, yes I did.'

'That's what we thought. We would like you to work with us, but before we go any further you want to know what the job is?'

'I was kind of curious, I'm open to just about anything except prostitution.'

It was meant to get a laugh, it did but with a slight side.

'It's not prostitution is it? I'm out of here if it is.'

To be honest I hadn't even thought it might be.

'Whoa, whoa. Calm down. No it's not selling your body, well not in that sense. Everything is above board and quite legal. Papillon serves an alternative lifestyle as a supplier of clothing and ancillaries including videos, books, that sort of thing. It's not pornography; it's just not mainstream. We want you to join us as a model come actress come administrator. Your past experience covers the latter, yesterday and last night proves you have the talent for the former. Still interested?'

'Go on'

'We will want you to wear some strange things and even take part in scenes of bondage, due to the law, we make all of that into animations, so no one knows who is taking part. On the other hand we travel about, Europe, the US, Japan even Australia, put on 'fashion' shows etc. We all take part, we won't ask you to do anything we wouldn't.'

'I'm still here'

'Ok, what you get, a salary as administrator of  £20000 a year,' that sounded Ok,' plus  £100 an hour for modelling and film work. You get company product at cost, that is if you want any' he chuckled,' for that you sign an exclusive contract and comply with some small print regarding appearance, you get 6 months to comply, or if you prefer quit at that time with no penalties. After that the full contract applies including a competition clause.'

It all sounded pretty good.

'My turn, when do you want me? and how soon can I see a contract?'

'Start Monday if you want, you can have a contract in ten minutes, Polly?'
Polly went next door, I could hear a PC start up and minutes later a printer whirr into action.

'Alright John, lets give it a go. Out of curiosity did anyone else get a job?'

'Not like yours, but yes Niamh, Summer and Mike will be offered work with us.'
Polly came back in and gave John a folder, which he perused quickly then passed over to me.

'Terms of contract, salary scale, this years schedule, it's quite busy, I think you should find everything in there. Do you drive?'

'Yes but I sold the car when I lost my job.'

'Polly will take you back but I'll get you a car sorted for Monday, ok'

'Excellent!' I was quite excited, a new career with a difference, car and good money, things really were looking up.

It was still only 3 o'clock when Polly dropped me off at home. First things first, quit my part time jobs. That took a couple of phone calls full of apologies, but once done I could concentrate on celebrating the new job. Noticing the bag of rubber clothing on the stairs, I took the bag Polly had brought and the pervy stuff up to my clothes room. Now me, I'm a straightforward gal. M&S knickers and fashionable but not showy clothes and shoes. I measured the stilettos; they were 5" high! I mean I never wear more than three, I don't, or should I say didn't own any shoes any higher than that. I have worn stockings, but not often and I do have a couple of Basque's but a rubber corset was now part of my wardrobe. Tonite with my girlfriends, I wouldn't mention the fetish angle, only the admin job.