My New Roommate

by Ed Carlson


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This story is purely fictitious. The names used herein are for character

identification and should not be construed as real people, alive or dead.

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Chapter 1:


My name is Arlene. Late one afternoon, I decided to go jogging. It’s nice down by the water, so that’s where I decided to go. It was getting late, so this was going to be just a quick run. It was a spur of the moment urge, so I just went. I was wearing a tank top and shorts because of the hot and humid weather and, of course, my ever-present glasses. I was born with severe congenital myopia. Without those really thick glasses, I can only focus at about an inch. Anything beyond that, and everything just becomes a total blur, in good light. In dim light, it becomes a lot worse, to the point I can’t even make out shapes. Without glasses, I literally can’t see beyond the end of my nose. My glasses have always been just a part of me.


I left the condo and ran the mile to the park that is close to my place. I turned off the sidewalk and started down the nice cinder running path that parallels the water in a large loop. Sometimes you’re right by the water, and sometimes you’re in a normal park-like setting with open fields or in groves of trees with lots of bushes. It’s a huge park and really a beautiful place to run. I had run about two miles when I came to the footbridge over the inlet. The inlet is large enough to allow small boats to pass, and the bridge is about twenty feet above the water. I was there just as the sun set over the bay in a huge red fireball.


I continued out onto the bridge. When I reached the middle, I stopped to catch my breath a little. Even though the sun was just going down, it was still hot and I had really worked up a good sweat. I leaned down on the rail with my arms crossed to watch as the sun made its final dip into the bay. The bright colors were spectacular as they danced across the ripples in the quiet part of the bay. As I leaned over the rail a little further to watch the water directly beneath me, my heavy glasses slid off my sweaty face. I tried to grab for them, but my hand just bumped them as they went on past. Then after a couple of seconds . . . the splash. My heart sunk as I quickly realized that I was in trouble and I started to grope blindly around in my own fuzzy world—a world with very little distinguishable shape. ‘Not to panic,’ I thought, ‘Remember, because of your severe visual impairment, you always carry a spare pair right here in your fanny pack.’


I felt around my waist for it. Sheer panic set in when I discovered that my fanny pack was not there. Then I remembered not wanting to take the time to look for it in my rush to get going—the same rush that kept me from stopping to put the running strap on my glasses. ‘That was really, really dumb,’ I thought. Now that I, for all practical purposes, was blind, how in the world was I ever going to get home?


“Is anyone there?” I called out. No answer. Once I thought about it, I remembered how deserted the park was, especially out on this lonely trail. Tears began to flow down my cheek as I realized how much trouble I was in.


I stood there for a long while holding onto the relative safety of the bridge rail. I tried to remember exactly where I was in this large park and what would be the quickest way out. To continue on ahead was my decision. I had already come about two thirds of the way, and to go back now would mean that I would have to grope my way even further. It was getting dark, and I could make out even less as night began to fall. Alone and unable to see a thing, I felt my way along the bridge rail until I reached the end.


I was on my own now, with no visual clues nor anything to hold onto. I gathered up every bit of courage that I had and started my way down the cinder path. I thought that I was going in the right direction until my hands touched the bushes. Staring blindly straight ahead and with outstretched arms, I began to feel around. Suddenly there were bushes all around me. I had wandered off the path. I turned around and felt my way back to the edge of the bushes, which felt like a tall hedge. Then I started following them the best that I could around the perimeter of what felt like a lawn. I came to the end of the bushes and took a couple more steps, and I was on the cinder path. I was relieved as I thought that I could follow the path back to the sidewalk. I carefully felt my way along the path, with only the sounds of the crunching cinders as my guide, toward what I thought should be the street. After what seemed like hours of blind groping, I couldn’t hear any street sounds, only the sounds of the wind rustling the trees. I had probably gone the wrong way again. I was probably taking the long way around the park. I decided to continue on. I was still able to feel the cinders under my feet, and my outstretched hands at arm’s length weren’t bumping into things. After wandering blindly along, I began to hear the sound of surf pounding on the rocks. If there was surf nearby, then I was nearing “the point.” I had gone right through the place where several paths intersect and I normally turn. By this time, it was dark.


I remembered that this path went around “the point” for quite a long way before it came back to the street. I was at the place where there were large boulders on one side, next to the drop-off. This was a lonely and dangerous part of the trail for someone who can see, let alone not being able to see at all. As I continued along, I thought that I heard the sound of someone crying. It was probably my imagination playing tricks on me. When I went a little further, it became louder. Suddenly I stumbled over something and went sprawling onto the cinder path. “Is anybody there?” I asked as I strained to listen.


“Yes, I’m right here,” the voice said in an unfriendly tone. “You just stumbled over my feet, you idiot. What’s the matter with you, are you blind or something? Go away; just leave me alone.”


“I’m sorry,” I said. “I didn’t see you there.”


“That’s OK. Now just go away and leave me alone!” the girl’s voice said very emphatically.


On my hands and knees, I blindly felt around for the girl. “Could you help me please?” I asked.


“And just what do you think I can do!” she said sarcastically.


My hand touched the girl’s foot; she was wearing just a sandal, and I started to feel around for the bench.


“Get out of here. Quit touching me. Just go away!!!” the girl demanded. “I don’t want to be with anyone now. Damn it; leave me alone.”


“I’m having a bit of a problem here,” I said as I sat down on the bench next to her. “My glasses accidentally fell into the water when I was out running in the park. Without them, I’m blind. The only thing that I can see is that it’s dark, and the only thing that I’ll be able to see in the morning is that it’s light and a world full of indistinguishable fuzzy shapes. I’m all alone and lost. Without glasses, I don’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of ever finding my way out of here.”


“I’m sorry that I snapped at you,” the girl said. “That’s a terrible thing to have happened. I’m just wrapped up in my own problems right now. If you’re that blind, you probably didn’t notice.”


“Notice what?” I inquired. “I heard you crying.”


“My boyfriend just broke up with me. He says he can’t stand to be around me like this anymore,” she sobbed. “We used to play these games, and I did it for him. I thought that it was the way that he wanted me, so I made the decision to have it done. Then the doctor and I didn’t communicate well, and he made a mistake. See, my relationship with my boyfriend had started to go cold, and I thought that this would make him love me. He said once he would marry me, but now he says that every time he sees me, he blames himself for my condition. We got into a terrible fight, and he hit me a couple of times and knocked me down. I’m so defenseless and helpless now. I just don’t know what I’m going to do.”


“Just what did you have done for him?” I asked.


“That’s right, you can’t see me, can you? I’ll have to direct you,” she said as I felt her turn around toward me. “Now I want you to turn and face me. OK, you’re just about there. Now reach out and find my face, right here at the sound of my voice.”


I turned as she instructed, and with outstretched arms and hands, I gently touched her face. “You have a beautiful face,” I said. I could feel the tears on her face.


“Thanks, I needed that,” she continued. “Now feel my neck. OK. Now slide your hands down each side and touch my shoulders.”


I did as she asked. My hands were on her tee shirt, right at the point where her shoulders started to round over.


“You’re just about there,” she said softly. “Just slide your hands down my arms now.”


I moved both hands down where her arms should have been, but there were no arms, only nicely rounded knobs right at the shoulder and then empty tee shirt sleeves.


“Oh . . . my God,” I gasped. “You had both of your arms amputated?” I felt really bad for the poor girl. My heart went out to her plight. “I’m so, so sorry,” I said. “I thought that losing my glasses was bad. Oh, you poor thing. Whatever made you do it?”


“I moved in with my boyfriend. Well, we used to play these amputee games. He would tie my arms behind my back and then put a blouse on me. We’d play around, and he’d feed me dinner, watch TV, roll around on the floor, and make love,” she confided. “He said that he loved me. I thought being this way permanently would make him love me more. He had a picture of me on his computer, and he erased both of my arms, right to the shoulder, just the way they both are now. Our romance was beginning to cool, and I thought that was the way he wanted me. So I went to Mexico to have one arm amputated. I thought my boyfriend would be really pleased with me like that. I showed the doctor the picture but told him only one arm. Well, the doctor spoke very little English, and when I woke up, he had amputated both arms just like the picture. I guess to say that I was shocked is an understatement. Anyway, I came back to surprise my boyfriend. I was the one that was surprised. He had been sleeping with my best friend while I was gone. I was such a fool. I don’t know what I was thinking.” She started crying again. “What in the world am I going to do now? My boyfriend and I had a real big fight tonight. I tried to bite him, and then he hit me and knocked me down. When I got up and tried to kick him, he pushed me around and I fell over the coffee table. I couldn’t even catch myself to break the fall. Without any arms, I’m completely defenseless. Then my boyfriend kicked me out on the street, and I don’t even have a place to go tonight. Hell, I can’t even pick up my suitcase. What am I going to do! What am I going to do!” she sobbed.


I reached over and hugged her; of course without any arms, she couldn’t hug me back. Her sobbing subsided. “I have an idea that I know will work,” I said. “Why don’t you come over to my place; I have a nice spare bedroom with its own bath in my condo.”


“If you’re sure it’s OK. By the way, my name is Cindy,” she said quietly. She sounded like a really sweet kid.


“Only one thing though,” I quipped. “You’re going to have to show me where it is. I’m in big trouble without my glasses. I have spares at home. My name’s Arlene.”


“That will work for me if you’re sure if it’s all right with you,” she said as we got up. “Just hold my hand, whoops, my sleeve, and we’ll get out of here.” We started back down the path in the direction from where I came. We talked as we walked along, getting to know each other a little better. After walking about fifteen minutes, she said: “We’re where the paths intersect. I don’t know if you know it or not, but this isn’t the safest part of this park. A lot of creeps hang out here. Let’s take a short cut.”


“I didn’t know how dangerous this area was, or I wouldn’t be running down here in the first place,” I said as we walked on, with me holding on very tightly to her shirt sleeve.


We had just made a sharp turn when Cindy said softly: “Oh, oh, trouble I think. There’s a gang ahead of us. I don’t know if they have seen us. What should we do?”


“Are there any bushes we can hide in?” I asked.


“No, we’re out in the open. No bushes or trees, just field,” she said quietly. “Oh shit, they’ve spotted us. But they’re not coming this way yet . . . Now they are.”


We kept on walking as though nothing was wrong. We walked right by them. Cindy told me they were watching our every move. We started walking at a fast clip and then broke into a run with me still holding onto her sleeve. Suddenly we both tripped. I let go to catch myself, but poor Cindy, with no arms to help break her fall, took a really hard spill.


“Cindy, are you all right?” I said as I blindly groped around for her. She didn’t say anything, but I heard her moan softly. I felt around in the direction of the sound and, after a short time, was able to locate her. She had taken a really hard fall and was a bit groggy.


“What . . . what did we trip on?” she asked.


“I’m not sure,” I replied. “It might have been a rope booby trap that the gang set,” I said. “Are you hurt?”


“I’ll be OK,” she said as I felt her moving around. “I’m not used to being armless and unable to break my falls. My breasts probably hurt the most; that’s where I landed. Let’s get going before the gang shows up. I don’t see anybody yet.”


We both got to our feet, and I felt around for her. Once I found her sleeve again, we continued walking. She stopped abruptly.


“Have a nice trip girls?” a man’s voice with a heavy accent said. I could hear chuckling all around us. They had us surrounded. “Look what we have here, two fine young ladies. Where were you going in such a hurry? Let us have a good look . . . Oh, this one doesn’t got any arms. We can have some fun with her . . . We can have fun with both of them.”


They began moving around. I had no idea where any of them were. Cindy was crying. Suddenly someone grabbed me from behind about the same time as I heard Cindy start to struggle. They began feeling around on me. They reached down and pulled my tank top over my head. My sports bra came off next. “Nice boobs,” I heard one say as they continued to fondle me. Then one of them stuck his hand down in my shorts. The horrible memory of the rape in high school flashed back. I struggled to get free, but they were holding my arms. I heard Cindy pleading with them not to hurt her.


“Leave her alone!” I screamed. “What kind of cowards are you tough macho guys picking on a poor defenseless girl with no arms?” With that, they pulled down my running shorts and underwear leaving me nude—in only my running shoes and socks. By this time, I think, they had stripped Cindy nude also. Of course, I couldn’t see, but they didn’t know that. I think that they had pushed Cindy to the ground again. I could hear her screaming and sobbing.


One of them by Cindy said, “Hey boss, what are we gona do with this one?” I could still hear her sobbing and pleading with them and the sound of her struggles.


“Just put a belt around her ankles; she won’t go anyplace,” their leader replied. “Then give us a hand with this one. She’s a fightin’ like a wildcat!” he said as I continued to struggle. Suddenly somebody grabbed my ankles and jerked my feet out from under me. I was suspended in mid air. I screamed at them and continued to struggle to no avail as I felt them carrying me somewhere. Soon I was spread eagle on what felt like a picnic table. First they tied my feet down, then my wrists. I struggled but couldn’t move, or see what they were doing for that matter.


“Leave her alone, she’s blind!” I heard Cindy scream just as I could sense one of them over me and was about to be raped. In their hurry to attack us, they hadn’t noticed my inability to see them.


“Is that true?” came a voice from directly above me. “Are you really blind?” I could feel the wind of someone passing their hands in front of my eyes, even though I couldn’t see it. I hoped maybe he had gotten a bit of conscience.


“Yes, I’m blind unless I have my glasses,” I said quietly, almost in a whisper. “They fell in the water tonight, and now I can’t see a thing. Please don’t hurt me.”


“Boss, this one’s blind,” the voice from above me said. I knew I was about to be brutally raped.


“Well guess what, today ain’t your lucky day!” he said. “She’s all yours now boys. She sure as hell won’t be able to see who you are.”


Cindy screamed at them again to leave me alone. I heard someone put a gag in her mouth. I just lay there sobbing; being tied down spread eagle as securely as I was, that was all that I could do. I so wanted to help defenseless Cindy. My mind was picturing her writhing about on the grass unable even to try to ward off her attackers. I’d do something even if I couldn’t see. I waited in terror for them to have me, but unexpectedly, I heard a voice in the distance call a taunt at them. Then I heard them all take off running. We had gained a reprieve for a while. But I was still tied securely to the table, unable to move. I could hear Cindy struggling to get free. Her voice was still muffled from the gag. “Cindy, work your way over here if you can,” I called. I could hear her slowly working her way toward me. I kept encouraging her. Soon she was near the table. “Put your mouth down by my hand, and I’ll take that gag out,” I said. When I felt her put her mouth by my hand, I grabbed the gag and pulled it out of her mouth. “Are you OK?” I asked.


“Thank God, I can breathe again” was her first response. “I’ll be OK. How in the hell are we going to get out of this mess? We’re both still tied. I’m hog-tied. They bent my legs up against my butt and then put a belt around both legs. It’s just buckled, but I can’t get it undone. Becoming a DAE, that’s what they call someone in my predicament you know, was a really dumb thing to do. I’d like to kill my boyfriend for ever letting me think that’s what he wanted. Good God, my arms are cut off so short that I don’t even have any stumps.” I could hear the anger and frustration in her voice.


“If you can, lie down in a way that I can reach the buckle,” I said. I heard her struggling around. I thought, ‘Poor girl, she’s going to spend the rest of her life that way.’ I felt the buckle in my hand and started to get it undone. “What does DAE stand for?” I asked.


“It stands for Double Above Elbow. Medical slang you know,” she said just as I got the buckle free. “Good, now how in hell am I going to get you untied?”


“Can you use your toes or something?”


“No, in Mexico they don’t give you any dexterity training. They just wack’em off and kick you out the door,” she said. “But there’s a good reason I’ve been going to the dentist all these years. Good teeth you know. This may take a while,” she said as she began to gnaw on the rope around my wrist.


It didn’t take as long as I thought it was going to, and soon she had one hand free. I was able to free my other wrist and then both ankles. It felt great to be free again. “Let’s get our clothes,” I said. “You lead; I haven’t the foggiest idea where they are.” I groped around for her, and when I found her, I was touching one her breasts.


“We’ll probably get out of here faster if you hold onto my shoulder,” she joked. “I’d hold your hand, but I have a little problem with that.” She led us off across a large open area as we wandered around looking for our clothes. After about another half hour of searching, we finally found them. She told me where they were, and I got down on my hands and knees and felt blindly around until I found them. I got dressed while Cindy was still struggling just to get her tee shirt on. I helped her finish getting dressed. We started off again and soon were out on what sounded like the street. I could hear the traffic, and my blur became brighter as we got under the streetlights. Cindy asked how far it was. When she told me where we were, I told her that it was just about three miles. We decided to walk because neither of us had any money for a cab. I wasn’t in the mood to run, and she couldn’t run in her sandals. She explained that now she just wore light sandals so that at least she could easily use her toes for some things. Because she had done a lot of gymnastics, she had become quite flexible. She had enough flexibility to pick up something with her toes and put it into her mouth. Trying to do things with her toes is something that she had tried when she and her boyfriend were playing their games. But without training, she couldn’t do too much. The two of us had a great talk about likes and dislikes. We found that we had a lot in common. It soon became apparent that we would become good friends and that I had found the roommate that I had been looking for.


When we got to my condo complex, she led me to the front entry. I got down on my hands and knees and groped blindly around for the secret rock that hides my key. I soon found it, got my key, felt my way up the stairs to my door, unlocked it, and went in. I was on familiar ground now and made a beeline toward the cupboard that holds my spare glasses. I only stumbled over one chair in the process. I quickly found one of my many spare pairs and put them on. What a relief. I could see again. I turned around and standing there was one of the most beautiful girls that I have ever seen. She just stood there for a moment, and then walked over to me. I reached out and gave her a big hug as tears began running down both of our faces. Our ordeal was over.


“We need to get your things. But first let me show you your new room, roommate.”



Chapter 2: Life with My Roommate


My name is Cindy. Things have been better now that I live with my roommate and, most of all, my best friend, Arlene. We have been through a great deal together in the past year. Our adventures have brought us closer together. My life is definitely not boring but, with my new limitations, is certainly different.


I grew up with my parents on the estate. We were quite well-to-do, and I never wanted for anything. You could best describe me as a spoiled brat. As I grew into high school, I had developed a nice figure, which complemented my relatively tall stature. I had a way of nicely filling out tight blue jeans and managed to bulge a tank top. Some of my friends described me as quite beautiful, even though I never thought so. I had also become a rebellious teenager, and when I was seventeen, my parents and I had a big fight. I ran away from home. I still had my own credit cards that took money out of my trust accounts, so money was not a problem. I continued on and graduated from high school and made it as far as a junior in college. I would call my parents once in a while to tell them that I was OK, but I never told them where I was.


While I was hanging out one night, I met Ralph. He was really cool and had his own place. Soon I was living with him. I thought we had a great relationship going. We fooled around and did a lot of different things together. I found out that Ralph had a fascination with amputees—especially women with missing arms. We played around a lot pretending that I was an amputee. When we started playing these games, he would tie one of my arms behind my back and tape them down so that so that I couldn’t use it. Then he would dress me in a bulky sweatshirt or a blouse that was a bit oversize and that had extra bulk around the sides and back. We would tuck the sleeve in sometimes, or pin it up, but most times it would be just left to dangle there empty. Sometimes we would go out to dinner or a show with me tied this way as a prelude to the rest of the evening activities. We would fool around, roll around on the floor, and stuff like that. The games always ended up in some pretty good sex. I enjoyed the feeling of not being able to use my arm—at least for a while.


When we were finished, it was always a great relief to get to use both of my arms again. My arm would cramp, and one time he had it tied so tight that my arm started to turn blue.


He had pictures in his computer that we had taken of me. Ralph had used some of his software to erase both my arms—right at the shoulder. He especially liked the one where he rounded my shoulders off so that there was just a small ball where my stump should start. I thought they looked pretty cool and wasn’t offended by them.


From one arm, we graduated to both arms. When my arms were tied, I sure couldn’t do much for myself. Because I had done a lot of tumbling in school, I remained quite limber though. We fooled around with me trying to do things with my toes. I’ll have to admit, I didn’t have much dexterity. The time or two that we went out for dinner, we really got a lot of stares in the restaurant as he feed me, just sitting there in that puffy blouse with the empty arms dangling down at my sides. We would also get a lot of stares at the sports bar. That was sweatshirt country; we went there several times but never with my arms showing. I felt self-conscious, but at the same time, I really liked the attention. A few times we left my arms tied all night. Getting up to use the bathroom after drinking all that beer was an adventure.


I think that I enjoyed being an amputee at the time, but maybe it was just the attention. Later, our relationship began to cool a bit, but I was still living with him. He said that he loved me and that we were going to get married, but I could feel that I was losing him. It was then that I decided to have one arm amputated. I thought that my disability would keep him turned on to me, and by having only one arm taken off, I would still be able to use the other. It wouldn’t leave me that helpless.


I made contact with a doctor in Mexico. I arranged for a trip to have the amputation done. It was going to be expensive, but it was going to be worth it to hold onto my boyfriend. I decided not to tell him what I was up to. I made up an excuse to be in Mexico for about six weeks. I told him I was going with an expedition looking for artifacts as part of one of my college classes, and I would phone him from time to time.


I took the short flight to Mexico. My life was about to change. After getting through customs, I took a taxi, of sorts, to the clinic in the small village. It was quite a way from the airport. I walked in, and the waiting room was empty. The nurse ushered me into his office and motioned for me to sit down. The doctor was waiting, ready to do my surgery right then. He spoke no English, and I spoke no Spanish. I showed him one of the pictures that my boyfriend had made on the computer. In the picture, both of my arms were amputated. I told him I wanted just one amputated, and I was confident he understood. I signed a consent form, which I couldn’t read since it was written in Spanish, then changed into a sleeveless hospital gown. I paused for a moment as I looked down at my arm that was soon no longer going to be part of me. I thought to myself, I wonder if I can really go through with this, and I’m glad that I was only going to have one arm removed. The doctor held up two fingers in V fashion, like a peace sign, and said something in Spanish again, which I didn’t understand. I flashed him the same V sign and repeated what he had said, whatever that was. With just his nurse, who also spoke no English, to assist, he gave me a shot, and I almost instantly became groggy. He helped me into his operating room, as it was, and had me lie down on the operating table. He gave me another shot and . . .


When I started to come around, at first I didn’t know where I was. It was a lot later in the day because the sun was about to go down and the room had taken on a red glow. The first thing I thought strange was that I expected to see an IV bottle over my head. It was down by my feet, and the line was in my leg instead of my arm. Both of my shoulders ached, and I could still feel both hands. I had the urge to feel my missing arm so I tried to feel for it. Nothing happened. ‘I must be still under some kind of anesthetic,’ I thought. Then I sat up a little and turned my head to look at the arm that was to have been amputated. I was covered by a sheet, and as I looked down that side of me, all I could see was the sheet lying flat on the bed where my arm should have been. I moved my hand, but the sheets didn’t move. I tried to move my other arm again but still no luck. I turned my head and looked at that side. To my shock, that side looked the same as the other. I was in total shock. Panic set in as I felt a sinking feeling in the pit in my stomach. I looked again as I moved my shoulders to confirm my fears. I wiggled and squirmed, then I kicked the sheet down, and I saw the heavy bandages on both shoulders. Both of my arms were gone! I began screaming at the top of my lungs. The doctor and the nurse both came running into the room.


“What have you done to me! You were only supposed to cut off one arm!!” I screamed. “Not both!”


He gave me a worried but blank look. “No comprendo,” he said as he shrugged his shoulders.


“Only one!” I screamed as I pointed down to my shoulder with my chin.


He held up the picture, shrugged, and held up two fingers in V fashion, then repeated the same phrase that he had said before.


“Uno, I didn’t want you to cut both arms off,” I sobbed and shook my head no.


The nurse said something in Spanish to him that I didn’t understand. He sank down in the chair beside the bed and put his head in his hands as he began to weep. He had just understood the horrible and irreversible mistake that had been made. The nurse was crying too by this time. Suddenly the reality and consequences of what had happened really hit me. I began to sob uncontrollably and writhe about in the bed. He said something to the nurse and she gave me another shot and suddenly I began to drift off again as my sobbing turned into crying. I was still saying over and over: “Only one! You weren’t supposed to cut off both arms. My God, what am I going to do . . . ?”


When I next awoke, it was daylight. A nurse who I had never seen before was with me. As I stirred, she smiled. I saw a glass of water sitting on the table beside my bed, and I tried to reach for it. Still nothing happened. Then I remembered both arms had been amputated, and tears began to run down my cheeks. It wasn’t just a bad dream; it was for real. My head had cleared by this time as I remembered back to yesterday, my devastation, and feeling of helplessness.


The new nurse was there immediately to wipe away my tears. “Please don’t cry Cindy,” she said softly. “Would you like some water?” She saw me nod yes and elevated my pillow slightly as she held the glass for me. The pain was intense. She gave me a shot, and I was back in dreamland again.


This continued for several days. Each time I would awaken, the nurse was ready with another shot. I finally asked not to have a shot as the pain was beginning to subside. I struck up a conversation with the nurse. It was great to have someone speak English.


 “I know that there has been a terrible mistake, and I feel so sorry for you,” she said. “The doctor is absolutely devastated about what has happened. He asked me to be here with you as there are only a few people in the village who speak English. I completed nurses training in the U.S. I was supposed to be here when you arrived to be the interpreter, but I was detained in one of the other villages. My name is Loleta.”


“Thank you for being so kind. He’s not the only one who is devastated,” I said. “I sure do wish that you would have been here when I arrived. What am going to do now?”


“I wish that too. The consent form that you signed said to remove both arms,” she replied, “Our doctor feels so bad about the misunderstanding and what he did to you by mistake that he is now considering not practicing medicine any longer. This area has no other doctor, and without him, there will be no medical services for our large area.”


“The mistake was in communication, not medical practice,” I said. “I’m quick to place blame, but it’s my fault just as much as his for not being absolutely sure that he understood exactly what I wanted done. I can never forget what he did, but I can forgive him for the mistake. We are all human you know.”


“Thank you for being so understanding. I will be your nurse while you are here, and it will be my job to attend to your needs. I’ll try to teach you some things to help you get along,” Loleta replied. “Now it’s time to change your dressings. Let me give you another shot for pain. The operation site is going to be very tender and, without medication, changing the bandages will be unbearable.” With that, she gave me a shot, waited a few minutes, and then went to work removing the bandages from my right shoulder. The shoulder was all puffy and discolored. “The swelling should go down in a week or so,” she said. “The doctor has done a fine job on the closure. Your shoulders are nicely rounded, and the scar will only be a fine white line.” She rebandaged the right shoulder and then did the left one. By the time she was finished, I was exhausted and drifted off to sleep again.


Every time I awoke, Loleta was there, and every time I needed help with anything, she was there to help with my every need. The doctor did not come to see me, but instead he relied on Loleta. He could not face me. My recuperation went swiftly, and my shoulders healed with no problems. Even though they were still extremely tender, Loleta faithfully massaged my shoulders every day. I called Ralph every few days to let him know I was OK, but he still seemed quite distant. During my last few days in Mexico, Loleta and I would walk along the ocean on a broad white-sand beach right at the edge of the village and talk. She helped me adjust to being armless by pointing out some of the things I could do for myself. She was a fine and uncomplicated woman. Soon it was time for me to go. On the last day, I had Loleta dress me in a miniskirt and a tank top that showed off the nicely rounded balls at my shoulders, which were all that was left of my once beautiful arms. I wore a light sweater, unbuttoned, and sandals that I could slip on and off.


I asked to see the doctor and to have Loleta there to interpret. When the doctor walked into the room, he would not look at me. I asked him to sit down, and I sat facing him. I said: “Doctor, please do not blame yourself for my stupidity. The mistake was more mine than yours. I’m the one who did not insist on an interpreter when I found that you spoke no English. I’m the one who showed you the picture of me with both arms removed, and I’m the one who signed the consent form that gave permission to amputate both arms. I am also the one who held up two fingers in the V sign. If you have guilt, I forgive you. A mistake was made, and now we both just need to live with it. The mistake we both made was in communication, not your medical ability. My shoulders are just the way I showed you that I wanted them. I beg you; please do not quit practicing medicine here. The people of the area need you so much.”


Loleta conveyed my message to him. Through her, he thanked me for forgiving the terrible mistake that had been made and promised to keep practicing medicine. Tears were streaking down his cheeks as he bent over and gave me a kiss on my cheek as he left. Loleta packed my things and helped me get to the airport. She took care of the boarding passes and luggage, helped me get through Immigration, and even helped me get on the plane. She also made sure that the flight attendants were aware of my plight and need of a lot of extra help.


Before we departed, the attendants made sure my seat belt was fastened. The flight was a short one, and soon I was back on U.S. soil. The flight attendants carried my bag, helped me get through customs, and even get a cab. They were wonderful. After a short cab ride, I was at my boyfriend Ralph’s place. The cabby carried my bag right to the front door. I had a fun time paying him. He finally had to take the money out of my wallet himself. I asked him to remove the light sweater I was wearing so the tank top would expose my newly sculptured shoulders. I slipped my foot out of my sandal and rang the doorbell with my toe, then slipped the sandal back on. Soon I heard my boyfriend coming to the door. My heart began to race as I hoped he would like me better this way, after all, it had been six weeks since we had been together. When he opened the door, I stood there for a moment and then said, “Surprise!”


He was surprised indeed. He just stood there for a moment, unable to speak. His mouth dropped open. He held the door open, and I went into the house. He just kept looking at me, especially my newly rounded shoulders, unable to say a thing. He finally said, “What . . . What happened?” He was in such shock, it was all he could get out.


I told him what I had done and that I was only going to have one arm amputated but that they had amputated both instead. I walked over to him and rubbed up against him. I kissed him, and he didn’t hold me as he kissed me back. Something was different. The passion was out of his kiss. I stepped back and said: “What’s the matter? Don’t you like me this way? I made myself a cripple just for you.”


“I know that, and I’m having a bit of a problem with that right now,” he said. “Tying your arms and dressing you up that way was only a fantasy, as were the pictures. Good God, I never expected you to go and have your arms chopped off. It was just make believe that we could walk away from. I feel guilty as hell and responsible for what you’ve done to yourself, and yes, right now I’m having a problem with that.”


“Let’s go into the bedroom, lie down, and talk this out,” I said. “And we can deal with whatever else might pop up.” I led the way to the bedroom as he followed slowly behind. I sat down on the bed and kicked off my sandals. “I’m going to need a little help here; please take off my tank top.” He obligingly did as I asked, and my firm breasts were exposed. But he was different somehow; he didn’t even smile. I stood up and said, “Now, please take off the rest of my clothes.” Again he obliged by removing my mini shirt and then my panties. I was standing totally naked in front of him. “You do the same now,” I commanded. “After all, it’s been six weeks.”


He sat down on the edge the bed and began to slowly remove his clothes; soon he was also naked. I couldn’t help but notice that he did not have an erection. Normally the site of me parading around with my arms tied behind my back would arouse him instantly. I walked over to the full length mirror and admired myself. I wiggled my shoulders around and looked closely at the scars.


We both lay down on the bed. I rubbed around on him the best that I could without arms to support me, but still no arousal. After trying for about fifteen minutes, I became very frustrated. “I give up. You don’t seem the least interested in me,” I said with exasperation. “Just give me a clean tee shirt and my shorts from my drawer, please.”


He got up and quickly got dressed while I lay on the bed in my nothingness, and without saying a word, he got the clothes that I asked for out of the drawer. He threw them on the bed and walked out of the room.


“I need some help here,” I called.


“Put them on by yourself. You’re the cripple, not me,” he said coldly. “You’re the one who got yourself in that shape. I sure as hell didn’t ask you to.”


I was taken aback by his cold treatment. I knew that I could dress myself; we worked on that in Mexico. I had to show that son-of-a-bitch that I could do it. A bra was out of the question, and with my nice firm breasts, I can get along fine without one, so I began work on the tee shirt. After using my mouth and a lot of contortions, I finally got it over my head. Then using the bed, I rubbed until I got it down and the little balls of arm stubs into the sleeves. Next, I managed to get my panties on by sticking my feet through the leg holes and lying flat on my back and kicking my feet a little until they worked their way down over my knees and then rubbing on the bed until I had them around my waist—not an easy task. The shorts were next. I used the same procedure as the underwear. I finally got them up around my waist, but I couldn’t get them fastened. I slipped on my sandals and walked into the living room. He was talking on the phone. “Button me,” I demanded, as he hung up the phone. “Who were you talking to?” I questioned as he buttoned my shorts.


“That was Beth. That’s what I was trying to tell you before you left,” he said coldly. “Well, she’s been living here while you were gone.”


“What!” I screamed. “You spineless son-of-a-bitch. I went though all the pain and had both of my arms cut off at the shoulder just for you, and all the time, you’ve been screwing my best friend!!”


I was furious as I bent down and bit him on the arm. Almost as a defensive reaction, he hit me and sent me reeling backwards and knocking me down. I landed on my back hard. I have no way of breaking my fall or protecting myself in my armless state. It knocked the wind out of me momentarily. Still furious, I struggled to my feet and tried to kick him. I missed, and I was off balance as he shoved me back over the coffee table. I fell to the floor again, this time falling on one of my shoulders. The pain was excruciating. I screamed in pain. I began writhing about on the floor, screaming and crying about how ungrateful he was.


I struggled to my feet and tried to knee him in the groin. He slapped my face hard while I was off balance. His blow spun me around and over, and I bounced off the couch and fell to the floor. This time, I landed on the other shoulder. Again, I screamed in horrible pain as I lay writhing on the floor.


“I want you out of here. Now!” he shouted. “I don’t ever want to be around you again, and don’t think you can lay a guilt trip on me. You disgust me, you armless little bitch. Now get the hell out!”


Still sobbing, I struggled to my feet. He was standing beside the open front door as I charged by and down the steps. I stumbled as I ran across the yard and fell on the grass. I lay there a moment—just in time to see Beth pull up and rush into the house. Once again, I struggled to my feet and started running to get out of there. Running in sandals is not easy, and I was stumbling a lot. I soon slowed down to a brisk walk. The tears continued to flow down my cheeks. My God, what a mess.


I must have walked a good hour aimlessly and found myself out by “the point” in the park around sunset. I found a bench and sat down. I don’t remember sunset, but suddenly it was dark, and I was still crying from both the physical, but more the mental, hurt. What in the world was I going to do? I had no arms, I was completely helpless and defenseless, and had nowhere to go. ‘Good God, what am I going to do now?’ I thought. I just wanted to be alone with my thoughts. I was sitting there all alone having a good cry when I heard someone slowly coming down the path, kind of feeling her way along with her arms outstretched. She stumbled over my feet.


I said some unkind things to her at first, but then she told me of her problem. She wears very thick glasses and had been out running. She took a break on the bridge and was leaning over the rail when her glasses fell off and into the water. She didn’t have a spare pair with her and was, for all intents and purposes, blind. She tried to find her way out of the park but got lost and ended up way out at “the point.” I felt sorry for her all alone and blind. I told her of my problem and the story leading up to my tragic mistake. Because she couldn’t see, I had her feel my shoulders to show her my dilemma. She invited me to her place to at least spend the night, if I would lead her home. Arlene is one of those people that you like instantly.


With her holding onto the sleeve of my tee shirt, we started walking out of the park. Partway through, I found a shortcut, but then we met up with a gang. We walked past them. They watched us like hawks, but they didn’t come after us. We walked faster and then began to run. Just then, we tripped over a rope or something stretched across the path. I took a real header and landed hard on my breasts. It knocked the wind out of me. Arlene felt blindly around on the ground and found me about the time the gang showed up and surrounded us. One of them grabbed me. I fought them off the best that I could. They stripped off my tee shirt first and then my shorts. I was naked as I screamed, kicked, and tried to bite, but with no arms, I’m pretty defenseless. They pushed me down again and I landed on a shoulder and the intense pain made me even more angry. I was writhing in pain on the grass and screaming at them to leave me alone. They finally rolled me over onto my stomach, and folded both legs tight up against my butt, then wrapped a belt around my legs and buckled it at my ankles. That pretty much immobilized me. Without any arms, they had essentially hog-tied me. At least in this position, they couldn’t rape me—yet. God, I felt so helpless, not being able just to reach down and unbuckle a belt. I kept on screaming at them until they put a gag in my mouth. If I only had hands, I could have easily taken out the gag and gotten free.


Arlene was putting up a gallant struggle; I felt sorry for her not being able to see at all. It must have been terribly frightening for her. With two gang members each holding one of her arms, the others had stripped her clothes off. Then a third grabbed her ankles, and they carried her over to the picnic table and tied her spread eagle. I screamed that she was blind just as one of them was about to rape her. They checked it out and confirmed that she couldn’t see a thing. I was hoping that they would let her go, but no such luck. One was getting ready to brutally rape her when a rival gang showed up. They all took off after them.


I managed to get over to where Arlene was tied spread eagle on the picnic table. She was able to pull the gag out of my mouth with her hand still tied down tight. It was great to breathe again. She told me to lie on my stomach and put the belt around my ankles where she could undo the buckle. As soon as she freed my ankles, all I needed to do was to untie her. ‘Just untie her,’ I thought. ‘With no arms, how in the hell am I going to do that?’ I had no other option but to gnaw through the ropes with my teeth. I eventually got one of her hands free. She managed to free herself the rest of the way. I felt sorry about her inability to see anything, and I so wanted to be able to help her.


I led her back over to our clothes. It was pretty dark, and it took a long time for me to find them. I only had my tee shirt part way on when she finished dressing herself. She helped me with my tee shirt and then my shorts. We got out of there as fast as we could. Soon we were on the sidewalk and under the streetlights. We walked for what seemed like miles and had a wonderful talk. She was very understanding and willing to help me any way that she could. Without even seeing her place, we decided that I would move in with her. What a neat friend I had found.


When we got to her condo, she had to find the key under the special rock where she hid it. She was once again down on her hands and knees, feeling blindly around for the rock. Watching her struggle to find the key made me glad that I had lost my arms rather than my eyesight. She found the key, went to door, and let us in. She almost ran over to the cupboard where she kept her spare glasses. In the process, she ran into a chair. She put on her glasses—they were really thick—and turned around to see me for the first time since our ordeal started. We both had tears in our eyes as she came over and gave me a hug to welcome me to my new home. A portion of my tears was because I couldn’t hug her back.


She suggested that we go get my things right then, but we decided that since it was after midnight, retrieving my things was a project for the next day. She showed me my new room. It was bright and cheery, and had its own bath with a soaking tub. She offered me some pajamas, but I still prefer to sleep in the nude. With my condition, using the toilet in the middle of the night becomes less of a challenge when I don’t have to struggle out of my clothes. She helped me undress and get into the bath she had drawn for me. Being nude in front of her didn’t seem to bother me. She went into her own room to take a bath in her own bathroom. The tub felt so good after this day from hell.


When I was finished, I got out of the tub and drained the water using my toes to open the drain plug. I spread the nice fluffy towel out on the floor with my toes—after picking it up with my teeth and dropping it in position on the floor. I then lay down on the towel and rolled around until I was mostly dry. As I was rolling around, I bumped the door and it closed and latched. I then sat on the toilet seat, and using my toes, I folded the towel neatly, got down on my knees, and picked up the towel using my teeth. I laid the towel on the vanity. I was proud of my accomplishment. I tried to open the bathroom door, but I couldn’t. I even tried lying flat on my back and turning the knob with my toes, but I couldn’t get a grip on the smooth surface. I called to Arlene, but got no response. I was beginning to panic, and claustrophobia was starting to set in. Try as I might, I couldn’t get the door open. I called to her again, and still dripping wet from her bath, she came to my rescue with just a towel wrapped around her.


I got into bed by using my teeth to pull the covers back just enough to get in. I had just gotten into bed when Arlene asked if I needed anything. She came in and pulled the covers up and whispered “goodnight” as she turned out the light. She left the door open a crack so I could get out of the room when I wanted. I lay there reflecting on the happenings of the day, leaving my friend Loleta in Mexico, the flight back, the kind cabby, my devastation over Ralph and the hurt he caused, meeting Arlene, the attack in the park, and most of all the friendship of a very gentle person. I hadn’t felt this at peace for a long, long while.


The next day, we called Ralph and made arrangements to get my things. Arlene drove me over there and helped me pack—actually, she packed and I supervised—and load all my stuff into her car. Ralph was there but didn’t say a word. We got back to my new place, Arlene’s condo, and unpacked. She commented on what good quality all of my clothes were and how expensive they must be. This was really different for me with all my things in really nice surroundings and sharing a condo with a good friend. It took me a long time to put my things away—things go a lot slower when you don’t have any arms—but I did most of it myself. My teeth and toes got a good workout.


Later in the early evening, we went grocery shopping and stopped by the hardware store and got new lever handle doorknobs that I could work. We spent the evening installing the new hardware throughout out the condo. Arlene did the work, and I read her the instructions. When we finished, I could open all of the doors by leaning on them with my hip or stepping back and using my toes to move the handle.


Arlene went to work the next day and left me home alone to my own devices. I watched TV and lounged around not really doing much of anything. I spent a lot of the day thinking about my future and what I was going to do in the future. I decided on a course of action that started with dexterity training for my toes and an exercise program that would maintain my flexibility. I figured that next I would need to learn to run a computer using my feet and toes. I also needed to learn how to write using my toes. This was going to be a real challenge for me, but something I needed to do to get on with life. And it was definitely something I needed to do before I went back to college.


When Arlene came home, I suggested that we go out to dinner. We went to a local eatery and just had hamburgers. She, of course, had to feed me the burger. I told her of my plans, and she was very supportive of my ideas. We finished dinner and went for a short walk along the waterfront and looked in the little shops and then went home. We sat and talked well past midnight before we turned in.


The next week, I enrolled in a specialized training course just for amputees. The class was small—me and four other women—and had a great instructor who, like me, was a DAE. She, of course, could relate to my needs. However, the instructor did have stumps long enough to be fitted with prosthetic arms with hooks. I’ve always thought that hooks on women look pretty cool. For class, she removed her arms and hooks to be like the students. She was able to give me a lot of good instruction in the various things that I could do just using my feet. We all practiced and did exercises that helped with toe dexterity. Before too long, I could even write my name. She also had us working on exercises to remain as limber and flexible as possible. I soon could stand on one foot and reach the top of the door—kind of like doing the splits standing up. We were introduced to various gadgets that would help in our day-to-day living. But the most exciting was learning to run the computer. I had always found them fascinating and fun to use, but using your toes to run the standard keyboard was a challenge. We were introduced to an oversize keyboard that was designed just for toe typing. With a little practice, I got quite good. The instructor and I had a talk about me getting prosthetic arms. She reiterated what the first doctor told me, “Yes, they could be fitted, but would be clumsy and relatively useless without any stumps.” She also said that with my flexibility and the dexterity that I had gained with my feet that I would probably do better without the prostheses. Before I knew it, the classes were over.


For a celebration after class was over, we all went out to one of the local watering holes for a few drinks. You should have seen the looks on the faces of the rest of the crowd when five women with no arms walked into the bar. We sat at a large round table, and all of us drank beer using our feet and toes. We got some real interesting comments from some of the guys. After we finished a few rounds, we all said our goodbyes.


The one thing I still had to do was to face my parents. I had called twice since the operation, but hadn’t told them what I had done. I did tell them that I had moved out of my ex-boyfriend’s place and in with Arlene. I told them how neat she was and how we enjoyed each other’s company. They were anxious to see me and to meet her. They invited us for a visit. I had put it off as long as I could, and I knew that I would have to face them sooner or later. We had a lot of fences to mend.



Chapter 3: Life Continues with my Roommate


My name is Cindy. Things have been better now that I live with my roommate and, most of all, my best friend, Arlene. We have been through a great deal together in the past year. Our adventures have brought us closer together. My life is definitely not boring but, with my new limitations, is certainly different. I am a DAE amputee, not completely of my own choice, but I’m partly to blame. I thought that my boyfriend wanted it that way, so I was only going to have one arm amputated. By mistake, both of my arms were amputated right at the shoulder, and I don’t have any arm stubs. When I came back from Mexico after the operation, my boyfriend and I got into a really big fight and he threw me out. That’s when I met Arlene.


Arlene was born with severe congenital myopia and needs to wear very thick glasses to see. Without them, she can’t see more than an inch or two and is, for all practical purposes, blind. When we met, she had lost her glasses when she was out running and couldn’t find her way.


We now live in her condo. I have taken several specialized classes aimed at allowing me to cope as independently as possible as a DAE. Now I get along quite well by myself, but it’s wonderful having Arlene around to help me do the things that I can’t do for myself. I do a lot of exercises to remain flexible and have developed a great deal of dexterity with my toes.


I called and made an appointment for a consultation with a doctor about the possibility of having prosthetic arms. The doctor told me that it was possible. The prosthetic arms would be quite heavy and require a lot of training to be able to use them. We talked about myoelectric prostheses. Because I don’t have any stumps, it would be difficult to isolate muscle groups to provide the proper signals to activate them. She asked me to give her a demonstration of what I could do using my feet and toes. It was her opinion that because of my flexibility and dexterity that probably prosthetic arms would be more trouble than they’re worth. She did say that a set of strictly lightweight cosmetic arms might be in order for social situations where the sight of an armless person might be a distraction. She encouraged me to be myself the way that I am. I took her advice.


I grew up with my parents on the estate. When I was seventeen, my parents and I had a big fight. I ran away from home. I haven’t been home in five years. Now that I was in this condition, I needed to face my parents. I had called twice since the operation but didn’t tell them what I had done. I did tell them that I had moved out of my ex-boyfriend’s place and in with Arlene. I told them how neat she was and how we enjoyed each other’s company. They were anxious to see me and to meet her. They invited us for a visit. I had put it off as long as I could, and I knew that I would have to face them sooner or later. We had a lot of fences to mend.


That weekend, we left early and drove up to the estate just outside of town. It was early evening when we finally got there. Arlene was amazed at the size of the place. I had told her a little about my past but not that much on how extravagantly we lived when I was growing up. The butler answered the door, and Mom and Dad were there to greet us. They were both in total shock when they saw me without any arms. They of course wanted to know what had happened. I told them that there had been an accident when I was in Mexico. They assumed car accident, and I didn’t tell them any different. I didn’t tell them the whole truth, but the half of the part about the accident was true. The reunion went well. After all, I was their only child. I had matured a lot in the five years that I had been away. They simply adored Arlene. It was good to be home for a while. We spent the night. I stayed in my old room. Things had been preserved just the way I had left them. Mom came in and helped me get ready for bed. We sat and talked for a long while. She wanted to do a lot of things for me, but I wanted to do them by myself just to reassure her that I could manage on my own.


The next morning, I heard Arlene call me. I went into her room, and there she was on her hands and knees groping around blindly for her glasses. She had knocked them off of the nightstand, and now she couldn’t find them. I walked over and picked her glasses up with my toes and gave them to her. She was grateful and gave me a hug.


Breakfast was interesting. My parents had not seen me eat without any arms. They were amazed at my dexterity with using eating utensils to eat with my feet. We spent the rest of the morning just wandering around and looking at some of my old haunts. Being home again brought back some good memories. We had lunch on the terrace by the pool. Mom was still having a real problem accepting the fact that I was now armless while Dad took it in stride. They both had a lot of questions about how I did things now. We made it through lunch, and then went for a swim. This was the first time that I’d been in the water since the ‘accident.’ This took a lot of getting used to, as kicking is now my only means of propulsion. I don’t get very far very fast. After the swim, the four of us sat around the pool and talked. The bikini that I was wearing not only accented my shapely figure but also emphasized my newly sculptured shoulders. The talk was good for all of us, and my parents seemed to be getting more accustomed to my present appearance. They suggested that I move home again. I told them that I would think about it but not to count on it as Arlene and I had our own place. They also offered to have Arlene live there too. We told them that we would think about it.


After dinner, Dad asked me to come into the office. He closed the door and asked me to sit down in one of the wing-back chairs; he sat in the other that faced me. This was the setting that he always set up when we needed a serious talk. He told me of his pending retirement and then dropped the bombshell. He asked me if I would take over the management of all of the holdings. I was flabbergasted at the thought, but at the same time elated that he asked me. I told him that I didn’t have any business experience but that I had been taking business courses in college and I knew that I would need a lot of training. He reminded me that I would inherit everything as the sole heir to the family fortune. We talked more and decided that I needed to give it more thought. He pointed out he would be there to help train me and show me the ropes. He also said that the way things were set up they practically ran themselves. By the time we finished, my head was swimming with the possibility of operating such a vast empire, something that I guess I had never considered before. Wow!


It was late, and so we all went to bed. Mom came in to tuck me in. “It’s good to have you home,” she said as she kissed my forehead. “Please give your father’s offer serious consideration.” After she had gone, Arlene came into my room. She sat on the bed, and I told her of Dad’s offer. We talked for a good hour before she left for her own room. I drifted off to sleep, my head spinning with all of the possibilities that had been offered. In the morning, we discussed the offer further over breakfast. I told Mom and Dad that I had a long talk with Arlene about the offer. I also told them that probably the only way I could do it is to have an administrative assistant, and that I wanted Arlene to be that person. She did not have that type of experience but was a quick learner.


Dad thought for a moment and said: “I think that she is an excellent choice. Both your Mom and I think that she’s a wonderful person, and we would love to have both of you around. OK, how soon can you start?”


“We’ll have to find a closer place to live first,” I said. “I love you both, but I’m afraid that if I moved back in here we would start some of the old battles again. Arlene and I thought we should get a house in town close to the office, maybe one down by the lake.”


Mom and Dad both nodded in agreement. “Why don’t you start looking today, now that you’re both on the payroll?” Dad said.


“We can do that,” I said as I looked over at Arlene who was grinning from ear to ear.


“I suppose that I need to go back and quit my old job,” Arlene said.


We called the Realtor, and made arrangements for her to pick us up right after lunch. With that out of the way, Mom excused herself and, as she did, gave all three of us a peck on the cheek. The three of us sat and talked business until lunch. This was going to be exciting but, at the same time, scary.


After lunch, the Realtor took Arlene and me out to look at houses. We both fell in love with a large one down by the lake. It had its own private beach and a hot tub. The place would require a minimum of alteration to meet my special needs. We decided to put it in my name. I signed earnest money papers, with my toes of course. Closing was set for two weeks, but we could move in anytime. The Realtor asked me what kind of terms I wanted for the mortgage, and her mouth dropped open when I said cash. I told the Realtor what had to be done in the way of modifications to the place. New lever handle doorknobs and faucet handles were all that were necessary. She would have them done the next day.


We went back to the estate and told my parents all about the house that I had bought. They were almost as elated as Arlene and I were. We packed our things and headed back to the city. Things were going to be moving fast, and we had a lot of details to clean up.


It was almost three in the morning as we approached the city. Arlene was driving, and I was firmly belted in the passenger seat. I never can get this seat belt undone; Arlene has to do it for me. I sometimes feel like a prisoner. It had gotten chilly, and I had my coat draped over my shoulders with the sleeves hanging down at my sides. We stopped at the first stoplight, still quite a way out of the city. Another car pulled up alongside. A couple of greasy looking guys were in the car, and their music was cranked way up to the point that you could feel the bass. The light changed, and we both went in the same direction side-by-side. We were the only two cars on the road at that time of morning. We came to a second stoplight, and the car was again right beside us in the left lane. I felt really uneasy about those guys and the way they were looking at us. Suddenly the guy in the passenger seat jumped out and opened Arlene’s door. He yanked her out of the car by her hair. She was screaming and swinging at him. He pushed her away, but as he did, he grabbed her thick glasses. He jumped into our driver’s seat, and both cars took off. Poor Arlene was left alone and blind, wandering around in the middle of the street. As I looked back, she looked so pathetic, feeling around in the air with her arms outstretched as she tried to find safety. Just as we started around the bend of the deserted road, I saw that she had made it to the sidewalk.


“Thank God, she made it!” I exclaimed. “She’s blind without her glasses. You just can’t leave her there.”


“That’s the breaks,” the thug said as we continued down the road. He rolled down the window and threw out her glasses.


“She can’t see without them!” I said. “What are you going to do to me?”


“I got big plans for you,” he said. He pulled into the parking lot of a large office complex and drove over to a dark, deserted corner, then said, “Open the door and get out.”


“I can’t, in case you haven’t noticed, I don’t have any arms,” I said as I wiggled my shoulders. The empty sleeves just flopped around. “The seat belt has me held in place. If you want me to get out, you’ll need to release the catch for me.”


“You don’t say,” he said coyly as he put his arm around my neck and, drawing me close, kissed me with a passionate kiss. It seemed to last forever and was quite unpleasant. I struggled to get away, but I was still held firmly by the seat belt. He broke off the kiss. He moved his arm down from around my neck and grabbed my right breast and then grabbed my left breast with his other hand reaching through my coat. He let go of my breasts and pulled off my coat and then removed my blouse by pulling it up over my head, tearing it as he did it. Then I was sitting there in my bra as he moved back to admire me. That didn’t last long. He reached over and easily dropped the straps over my shoulder stubs. He then pulled my bra down to my waist and sat back again. Now I was sitting there naked from the waist up.


“Nice boobs, how come you ain’t got no arms?” he asked.


“It happened accidentally in Mexico,” I said. “Please, just let me go. This is kidnapping you know.”


He moved over and began to fondle my breasts again as I tried to squirm away. Because it was cold, my nipples were quite erect. This really seamed to turn him on. He continued to fondle my breasts and then my shoulders as he examined the small scars the surgeon had left.


“Why don’t use hooks like other people with no arms?” he asked as he continued to examine me with his hands and eyes.


“Because they cut my arms off so short, I don’t have any stumps for the artificial arms to work with. I can do most things with my toes,” I said. “I can’t undo the seat belt though.”


He released my seat belt and opened his door and started to get out. I hit the door release button that we had installed for me on the passenger’s side. I pushed the door open and got out and started to run across the large lawn in front of the deserted office building. I was screaming for help at the top of my lungs as I ran. I could hear him right behind me. Suddenly he pushed me from behind, and I went tumbling face first onto the grass. I struggled to try to get up, but just when I was about to get to my feet, he hit me across the cheek with the back of his hand. Because I was still off balance, it knocked me down again. I landed face down again. He was on me in an instant and rolled me over on my back. He began kissing and fondling me again, while all the while, I kicked and struggled to get away. He slid his hand down under the waistband of my blue jeans and put his hand on my crotch. I knew that I was about to be raped and that I had to keep my wits about me to stop it.


“Don’t move,” he said as he stood up and started to remove his pants.


Now was my chance. As soon as his pants were down around his ankles, I tried to kick him in the groin. He must have realized what I had in mind because he stepped aside and made me miss. I tried again but missed the second time. I tried to get up again, but he pushed me back with his foot.


“You’re a feisty little bitch for not having any arms. You try like hell, but you sure are easy to control,” he said as he dropped to his knees. “Put this in your mouth.”


He grabbed my hair with one hand and had his fully erect penis in the other. I turned my head and tightened my jaw. He pulled my hair hard and forced my head back. I gasped for air.


“OK, we try one more time,” he said as he forced his penis in my mouth.


The thought of having his penis in my mouth was disgusting and made me want to throw up. I started to gag, then without really thinking about it, I bit down as hard as I could. He started screaming and tried to pull away, but I only bit harder. Suddenly my mouth was full of blood. I released my bite, and he fell back screaming. I struggled to my feet as he lay writhing in pain on the grass holding his penis with blood squirting out. There was blood all over me, blood all over him, blood all over the grass. There was blood everywhere. I struggled to my feet as I tried to spit the blood out of my mouth. When I started to move away from him, he stuck his foot out and tripped me. I fell prone to the grass again on my face. This time, it knocked the wind out of me momentarily. I instinctively rolled away from him and struggled to my feet again. I ran back to the car and, using my toes, dialed 911 on the cell phone. I told the dispatcher what had happened and where we were. Almost instantly, I heard a siren and a patrol car racing into the parking lot with its lights flashing. I ran around to the back of the car as the patrol unit came to a screeching stop.


“Are you hurt?” were the first words out of the officer’s mouth as he jumped out of the patrol car. He had a real look of concern when he saw all the blood on me.


“I’m OK, just a little shaken. But he needs some serious medical help,” I said as I motioned in the direction of the lawn with my shoulder and chin.


The officer ran over to my victim and began to administer first aid. Another siren was off in the distance and soon an ambulance was there.


I heard a car door to the patrol car click shut. I turned around to see Arlene blindly feeling her way around the side of the patrol car.


“Cindy, where are you?” she said as she groped around for me.


“I’m right here. Are you OK?” I asked.


“I’m fine, just blind. The officer just happened by and found me wandering around,” she said as her outstretched hands found me. “What do have all over you? It’s wet and sticky.”


“It’s his blood. He’s in pretty bad shape. I bit off the end of his penis I think. I didn’t stay to look close,” I said. “Could you please pull up my bra? He slid it down around my waist after he ripped that new silk blouse that you bought for me.”


“Certainly,” she said as she felt blindly for my bra. She pulled it back up and positioned the shoulder straps. “What happened to my glasses?”


“The thug dropped them back on the road,” I said. “Your spare glasses are in the car, aren’t they?”


“Yes, they’re in the trunk, in my suitcase,” she replied. “Please lead me over to the car.” She put her hand on my shoulder, and we walked over to the car. She groped around the ignition and took out the keys. Still groping blindly, she made her way to the trunk and felt around for the lock. She managed to get the key in the lock and opened the trunk lid. Blindly, she felt for her suitcase and opened the lid. Right on top were her spare glasses. She quickly put them on and looked at me. The look on her face was of total horror when she saw all the blood that covered me. “You look like hell. We need to get you cleaned up.”


About that time, the officer came over. He was very gentle. “Yes, we do need to get you cleaned up, but first let me get some of the blood that’s on you for the lab,” he said. “Once we do that, I’ll need to get statements from both of you. We can do it here or down at the station where there’s a nice warm shower.”


“Get the samples and then go to the station,” I said as Arlene nodded.


“Just a second while I get my evidence kit,” he said as he walked around to the trunk of the patrol car. He came back with a plastic case and set it on the hood. He took out a scalpel. The sight of a scalpel made me shudder and shiver as I got an instant flashback to my ordeal in Mexico. “Are you OK?” he asked with a great deal of care in his voice.


“Yes, I’m OK. The sight of a scalpel brings back painful memories of these,” I said as I hunched my bare shoulders.


“I can see how you could feel that way. I’ll be careful,” he said softly as he looked closely at my shoulders. He very gently scraped off some of the blood and put it and the scalpel in a plastic baggie and marked it for evidence. “You can follow me to the station if you feel up to driving,” he said to Arlene. “Or, I would be glad to drive you both.”


“I’m OK now. Especially now that I have glasses,” Arlene said. “We’ll follow you.”


“OK, it’s right up the road about a mile,” he said with a little smile on his face as he got into the patrol car.


We got into the car, and Arlene buckled me in. She started the car and followed the patrol car out of the parking lot and down the road.


“I kind of wanted to ride with him,” I said. “He’s awfully cute and very gentle too.” We pulled into the station parking lot and parked beside him. The officer came over to the car. I asked him to grab my coat out of the back seat. He picked up my coat and held it out to me. “I’d take it, but I have a little problem here,” I said, wiggling my shoulders. Instantly the officer started to blush. I turned my back to him and said, “Could you please put it over my shoulders?” He obliged, and I turned to face him. I moved in real close to him and in a soft and sexy voice said: “Thanks. Could you zip it up too, please?”


“Sure, no problem,” he said as he reached down and carefully zipped up the front of the coat to just above my breasts. “I’m sorry that I was only going to hand you the coat.” His face was beet red, and he was very nervous.


“That’s OK, think nothing of it,” I said softly as I smiled broadly at him and winked.


He blushed even more and said, “This way please.” He led us to the front entry and held the door as we went into the station. “Let’s go into the conference room first.” We followed him into the conference room and sat down at the large table. He put some forms and pens on the table and asked us to fill them out. “Please, try to put down everything that happened in the order that it happened in your own words if you could,” he said. Arlene began filling out her form.


I smiled at the officer and said: “I can do it, but it will take me a long time. Could I tell you what happened and you write it down for me?”


The officer said, “I can do that,” as he smiled broadly at me.


I moved over and sat real close to him and began to tell my story. He wrote down every word just as I dictated. When we finished, I slipped my shoe off and put my foot up on the table. I picked up the pen with my toes and signed my name at the bottom of the form.


The officer sat there in amazement at seeing me signing my name using my toes. “That’s one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen,” he said.


“I’ll show you more tricks like that if you take me to dinner,” I said jokingly.


He smiled broadly and said, “We’ll see,” as he got up. “The shower is this way if you still want to use it.” He got up and led us out of the room, still a little flustered. He opened the door to the shower room and said: “Here it is. It’s a unisex facility so use the lock on the door here. Here are some fresh towels and washcloths. Soap is in the dispenser on the wall. Just let me know if you need anything else.”


“Will you wash my back?” I joked.


“Maybe I don’t need to be that helpful,” he replied as he smiled broadly. “I’ll leave you two to get cleaned up. Lock the door behind me,” he said as he walked out and pulled the door shut.


Arlene helped me take off my clothes and got the shower running. I stepped into the nice warm shower. It felt so good. I looked down, and the shower floor had turned a bright red as the blood soaked up and ran off. Arlene came in and thoroughly scrubbed me to get all of the blood off. I got out of the shower, and Arlene dried me off. “Could you please get me some clean clothes out of my suitcase in the car?” I asked.


“Sure, I’ll be back in a minute,” she said as she unlocked the door. She went out and closed the door behind her. I was standing there totally naked facing the door. Suddenly the door burst open, and the officer walked in. I just stood there; without any arms, I have no way of covering myself.


“Oh my God. I’m sorry,” he said as he just stood there for a moment with his eyes wide and his mouth open. I wasn’t. He closed his eyes, backed out the door, and closed it.


Arlene came back with my clean clothes and helped me get dressed. I told her what had just happened and that I really did want to go out with him. She picked up the towels, and we went back out into the hallway. The officer was standing with his back to the wall by the front door. As we walked toward the officer, I could see his face start to redden again.


Arlene said: “Thanks for all of your help. I’d still be wandering around out there in the middle of the road if you hadn’t come along.” He shook her hand, and she walked out of the building and left just me and the officer facing each other. His face was still flushed.


“I really do want to thank you for all of your kindness. I can’t shake your hand,” I said as I stretched up and kissed him on the cheek. “I was serious about dinner.”


“Cindy, I need to apologize for walking in on you like that,” he said sheepishly.


“You’ll have to do it over dinner,” I replied. “How about the day after tomorrow for dinner? My treat.”


“I really shouldn’t . . . Well OK,” he said. “Day after tomorrow it is. I’ll pick you up at seven, and I’ll buy.”


“Do you have my address?” I asked.


“Yes, it’s right here on the report,” he said. “By the way, my name is Bill.”


“Yes, I know. I saw it on the report too,” I said. “See you the day after tomorrow.” I smiled a great big smile, which he returned. He held the door open for me. I kissed him on the cheek again as I walked by. I crossed the parking lot and, using my toes, opened the car door. “See you soon,” I called to him as I got in the car. Arlene fastened my seat belt, and I said: “I did it. I have a date with him the day after tomorrow. Yahoo!”


“That’s great,” she said as we drove off. “You haven’t been out on a date since you moved in. That’s great. It’ll do you good.”


We talked girl talk the rest of the way home. The sun was just coming up as we drove into our parking space. We got our stuff and went inside. It felt good to be home for a while. We both went to our respective bedrooms and crashed.


When I got up later that morning, Arlene had already gone to work. I took a long hot bath. I got out of the tub and started my drying myself routine. When I finished, I stood and admired my beautiful shape in the mirror. The exercises, along with sensible diet, have kept me very fit and trim. As I looked in the mirror at my altered shape, without arms dangling at my side, I thought of how much I really liked being a DAE. It was like I was in constant bondage. That thought turned me on. I could still do most things for myself, and I enjoyed the attention that I now received. I went into the bedroom and dressed and then fixed myself a bowl of cereal. I had just finished eating when the doorbell rang. It was a woman messenger bringing the annual reports that Dad had promised. I had her put the package on the coffee table. Out of habit, she held out the clipboard for me to sign. I asked her to put it on the coffee table. She blushed at what she had tried to do. I deftly picked up the pen and signed for the package using my toes.


“It must be terrible not to have any arms,” she said sheepishly.


“Well, this wasn’t completely my idea. It’s not too bad,” I said. “You get used to it after a while. I manage quite well I think. Now I just have to do things differently.”


“You sure do get along well,” she replied.


“Thanks,” I said, as she left and closed the door behind her. I went into the kitchen and picked up a large knife in my teeth. The knife was sharp, and I made quick work of the package.


I sat down and started to read the voluminous report that Dad had sent us. My mouth dropped open when I got to the financial summary page. Dad hadn’t told us that the total net worth of all of the companies had nine figures. I sank back into the chair; I was having a difficult time comprehending such a large amount. I heard a key in the lock and looked around to see Arlene come in. “Hi, what are you doing home so soon?” I asked.


“Hi there. I’m done,” Arlene replied. “The company has a policy that when you give notice they put you on immediate paid administrative leave and have you clean out your desk right then. So I get paid for the next two weeks and don’t have to go to work. They even gave me my final paycheck.” She put her coat away and came over and sat down on the couch facing me. “I need to go down and order new glasses. This is the last pair I have, and the prescription is out of date. They really make my poor eyes tired. What are you working on?” she asked.


“I’m reading through the stuff Dad sent over,” I replied. “There’s an envelope for you in there.” I picked up the envelope with my toes and gave it to her.


She opened the envelope and began to read. “I think that there must be some kind of mistake here,” she said.


“What’s wrong?” I asked.


“This can’t be. He just doubled what I was making. There’s got to have been a mistake,” she said.


“Can I see the letter?” I asked as she shared the letter with me. I read the letter. “I don’t think you read the letter correctly. Yes, he did double your old annual salary, but the difference now is that your old doubled annual salary is now your new monthly salary,” I said as I gave the letter back to her.


“What!!!” she exclaimed. She carefully reread the letter. “I can’t believe this. That’s more money than I ever dreamed of. Oh, that’s too much money for what I can do.” She took off her thick glasses and placed them on the corner of the coffee table in front of her. She stared blindly straight ahead for a moment, then leaned back on the sofa and rubbed her eyes. “I just can’t believe it. Something this good just can’t be happening to me,” she said.


“You’ll be earning that salary,” I said. “As soon as you read these reports, you’ll see what the companies are really worth. Remember, you will be number two in charge of quite a vast empire. You’ll earn it.”


She sat up straight and turned toward me. “This all so new to me. I’m afraid I’ll make a mistake,” she said as she looked blankly past me. Arlene was a beautiful girl with her thick glasses on, but without them, she was a real knockout. She reached for her glasses on the edge of the coffee table. In her haste, she bumped them with the back of her hand, and they went scooting across the hardwood floor. She immediately got down on her hands and knees and began groping blindly around for them.


I sat back and watched for a minute. I thought that this for her was almost like being in the bondage that I’m now in—except she can correct hers as soon as she puts her glasses on, but without them, she can be relatively helpless too. I sort of enjoyed watching her struggle.


“Cindy, where did they go?” she asked, still feeling blindly around.


I hesitated a moment as I watched her. “Over to your left about ten feet,” I said.


Still on her hands and knees, she felt her way in the direction I directed but still couldn’t find them. My heart pounded a little as I watched her actions.


“I need to use the bathroom,” I said as I got up and walked to my bedroom door. I turned and just stood and watched her frantically groping around on the floor. I had never done this to her before, and it was kind of exciting watching her struggle now. After about ten minutes, I went into my bathroom and reached up with my toes and flushed the toilet, then walked back into the living room.


“I still can’t find them,” she said in a panicky tone of voice.


“I’m sorry, I meant to your right,” I said. She crawled and felt her way to where I had directed, and soon my little game with her was over—a game that she didn’t even know I had played. We spent the rest of the day packing. Later that night, we went out for a celebration dinner after her eye doctor appointment.


The next day, was the day for my date with Officer Bill. I wanted everything to be perfect. Arlene had cut the toes out of some dark nylons for me. I decided to wear my short leather mini skirt and three-inch high heels. I picked out a rather tight white blouse that had the sleeves sewn tight to reveal the curvature of my shoulders. It was designed to really show that I had no arms and was quite sexy.


At seven o’clock, right on the dot, the doorbell rang. Arlene answered the door and asked Bill to come in. She asked him to sit down and told him that I would be right out. I made my grand entrance. I wobbled just a little in the heels. “I’m sorry that I’m late,” I said as I emerged from the bedroom.


“You’re not late. I’m a little early,” he said. “Shall we go?”


He helped me with my coat and said goodbye to Arlene. He opened the door, and we walked over to his car. He held the car door open for me as I got in. He got in and buckled his seat belt, and he began to start the car.


“Bill, I can’t do seat belts,” I said. “Could you do mine, please?” As he reached over me to grab the belt, I bent down and kissed him. He kissed me back. The feeling was warm and wonderful; it sent goose bumps up my back. We finally broke off the kiss and came up for air. “Wow, I needed that,” I said.


“You do that well, even if you can’t do seat belts,” he said with a big smile. “I know a nice little place for dinner.”


“Lead the way; you’re driving,” I said as we backed out of the parking space. We drove for about a half hour down the coast to this beautiful little restaurant high on a cliff overlooking the ocean. He undid my seat belt and came around and opened the door for me. I got out of the car, and as he closed the door, I moved very close to him again. He took me in his arms, and we began an even more passionate kiss than before. I could feel the bulge in his pants. He was as ready as I was. My knees were weak as we broke off the kiss. “Wow, you sure do know how to treat a girl to a good time,” I said.


“The fun is about to begin,” he said. “Right this way.”


“I’m a little unsteady with these heels. I haven’t worn them since the operation,” I said as we walked to the front entrance. “I would love to be able to hold your hand.”


“So would I,” he said as he opened the door for me.


The hostess showed us to a quiet table with a fabulous view overlooking the ocean and a little rocky cove. I sat close next to him. The setting was perfect as we watched the sunset. We ordered wine; I specified a long stem glass. The wine steward brought the wine and Bill tasted. It was fine, and the wine was poured. Bill picked up his glass, and I reached around and put my shoeless foot, with toes cut out of the nylons, on the table. I held the glass in my toes as I proposed a toast to us. We clinked glasses and both drank. Bill watched in amazement as I drank the wine. The waiter came and took our dinner order. We chatted and told each other our life stories. I even told him the truth about my voluntary amputation and the mistake that made me a DAE. I thought it a little strange that he didn’t ask what a DAE was, but just dismissed it as his politeness. Dinner came. I asked Bill to cut my steak for me. He watched closely as I ate using my fork with my toes.


“Excuse me for staring; I’m absolutely astounded how you do that,” he said as I continued to eat. “I know that I couldn’t do that.”


“You can stare at me all you like,” I replied. “The flexibility comes from the exercises I do. The toe dexterity comes with practice. If you give me a chance, I’ll show you more.”


We finished dinner and light dessert. The waiter brought the check. I insisted on paying so I had Bill get my credit card out of the pocket of my skirt. He looked at the card and commented that he had never seen one like that before.


“It has no limit,” I told him. “It’s a business card.”


He looked closely at the card and said, “This is a bank upstate, isn’t it?”


“Yes, my hometown,” I replied. “The bank is part of the family business.”


“Funny, I put in for a transfer up there, just before I met you,” he said. “Now I’m not so sure that I want to go.”


“I sure want you to get the transfer,” I said as I smiled coyly at him and he returned a quizzical look. “Remember all the boxes back at the condo?” He nodded his head yes. “Arlene and I are moving up there in two days.”


The waiter took the card and soon brought it back. He stood there amazed as I picked up the pen, added the gratuity, and signed the card using my toes. Bill and I walked to the car and kissed again as I got in. Bill got in, and we exchanged another kiss as he fastened my seat belt. We drove out of the parking lot and back along the ocean. We stopped and got out. Bill suggested a walk on the beach. I told him I would love it if he would help me take off my nylons. We walked around to the front of the car, and he got down on his knees. He gently lifted my skirt and pulled down one nylon and then the other. He stood up, and we kissed again. As he did, he gently put his hand on my crotch. It felt so good, and I responded by making the kiss even more passionate. We broke off the kiss, and he tossed the nylons in the car. The stones in the parking lot were sharp, and I was having a difficult time walking. Bill picked me up and carried me until we were almost to the surf. We walked and talked and kissed for a while. I told him that I would like to see his place. We walked back to the entrance to the parking lot trail, and he picked me up again. Once more, we engaged in a passionate kiss. He carried me back to the car and helped me in, always the perfect gentleman. Once he got in, the seat belt was again an opportunity for a kiss. We drove over to his place. I slipped my heels on, and he helped me get out of the car and led the way up the walk of the small, well-kept house where he lived. He opened the door, and we went in. He closed the door, and as he turned, once more we exchanged a passionate kiss.


“Can I use your phone?” I asked. “I should call Arlene so that she won’t worry.”


He showed me where the phone was, and I made the call. I hung up and said: “I think I woke her up. She sounded sleepy. I told her not to wait up.”


“Can I get you anything else to drink?” he offered.


“I think I’ve had enough to drink,” I said. “All I want is you right now. I want to make love to you until you have to crawl,” I said as I rubbed my breasts against his chest.


Without saying another word, he turned me around and, with his hands on my hips from behind, gently guided me into the bedroom. Once in there, I turned and passionately kissed him again.


“Please take my clothes off,” I asked softly as I stuck my tongue in his ear.


He began to slowly unbutton my bulging blouse and then pulled the tail free from my skirt. He removed my blouse and then my bra, pausing to caress each breast and my very erect nipples. He then unbuttoned my skirt and helped it fall gently to the floor around my ankles. He got on his knees and removed my panties and let them fall around my ankles also. He kissed my pubic hair very gently and stood back up. I stepped out of my heels and clothes and was standing naked in front of him.


“Does this look familiar?” I joked as I nuzzled up to him.


“Yes, it does, and I sure do like what I see. Now it’s your turn to undress me,” he said softly as he kissed my ear and put his hand on my crotch.


If he would have touched my clitoris, I would have burst, I was so ready for him. I took the top button of his shirt in my teeth and, using my tongue, undid the first button and then did the others until I was down to his waist. Still using my teeth, I pulled out his shirttail all around. I undid the last button and engaged in a little kiss. Using my teeth, I pulled first the right and then the left side of his shirt down over his shoulders. He moved his arms a little, and the shirt fell to the floor exposing his muscular chest and abs. After another short kiss, I dropped to my knees, kissing his chest and stomach on the way down, then undid his belt with my teeth. He undid the top button on his pants, and then I unzipped his zipper using my teeth. “Kick your shoes off,” I said. As he did, his pants fell down around his knees. “Now sit on the bed and put your legs in the air.” He did, and with my teeth, I pulled each pant leg off by the cuff, and his pants fell to the floor. Now using my toes, I took off his socks. “If you stand up, I’ll take off your shorts,” I said. He stood up, and I got to my knees. Using my teeth, I removed his shorts exposing his very erect penis. I began to fondle his organ with my tongue. He reached down and gently held my shoulder stubs, then helped me to my feet. “Please massage my stubs,” I said weakly, “That feels so good.”


He massaged my shoulders, and he held me close as we exchanged a passionate kiss. Together, we lay down on the bed. His hands explored every part of my body, and when he just touched my clitoris, I instantly burst into an orgasm like I’d never had before. Soon he was on top of me and made penetration. It felt so good and was so deep that the feeling was indescribable. We both came several times as we engaged in sex in various different positions. When I was on top, he held me up. This was undoubtedly the most pleasurable sex that I had ever had. Exhausted, we fell asleep.


When I awoke, Bill was still holding me in his muscular arms. I felt so safe. I wished that I could hold him too. I moved a little, and he relaxed his hold so I used the opportunity to use the bathroom. When I finished, I came back and looked at the clock. It was seven-thirty in the morning. He began to stir, and as his eyes opened, I was ready with a little good morning kiss. Soon we were at it again. God, it felt so good. We got up and Bill helped me dress. This process did not go quickly due to the kissing that took place each time an article of clothing was added. He fixed breakfast. We had another meal together and were really enjoying each other’s company. We talked about going out again and soon. Bill started swing shift that night and was going to be on that shift for the rest of the month, in addition to extra training. By the time he finished, we would have moved. We finished breakfast, and he drove me back to the condo. As he undid my seat belt, he gave me another passionate kiss and whispered, “I really do want to see you again.”


“Oh God, so do I,” I said weakly. “I’m sure that we can work out a time. I have your number, and you have our new address.” I got out of the car and he walked me to the door and we kissed again. He put the key in the lock for me and unlatched the door. We said our goodbyes, and he turned and walked to his car. He waved as he got in and drove away. I wished at that moment that I had just one arm to wave with. I pushed open the door and went in and pushed it shut behind me. Arlene was sitting on the couch in just the short tee shirt that she sleeps in. The first obvious thing I noticed was that she didn’t have her glasses on. She had also been crying a lot. “Arlene, what’s the matter?” I asked.


“I dropped those stupid glasses somewhere around here, and I can’t find them,” she sobbed. “Oh Cindy, I’m so helpless without them. I stumbled over the boxes and got turned around and couldn’t figure out where I was. I’ve tried to find them for hours, and I don’t have a spare.”


“Where were you when you lost them?” I asked as I sat down beside her.


“I was in bed when you called. I got up and came out here to answer the phone. I was just hanging up when I knocked them off,” she said. “I’ve searched the floor everywhere around the phone.”


I got up and went to the phone and looked around. After a few minutes of looking, I said, “They’re right over here.”


She got up and groped her way over to me, stumbling over a packing box.


“You can get them easier than me. They’re in the bottom of the wastebasket,” I said as she bumped into me.


She got down on her hands and knees and felt blindly around for the wastebasket. She found it right away and felt around through the stuff until she found her glasses and quickly put them on. “Thanks Cindy; you’re a lifesaver,” she said as she got to her feet and gave me a hug. We walked over to the couch and sat down. “Tell me all about your date.”


We sat and talked girl talk for about an hour. We decided that as soon as the stores opened that we needed to get some spare glasses for Arlene. I went in and changed into something a little more casual for mall shopping. Blue jeans, tee shirt, and penny loafers were the attire. Her glasses were ready when we got to the store. Arlene tried on both pairs and had them adjusted. We walked the mall looking for things that we just couldn’t live without. After shopping, we went home and finished packing. Well, Arlene packed and I supervised. I thought a lot about Bill and the wonderful evening we had.


The next day, the moving truck came. The crew loaded all of our stuff and finished packing some of the things that we didn’t get to. They worked quickly, and we were ready to be on the road by ten o’clock. I gave instructions to the driver to drive straight through and that we wanted to unload tonight if possible. He started to argue, and the foreman whispered something in his ear. It’s fun to own the company. Arlene and I led the way, and the truck followed. We stopped for lunch. We all sat together in the restaurant and had a good conversation with the moving crew. They sure did watch me closely as I ate using my feet and toes. We soon were back on the road again after gassing up. It was about five o’clock when we got to the new condo. The modifications that I needed had been completed, and we were ready to move in. I told the foreman that I would pay double time and a half for over eight hours. His face lit up as they went to work unloading our stuff and placing it where we directed. They were wonderful. They even helped us set up and make the beds. The foreman looked on in amazement as I filled out the check, holding the pen in my toes of course. That night, Arlene and I crashed.


And so began a new chapter in our lives.



Chapter 4: More Life With My Roommate


My name is Cindy. My administrative assistant and, most of all, my best friend Arlene, is my roommate. We have been through a great deal together in the past year. Our adventures have brought us closer together. My life is definitely not boring but, with my new limitations, is certainly different. I am a DAE amputee, not completely of my own choice, but I’m partly to blame. I thought that my old boyfriend Ralph wanted it that way, so I was only going to have one arm amputated. By mistake, both of my arms were amputated right at the shoulder, and I don’t have any arm stubs. When I came back from Mexico after the operation, my old boyfriend and I got into a really big fight and he threw me out. That’s when I met Arlene.


Arlene was born with severe congenital myopia and needs to wear very thick glasses to see. Without them, she can’t see more than an inch or two and, for all intents and purposes, is blind. When we met, she had lost her glasses while she was out running and couldn’t find her way out of the park. She had blindly groped her way in the wrong direction and was hopelessly lost.


We now live in my place in my hometown. Right after we first met, I moved into her condo in the city. I have taken several specialized classes aimed at allowing me to contend with the difficulties of being a DAE as independently as possible. Now I get along quite well by myself, but it’s wonderful having Arlene around to help me do the things that I can’t do for myself. I do a lot of exercises to remain flexible and have developed a great deal of dexterity with my toes.


I grew up with my parents on a large estate just outside of town. When I was seventeen, my parents and I had a big fight. I ran away from home. I hadn’t been home in five years. Arlene and I visited my parents for a long weekend, and Dad asked me to take over management of the company. I chose Arlene to be my administrative assistant.


On the way home from the visit, we were carjacked and I was kidnaped in the process. I was attacked and managed to get the best of my attacker, even without me having any arms. That’s when I met Bill. He was the investigating officer. We only got to go out one time before Arlene and I moved.


Moving day had been quite fatiguing, and we both slept late. We sat around the new place for a while, then decided to go out for breakfast. Down at the diner, our waitress was one of my old friends from high school. I introduced her to Arlene and told her that we had moved back to town. I had slipped my leather jacket on, and so she hadn’t noticed that I was armless when we sat down. She came by and gave us menus and chatted for a moment and left. Arlene opened mine and put it in front of me. My friend came back and took our order and picked up the menus and left after chatting a little more. She still hadn’t noticed. Soon she brought our juice, and I asked for a straw. She gave me a strange look but still didn’t notice. She brought our order and left. I began eating by holding the fork in my toes like I always do. When she came by to check on our progress and saw me eating with my toes, she let out a scream like she had seen a ghost and dropped her tray. Poor girl, she was so embarrassed that all she could do was to pick up the tray and the things that she had dropped and head for the kitchen. We both chucked as we finished our breakfast. She came back with our check and apologized. She asked what had happened, and I told her that I there had been an accident when I was in Mexico, and left it at that. Using my toes, I passed her my credit card. She just stood there with her mouth open when I signed the receipt by grasping the pen with my toes. When I got up, she saw the empty sleeves of the leather jacket as we left. I was soon to be the talk of the town.


When we got home, I called my parents to let them know that we were in town. They both wanted to see the new place and were soon on their way over. We were still putting things away when they arrived. They loved the place, even though it was small by their standards. I told them about the episode down at the restaurant. It was going to take a while for the townspeople to get used to my new condition. Still, the way news travels in that town, probably over half of them had heard the news already. We decided to have a computer terminal to the main frame and a multiple line phone from company headquarters installed in the den. We decided that Arlene and I would start work the day after tomorrow and take the rest of the time settling in. And settle in we did. It was great having my own place, and of course, it was neat to have Arlene share it with me. That evening, I called Bill and gave him my new phone number. It was great talking to him, but he sounded tired. I wanted to be snuggled in his arms.


The first day of work was exciting. I got up early and laid out my clothes: a white sleeveless silk blouse that showed off my resculptured shoulders, a navy business suit with a mid-thigh length skirt, and moderate black heels. I had ordered several pairs of crotchless panty hose, for ease of toilet use, and had them altered by having the toes cut off. Arlene helped me with my makeup and to get dressed. I decided just to let the suit coat sleeves hang at my sides rather than pinning them up or tucking then in the pockets. We had dressed in almost identical fashion and both looked sharp. The doorbell rang. Arlene answered the door and was shocked to see Henry the chauffeur dressed smartly in his uniform. I came out of the bedroom and walked over and gave him a kiss on the cheek and asked him for a hug. It was good to see him again. When we arrived at the office, Dad was waiting at the front door. All of the senior staff were assembled in the lobby in sort of a receiving line fashion. We walked down the line and spoke with each one as we were introduced. One or two of them automatically stuck out a hand for a handshake. They felt sheepish when they realized what they had done. I reassured them that it was all right. Dad gave us a tour of the building. We stopped in each of the offices and were introduced. Finally, we got to the top floor and our office suite. Dad showed me into his old office. It was almost empty. The large desk and chair along with the credenza were all that was left of the furniture. The bookcases were empty, and all of his mementos had been removed.


“This is your office now,” he said. “Today we start a new generation, and Cindy, I want you to decorate it to suit your own taste. Starting today, you are in charge. By the end of the month, I will have signed all of the company assets over to you.”


“Oh Dad, I don’t know what to say,” I said as I gave him a kiss on the cheek. He responded with a hug and a glint of tears in his eyes. “This has always been your office.”


“Yes, I know, and that’s why I want you to have it,” he said. “It is also the symbol of power. The person occupying this office has absolute control of our holdings.”


“I realize that and understand the symbolism,” I said. “But where are you going to be?”


“I’ll be in the office that adjoins the conference room,” he said. “I thought that Arlene could use the office right next to yours.” He walked toward Arlene’s office and gestured.


We walked into Arlene’s office. She gasped: “I never expected anything like this. This office is huge. Are you sure this is all for me?”


“Yes it is,” Dad said. “You have a very important position in this company, and you deserve it. Why don’t you both get settled? We have reservations at the country club for early lunch, and then all afternoon we will have company managers here to give you both presentations on what they do and why they do it. Plan on a long afternoon.”


I went back into my office and sat down in the overstuffed chair behind my new desk. I still couldn’t believe all this was happening to me. I called Sally, my personal secretary, and asked her to come in. She was a wonderfully caring person, but I could tell that she was uneasy around me. We talked for a while, and she became a little more at ease. I decided that we needed to get things out in the open so I stood up and asked her to do the same. I turned my back to her and asked her to remove my jacket, which she did. I turned and faced her with my shoulders exposed and asked her to touch them. She carefully put down my jacket over the chair and very tentatively reached out with a finger and barely touched one. I told her that I wanted her to use both hands and grab my shoulders firmly. She did as she was directed. Next, I told her to take a good close look at the scars. She did, and then we sat back down. We talked more, especially about me and my needs for assistance. I told her some of the details about waking up with no arms and my recuperation in Mexico. By the time we finished, she was completely at ease, and we were laughing and joking. She was going to work out great.


At ten forty-five, Sally buzzed me on the intercom and reminded me that it was time for lunch. Arlene came into my office the same time Dad did and we left. Lunch was in the private dining room. Arlene cut my steak, and I asked for a straw. Lunch was soon over, and we went back to the office for an afternoon of presentations. By the time we got there, everyone else was waiting in the conference room. The largest chair was at the head of the table along with two others. Dad sat down in the largest chair. I sat on the right, and Arlene sat on the left. Dad started off by telling the group what they were expecting to hear, that he was retiring and that I was now in charge of the company. Dad stood up and offered me the large chair at the head of the table. I got up and moved to the seat. As I sat down, the conference room erupted into a standing round of applause. I thanked them and asked then all to sit down. Dad sat in the unoccupied chair. We had all been introduced that morning so introductions were not necessary. Sally had prepared a seating chart and short crib notes on each one of the managers, as well as nameplates. I started by suggesting that we all get comfortable and that jackets should be removed. I did this for a little shock value, but more than anything, I wanted them to see me as I was. Arlene removed my jacket for me. I told them all, to dispel any rumors, that I had lost both my arms in Mexico and that I was comfortable about the way that I am now. This seemed to break the ice and the group loosened up and the presentations started. Arlene and I both had a lot of questions. She kept copious notes. By the end of the day, my head was spinning, but I had a good grasp of the operations. As we started to break up, I asked Arlene to arrange for first hand plant and facility tours as soon as possible. After everyone had left, Dad complimented me on running the meeting. He started to say that I had them eating out of my hand, but thought better of it. After all, I was his only child and he was still sensitive about my armless condition. He did say that being up front with them about my condition and taking off my jacket did the trick and gained their confidence.


Monday of the next week was the start of the facilities tours that would take up the next two weeks, even flying place to place in the company jet. The accommodations that were provided for us were superb in each place. The word was out that I could be a tough taskmaster, and they all wanted to please. I had asked each manager for their ideal business plan for managing their portion of the company. Most were pretty good and would require very little adjustment. In the evenings, Arlene and I would go for a run together. It gave us a little time to be away from the structure and pressure of the business. The only problem that I have with running is that I need to wear shoes and socks, therein negating the use of my toes. It’s kind of like how normal people would feel like with their hands tied. Fortunately, my running shoes are low cuts so that if necessary I could kick them off. Sometimes when we were finished, I would call Bill just as he was getting home from work. It was always good to hear his voice.


One night while we were on our tour, we ended up in the city, I made arrangements to see Bill when he got off work. I waited for him at a little diner near his place. When he walked into the room, my heart started beating so fast that I thought it was going to jump out of my chest. God, it was good to see him. He was so wonderfully comfortable to be around, I knew he was the one. He gave me a passionate kiss and held me close. We had a light meal and then went over to his place. It was like our first date all over again, only better.


Soon it was morning and time to go. We talked about schedules and decided that we couldn’t get together for another six weeks. I called Arlene at the hotel and had her pick me up in a cab. Bill and I kissed, and he held me until Arlene knocked on the door. It was a tearful goodbye. I really didn’t want to leave him. He was really something special.


We finished the tour and returned home. We had a lot of catching up to do and decisions to make. Dad was great to have around to show us what to do. He had a way of making suggestions to let me think that it was my idea. About the only major thing that we decided to change was to form a centralized security operation for all of the companies, which would be controlled from here at the home office. This was a suggestion by our risk management consultant. Now in the days of unchecked litigation, they were concerned about providing a consistent training for all of our staff. We decided to go ahead with the project, and Personnel was directed to start a search for a security manager.


Arlene and I talked about hiking some of the backwoods trails as another way to unwind from all of the pressure that we were now under. We bought hiking gear and shoes. I felt a little uneasy about the hi-topped shoes that I purchased, but even though I am trapped in them, they provide a lot of ankle support. Besides, Arlene would be with me for any help I would need.


Arlene and I decided that we should go on a dayhike to do a little “break in” of our bodies and our gear. This would let us use light packs. We drove to the trailhead dressed in our hiking shorts and tee shirts. When we got there, I slipped out of my sandals and Arlene helped me put on my socks. I slipped on my hiking boots, and Arlene laced and tied them for me. I instantly had the feeling of being trapped. She put straps on her glasses so that she wouldn’t lose them and then helped me with my pack. The shoulder straps on my pack have an additional strap across the front that ties the two shoulder straps together and is fastened with Velcro that I can release with my teeth. As we started up the trail, we both commented how we looked like real hikers in our hiking shorts, which showed off our nice looking and well-tanned long legs.


It was a steeper hike than we thought it was going to be. We were both a little winded when we got to the top, but the magnificent view was well worth it. You could see the lake and town from up there. We sat down and took off our packs on a flat spot on top of a high cliff. It felt good even to get the light day pack off. It was time for lunch, and we decided that Arlene would just feed me rather than taking off my hiking boots. This was no problem as she often feeds me things that I can’t easily pick up and eat with my toes, like pizza or hamburgers. The sun was warm and I lay back to enjoy it. I asked her to take off my tee shirt and bra so that I could get a little sun. She helped me as I asked, and she did the same for herself. Arlene took her glasses off and laid them on a large rock right next to her, then lay back too. This was really relaxing. The air smelled so fresh and clean way up here. We just lay there and chatted for a while. Soon we needed to get started back, and we both sat back up. Arlene blindly groped around for her glasses. In the process, she bumped them and they fell off the rock. Immediately, she started feeling around for them but wasn’t having any success. I got up and looked too but couldn’t see them. Arlene began to cry as she more frantically groped blindly around the ground on her hands and knees.


“I’m afraid that they might have fallen off the cliff,” I said.


“Oh no. Cindy, are you sure?” she said with a look of desperation on her face. “Look some more, please.”


“I am looking,” I said as I looked around. “I think they’re gone.”


“They just can’t be,” she sobbed as she sat back with her hands buried in her face. “You know how totally blind I am without them. How are we going to get back?”


“Your pack is right over here. Didn’t you bring a spare pair with you?” I asked. “No, I didn’t,” she sobbed. “I left them back in the car when I put on the straps. I didn’t think that I would lose them. Oh Cindy, that was a dumb thing to do. I’m the one who’s supposed to be helping you.”


“No, we help each other,” I said. “What’s done is done. Come on, I’ve led you places before. If you remember, this is how we met. The packs are over here.”


She blindly felt her way as she crawled over to my voice and the packs. She groped around and found mine first and helped me put it on. She found her pack and put it on, then stood up and groped around for me. I noticed what a beautiful girl she was, especially without those thick glasses. With her hand on my pack, we started back down the trail. We were about halfway back to the car at a place where the trail crosses a large open grassy hillside. The trail becomes quite steep and narrow at this point. I walked near the edge so that Arlene could walk on the smooth part of the trail. I tripped over a rock and slipped. I fell and started rolling down the hillside leaving poor Arlene behind screaming. She had no idea what was happening to me as she groped around in the air trying to find me. I rolled for what seemed like an eternity. Without any arms, I couldn’t stop. My pack came off as I continued to tumble and roll down the steep slope. I stopped suddenly when my foot became jammed into the trunk of a fallen tree. In the process, my momentum flipped me over the tree trunk and left me dangling upside down, looking at the sky. My leg hurt like hell. My foot was jammed in such a way as to pin my other leg tight against the tree trunk. I tried to wiggle free, but I couldn’t move. All the time, I could hear Arlene screaming and calling for me. If I only had arms, I could have moved myself around and got free, but without them, I was hopelessly stuck. I caught my breath and called to Arlene.


“Cindy, where are you?” she screamed. “I can’t find you.” She was totally freaked out as she groped blindly around waving her outstretched arms in the air.


“I’m down here pinned under a tree,” I hollered. “I need your help to get free.”


“OK, I’ll come down,” she hollered back. She moved toward the sound of my voice and slipped and started to tumble down the hillside too. She was screaming as she fell and rolled. She was finally able to stop herself but was completely disoriented. She stood up and felt blindly around in the air going in the wrong direction. “Cindy, where are you?” she called.


“Over here,” I replied. “Further down the hill.”


She turned and again started making her way toward me, feeling the way with her feet as she went. She kept calling, and I continued to call back until she had worked her way over to me.


“Cindy, are you hurt?” she asked as she started feeling around the log and my leg with her hands.


“My leg hurts like hell,” I replied. “I think maybe it’s broken, but I’m upside-down and can’t see it.” She continued to feel around the lower part of my body and had worked her way up to my hips. “Arlene, climb over the log and lift up my shoulders.” She did as I asked and blindly felt around my upper body until she found my shoulders. She lifted me, and I was able to squirm my butt around enough to free the foot that had been pinned by my other leg. It felt good to flex that leg. “Now hold me as I try to lean forward enough to free my foot,” I said as she steadied me. “Now let me sit here on the log while you cross back over. We’re going to have to lay me down on the ground to get me free.” She felt her way back over the log and back to me. “OK, grab my shoulders and help me lay down.” As we did, the pain in my leg became excruciating. I screamed in pain.


“What did I do wrong?” she asked in a panicky voice. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”


“It’s OK Arlene. You’re doing fine,” I reassured her. I wiggled and was able to roll enough to free my foot. I looked at the unnatural bend in my leg and exclaimed, “Yes, it is definitely broken, but the bone isn’t sticking out.”


“How are we going to get out of here? I’m blind, and you have a broken leg,” she said as she put her hands over her face and begin to cry. “I don’t know if I can handle this.”


“Let’s not panic yet,” I said. “We can work out a plan. Please help me get up and sit on the log while we work this out.” She helped me to my good foot, and I hopped over to the log, turned, and sat down. My leg throbbed like mad. “Did you bring a cell phone?” I asked.


“No, I thought you brought yours,” she replied. “I do have a GPS receiver.”


“Yes, I brought my cell phone,” I said. “It’s in my pack, and my pack came off when I fell. You’re going to have to go and find it.”


“I don’t think I can,” she said. “I can’t see a damn thing.”


“You’re going to have to do it. I know you can. I’ll sit here on this log and direct you,” I said. “I know you can do it.”


“OK,” she said as she stood up and took off her pack. “Which way?”


“Great. Turn a little to your right then straight up the hill,” I said as she started slowly back up the hill feeling her way as she went. I kept on encouraging her as I directed her right, then left, as she felt her way up the hill. When she was in the area where I thought I had lost the pack, I told her to search there. My leg continued to throb and hurt like hell. I was getting nauseous it hurt so much. After about ten minutes of searching, she found the pack. I kept shouting encouragement as she carefully worked her way back down the hill. I kept talking to her to let her know where I was as she blindly felt her way along. She brought the pack over and placed it on the ground next to me and sat back down on the log. “Get the GPS out of your pack and the cell phone out of mine,” I instructed. “You run them; I’ll tell you which buttons to push and read the display.”


She groped around for her pack and found the GPS. She opened it up and turned it on. Next, she groped her way to my pack and found the cell phone. “Hold up the GPS, and let me see the reading,” I said. Shortly after I had her push some of the buttons, we had a latitude and longitude reading. At least we knew exactly where we were in the world. Next, I had her turn on the phone. We had a good strong signal. I had her dial 911. She held the phone up about an inch away from her eye to see the keypad. The emergency dispatcher answered, and she told him where we were and what had happened and that I had a badly broken leg. He assured us that a rescue helicopter was being sent and it would be there in less than ten minutes. Soon the helicopter was overhead. “Arlene, wave a cloth or something at them to show them where we are down here,” I said.


She stood up and took off her white tee shirt and began waving it frantically in the air. The helicopter landed at the top of the hill, and the crew got out. “We’re over here,” she shouted as the crew started down the hill with a basket stretcher and aid box. She continued to wave and shout. Finally, she waved her shirt right in the face of one of the paramedics and let out a shriek when he grabbed her wrist.


“Sorry I frightened you,” the paramedic said. “What happened here?”


“I slipped and fell down the hill and broke my leg when it got caught in the tree trunk,” I told him. I recognized him. “Bob, is that you?”


“Hi Cindy. I heard you were back in town,” he said. “Well, you have a real bad break on that leg. Let’s get a splint on it and get you two out of here.”


“God, are you a sight for sore eyes,” I said. “Arlene, this is an old friend from high school; meet Bob.”


She stuck her hand out blindly, and he reached over and shook it. “I lost my glasses and can’t see,” she said.


“Glad to meet you,” he said. “You can put your shirt back on now if you want to.”


Her face turned bright red as she realized that she wasn’t wearing a bra and that her breasts were totally exposed for the crew to enjoy. She quickly put her tee shirt back on. They went to work and put a splint on my leg. They loaded me into the basket stretcher. The crew carried me, and Bob helped Arlene get back up the hill. They got us loaded into the helicopter, and soon we were on our way to the hospital. When we got there, Mom and Dad were there to meet us. The dispatcher had called them. Bob drove Arlene over to the house to get her other glasses. I was immediately taken into surgery to repair the break. The nurse gave me a shot to knock me out. The last thing I remember is pleading with the doctor not to cut off my leg.


When I awoke in the recovery room, everyone was there and smiling at me. I tried to sit up to see my leg but couldn’t. “Did you save my leg?” I said in a panicky voice. “Let me see.”


“You came through the operation fine,” the doctor said slowly with a stern look on his face. “You’re going to be laid up for a while . . . but you will have two good legs when you heal.” He smiled broadly as he cranked up the hospital bed.


I looked down at the large cast that went from my upper thigh to my foot. Just my toes stuck out, and I wiggled them. I began to cry and said: “Thank you Doctor. I was so afraid that I was going to lose my leg when I saw how badly it was broken.”


Arlene and Mom comforted me as Dad looked on and smiled. Bob was there too.


I waited until late when I knew that he would be home and called Bill and told him what had happened. He felt really bad that he couldn’t get away to come to see me. I felt the same way. I really missed him, and he missed me too.


My recovery went quickly, and I was soon allowed to go home. I hired an around the clock nursing staff to take care of me. With no arms, even when I was in the wheelchair, I couldn’t make the chair move. They had to help me do everything. Soon the cast came off, and I was back to my old self again. My leg was tender, but I regained full range of motion quickly by doing my exercises. Arlene had done a fine job at the office, and Dad was as proud of her as he was of me. During my recovery, Arlene had gone out with Bob a few times. I believed that a budding romance was in the air.


Bill called and said that he was going to be in town on business and asked me out on a date. Bill’s mouth dropped open when I answered the door. I was wearing heels, a short black sleeveless dress, and my new cosmetic artificial arms. They don’t do anything; they just hang there. He just stood there and didn’t say a thing, but I could tell he liked what he saw. I stepped back and did a little pirouette. As I did, my cosmetic arms moved up and out from my sides by centrifugal force. “Well, what do you think?” I said.


“You’re just as beautiful as I remember,” he said as we engaged in a passionate kiss. “You don’t need fake arms for me. I love you just the way you are.”


“God, I’ve missed you,” I said as we started another long passionate kiss. “I know the way that you like me. The arms are for the other people who have problems dealing with a poor armless girl like me.”


This date was as better than the others. Arlene had gone out with Bob for the evening, so we ended up back at my house after a wonderful dinner in a quiet little restaurant that I know. The fake arms must have worked because people didn’t stare as much. Arlene called to tell me she was spending the night at Bob’s. We had the house to ourselves. I asked Bill to spend the night, just in case I needed help of course. He didn’t hesitate a bit; in fact, he hadn’t even bothered to get a room at the hotel.


After engaging in much kissing, we ended up in my bedroom. We had been like this before, and we both knew what we wanted. I asked him to undress me. He lifted the dress up over my head. He undid the Velcro strap that goes around my chest just below my breast and from behind gently lifted the shoulder support and my cosmetic arms and placed them on the chair. He massaged my armless shoulders and kissed my neck as he removed my bra. I was standing there in only my crotchless pantyhose and heels. He removed his shirt, and our bare chests touched as he held me close and we kissed again. I longed to have my arms back to be able to hold him. I stepped out of my heels, and he pulled the waistband of the pantyhose down around my knees. I sat on the bed, and he removed them the rest of the way. I slid off the bed onto my knees and, using my teeth, undid his belt buckle. He undid the waist button on his pants, and I unzipped his fly again using my teeth. He kicked off his shoes, and as he did, his pants fell around his ankles. I pulled down his shorts with my teeth and took the opportunity to fondle his manliness with my tongue. He sat on the bed, and I stood up. He put his legs in the air, and I took his pants cuff in my mouth and pulled each leg off and dropped them to the floor. Then using my toes, I took off his socks, and again using my toes, I finished removing his shorts. He pulled me close and kissed my breasts and kissed me all the way down to my female parts.


I suggested that we use the hot tub. He grabbed some towels and opened the sliding glass door that opens onto my private deck and hot tub. He steadied me as I got in, then followed. We sat down in the warm water and admired the view for a moment. The kissing started again and soon some serious sex began. This was the first time either one of us had sex in a hot tub. We were both soon exhausted and adequately “pruned.” We got out, and he gently dried me, then dried himself before we went back into the bedroom. It was late, so we got into bed. The kissing and passionate sex started over again. It’s times like this that I wish that I had my arms back. I would love just to hold him. Soon we were both exhausted and drifted off to sleep.


Morning seemed to come especially early. I got up and dressed before I woke Bill. I went to the kitchen and made us a simple breakfast. I went into the bedroom and gave him a little good morning kiss. “Breakfast is ready,” I announced as I walked back into the kitchen. Bill quickly got dressed and came into the kitchen. “We only have time for breakfast before we both have to go,” I said. “What time is your appointment?”


“Ten o’clock. But I need a little study time before I go,” he replied.


“What kind of meeting is it?” I quizzed.


“Oh, I’ve applied for a security manager position for a company right here in town,” he replied. “It’s a pretty large conglomerate, and I think it would be a great opportunity for me. It’s down to me and two others.”


“What do you know about the people who run the company?” I asked.


“Not much, other than it’s a family owned business. There has recently been new management. Everyone I’ve talked to say they’re a great bunch of people to work for. They really care about their employees, and they seem to be doing things right. The papers say the family is worth a bundle.”


“Have you met the owners of the company yet?” I said.


“No, that will happen today I hope. We all have one more interview with Personnel, and the top candidate will meet the owner who will make the final decision,” he said. “I’m starting to get nervous.”


“You’ll do just fine,” I said as I got up and gave him a kiss. “Could you help me with my pantyhose? I can do everything but that.” I walked into the bedroom, and he followed. He helped me with my pantyhose, followed by more kissing. “Are we on for dinner tonight?” I asked.


“Yes, if I get the job,” he replied, “and if I don’t, I need to get back to the city.”


“Think positive. I want to have dinner with you tonight,” I said as I nuzzled up to him. “I love you. I know that you’ll do just fine. Plan on picking me up at seven so we can celebrate, and I have some things to tell you.”


“OK, thanks for the boost,” he said. “I love you too.”


The doorbell rang. “That’s my ride, got to go. You stay as long as you like and use the shower if you want. Just lock the door on your way out. I’ll see you later. This is for luck,” I said as I gave him one last kiss and walked out of the bedroom. I opened the front door and said good morning to Henry. He pulled the door shut behind me and walked me to the car and opened the door of my limousine and helped me in. “Straight to the office this morning please Henry,” I said. “I have a very busy day.” We got to the office, and he let me out and walked me to the door just like he does every morning. I waited for the elevator. It came to the lobby. I got in and, using my toe, pushed the button for the top floor. I walked into the office and said my good mornings to my staff. Sally followed me into the office so that we could go over the day’s schedule. We went over the schedule, and she had some papers for me to read. She left, and I buzzed Arlene. Arlene came into the office and sat down on the new leather couch.


“Well, how was it?” she said with a big smile.


“Maybe I should ask you the same thing,” I said, smiling broadly back.


“I had a great evening,” she said. “Things are beginning to get real serious. That’s fine with me. I think he’s about ready to propose. Now you tell me.”


“We had a great dinner, a good time in the hot tub, and a great time in bed. I really do like him a lot. He’s probably the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” I said. “And guess what? He’s applied for the security manager’s position. He’s in town for the final cut.”


“Oh my gosh,” Arlene said. “What are you going to do?”


“Personnel will make a recommendation, and if he makes it to the top, I’ll hire him,” I said. “Personnel is not to know about our involvement. You are the only one in the building who knows of the relationship.”


“My lips are sealed,” Arlene replied. She is such a good friend.


We went through the correspondence and reviewed the progress on some of the projects she was working on and she left. Dad came in and chatted. He told me how proud of me he was and was happy about the way I was running the company. He was going to the club to play golf and asked me to join him in the afternoon. I said that I’d try, and that I may be bringing the new security manger. He said OK and left. I finished the morning reading reports and doing correspondence with Sally. The director of personnel came in and shut the door so we could talk privately.


“I think I have the new security manager for you,” he said as he laid the file on my desk in front of me. I bent over and picked up a mouth-stick in my teeth and used it to open the folder and page through the file. Bill’s picture was on top.


“He’s by far the best. The other two wouldn’t fit in. The first one was ex-CIA and would have a file on everyone in the building by quitting time. The other was ex-military. He would probably call us all to attention and march us around the conference table.”


“Describe your choice,” I said.


“He’s one of the nicest people that I’ve ever met. He’s honest and sincere. His test scores are well above all of the other candidates. I think that he will be a team player and handle his people well. He has outstanding references, and I just plain like the guy. I think you will too.”


“Has anyone interfered with the hiring process?” I asked.


“Strange question,” he said. “No, the process has been on the up and up. He’s gotten this far on his own. No interference.”


“Good, I’m going to let you in on a little secret, and then you’ll know the reason for my last question,” I said. “The person that you have so highly recommended to me happens to be my boyfriend.”


His face dropped. “Do you still want to hire him?” he stammered.


“The answer is a definite yes if he’s the best person for the job,” I said. “Arlene is the only other person in the office who knows about this, and she didn’t find out until this morning while you were interviewing him. Bill doesn’t even know that I run the company.”


The smile returned to his face. “How do you want to handle this?”


“I want you to go out and just talk to him for a minute and tell him that I want to talk to him alone,” I said with an evil grin on my face. “I’m going to have a little bit of fun with him.”


“OK, have fun,” the personnel manager said as he left and closed the door behind him.


Soon there was a knock on the door. I said, “Come in,” as I turned my chair away from the door and faced the wall. I heard him walk in and stand in front of the desk. “So you want to be my security manager?” I said as I spun the large chair around. I wished that I could have had a picture of the surprised look on his face. It was fantastic. I had managed to pull it off.


“Cindy, what the hell are you doing here?” he stammered. “This is the company owner’s office.” The puzzled look was still on his face.


“I am the owner. My dad started the company and has just retired. I’m the new management that you were telling me about. The one who’s doing everything right. The one who looks out for her people,” I said.


“I can’t believe this is happening,” he said.


“I’m offering you the position,” I said. “I would love to have you come to work for me.”


“I would love the job. It’s the type of thing that I’ve always dreamed about,” he said. “I just don’t know.”


“Isn’t the salary enough?” I asked.


“The salary is more than I ever dreamed of. I’m concerned about our relationship,” he said. “Cindy, I love you more than anything, and I don’t want anything to come between us.”


“Look at it this way,” I said. “One of the main functions of the job is to protect the company assets. Because I own the company, I’m the company’s chief asset. Therefore, your primary job is to protect me. Where better can you protect a poor little armless girl like me than in my bed?”


“But what happens if we get really serious and get married?” he quipped.


“This is a family owned and operated business. If we do get married, you of course will become part of the family,” I replied. “Do we have a deal?”


“Cindy, you have a new security manger.”


I got up and came around the desk and gave him a big passionate kiss. “You promised me dinner if you took the job, and I’m holding you to it.”


“You’re going to get a lot more than dinner from now on,” he said.



Chapter 5: My Roommate and Me


My name is Arlene. I was born with severe congenital myopia. Without my really thick glasses, I can only focus at about an inch. Anything beyond that, and everything just becomes a total blur, in good light. In dim light, it becomes so poor that I can’t even make out shapes. Without glasses, I virtually can’t see beyond the end of my nose. My glasses have always been just a part of me.


Late one afternoon, I decided to go jogging. I stopped to look at the sunset, and in the process, I dropped my glasses in the water. I groped blindly down the running path. I was hopelessly lost when I met Cindy. She was sitting on a park bench crying. I found out that both of her arms had been amputated recently, right at the shoulder. The amputations were of her own doing, but had not gone as planned. She had contacted a Mexican doctor who was supposed to amputate only one arm, but because of the language barrier, both arms were removed. When she returned, she was rejected and slapped around by her boyfriend as he evicted her. She agreed to help me get back to my condo. In the process, we were attacked by a gang before we were able to get out of the park. They stripped off our clothes, bound and gagged poor Cindy, and were about to rape me when they were distracted by a rival gang. We were able to escape and make it back to my place. Cindy moved in with me, and we became great friends.


I like being able to help the poor armless girl do the things that she can’t do for herself. On occasion, I do lose my glasses and am forced to try and find them with no visual clues. I usually end up on my hands and knees, blindly groping with my hands trying to find them. Cindy is usually there to come to my rescue, thank heavens.


While I was at work, Cindy took a series of classes designed to make her as self-sufficient as possible. She was taught a series of exercises that she performs faithfully to maintain maximum flexibility. She has become very proficient at manipulating things using her toes. She learned how to write with her toes and developed very neat penmanship. She also learned how to eat by holding a fork with her toes. I am very proud of her. I still do need to help her with some personal things though.


She ran away from home when she was seventeen and had not been home for several years. She had finished high school on her own and was a junior in college. She did call her parents from time to time to let them know that she was safe. She had not told them of her armless condition. She contacted them, and they invited both of us to come for a visit on one of our long weekends. We drove upstate for a visit. I was amazed at the size of the estate. Cindy told me that they were quite well-to-do, but I was totally unprepared for the splendor of their immense home. Her parents were shocked at first, and struggled to get used to their only daughter having no arms. The reunion was a complete success.


After lunch on our second day, we went swimming. This is the first time Cindy had tried swimming since her operation. She struggled just trying to keep afloat at first. I was there to help her. She laughed at me wearing my prescription swim goggles all of the time. After a while, she figured out how to keep her head above water by treading water and that she could move about the pool by floating on her back and kicking. She was unable to get much speed though.


We spent the rest of the afternoon sitting around the pool. I discovered what nice people her parents were. They welcomed me and treated me as though I was one of the family. It was interesting watching their reaction as Cindy did things using her toes and sometimes her teeth. Cindy’s mother was still very disturbed about her armlessness, but her father seemed to take her altered state in stride. That evening, her mom and I had a long talk. I reassured her that Cindy could take care of herself. While Cindy’s mother and I were talking, Cindy and her father were in the library talking with the door closed. When they emerged, Cindy told me that her father was going to retire and had asked her to take over the operation of the family business. Cindy and I talked it through late into the night. We decided that the only way she could operate the conglomerate was with my assistance.


The next morning, I clumsily knocked my glasses off the nightstand. I got to my hands and knees and groped blindly for them, but I could not find them in the strange surroundings. After roughly a half hour of blind searching with no visual clues, I called Cindy. She came into the room and quickly found my glasses and passed them to me using her toes. I was very grateful and gave her a hug. We both need each other.


Her father agreed that both of us should run the parent company and that I was to be second in charge after Cindy. I was elated. We were both put on the payroll and needed to find a place to live in town. That afternoon, we found a new house, which had just been finished. It was a very large, secluded house located on the lake with its own private beach. The house has two stories and two complete bedroom suites, each in its own separate wing. It has a pool and a private hot tub right off Cindy’s bedroom. I thought that the Realtor was going to croak when Cindy indicated that this would be a cash sale.


That evening, it was late when we started back to the city. We arrived at the outskirts of the city at about three a.m. I, of course, was driving because we haven’t adapted the car for Cindy to be able to drive. When we approached the first intersection with a stoplight on this lonely road, another car pulled up beside us. We did not like the looks of the two fellows in the car. The light changed, and we drove down the road side-by-side. When we stopped for the next light, the other car was next to me in the driver’s seat. Suddenly the passenger leaped from his vehicle and opened my door. He grabbed me by my hair and forced me out of the car. I tried to kick and hit him, but had no success and made no connection as he dragged me back to the rear of the vehicles. He took my glasses, and I was instantly blind. He spun me around several times, and I became totally disorientated. I felt blindly around for one of the vehicles with no success. I heard my car door slam, and suddenly the tires of both vehicles squealed as they drove off. I could hear poor Cindy screaming at the driver of my now stolen car. I groped blindly around with my arms outstretched, trying desperately to find my way to safety. As I heard the sounds of the cars fading away, I felt so lost and alone. I began to cry as I continued to grope blindly around. Finally, after what seemed like hours, I found the shoulder of the road. I groped further and found a light pole. I was still frightened and terribly alone, but felt safe as I hugged the pole. I heard a car approach the intersection and stop. My heart sank as I heard the car door open.


“Are you all right?” a friendly sounding voice said.


“Yes, I’m OK,” I replied. I heard the sounds of footsteps approaching.


“Do you need any help?” the voice said as I released my bear hug on the light pole and turned to face the voice.


“Yes, I’m having some difficulty,” I said as I blindly felt around for the voice. “I’ve lost my glasses, and I’m blind without them.”


“How did you get way out here?” the voice inquired as I continued feeling blindly around for him.


“We were driving home when we were carjacked,” I sobbed. “Cindy is still in the car with the guy who stole it.” My hand made contact with the shirt of the friendly voice.


“Why don’t you come with me? I’m a state trooper,” the voice said. I jerked in surprise as the officer took my hand and pressed it against his badge.


“OK, let’s go,” I said. He gently took my hand and led me to the patrol car, opened the passenger side door for me, and helped me in. “We need to find Cindy,” I said as he got in.


“Can you give me a description of Cindy so that I can get out a bulletin?” he asked.


“She’s quite tall, about five ten. She has long, light-brown hair, blue eyes, and has a great figure. She was wearing a silk blouse and blue jeans,” I said. “And she doesn’t have any arms.”


“Can you repeat the last part?” he said. “I don’t think I heard you right.”


“She doesn’t have any arms,” I repeated emphatically. “Both of here arms were amputated right at the shoulders. She doesn’t even have any arm stubs. Her seat belt is fastened, and she can’t get it undone. She’s trapped in the car with the thug and defenseless. There’s no telling what he’ll do to her. We’ve just got to find her.”


He picked up the radio microphone and called the dispatcher. The dispatcher said that they had just received a call from someone in a carjacking and gave an address. He turned on the siren as we sped away. We only went a short way when he told me to hold on as we made a tight turn. “There she is,” he said as we sped closer. “Oh my God. Stay here while I check her out,” he said in an authoritative voice. He was gone for a short while and then came back and got something out of the trunk. “She needs you. Go ahead and get out,” he said.


I got out of the car and blindly groped my way around the side of the patrol car. “Cindy, where are you?” I called out as I groped around for her.


“I’m right here. Are you OK?” she asked.


“I’m fine, just blind. The officer just happened by and found me wandering around,” I said as my outstretched hands found her. “What do you have all over you? It’s wet and sticky.”


“It’s his blood. He’s in pretty bad shape. I bit off the end of his penis I think. I didn’t stay to look close,” she said. “Could you please pull up my bra? He slid it down around my waist after he ripped that new silk blouse that you bought for me.”


“Certainly,” I said as I felt blindly for her bra. I pulled it back up and positioned the shoulder straps. “What happened to my glasses?”


“The thug dropped them back on the road,” she said. “Your spare glasses are in the car, aren’t they?”


“Yes, they’re in the trunk, in my suitcase,” I replied. “Please lead me over to the car.” I put my hand on her shoulder, and we walked over to the car. I groped around the ignition and took out the keys. Still groping blindly, I made my way to the trunk and felt around for the lock. I managed to get the key in the lock and opened the trunk lid. Blindly, I felt for my suitcase and opened the lid. Right on top were my spare glasses. I quickly put them on and looked at her. I wanted to throw up when I saw all the blood that covered her. “You look like hell. We need to get you cleaned up.”


 The officer came over and took some blood samples, and then we followed him back to the station house. We went inside and filled out reports. He helped Cindy fill hers out. You should have seen the look on his face when she signed the report by holding the pen with her toes. She flirted with him. He showed us to the shower room, and Cindy disrobed. She got into the shower, and I scrubbed the blood off of her. She asked me to get some clean clothes out of the car, so I left her alone in the shower room. When I returned, she related that the officer walked in on her while she was standing there totally nude. I helped her get dressed. When we went back into the corridor, he was standing by the door. I thanked him profusely for rescuing me and then went out to the car. Cindy stayed behind and talked to him for a while. When she came out and got in the car, she was elated. She had a date with ‘Officer Bill.’ We had a wonderful talk the rest of the way home. It was almost sunup by the time we returned to my condo.


Later that morning, I went into the office to resign my job. I had been working for an investment banking firm and had worked my way up to an administrative assistant to the bank president. He was shocked when I gave him my resignation. He told me how valuable to the firm that I had become and offered me a raise. I thanked him, but declined the raise and told him of my new position. He told me that it was company policy to immediately put anyone submitting a resignation on two weeks full paid administrative leave. They are to clean out their desk as a final paycheck is processed. This eliminates the possibility of sabotage by a disgruntled employee. I told him that I was not disgruntled and offered to work. He said that he appreciated my offer and knew that I would not be vindictive toward the firm, but it was just easier that way.


When I got back to the condo, Cindy was reading through a large stack of information that her father had sent us. She had managed to unwrap the package by using a sharp kitchen knife with her teeth. In the package was a letter for me. Cindy passed it to me using her toes. When I read the letter, I could not believe what I was reading. Cindy’s father had doubled my salary. Cindy read the letter and had me reread the letter. The letter stated that my doubled annual salary would be my monthly salary. I found it difficult to comprehend what was happening to me. I took off my glasses and placed them on the coffee table, then leaned back to rest my tired eyes. These were my last spare pair of glasses. The prescription was badly out of date, and my eyes had tired quickly. When I sat back up, I reached for them but clumsily knocked them to the floor. I heard them sliding across the hardwood floor. I immediately got down on my hands and knees and began to blindly feel around for them. I asked Cindy where they were once my initial search was over. She said to my left about ten feet and then said that she needed to use the bathroom. I heard her get up and walk away as I began crawling and blindly feeling around in the direction she had indicated. I searched and could not find my thick glasses, but all the time I had a feeling that I was being watched. I continued to blindly feel around the floor. I was beginning to panic. I heard the toilet flush, and Cindy came back into the room. She said she meant to the right. I felt my way in that direction and found them. It was a great relief to be able to see again. Cindy and I spent the rest of the day packing. Later that night, we went out for a celebration dinner after my eye doctor appointment.


The next day was Cindy’s big date with Officer Bill. I helped her get ready. She was a real knockout with her tight blouse that accentuated her nice bust and the short miniskirt that accentuated her long slender legs. The sleeves were sewn closed in such a manner as to show off her nicely rounded shoulders. The high heel shoes complemented the ensemble. I brushed her hair, which she wore down rather than her in usual ponytail. She was quite stunning.


Bill arrived promptly at seven o’clock. Cindy made her grand entrance and really turned on the charm. He loved every minute of it. They left, and I was alone to enjoy an evening by myself. I finished the last of the packing. I took a shower and relaxed in only my tee shirt while watching TV for a while. I had just gone to bed when the phone rang. I had packed all the phones except the one in the living room. I put on my glasses and went out to answer it. It was Cindy telling me that she was having a great time and not to wait up for her. As I turned to hang up the phone, I bumped my gasses and heard them fall. I dropped to my hands and knees and tried to find them. I was not having any success. I did not have any spare glasses. After almost two hours of blind groping, I got up and felt my way to the bedroom and found my bed and went to sleep.


The alarm woke me with a start. I jumped out of bed and finally found the clock on the dresser. I felt my way back to the nightstand and groped around for those thick glasses. When I couldn’t find them right away in the usual spot, my heart sank. As the fog cleared from my brain and I gazed at my little world without any shape or any visual clues, I remembered that I had lost them in the living room. I made my way back into the living room and stumbled over a moving box and went sprawling across the floor. Totally disoriented, I began to cry as I stood up and, with outstretched arms, desperately felt around for some familiar object. I finally found a wall and began slowly feeling my way around the perimeter of the room until I found the couch. I sat down and continued to cry, still wearing just my tee shirt. After a while, I heard the door unlock and Cindy and Bill talking. Soon Cindy came into the living room, sat down beside me, and comforted me. I told her of my plight and what had transpired. She got up and went over to the phone, then told me that my glasses had fallen into the waist basket. I retrieved them and quickly put them on. Once again, it was great to be able to see my surroundings.


Moving day went without a hitch. It was fun watching the movers give Cindy the eye without trying to stare. They found it fascinating to watch her do things with her toes and sometimes use her teeth. We arrived late in the afternoon and began to pack and settle in.


We started work two days later. Cindy’s father sent the limousine to take us to the office. When we arrived, all of the company managers were waiting in the lobby to meet us. After all of the introductions, we toured the building and were introduced to the staff as we worked our way to the top floor. Cindy’s father led us into his massively expansive office, complete with fancy dark mahogany raised panel wall finish. This had been his office, and now it was Cindy’s. He showed me my office through a door adjoining her office. I gasped: “I never expected anything like this. This office is huge. Are you sure this is all for me?”


“Yes it is,” Cindy’s father said. “You have a very important position in this company, and you deserve it. Why don’t you both get settled? We have reservations at the country club for early lunch, and then all afternoon we will have company managers here to give you both presentations on what they do and why they do it. Plan on a long afternoon.”


He introduced me to my private secretary. Joan had been with the company for five years and had a good grasp of the operation. I liked her instantly and knew that she and I would work well together. Cindy and I had lunch with her father at the country club. When the food came, I automatically cut her steak and she picked up her fork with her toes and began to eat the way I’ve seen her hundred of times. Even though Cindy’s father didn’t say anything, I’m not sure that he was comfortable watching her. After lunch, we went back to presentations for Cindy and me on the various businesses that made up the conglomerate. Cindy’s father started off the meeting by relinquishing the chair at the head of the long conference room table to Cindy. She started off the meeting by having everyone remove their suit jackets. I removed hers. She was wearing a sleeveless blouse that exposed her shoulders and the slightly rounded bulge that the surgeon had left in place of her arms. She gave a quick speech about the accident in Mexico but, as usual, only told half of the story. Her actions quickly took absolute control of the meeting and set the tone for how she was going to operate the business. Each of the company managers gave a presentation on his or her company. We both asked questions, and I took notes. Henry, the chauffeur, was waiting to take us home at quitting time. I could get used to this kind of treatment very quickly.


We scheduled tours of all of the companies. This was going to take about two weeks and was my first time to ride in a corporate jet. The tours went smoothly, and both Cindy and I soon had a good grasp of the operations of my companies. One night, we ended up in the city and Cindy met Bill for a date. She called, and I picked her up at his place in the morning. She had really fallen for him, and I think he for her.


We returned home after the tours and settled into the work routine. We would go running after work for relaxation. Cindy bought some running shoes. I would have to lace them for her, but because they were low cuts, she could remove them herself if necessary. She said that she still felt trapped in them.


We also decided that we should start hiking for exercise. We drove to the trailhead. We were both wearing tee shirts and walking shorts. I helped Cindy with her socks and hiking boots. She said how trapped she felt with those boots on and unable to use her toes. I put a strap on my glasses to prevent their loss. We put on our packs and admired ourselves. We looked just like real hikers. We hiked up the trail and stopped to admire the view and have lunch. I fed Cindy her sandwich and then ate mine. We were high on a cliff, on a flat spot. It was a warm afternoon so we decided to lie back and enjoy the sun. Cindy wanted to work on her tan and asked me to remove her tee shirt and bra. I removed her clothing and did the same with mine. I undid the strap and placed my thick glasses very carefully on a large rock, then lay back and closed my eyes. I think that I must have dozed off and awoke with a start. I sat up and fumbled for my glasses. I knocked them off the rock with the back of my hand. I blindly felt around the rock with no success! I began to panic as I groped frantically around for them. I began to cry as my fanatic search became more futile as I crawled around on my hands and knees.


“Cindy, please help me find my glasses.” I begged.


“I’m afraid that they might have fallen off the cliff,” Cindy said.


“Oh no. Cindy, are you sure?” I said frantically. “Look some more, please.”


“I am looking,” she said. “I think they’re gone.”


“They just can’t be,” I sobbed as I sat back with my hands buried in my face. “You know how totally blind I am without them, how are we going to get back?”


“Your pack is right over here. Didn’t you bring a spare pair with you?” she asked. “No, I didn’t,” I sobbed. “I left them back in the car when I put on the straps. I didn’t think that I would lose them. Oh Cindy, that was a dumb thing to do. I’m the one who’s supposed to be helping you.”


“No, we help each other,” she said. “What’s done is done. Come on, I’ve led you places before. If you remember, this is how we met. The packs are over here.”


I felt my way over to the sound of her voice and found the packs. We decided not to wear our bras. I helped her put her tee shirt on and then helped her with her pack. I put on my tee shirt and pack and put my hand on Cindy’s pack as we started back down the trail. I, of course, couldn’t see a thing, and Cindy, being ever thoughtful, walked along the edge of the path so that I could stumble blindly along the smooth center portion. Suddenly and without warning, Cindy was gone! I screamed in surprise as I groped blindly around and found nothing but air. Extreme panic set in as I suddenly realized the trouble we were in. I was all alone, blind, halfway up a mountain, and my companion had suddenly disappeared and was probably injured. I continued to scream and feel blindly around for her with no success.


“Cindy, where are you?” I screamed. “I can’t find you.” I was totally freaked out as I groped blindly around waving my outstretched arms in the air.


“I’m down here pinned under a tree,” I heard her yell faintly. “I need your help to get free.” She sounded like she was a mile away


“OK, I’ll come down,” I hollered back. I started toward the sound of her voice. I slipped and began to tumble down the grassy hillside. I screamed as I fell and rolled. I was finally able to stop myself, but I was completely disoriented. I stood up and felt blindly around in the air. “Cindy, where are you?” I called again.


“Over here,” she called back. “Further down the hill.”


I turned and again started making my way toward the sound of her voice, slowly feeling the way with my feet. She kept calling, and I continued to call back until I had worked my way over to her.


“Cindy, are you hurt?” I asked as I started feeling around the log and her leg with my hands.


“My leg hurts like hell,” she replied. “I think maybe it’s broken, but I’m upside-down and can’t see it.”


I continued to feel around the lower part of her body and had worked my way up to her hips. “Arlene, now climb over the log and lift up my shoulders.” I did as she asked and blindly felt around her upper body until I found her shoulders. I lifted, and she was able to squirm her butt around enough to free the foot that had been pinned by her leg. This would have been much easier if she only had arms for me to grab onto.


“Now hold me as I try to lean forward enough to free my foot from this tree,” Cindy said as I steadied her. “Now let me sit here on the log while you cross back over. We’re going have to lay me down on the ground to get me free.” I felt my way back over the log and back to her.


“OK, grab my shoulders and help me lay down.” As we did, the pain in leg must have become excruciating. She began screaming in pain.


“What did I do wrong?” I asked in a panicky voice. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”


“It’s OK Arlene. You’re doing fine,” she reassured me. She wiggled and was able to roll enough to free her foot. She exclaimed, “Yes, it is definitely broken, but the bone isn’t sticking out.”


“How are we going to get out of here? I’m blind, and you have a broken leg,” I said as I put my hands over my face and begin to cry. “I don’t know if I can handle this.”


“Let’s not panic yet,” Cindy said. “We can work out a plan. Please help me get up and sit on the log while we work this out.” I helped her to stand on her good leg, and she hopped over to the log and sat down. I could tell that her leg must have been hurting like hell. “Did you bring a cell phone?” she asked.


“No, I thought you brought yours,” I replied. “I do have a GPS receiver.”


“Yes, I brought my cell phone,” she said. “It’s in my pack, and my pack came off when I fell. You’re going to have to go and find it.”


“I don’t think I can,” I said. “I can’t see a damn thing.”


“You’re going to have to do it. I know you can. I’ll sit here on this log and direct you,” Cindy said. “I know you can do it.”


“OK,” I said as I stood up and took off my pack. “Which way?”


“Great, turn a little to your right, then straight up the hill,” she said as I started slowly back up the hill feeling my way as I went. She kept encouraging me as she directed me right, then left, as I felt my way up the hill. Soon she told me to search for the pack around that area. I got down on my hands and knees and blindly felt around there. After about ten minutes of searching, I found the pack. She kept shouting encouragement as I carefully worked my way back down the hill. She kept talking to me to let me know where she was as I blindly felt my way along. I placed the pack beside her on the ground and sat back down on the log. “Get the GPS out of your pack and the cell phone out of mine,” she instructed. “You run them, I’ll tell you which buttons to push and read the display.”


I groped around for my pack and found the GPS. I opened it and turned it on. Next, I groped my way to her pack and found the cell phone. “Hold up the GPS and let me see the reading,” she said. Shortly after, she had me push some of the buttons and we had a latitude and longitude reading. At least we knew now exactly where we were in the world. Next, she had me turn on the cell phone. We had a good strong signal. I dialed 911. I held the phone up about an inch away from my eye to see the keypad. The emergency dispatcher answered, and I told him where we were and what had happened and that Cindy had a badly broken leg. He said that there was a rescue helicopter being sent and it would be there in less than ten minutes. Soon the helicopter was overhead.


“Arlene, wave a cloth or something at them to show them where we are down here,” Cindy said.


I stood up and took off my white tee shirt and began waving it frantically in the air. It sounded like the helicopter landed at the top of the hill. Cindy said the crew got out. “We’re over here,” I shouted. I continued to wave and shout. I had absolutely no idea where they were. Finally, I must have waved my shirt right in the face of one of the paramedics. I let out a shriek when he grabbed my wrist.


“Sorry I frightened you,” the paramedic said. “What happened here?”


“I slipped and fell down the hill and broke my leg when it got caught in the tree trunk,” Cindy told him. “Bob, is that you?”


“Hi Cindy. I heard you were back in town,” he said. “Well, you have a real bad break on that leg. Let’s get a splint on it and get you two out of here.”


“God, are you a sight for sore eyes,” she said. “Arlene, this is an old friend from high school, meet Bob.”


I stuck my hand out blindly, and he reached over and shook it. “I lost my glasses and can’t see,” I said.


“Glad to meet you,” he said. “You can put your shirt back on now if you want to.”


My face must have turned bright red as I realized that I wasn’t wearing a bra and that my breasts were totally exposed for the crew to enjoy. I quickly put my tee shirt back on. I couldn’t see, but it sounded like they were putting a splint on her leg. They loaded Cindy onto a stretcher. The crew carried Cindy, and Bob helped me get back up the hill. He was so nice, firm but gentle. They got us loaded into the helicopter, and soon we were on our way to the hospital. When we got there, Cindy’s mother and father were there to meet us. Bob held my hand and gently guided me around the hospital. The ER room doctor told us that Cindy’s closed fracture of both the tibia and fibula would require surgery to properly set her leg. Cindy agreed, and she was taken to surgery after pleading with them not to amputate her leg. The operation would take about two hours. I was still holding onto Bob’s hand. I asked him to drive me over to the house to get my other glasses. He was just getting off his shift, and his pickup was parked right outside. He led me out to the truck and helped me get into the passenger seat. He fastened my seat belt and gave me a kiss on the cheek. “That’s for being so brave,” he said.


“I was really scared up there,” I said. “I was freaking out. Cindy was the one with the cool head.”


He shut the door and got in the driver’s seat and started the truck. We began moving. “How long have you known Cindy?” he asked.


“About a year now,” I replied. “I met her right after she lost her arms. How long have you known her?”


“Forever, I guess,” he said. “We grew up together and were friends right up to the time she ran away. How did she become a DAE?”


“She was in Mexico, and there was an accident,” I replied. “She moved in with me right after she got back. She took some rehab classes and has become very proficient with her toes. She also faithfully does her flexibility exercises.”


“Well, the Mexican doctor sure did a beautiful job with the surgery. Both of her stumps are evenly rounded, and she only has very faint scars,” he said. “If I didn’t know better, as perfect and as symmetrical as the job is, I’d think that they were done on purpose.”


He had guessed her secret, but it was not up to me to tell. “I suppose a trained paramedic would notice a thing like that,” I said. “Have you had a lot of training?”


“I joined the Army right after high school. I was a corpsman and went through the paramedic program when I got out. My schooling was done right here at the hospital where I work now. It’s a great program, and I’ve learned a lot,” he said.


“How does your wife like having you in this line of work?” I inquired.


“I don’t have a wife or a girlfriend,” he said as we pulled to a stop. He got out and opened the door for me. He took my hand to help me get out. I put my hands on his face and brought his lips close. The ensuing kiss was one like I had never experienced. We finally came up for air.


“That’s for rescuing me,” I whispered.


“Can I rescue you again?” he quipped.


“You can rescue me any time you want,” I purred. “I’ve never kissed anyone I’ve never seen before. I did see one of your blue eyes though.”


He took my hand and led me to the door. I took the key out of my pocket, and he put it in the lock and opened the door. We walked inside, and he closed the door behind us. “I want to try to find my glasses by myself,” I announced bravely. “Help me if I get in trouble.”


“OK, I’ll stay right here and watch,” he said.


With my outstretched arms finding only air, I started slowly across the entry foyer and stumbled on the lower step of the staircase. From there, I found my way to the living room and felt around until I found the back of the couch. From there, I made my way to my bedroom. The dresser was just a few steps from the bedroom door. I opened the drawer and found the precious box that holds my many pairs of spare glasses. I quickly put a pair on and turned around. Standing there in the doorway to my bedroom was the most handsome man I had ever seen. “There, I told you I could do it,” I said as I walked over to him.


“I knew that you could,” he said softly as he took me in his arms again for our second passionate kiss. The kiss broke off, and I needed to clean my steamed up glasses. When I emerged from the bathroom, we started back to the hospital. He helped me into the pickup again, which called for another kiss of shorter duration. We started down the road and he asked, “Severe congenital myopia?”


“That’s right,” I replied. “I’ve always had to wear glasses. You know how blind I am without them. Only the tip of my nose is in focus.”


“Judging by the thickness, I would guess about a –18D prescription?” he said.


“Gotcha doc,” I said. “–20D. Where did you learn about glasses?”


“Part of the paramedic training,” he replied. “We’re trained to recognize and evaluate all parts of the anatomy.”


Cindy was out of surgery and in the recovery room when we got there. The surgery had gone well and her leg was in a cast. Cindy’s mother and father thanked Bob profusely for rescuing the two of us. Bob got a little red in the face and embarrassed by all of the attention. I reached up and kissed him on the cheek, and then he really blushed. When she regained consciousness, the doctor told Cindy the good news.


Bob drove me out to the trailhead to get my car, and I followed him back to town. We had dinner in the same restaurant that Cindy and I had gone to the day we arrived in town. During dinner, we told each other about ourselves. Bob asked, “Why doesn’t a good-looking girl like you have a steady boyfriend?”


“Boys don’t make passes at girls who wear glasses,” I quipped.


“Come on, seriously,” he prodded.


“I guess the right guy never came along before,” I said with a wink. “I’ve become very cautious about who I go out with. When I was in high school, I had a couple of bad experiences with guys and was attacked and raped once. When my glasses come off, I’m completely vulnerable to attack. In all of the instances, my attackers took my glasses and left me blind. I’ve undergone a lot of psychological counseling because of it and still have a tough time trusting most guys. I’ve gone out with a few guys; they were OK, but I’ve never been serious about any of them.”


“I’m sorry to hear about your bad experiences,” he replied with a serious look on his face. “Do you trust me?”


“Oh yes. I do trust you,” I said as I reached over and squeezed his hand. “You’re my hero. I feel safe when I’m with you. It’s like we have a special instant chemistry.”


“Thank you for your sincerity,” he said. “I really do like you a lot and want to develop your trust. I too feel that chemistry.”


We ended our conversation with a little kiss. My heart was racing a mile a minute. After dinner, we walked around and looked in the windows of some of the little shops with our arms around each other. Later, we went back to our place where we became better acquainted. We talked and cuddled. I’d never felt like that before. My heart raced like it was going to pop out of my chest each time that we kissed. I wanted to take him to bed right then and there, but I thought better of the idea. He left about midnight, and I was alone in the big house. The stony silence was a bit unnerving, especially when I took my glasses off and was alone in my own world without form or shape. I quickly put my glasses in the top drawer of the nightstand and pulled the covers over my head.


It was late when I awoke. I called Joan right away and had her set up a three-way connection with Sally. I filled them in on what had happened. It seems as though they already knew about our rescue, and that I had been seen in town with Bob. News travels fast in a small town. I got in the shower after carefully placing my glasses on the vanity. I enjoyed the long warm shower. When I’m in the shower and without my glasses, I feel like I’m in a world of my own and can completely relax. I got dressed and called for Henry. Soon he pulled up to the house, and we went to visit Cindy. She was still a little groggy from the anesthetic, and they had her on some powerful painkillers. We visited for a while. She confessed how frightened that she had been about the possibility of losing her leg. We could talk later. On my way out, I stopped by the ER and said hi to Bob. He reminded me that we were on for dinner again right after he got off work. I didn’t need to be reminded. I went on to work and met with Joan and Sally. I gave them a blow-by-blow account of our adventure. I let them know how much I was going to be relying on them while Cindy was laid up. They both said that I could count on them, which of course I knew that I could. They also filled me in on Bob. They had nothing but glowing things to say about him. They had all grown up together and knew him quite well. They were glad that he had moved back to town after the military. They encouraged me to continue to build my relationship with him. I really didn’t need too much encouragement. The day seemed to fly by.


I left a little early to visit Cindy on the way home. She was sitting up when I got there. She gave me a big smile as I walked in the room. I gave her a hug.


“Thanks, I needed that,” she said.


“Can I get you anything?” I asked.


“No, just your friendship is enough,” she said with a tear in her eye. “I’ve been lying here thinking how I’ve messed up my life and how you’ve always been there for me.”


“Remember, we’ve been there for each other,” I said. “I need your help too at times. Right now I wish that you were there in that big house with me. It’s pretty scary out there alone.”


“Why don’t you have Bob stay out there with you?” she said. I guess I had a surprised look on my face. “You know that you two are the talk of the hospital.”


“I wouldn’t be a bit surprised,” I said. “Both Joan and Sally knew that we had been out for dinner last night.”


“The nurses came in earlier and told me, then Bob was in to see me about an hour ago. He told me what a great time that he had with you last night and couldn’t wait for tonight.”


“I really do like Bob, and I think that he likes me,” I said.


“I know he does,” Cindy said emphatically. “He came in here mooning over you like you’re mooning over him. I’d go for it if I were you.”


“Have you called Bill?” I asked, changing the subject.


“Yes,” she said disappointedly. “He’s working on a giant drug case and can’t get away. God, I wish he was here. I miss him so much.” She started crying. “God, I’m a mess. With this cast on, I can’t do anything for myself. Why did I ever have my arms cut off? I was such a fool.”


I reached over and hugged her as she continued to sob. “We’ll get through this,” I said softly. “Why don’t you try and get some rest?”


“OK,” she said. “You guys have a good time. I was serious about having him stay. Bob’s a great guy.”


“We’ll see. I’ll stop in on the way to work in the morning,” I said as I gently let her lay back on the bed. I quietly left and went on out to the big lonely house.


I changed into something more comfortable and revealing. I had just finished dressing when the doorbell rang. I answered the door, and Bob greeted me with a very passionate kiss. I slipped my arm around him and invited him in. I fixed us a drink as he relaxed on the couch. I brought the drinks and joined him. We were soon kissing passionately. I broke off the kiss and took my glasses off. I felt for the coffee table and set them down. I turned back, and the passionate kissing continued. Soon the kissing led to exploration of each other’s body by feel. God, I wanted him right then, but I tried not to rush. We finally came up for air. I was so ready that my crotch was wet. I had never felt this way about anyone. My passionate desire was almost overwhelming. We both leaned back on the couch and rested. I put my head on his shoulder. We talked for a while. He handed me my drink. I took a sip and reached for the coffee table. I felt around where I had left my glasses. My heart was in my throat when I couldn’t find them.


“Just lean back and relax,” he said softly.


I did as I was instructed, and Bob slowly slid my glasses into place and followed it with a kiss.


“Don’t worry, I’m right here with you,” he whispered as he ran his finger around my lips and around my shoulder.


His compassion and tenderness were so overwhelming it was all that I could do to keep myself from ripping both his and my clothes off. “We should be thinking about dinner,” I said. “Do you want to go out, or shall I whip something up here?”


“Why don’t you relax and let me fix dinner for us?” he said. “Gourmet cooking is one of my hobbies.”


“That would be great,” I replied. I followed with another kiss. We got up and went into the kitchen. “We might not have what you need,” I said as he looked through the cupboards.


Without a word, he walked to the front door and went outside to return shortly with two large sacks of groceries. “I thought that we might need these,” he said as he put the groceries on the counter. We exchanged another passionate kiss and he said, “Get out of here if you want anything to eat tonight.”


I went into the living room and sat down and finished my drink. Soon he brought a plate of hors d’oeuvres. I ate a few, and shortly, dinner was ready. The dinner was scrumptious, and we both ate our fill. After dinner, we went for a long walk along the lake. The setting was perfect, and it was so romantic strolling at the water’s edge, holding hands and stopping every so often for a kiss as the sun set. It was dark by the time we got back to the house. We went into the den and snuggled on the love seat while we watched a movie on TV on our in-home theater setup.


“Bob, I have a question,” I said shyly. “Will you spend the night with me?”


“Are you sure that you want me too?” he said.


“More sure than I’ve ever been about anything,” I replied. “I want you so badly that I’m about to burst, and this place is scary all alone. Please stay.”


“Well, you talked me in to it,” he said. “One problem though; I’ll have to go back out to my pickup to get my bag.” We exchanged another kiss.


“You bugger. You planned this all the time,” I said as I tickled his stomach.


“Actually yes,” he said. “I didn’t want to rush our relationship, but I want to very much. Even without Cindy’s help.”


“What do you mean?” I questioned.


“Well, I was in talking with her just before I left work, and she asked me to stay out here with you while she’s in the hospital,” he said. “You know, you have a very special friend there, one who doesn’t come along that often.”


“I know how special that she is,” I said. “I’d do anything for her, and she would do all that she could for me. Why don’t you go out and get your stuff and park your pickup in the garage?”


He went out and got his bag and moved the pickup into the garage. He came back in and sat down on the love seat beside me and some kissing followed. We talked a little more and the subject of Cindy came up again.


“Cindy also told me a little more about the accident in Mexico,” he said. “She told me that you can tell me the whole story.”


“I didn’t know if I should. As far as I know, there are only four people in this country who know the whole story. Me, her, Ralph her ex, and Bill. Bill is her love now. He was the officer who rescued us from the carjacker. You’ll like him,” I said.


“Cindy told me that my suspicions were correct and that she had the amputations done on purpose,” he said. “She said it was a long story and that you could fill me in.”


“Yes, it is a long story, and the story is not to leave this room!” I said. “It started with her old boyfriend Ralph. He had a fetish for amputees. He would get turned on by tying her arm behind her back and fooling around and then making love. Later, they graduated to both arms tied back. He would dress her and feed her, stuff like that. She said that they even went out in public a couple of times to dinner and a show. They used to go to this one bar and hang out. She would wear a bulky sweatshirt with the sleeves dangling down at her side. No one ever suspected what they were doing. It turned her on too. She said that the evening always ended up with some pretty good sex. She had lived with him for a couple of years while all of this was happening. He had pictures of her on his computer. He had some software that could doctor up pictures, and he erased her arms, just the way you see her now. Their torrid love affair started to go cold. That’s when she decided to have an amputation done. She didn’t mind being tied and thought she could handle being a single arm amputee.”


“She found a doctor in Mexico,” I continued. “When she got there, she found that he didn’t speak a word of English and she didn’t speak a word of Spanish. She showed him the picture with both arms cut off, but told him to only amputate one. She thought he understood. She signed a consent form written in Spanish that she couldn’t read. Just as the doctor was leaving her, he held up two fingers in V fashion and said something in Spanish. She flashed the same sign back and repeated the same Spanish phrase, not knowing he said to take both. She was given anesthesia and went to sleep for the last time with arms. She was devastated when she woke up and both of her arms were gone. It was too late, and there was no turning back. She screamed and hollered, and they knocked her out with drugs for a few days. The doctor found a nurse who could speak English. When Cindy was ready, she flew back to the States and went to see Ralph. He was shocked at what she had done to herself just to keep the creep. She went into their bedroom and had him undress her, and she tried to make love to him, but he couldn’t even get it up. He left the room and made the poor armless girl get dressed all by herself. When she finally got her clothes on, she went into the living room where he was on the phone. He hung up and told her that he had just finished talking to her best friend and that he’d been sleeping with her all the time she was gone. Poor Cindy flew into a rage and tried to bite and kick him. He slapped her around, and she fell over a table and landed on one of her shoulders that was starting to heal. She got up, and he knocked her down again. She landed on the other shoulder. I can’t imagine the pain that she must have been in. He told her not to lay a guilt trip on him for what she had done to herself and kicked her out onto the street. She ran into the park. I had been out running and lost my glasses. I went blindly stumbling down the path and found her sitting on a park bench crying, and that’s the story.”


“Wow,” he said. “Poor Cindy. I knew that she was pretty messed up when she left, but God, to do that to yourself just to try to get some creep to love you. My God, that poor girl.”


“Yes. We’ve been through a lot together. We all need love.”



Chapter 6: More Life with My Roommate


My name is Cindy. My administrative assistant and, most of all, my best friend, Arlene, is my roommate. We have been through a great deal together in the past year. Our adventures have brought us closer together. My life is definitely not boring, but, with my new limitations, is certainly different. I am a DAE amputee, not completely of my own choice, but I’m partly to blame. I thought that my old boyfriend Ralph wanted it that way, so I was only going to have one arm amputated. By mistake, both of my arms were amputated right at the shoulder, and I don’t have any arm stubs. When I came back from Mexico after the operation, my old boyfriend and I got into a really big fight and he threw me out. That’s when I met Arlene.


Arlene was born with severe congenital myopia and needs to wear very thick glasses. With her glasses, her vision is corrected to about 20/30, but without them, she can’t see more than an inch or two and, for all intents and purposes, is blind. When we met, she had lost her glasses while she was out running and couldn’t find her way out of the park. She had blindly groped her way in the wrong direction and was hopelessly lost.


We now live in my place in my hometown. Right after we first met, I moved into her condo in the city. I have taken several specialized classes aimed at allowing me to contend with the difficulties of being a DAE as independently as possible. Now I get along quite well by myself, but it’s wonderful having Arlene around to help me do the things that I can’t do for myself. I do a lot of exercises to remain flexible and have developed a great deal of dexterity with my toes.


I grew up with my parents on a large estate just outside of town. When I was seventeen, my parents and I had a big fight. I ran away from home. I hadn’t been home in five years. Arlene and I visited my parents for a long weekend and Dad asked me to take over management of the company. I chose Arlene to be my administrative assistant.


On the way home from the visit, we were carjacked and I was kidnaped in the process. I was attacked and managed to get the best of my attacker, even without any arms. That’s when I met Bill. He was the investigating officer. We were only able to go out one time before Arlene and I moved.


I’ve run into several old friends around town and have explained my armless state as “an accident in Mexico.” Most people assume it’s a car accident, not an accident in communication with the doctor. Arlene and I went hiking, and I fell and broke my leg as I was leading her down the trail because she lost her glasses. We were rescued, and Arlene is now going out with one of the paramedics, Bob.


Bill applied for the new security manager position in my company and ended up being recommended to me by Personnel. He didn’t know that it was my company.


After Bill accepted the job and we sealed the bargain with a kiss, I buzzed Arlene on the intercom. She came in and congratulated him and welcomed him to the group. I buzzed Sally and asked her to have the personnel manger come back into the office, and for her to join us. They both came into the office. Sally brought the champagne that I had asked her to get for the occasion. I proposed a toast, and we all had a glass for the occasion. I think that I like champagne because it’s always served in a stemmed glass, which is easy for me to hold with my toes. We all stood around and chatted for a while. I told Bill that we had a luncheon date and that I would stop by his office at noon. Bill and the personnel manger left. Arlene sat down and brought me up to speed on some of her projects.


“I’m glad that Bill took the job,” she said. “Where is he going to live?”


“I don’t know,” I replied. “He’ll probably get an apartment.”


“Why doesn’t he move in with the two of us?” she said. “The house is certainly big enough. We each have our own wing and privacy from one another. Heck, we don’t even use the second story. Besides, I don’t like leaving you all alone in that big house when I go out with Bob.”


“I would like that very much,” I said. “That is what I had hoped you would say. Thank you for being just you and such a good friend. I don’t know what would have happened to me if we hadn’t met.”


“Thanks, I needed that. Why don’t you ask him on the way to lunch?” she said, looking at the clock. “It’s noon now. You’d better get going.”


“OK, I’ll take care of it,” I said as we both got up and walked into the foyer. Arlene gave me a hug, and I asked Sally to set up a meeting with all of the company heads for tomorrow morning to meet Bill. I also told her that both Bill and I would be gone for the rest of the day. I walked into Bill’s new office. The personnel manager was just leaving with a handful of papers. “Now you owe your soul to the company store,” I said.


“I think you’re right,” he said. “There is more paperwork here than joining the Army. The only thing I don’t like is giving up my state trooper commission.”


“Is your new office to your liking?” I asked as I nuzzled up close.


“This is great,” he said. “But most of all I like the view that I’m seeing right in front of me.”


The long kiss was spontaneous, long, and deeply passionate. I couldn’t hold him of course, so I wrapped a leg around him. We broke off the kiss, and I released my hold. “We have a luncheon meeting,” I said.


We took the elevator to the lobby and walked out the front door. Henry was waiting with the door to the limousine open. I introduced Bill to Henry, and we both got in the back. Bill looked around at the inside of the car. He didn’t say, but I don’t think he’d ever been in a limousine before.


“Cindy, I can’t believe that this is all happening to me,” Bill said. “This is all like a fairy tale. I keep pinching myself to be sure that I’m awake.”


“It’s for real all right,” I said. “I’m really happy to have you as a part of it and a part of my life.”


“I know that I made the right decision,” he said. “You’re the only person that I’ve thought of since we met. I think I would go crazy if I couldn’t be with you.”


“Arlene and I would like you to move in with us,” I said.


“Are you sure?” he said. “How would it look?”


“Who cares how it looks. I want you close,” I said as I moved closer to him and kissed him. He responded as passionately as he did in the office. “Do I take that as a yes then?”


“The answer is yes,” he said with a big smile on his face. “You drive a really hard bargain.”


“That’s not all that’s hard,” I said as I looked down at the bulge in his pants.


We talked about some of the logistics and made plans to get him moved. We pulled up at the country club, and the doorman was there to open the door to the limousine. We got out and walked inside. Dad was there to greet us. He gave me a hug and shook hands with Bill. You could tell that there was an instant chemistry between them. “So you’re our new security manager,” Dad said. “Welcome aboard.”


We chatted as we walked over to our table. The waiter came by and took our order. Dad and Bill talked as though they had been friends for years. Lunch came, and Bill reached over and cut my steak without me even asking. Dad looked at him kind of funny but didn’t say anything. I picked up my fork and began to eat using my toes like I always do. We all kept chatting through lunch and desert. I could tell that Dad really liked him. “Dad, I have something to tell you,” I said. “Bill is going to be moving in with me and Arlene.”


Dad’s face dropped, and he said: “I like Bill a lot, but isn’t this a bit sudden? You’ve just met the man.”


“No Dad, that’s what else I have to tell you. Bill is my boyfriend,” I said.


“No offense Bill,” Dad said bluntly, “but Cindy, why in the hell would you hire your boyfriend to run company security?”


“I hired him because he’s the best one for the job. When Bill and I met three months ago, I didn’t tell him who I was because I wanted him to love me for me, not because of the company and my position. He applied for the job without me knowing about it until this morning. He surpassed all of the other candidates hands down and was recommended highly by the personnel manager that you hired. No one knew about our relationship or interfered in the hiring process. Hell, Arlene didn’t even know about it until Bill was downstairs interviewing. He didn’t know that I ran the company until he walked into my office for the final hiring interview,” I said. “Remember too that the security manager is to provide protection for me personally as well as supervise the security of the company. This is the best of all worlds. A man I care a great deal about will be right there to protect me.”


Dad sat back. You could almost see the gears turning in his head. After a moment, he leaned forward and said: “Damn it girl, you’ve pulled it off again. That is the best logic that I’ve heard for a long time,” he said, and he turned to Bill with an outstretched hand. “Forgive my doubts. Once again, she has me convinced. I’m sure that you’ll do a bang up job.”


“Thank you sir,” Bill replied. “I’ll do my damnedest to get the job done and to protect your daughter.”


“I know you will son,” Dad said with a big grin on his face. “Do you play golf?”


“Well, I play at it,” Bill replied.


“If it’s all right with the boss, what say we play the front nine? We can rent you some clubs,” Dad said.


They both looked at me. I smiled and nodded my approval. I was about to become a golf widow without being married. Dad and Bill went out to play. I ran into one of my old friends from school. We had a lot of catching up to do. Funny how the subject of my missing arms always seems to come up. While Dad and Bill were finishing the round, I had Henry drive me out to the estate. I had a long talk with Mom, and she suggested that we have a reception. Mom and I had a great time together and soon Dad and Bill were there. Mom really liked Bill too. I had told her a lot about him. We all sat around and chatted for the rest of the afternoon.


Henry drove us back to my house. We had a dinner date to fulfill. We started to get ready by taking a shower. Bill thoroughly scrubbed me all over, interspersed with a lot of kissing and fondling. It is times like this that I wish that I had arms again, just to be able to reciprocate. I used my toes to wash him the best that I could. It was easy to tell how excited this made him. He held me close under the running water, and I wrapped both legs around him. He leaned me against the smooth tile wall and lifted me slightly and then back down—suddenly ecstasy under the warm shower. God, that felt good. We both climaxed at the same time. We finished the scrubbing and got out. Bill gently dried me off and then himself. He helped me dress at the same time he dressed. Soon we were ready.


Arlene came home, and we sat around and talked. He needed to get his stuff moved so I called the mover to arrange a time. They could work him in four days from now. That would give him a full day to pack. Soon it was time to go for dinner. Bill helped me into his car and of course had to fasten my seat belt. That called for a kiss. I gave him directions out to a country-western place just on the outskirts of town. We perhaps were a little overdressed for that place, but what the hell. Our table wasn’t ready so we went into the bar. It was a typical bar with obnoxious wannabe cowboys. We ordered a couple of beers. I specified a long-neck bottle. The waitress set the beer in front of us. I could feel everyone in the bar watching me. I bent over and wrapped my lips securely around the bottle neck and threw my head back until the bottle was upside down. I took a drink and put the bottle back on the table.


A drunk came over to the table. “That’s quite a trick lady,” he slobbered.


“Thanks,” I said. “I get by.”


“Hey armless lady, do you want to dance?” he said as he weaved around.


“No,” I said. “We’re just waiting for our table.”


“Aw come on,” he said as he reached over and started to grab me. I moved and he missed. Instantly Bill was on him. In one fluid motion, Bill had him face down on the floor and was standing over him holding one arm and his foot on the guy’s neck.


“The lady said no, and she means no,” Bill said in a very authoritative voice. “Do you understand?”


The guy said yes, and Bill let him up. The bartender came over and hustled him out of the bar, then came back and said: “I hope he didn’t bother you too much. That was a real slick take down.”


“Thanks,” Bill said. “He didn’t have a chance to bother us too much.”


“Would you like a job as a bouncer?” the bartender said.


“No, he wouldn’t. He has a full time job just protecting me,” I said as I nuzzled close to him.


“I guess that’s your answer,” Bill said as he winked at the bartender.


“Well OK, but I could sure use a handy fellow like you around here,” the bartender said as he walked away.


We finished our beer, and our table was ready. The hostess led the way and seated us in a secluded part of the restaurant. The windows looked out over some pasture land with beef cattle grazing. We had a good dinner. The waitress was amazed as I ate using my toes to hold my fork and was equally amazed when I signed the check. After dinner, we went back into the bar. This time, no one bothered us. We had a few more beers and slow danced to the jukebox. Bill was so comfortable to be with, and I felt so at ease with this wonderful guy. I felt really safe in his arms. We decided to go and drove back to the house. Arlene was getting ready for bed and said goodnight.


Bill and I went into my bedroom and closed the door. We did our little undressing ritual and were soon in bed. The lovemaking just kept getting better. I finally had to remind him of our meeting in the morning and that we need to get some sleep. I cuddled next to him as he held me in his arms, and we quickly drifted off to dreamland.


I jumped when the alarm clock started buzzing. Bill stirred and then opened his eyes. I was ready with a good morning kiss. We got up, and he helped me get on my workout garb. I went to the exercise room and did my flexibility workout while he fixed breakfast. I need to do this workout daily to be able to maintain my flexibility and get into some of the unnatural positions that I need to be in. When I finished, Arlene was in the kitchen talking to Bill and breakfast was ready. We finished breakfast, and it was time to get ready for work. Bill got in the shower with me. This had the potential of making the process go faster, but we were constantly interrupted by kissing and fondling—not that I was arguing or anything. Arlene had laid out my clothes for me, just like she does every morning. He helped me get dressed, even though I can eventually do most myself, except for my bra and pantyhose. Then he finished dressing. We all sat around the living room and talked as we waited for Henry. Soon the doorbell rang. The three of us rode to the office. Bill and I stopped by his office for one more quick kiss before I walked down the hall to my office suite. Sally was there and ready to go over schedule and correspondence as was our normal daily routine. We finished, and I buzzed Bill on the intercom. He came in, and I briefed him on what would happen at the meeting. He said that he had called his old boss and told him what had happened, and that he would be in soon to officially resign his commission. He opened the large double doors and followed me into the large conference room. All of the managers were there and waiting. I walked around to my place at the head of the table. I introduced Bill to everyone. I asked the personnel manager to tell the rest of the group about the hiring process and why he had recommended Bill.


“Now that you how Bill came to be with us,” I said. “Let me fill you all in on another matter so that there will be no room for surprise among any of you and to dispel all rumors. Bill will be living in my house with Arlene and me. You all remember that going into this program that my personal security was also a consideration. We, the three of us, have decided that the house is large enough to house us all adequately. I knew and dated Bill before I hired him. As you have all heard, we went through an exhaustive hiring process. Bill was not aware that I ran this company, and I didn’t know that he would be ultimately recommended to me by Personnel. I hired him because of his outstanding ability and because I know personally what a wonderful man that he is. Are there any questions?” No one moved a muscle. “Good, now let’s get down to the business at hand.” The meeting continued on for the rest of the morning with all of the mangers outlining their perceived security needs. It was decided that Bill would visit each facility to acquaint himself first hand. Before we broke for lunch, I reminded them of the formal reception for Bill this evening at the estate. They all left, and Bill and I were alone.


“What formal reception?” he said. “I don’t have a tuxedo.”


“That’s why the tailor is in your office right now,” I said as I gave him a quick kiss and led him out of the conference room. “With all that’s happened, I guess that I forgot to tell you.”


We walked into his office. The tailor was waiting with a rack of tuxedos. Bill picked one out and was fitted. He got the works, including new shoes. I instructed the tailor to have the clothes delivered to the house. The housekeeper would be there to take them. Bill and I grabbed a quick lunch at the deli. Bill fed me the sandwich and then we went back to work. I had some pressing matters that needed my attention, and Bill continued to settle into his new office. Arlene and I left early to have our hair done for the big occasion. After the hairdresser, we went home and relaxed for a while. Bill came in later and joined us. This was great to have the three of us together. We had some snacks, and soon it was time to get ready.


I had chosen a long black evening dress for the occasion. It was backless down to my waist, and the front came up to, and was supported by, a choke collar. The design accented my beautifully sculptured shoulders and lack of arms. I also didn’t have to worry about straps falling down over my armless shoulders. The slits up each side, to well above upper thigh, not only added to the dress design but made it functional for my special way of doing things using my feet and toes. Danglie diamond earrings and high heels finished off my outfit.


Arlene had chosen a strapless black dress that really accented her gorgeous figure. She had recently gotten contact lenses, but still preferred to wear the thick glasses that had always been a part of her. She decided to wear the contacts for the occasion, being sure to carry at least two pairs of glasses with her. I let her use a diamond necklace and matching earrings. She had matching high heels to complement her outfit.


Bill went upstairs to get dressed. Arlene helped me get ready and did my makeup in my bedroom suite. When we finished, we went into her bedroom suite to get her ready. When she finished dressing and makeup, she looked great but still wore her thick glasses. She took out the contact case and put it in front of her. She carefully put the left eye contact on her finger and then removed her glasses. Her hand was shaking as she put the contact in her eye and blinked. She put the other contact in her other eye and stood up so that I could see her. She was fantastically beautiful. I told her so, and she gave me a hug. We walked back into the living room in time to see Bill coming down the large circular stair. He looked fantastic. The new tuxedo showed him for the hunk that he really was. We all were complimenting each other on our good looks when the doorbell rang. I answered the door and invited Bob in. His tuxedo also showed off his good looks. He said how sharp that I looked as we walked into the living room. I thought that he was going to fall over when he saw Arlene. He was just about speechless. She became self-conscious and began to blush. I introduced Bob to Bill. It was time to go, and we decided we should take two cars.


Bill helped me get out of the car when we got to the estate. Bob and Arlene pulled in right behind us, and we all walked together to the portico. The other guests had not arrived. We went in, and Mom and Dad admired and complimented us on our outfits and dresses. They told us that we were going to have a receiving line and that the four of us were to be included. I began to protest, and Dad held up his hand. I knew better than to argue and decided to go along with it. Soon guests began arriving, and we greeted each one. They were mostly the company managers that we had been meeting with today and their wives. Everyone looked stunning in their finery. After the formal receiving line, we all stood around and talked until dinner was ready. Most had cocktails, but I have a difficulty standing and holding a drink at the same time. It was my chance to meet the company manager’s wives. I’m not so sure how they took my armless state, but it was never discussed. Undoubtedly all of the spouses had been briefed and knew what to expect.


We were all seated in the formal dining room. Dad made a short speech welcoming Bill, and complimenting Arlene and me for running the company. We all drank a champagne toast provided by Dad. I picked up the long stemmed glass with my toes to drink. The slit in the dress was paying off. Dinner was served. My steak had been cut by the chef before it was served. We all began to eat. I, of course, ate holding my fork with my toes. It was interesting watching the others trying to watch me eat without staring. We finished dinner and had a dessert that was so beautifully presented that you didn’t want to eat it. We all sat around and talked after dinner. The party was starting to break up, so we left after saying our goodbyes.


Bill and I drove back to the house. He helped me to undress. When I was completely nude, we kissed and he fondled me. God, I love to have him touch me. He slipped my robe over my shoulders and loosely tied it so that I could easily undo the knot. There of course was a lot of kissing that went along with this as well. He changed into his blue jeans and sweatshirt. He was getting ready to drive back to the city that evening. I told him that he didn’t need to drive and that the company jet was waiting for him. He would be back in the city in less than an hour, and a car and driver would be waiting for him. “Just one of the perks of your new job,” I said as we engaged in a passionate kiss. We sat and talked a little more as we cuddled on the couch. Bill said that he didn’t want to leave me here alone. I told him that I would be OK and that Arlene would soon be here. All too soon, the doorbell rang and he answered the door. Henry was ready to drive him to the airport. We kissed a long goodbye kiss, and he and Henry left.


I was all alone. I thought back and couldn’t remember a time when I’d been in this big house alone at night. The stony silence was eerie. The grandfather clock in the front entry foyer made the only sound. I could also hear the wind rustling the tree and a branch rubbing on the roof. It was scary and sent a shiver up my back. I wished that Bill was here with me. I thought I heard the soft creaking of someone tiptoeing from down the hall by the exercise room. I got up to investigate. I slowly and tentatively walked down the long hallway.


“Is anyone there?” I called.


No answer. I slowly opened the door to the exercise room and reached up with my foot and turned on the light with my toe. Without going any further in the room, I stood by the door and looked around. I could not see anyone in there, but it felt like someone was watching me. Suddenly the light went out, and I turned to run out the door, but just as I turned, a gloved hand grabbed me from behind and pulled me into the room. The door slammed shut and caught my bathrobe sleeve. I jerked to get away, and my robe came off and fell to the floor. I was standing there nude in the darkened room. Suddenly, I was pushed from behind and fell to the mat face down. I was lying there totally nude. Almost instantly, my attacker put a strip of tape over my eyes. The thought suddenly struck me that this must have been what Arleen felt like in the park on the night we met. I was rolled over onto my back and additional tape was added over my eyes. Suddenly my attacker was no longer touching me, and I could hear movement about the room. I thought I heard the lights being turned back on and heavy breathing. I thought I heard a camera click and advance several times.


“What do you want?” I pleaded. No answer. I hesitantly got to my feet and began slowly feeling my way with my foot. Again I heard a camera click and advance several times.


“Where are you? What do you want?” I pleaded as I slowly felt my way around the room. After a while, I was standing on what felt like my robe. I rubbed the wall and door with my hip and found the door handle. I tried to open it with my hip with no success. I backed up and tried to open it with my foot and toes. I couldn’t move the door lever because the robe was jamming it tight. I felt trapped. If I could only find the other door. It led outside to the swimming pool. Again, I heard a camera click and automatic advance several times. I began to slowly feel my way around the edge of the room again until I found the other door. I opened the door with my hip and went outside by the swimming pool. I began slowly and carefully feeling my way with my feet. I bumped into one of the chairs that we keep on the pool deck and sat down. I bent over and brought my foot up to try and remove the tape from my eyes by using my toes. I was not having any success, and my vision remained totally obscured by the tape. The camera clicked and automatically advanced several times again. Suddenly the chair was tipped over, and I screamed as I went sprawling across the concrete pool deck.


“What do you want?” I pleaded again. There was still no answer, but I heard the sound of a camera again. I struggled to my feet and began slowly feeling my way with my foot. I could tell that I was near the edge of the pool by the tile that I could feel. I gasped as I felt gloves on both of my breasts. A slight push and I fell into the swimming pool. I was underwater for what seemed like an eternity. I gasped for a big breath of air when I finally broke the surface. “Please help me, I can’t swim well without any arms,” I pleaded. No answer. I rolled over onto my back and tried to find the pool edge with my foot. No luck, but the struggling made me slip below the surface. I coughed and gasped as I came back up again. “Help me, please,” I pleaded again. There was no answer, but I knew my attacker was still there as I heard more camera clicks and advances. Finally, I heard the sound of a car door closing, and I screamed.


“I’ll be back Venus,” a hoarse voice whispered. “I’ll be back.”


I heard footsteps running away. “Help, don’t leave me here,” I hollered as I treaded water. I hollered a couple of more times, but my attacker was gone. It was quiet again, and I felt so alone.


“Cindy, where are you?” Arlene called.


“I’m in the pool, help me!” I cried back. I heard the pool fence gate.


“Oh Cindy, what happened? Why do you have tape over your eyes?” Arlene said as I heard her walking around the pool deck.


“Someone was in the house after Bill left and attacked me,” I said.


“Back float and kick your way over to the sound of my voice. I’ll go down to the shallow end,” she said as I heard her walking to the other end of the pool.


I did as she instructed, and soon I could touch the bottom of the pool. “I’m not much of a swimmer anymore,” I said. “You really are a life saver.”


“Make your way over here, and I’ll take the tape off of your eyes,” she said as I continued to wade over to her. “Now stand still a moment.” She pulled the tape off, and my vision returned. I noticed that she was wearing her glasses.


I climbed out of the pool, and we went into the house. She wrapped me in a big fluffy bath towel and dried me off, then got another robe and put it on me. Bob came in the house. “No sign of anyone around the outside,” he announced. “Cindy, what happened?”


We sat down on the couch, and I began to retell the story of the last hour. The more I talked, the more shaken I became until I was sobbing. Arlene called the police, and soon an officer was at the door. He came in, and I told him the same story. While he looked around, I called Bill in the plane. They were just getting ready to land. I told him what had happened. He calmed me down and asked if Bob was still there. I told him how much I loved him and missed him, then Bob took the phone. They talked briefly, then Bob hung up.


“Bill has asked me to spend the night in case the attacker comes back,” he announced. The officer was just coming back into the room as Bob made his announcement. He commented that he thought that it would be a good idea. He also said that there were no signs of forcible entry, but he did find an open window. Arlene went to change. He finished his report and held it out to me. I asked him to put it on the coffee table. I read the report and picked up the pen with my toes. He had a surprised look on his face as he watched me sign my name. I put the pen down and passed the report back to him with my toes. The officer said goodbye. Bob saw him to the door.


Arlene came back into the room wearing her robe and looked at Bob with a big smile. She walked over to him, and they embraced in a passionate kiss.


“Hey, just who are you going to protect?” I said jokingly. They broke off the kiss and turned and faced me. “Arlene what happened to your contacts? I noticed that you were wearing your glasses when you came home.”


“I’m having a tough time getting used to them, so after you guys left the party, I took them out. I also wanted them to see the real me, the one with those thick glasses. The glasses are just a part of me now,” she said. She gave Bob another kiss. It was getting late, and tomorrow was another day at the office so we decided to turn in. I was not the one lucky enough to be sharing a bed tonight.


The next day, it was the usual routine at the office, meetings, correspondence, and phone calls. Sally was so organized she made my position a snap. Bill called and was all excited. When he gave his old boss his resignation, his boss told him that it had been arranged for Bill to retain his state trooper commission. He had heard of it on only one other occasion. He said the order came straight from the Governor. I told him that I had spoken with Dad, and Dad phoned his old friend the Governor. It’s called campaign contributions.


In a few days, Bill was back. It seemed like he had been gone forever. He is so comfortable and easy to be with. It is wonderful to go to sleep in his arms every night. We talked about getting married, but we decided not to rush. The way things are going, it will probably be a double ceremony.



E N D