Sunday, April 3, 2016

Celebrity (Part 12)

     The barricades at the party came down at ten, but the party didn't end.  Thanks to our largess with the Ecstasy, there were about eighty or so people who were ready to party all night, including Syko.  With the street open, everyone moved onto the sidewalks, lawns, and driveways.  Around midnight Syko invited Bekka and I into his house so we could check the traffic on the BBS.  He was a PC user, keeping both his computer and the BBS server in his office.  "I had a second phone line run in so the board would be available twenty-four seven," he explained.  "A lot of people who run a BBS only operate certain hours of the day, which kinda sucks.  I'm proud to always have my board available.  It's running off a top of the line 386 with a half-gig hard drive and sixteen Megs of RAM.  My archives go back for months."

     "I'm flattered that you've gone to all this trouble," said Bekka.  "The equipment alone must have set you back a pretty penny.  I have to ask you, though.  What is it about Becky Page that inspires such devotion?  I've never been clear on that.  I don't think I'm anything special, I think I'm just another porn slut."
     "Becky---" Syko started.
     "Bekka," she corrected.
     "Yeah, sorry.  Bekka, you are an incredibly beautiful woman.  You have class, and you have style.  And you're strong, which is important to me.  I like powerful women.  It's not a submissive thing on my part, I just.....  I like women who speak their minds and can hold their own.  Other women in porn come across almost as victims.  You always seem to be playing on equal ground in your sex scenes....  And, um, you do really awesome sex scenes.  I've been a fan since you did 'Lust Instructor.'  I spent a lot of time on LA-based porn boards trying to learn more about you.  When 'Bewitched' hit big, I decided to take the plunge and start the Becky Page Fans board.  I've logged over 1,500 distinct phone numbers that people have logged on from, and that doesn't take into account computers on college campuses, where a bunch of people would be using the same computer.  It's a hobby that definitely keeps me busy, but to me it's worth it."
     "Again, I'm very flattered.  Tell me, is it possible for you to delete messages?  A while back someone posted the street address of the studio, which --- given circumstances --- I'm very uncomfortable with.  We've already had a few people show up.  Lenny got rid of them, but we've already had one assault rifle-toting psycho show up.  I don't want to be shot, and I don't want my husband shot.  Again."
     Syko (whose real name was Ray) smiled and said, "I'm the sysop, I can do anything I want.  Do you remember the title of the post?"
     I said, "It was either 'Becky's Address' or 'Studio Address.'  I forget how old it is."
     "No problem, I'll just do a text search in the headers."
     He scooted over to a second computer and turned on its monitor.  Typed some commands and then put the word "Address" into a box, then pressed Enter.  Text scrolled vertically on the screen, then stopped.
     "Well lookee here," said Syko.  "Three results."
     The first one, the one I'd seen, was about five weeks old.  The second one, however, was four months old and titled "Becky's Studio Address."  It provided the same information, which alarmed me:  I was amazed we hadn't had more visitors.  This poster also told where he found the address, by going to the county business records office and searching for Inana Productions.
     The third was about two months old and titled, "Becky's Home Address?"  In it someone named KnockAbout pleaded to the board in general, "Does anyone know Becky's home address?  No I'm not a stalker I just want to send her some stuff and I'm afraid if I send it to the studio it will get opened and not by her.  Tried a co. property records search -- no Becky Page owns property in S.D. county."
     There were a half dozen replies, five saying, "Can't help ya, mate, I'd love to know too."  One helpful soul wrote "Hey STUPID -- you may want to try searching using her REAL last name, which is Luchessi.  The more you know...."  That reply was from MSDick.
     "But that's not your last name," said Syko.  "Where the hell did he get that from?"
     Bekka said, "That's my maiden name.  My married name is Schneider.  How would have gotten my maiden name?"
     I smacked my fist into my palm.  "Through Inana's lawyer."  To Syko I explained, "Ever since the Traci Lords fiasco, studios have to keep records with a lawyer definitively documenting the true ages and legal names of all performers, and the lawyer's information has to appear on the video or magazine.  He must have gone to see our lawyer, paid for an hour of his time, and found out who Becky Page really is.  Only thing is, we never updated your information when we got married.  He's got information that's out of date at this point."
     Bekka smirked.  "Even if MSDick had gotten my address from the lawyer, it would be pointing to the old address at Olivehurst."  Then her face fell.  "But you've been using your full name in your posts, and if we didn't make it clear that we're married on the board, anyone who saw us today knows we're together.  And both of our names would be on the property title for the house.  Oh shit...."
     Syko said, "Is there any way of keeping your information private?  Or blocking people from searching for it?"
     "I'll be finding that out first thing Monday," I said.  "If I can, I'll have the contact information be the studio :P.O. box, not the street address.  Everybody already has that."
     We rolled back to Syko's PC to deal with happier things.  Over thirty posts had appeared since five, all but one recapping peoples' personal experience at the party.  ALLCAPS was the rule of the day in the headers, which said things like "AWESOME PARTY!"  "I MET BECKY"  "BECKY  HUGGED ME"  "SHES EVEN MORE GORGEOUS IN REAL LIFE" and "AUTOGRAPH FROM MY HEARTTHROB."  A board member named JetPackSex wrote "LOVE HER EVEN MORE NOW" as the header, the body reading, "Oh my god, waited in line for ninety minutes to meet her and get an autograph.  Cos of how long she'd been signing I expected her to be frazzled and grumpy, but she was cool and smiling and SO SO beautiful.  She signed my copy of Rocker Girls and I told her how her influence had made me more assertive w/boys, she went a bit pink! and said she was glad people found strength in her.  She gave me a LONG hug (oh those beautiful boobs up against mine, rowr).  She told me her new movie would be out in about 8 wks. and she's not starring (boo!) but is 2nd lead.  AND sequel to Bewitched is a go!  6 mos. or so out!  2 cool of a day!"
     Shylock's header was "becky smokes."  His message was, "i am opposed to tobacco use, and i hope becky quits.  but dammit, she looks so sexy when shes smoking (but seriously quit becky cigarettes will make you old before your time)."
     "Here, this one just dropped in," said Syko.  From SpiderBoy, the header read, "2 BEAUTIFUL."  His message was, "Just walked in the door. Very high on Ecstasy right now, thanks to Becky, her hubby, and a big scary biker dude.  A wonderful time today, so pleased I got to meet B. Page in person -- I got an autograph AND a hug, I swear I can still smell her on my shirt.  Becky etc. were giving away FREE hits of Ecstasy, too awesome!  I'm in love with the world right now, but especially with Becky.  The g/f is visiting folks this weekend, so I'll have some "alone time": just me, Becky's tapes, and some KY.  Inserting myself into the movies, wishing it was me she was having sex with.  She's just too beautiful...."
     Bekka said to Syko, "Ray, may I make a response from your computer?"
     "Go ahead," said Syko, and got up so she could use his chair.  Bekka wrote, "SpiderBoy, to me, what you're about to do alone is the sincerest form of flattery.  XXX  Kisses, Becky.  PS Use Astroglide, it doesn't feel as cold going on."
     "Astroglide, huh?" smiled Syko.
     "Absolutely," said Bekka.  "Vaseline is greasy and sticky, KY is cold and kinda messy, spit doesn't last for long enough, but Astroglide stays smooth, comes in a bottle and not a tube, you can warm it up in the microwave if you want, lasts a while....  The inventors should receive the Nobel Peace Prize.  I'll be using some tonight when we get home.  Ecstasy makes me horny as hell, but also dry as a bone, and I want Lenny to ride me like a Jet-Ski later."
     Syko looked at me with a crooked grin.  "Damn dude," he said, "you've got to be the luckiest man in the world.  I mean it.   So how did you two come to get married?"
     I said, "I was the still photographer at Inana.  Her and me became friends, and I fell in love with her.  After some patience and persistence on my part, she fell in love with me.  We got married on October 13th, 1988.  I'm still desperately in love with her, and have never felt closer to anyone in my life."
     Bekka leaned over and gave me a kiss.  She said, "It wasn't your persistence, it was me dropping my obstinacy.  Ray, I loved Lenny for months before I finally admitted it, even to myself.  I knew Lenny loved me, but I'd been hurt so many times in the past that I was gun-shy of anything resembling romance.  If he'd started dating someone else during my period of insecurity I would have been crushed."
     Syko looked surprised at this.  "You had bad relationships?  How could anyone treat Becky Page --- Bekka Schneider --- badly, especially a dude you were dating?"
     "Some guys waited a couple months, then decided they didn't like what I did for a living.  They'd start off with subtle hints, like telling me maybe I should go back to school, slowly building up to them shouting that I had to choose between them and my career.  I'd choose my career.  Other men hated the disparities in how we lived, they got resentful that I lived quite comfortably working only twenty hours a week, while they were barely paying rent.  They took it as a blow to their egos that I was the one always taking them out to dinner.  Of course, some of them decided they'd gotten on the gravy train, and tried to treat me like an ATM with a pussy.  There were a couple Bible-thumpers, guys who wanted to rescue me from my life of sin.  A few cheated on me, and were astounded when I was upset.  'But you fuck random dudes all day,' was their response.  I'd remind them that what I do is not sex, it's performance.  Personally, just think they thought they'd found a really good excuse to cheat, and would have no matter what I did for a living.  And a couple guys were nice enough, but complete idiots.  I just couldn't hack a dude whose literary interests were limited to Garfield comics and Penthouse Forum letters.  The sort who were challenged by the complex plots in 'Married With Children' episodes."
     "I've met a couple of her exes," I said.  "They really were putzes.  Remember Melvin?"
     "Oh god," said Bekka.  "Yes, Melvin.  I was basically paying his rent for a tourist shack on the beach.  I told him there were better places for cheaper, but he insisted that he needed to be there for artistic inspiration.  In four months of dating I never once saw him draw, paint, write, compose music, anything.  I think his primary inspiration was to masturbate while peeking out his window at girls in bikinis."
     "I know Melvin hates me, after we met him in Safeway that one night.  He's probably still convinced that you hooked up with a dangerous violent criminal scumbag halfwit from El Cajon.  My oh my how your life has gone downhill without Melvin's guidance.  Look at you, hanging around punks and bikers, associating with digital anarchists in La Mesa, abusing drugs and alcohol...."
    Bekka chuckled.  "About the only positive thing to be said about Melvin is that he never once bitched about what I did for a living.  Of course, if he had, and I'd taken him seriously and quit, his gravy train would have derailed.  And he was smart enough to realize that."
     "Incredible," said Syko as he powered down his computer.  We slowly began moving towards the front door.  "Now you're one of the most loved, and lusted after, women on the planet.  Makes me wonder how these guys feel about you --- and themselves --- these days."
     "Collectively?  They're thinking, 'I can't believe that bitch.'  Individually, it would range from 'Damn, but I blew it' to 'I hope the cunt dies in a fire.'  And every single one would take me back if I told them I wanted them back, no matter what the conditions of our break-up had been.  Lenny is different from all the other men I've been with.  He has integrity, a spine, conviction.  And he loves me even when I'm being a hideous Sicilian harpy."
     I said, "She loves me even when I'm taxing her patience to the quick.  Like when I tell her I'm trading in my Acura for a customized Cadillac Fleetwood, or I steal a motorcycle to chase after kidnappers, or I collapse with chest pains in the middle of a porn convention."
     Syko said, "Wow, you've already had a heart attack?  What are you, twenty-five?"
     "No, twenty-three.  And it wasn't a heart attack, it was hyperventilation.  Still, it was a lesson about how much stress I had in my life, and how much of it was self-inflicted.  Like trying to run an entire production company by myself while also writing scripts and producing features.  Gosh, maybe the guy who owns the joint could assist a little, instead of me doing everything for him except signing my own paychecks."
     We got out the front door.  There was a college-age girl in Doc Martens and a black slit skirt sitting cross-legged on the lawn, staring up at us.  She squeaked and sprang to her feet when she saw Bekka.
     "Becky!" the girl exclaimed.  "I thought it was this door I saw you go in, and I was right. I needed to see you again so badly."
     "What's up?" asked Bekka.
     "First of all, thank you for whatever it was you gave me, that pill.  Right now I feel so in touch with the world, I can't describe it.  Only someone as beautiful as you would do something as beautiful as that.  I just, I wanted, I needed to touch you again, to feel you against me, pressing against me."
     "Let me give you another hug," said Bekka.
     She stepped forward and embraced the girl.  When she started to let go, the girl said, "I want to kiss you, too."
     Bekka smiled and re-embraced.  The two of them locked lips...  Gently at first, then deep and passionate.  I glanced over at Syko, who was giving me a "Say what?" look.
     When the two came up for air, the girl said, "I've never kissed another woman like that before."
     "And what did you think of it?" asked Bekka.
     "It made my entire body tingle.  I've thought about it --- I've thought about doing a lot of things with other women --- but with you I had the courage to.  I've seen you with other women in your videos, and it's so beautiful, it made me so excited.  Becky, I want you to have me, I want you to show me everything you know.  Right now I'm so turned on my legs are shaking.  Please, take me home with you, and you can do anything you want with me."
     Bekka caressed the girl's temple.  "Honey, I understand how you feel right now, I really do.  But I'm married.  That's my husband right over there.  I belong with another.  But I tell you what.  I can guarantee you there are other girls at this party who are feeling exactly how you do at the moment.  Go, find one of them, see if you click.  Then the two of you can explore each other together, as equals.  You will have a more enlightening time being with another novice than you would with a woman who does it for money.  And my husband is being very patient right now."
     The girl stepped back and said, "Are you sure....?"
     "I'm very sure.  You want a lover, go and find her.  But I am not her."
     "Okay."  The girls stared down at her boots.  "Thank you for kissing me, that was wonderful.  Um, would you happen to have a cigarette?"
     "No problem, honey," said Bekka.  She handed the girl one of her Benson & Hedges, then lit it for her.  The girl took a deep drag and blew it into the sky.
     "Thank you.  I need something to calm myself down at the moment.  I feel like I'm on the verge of orgasm, balanced on the edge.  Wow but you thrill me.  Thank you for being my first kiss."
     "Thank you for being understanding."
     We went back out on the street.  The girl walked ahead of us, following whatever sort of psychic impulses she had to lead her to another girl, probably also high, that was feeling as strongly bi-curious as she was.  Syko, Bekka, and I headed for the keg, seeking refreshment.  Depeche Mode played gently from somewhere.  Waiting for my turn at the tap, I looked around and estimated there were still about eighty people milling around.  The neighbors seemed fine with the fact that the party would last until the wee hours, maybe until sunrise.  It would take a load of bad noise to make anyone call the cops.  Syko had said that he'd thrown a couple block parties before, but nothing on this scale, or so widely attended.  The others had been pretty low-key, just neighbors, family, and friends.  Inviting all the "members" of a computer-based fan club was something new, livened up by having the object of their adoration also attend.  This party would remain in the minds of most as a real high spot.
     We found Jane and Boss in a driveway five houses down.  Jane was riding Boss' shoulders, and the both of them were sharing a joint with a somewhat nerdy-looking couple in their mid-thirties.  The man was saying, "Well, ultimately she represents the ethos of progression in human sexuality.  It's like Page is on a higher rung of the evolutionary ladder...."
     "Hey guys," coughed Jane, as she handed the joint back down to Boss.  "Did you have fun playing on the computer?"
     The couple turned to see who Jane was talking to, and their eyes sprung open when they saw Bekka standing there.  The man stepped forward with his hand out to be shaken, saying, "Ms. Page, this truly is an honor for me!"
     Bekka ignored the hand, instead hugging the man.  He responded in a natural manner.  When they broke apart, she did the same thing with his wife, who was quicker on the uptake and went into the embrace without hesitation.  After separating, Bekka said, "Hi, I'm Becky.  Who are you?"
     The man said, "I'm Dirk and this is my wife, Penelope.  On the board we post as DirkDevil and PenPen."  He considered Bekka, rubbing his chin.  "Yes.  Positive physical contact before formal introduction.  You are the vanguard."
     "I'm sorry, you've lost me," said Bekka.
     "I was just explaining to these two that you, Becky Page, represent the start of a new chapter in human sexuality and, on a broader scale, the human condition.  What you did just now supports my hypothesis.  You didn't know who we were, yet you embraced us as one would a lover.  To hug someone provides both physical and spiritual comfort, an openness.  Showing such openness to someone you've never met before demonstrates the ability to say, 'To me there are no strangers, only unmet friends and lovers.'  Breaking down the barriers and taboos of physical contact could create a whole new era for our species.
     "Becky, in your movies you demonstrate an uncanny ability to arouse, yet you do it without being objectified, as is so often the case in pornography.  The topography of your sexual activity is even for both genders.  And you truly engender physical pleasure at its peak.  Instead of sexual relations being this constant see-saw of control and submission, you show that the board can remain even, providing pleasure to both partners with neither one feeling as though sacrifice has been made.  Finally, genuine sexual equality!  If such equality can be reached with our lovers, why can't we spread equality to other aspects of our lives?  Achieving this equality, and then using its principles to dictate in our other interactions, could realize a world without fear.  You did not know us, yet you literally embraced us, strangers, having no fear of us.  Becky, this is not merely bravery on your part.  It demonstrates that you function on a higher evolutionary level than everyone else.  Between your use of sex as an equalizer and your use of physical contact to break down barriers between people, you are on the next rung."
     Bekka blinked at this.  She said, "Or, filming fuckin' is fun, I won't play pushovers in my features, and I like hugging people."
     Penelope said, "What he's trying to say is that we both really get off on your videos.  They're really hot, we love them."
     Dirk countered, "But Becky Page also represents advancement of the human condition!  She shows that equality in sex can---"
     "Dirk honey, shut up and light another joint," said Penelope.  "I'm sure Becky and her friends would love a hit."
     "Yes dear," said Dirk.
     Bekka said, "Don't light it on my account.  I've got to ride a motorcycle back to Encinitas in the near future, and I don't need my judgement clouded any more than it is.  In fact, Boss?  Jane?  How are you two feeling?"
     "Aw, we're fine," said Jane.  "This stuff doesn't hit like what we got at home."
     Boss said, "Yeah, this is the sort of weed that relaxes you, doesn't fuck with your head.  Speakin' of relaxin', I think I'm gonna pack it in.  Go home an' sleep in my own damn bed.  Gator Bait, you gotta git off of me now."
     "Aw, but I like it up here," Jane complained.
     "Tell you what, we'll walk you back to the bikes," I said. "Dirk, Penelope, nice meeting you."
     Once we were a little ways away, Boss said, "Just what the hell was that dude on about?"
     "I don't think even he knows.  Coffee shop philosophizing.  I'm guessing what he's saying is that somehow watching Becky Page fuck scenes will make us all better people, and hugging will conquer human fear.  I'm guessing he believes in utopia, that humanity can achieve a state free of pain or worry."
     Boss said, "Shit, if he talks like that after smokin' weed, I'm glad you guys didn't give him none of the Ecstasy.  His jaw would burn out from him flappin' it so much."
     Walking past a minivan, I nudged Bekka and pointed.  Leaning against it was her new girlfriend, in the company of another girl.  They were holding each other by the waist, their faces inches apart.  They stared deep into each others eyes and were talking in hushed serious tones.  Bekka smiled and skipped over to them, saying, "So, you found each other, did you?  I knew you would."
     The girl said, "Hi, Becky.  You were right, I found her, and she's wonderful.  We even almost have the same names.  She's Tonia, and I'm Tanya.  We were fated for each other, we're sure of it.  We were trying to decide where we could spend the night.  She lives in the dorms and my roommate deals meth, so she'll freak out if I brought home a stranger at this hour.  We'll either go to the beach and cuddle in the sand, or get in the back seat of one of the cars."
     Bekka smiled and held up a finger.  She reached in her purse, extracted her wallet, and pulled out a $100 bill, which she handed to Tanya.  "Go get a motel room.  You'll be warm, you'll be comfortable, you'll have privacy, and you should have enough money left from that to buy breakfast in the morning."
     Tanya and Tonia stared bug-eyed at the bill.  Tonia said, "Wow, Ms. Page, a hundred bucks?  Are you sure?  That's a lot of money."
     Bekka gave a gentle smile and said, "I'm paid well for what I do.  That is of no consequence.  Besides, I want you two to get to know each other as well as you can.  Someplace neutral like a motel room is ideal."
     The two girls chorused their thanks at Bekka.  She gave them both hugs and told them to run along, they needed to be alone together.  Try the Hacienda Inn on El Cajon Blvd. near College.  Cheap rates and no hookers.  As Bekka walked away, one of them called, "We love you, Becky!  You're too wonderful!"
     Back at the bikes, Boss put Jane back on the ground, got hugs from Jane and his lil' girl, shook my hand, then fired up and rode out.  Bekka yawned into the back of her hand.  I suggested that Boss had a good idea and maybe it was time for us to clear out, too.  I still wanted to say goodbye to Syko and thank him again for his hospitality.  We fired up and rolled slowly down the block, watching for the barrel-chested computer whiz.  I spotted him and turned to the curb, where he was stepping out, attracted by the sound of our machines.
     The noise of the bikes attracted the attention of a lot of others.  It was common knowledge that Becky Page and her posse had ridden their Harleys to the party, and hearing those things could only signify that she was leaving.  The fans wanted to get in one last, loving glance, or maybe a touch.  To keep her from getting mobbed, I scooped her up and set her on my shoulders.  From there, she addressed the small crowd.
     "You people are beautiful!" she announced.  "I can't even describe how flattered I am.  I have the best fans of anyone, in the entire world.  Take care of yourselves.  Don't worry, I promise I'll be on the board, reading and posting.  I love you, good night!"
     The crowd cheered and began to dissolve.  A cadre of young women started chanting, "One last hug!  One last hug!  One last hug!"  I set Bekka down and she shed her leather and helmet, then stepped forward and began dispersing hugs to the remaining fans.  I turned to Syko and said, "This whole day has just been insane."
     "Tell me about it," he said.  "Listen, me and a couple buddies are gonna get things put away, then hit the Denny's on Fletcher Parkway for a snack.  You wanna join us?  We'll just be a few minutes before we take off."
     I considered, then said, "Naw, we better not.  We've got to ride back to Encinitas and we're already tired.  But here."  I handed him an Inana business card.  "Try to get a hold of me during regular business hours, Tuesday through Friday.  You and me and Bekka need to hang out more, you know?"
     Syko grinned down at the card in his hand, then tucked it in his wallet.  He looked over at Bekka, who was giving out her last few hugs, then back at me and said, "I still think you're the luckiest guy on the planet."
     "Don't I know it," I said.  "She's something else."
     He punched me gently in the arm and said, "You take care of her, okay?  Too many of us are in love with her."
     "Don't worry, I will.  I will."
     Syko trotted off in the direction of his house.  Bekka returned to her bike, pulled on her leather and helmet, and we all fired up.  The engines warmed, and we roared out of La Mesa.  It had been a hell of a day.

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