A new Bishop Cartoon - and the second part of the serial

Aren't Dave's cartoons great?  I think that they capture the very essence of what we fantasize about.  Just wish he'd do more!

And now for the serial:

Taken Over

Part 2

"Thought so." She took another sip of her coffee. "You see, Danny?  I have this insatiable desire to make some type of men grovel before me – and have learned to recognize that type of man by his aura."  She laughed.  "Usually a sort of soft, fluffy, bluish, pinkish, aura – and you have it dear.  Oh, most certainly.  You have it – in spades!  A LOT more pink in it than blue as well!"

"You're going to make my life miserable because I have the wrong kind of aura?"  I tried to inject a note of disbelief into my voice.

She chuckled musically. "I shouldn't have used the term 'miserable' I guess.  You may be perfectly delighted with what I have you do.  It’s just that there's usually some male chromosomes – or something – that get in the way.  Do as you're told?  You may love it, right from the beginning."

"Love what, exactly?"

"Well, to begin with?  I would like to put my mark on you.  Go to Alice.  Tell her you'd like her to give you a manicure – give her any reason you want.  Also ask her to teach you how to take care of your nails.  Then?  I'd like you to go and buy a nice red polish at a drug store – and paint your left pinky nail with it."

I looked at her in total disbelief.  "You have to be kidding!" I laughed.

"Think so?" she retorted with a smile of her own. "Danny?  You have a need for me to tell you what to do.  Don't argue with it.  You'll just make yourself miserable."

"I thought that's what YOU were going to do?" I said in an attempt at humor.

"That'll come later.  You have my word on that," she said, her eyes glinting with amusement.

"But seriously Susan.  You can't really expect me to do that, can you?"  I was more serious now.

"Frankly Danny?  I don't think you have any choice in the matter.  But if I'm wrong and you won't do as I say, there's no harm done, is there?"

"I guess not,"  I admitted.

It took me three days.  Other than reverting to calling me 'sir' (except at lunchtime of course) Susan treated me with the same courtesy and was just as deferential to me as always.  I noticed also that she no longer made 'suggested' corrections to my memos while I dictated them.  So?  I can't claim that she exerted the slightest effort in bringing me to heel but I started to miss the level of intimacy that we'd reached and had this constant helpless feeling of having disappointed her.

On the afternoon of the second day, I approached Alice.  "Hey Alice.  Can I ask a favor of you?"

"Sure Danny.  Any time."

"Well?  I've always admired how you keep your nails.  Do you have them professionally done?"

She blushed with pride. "Oh no.  On an office girl's salary, I couldn't afford that.  Do them myself.  But thanks for noticing."

It was my turn to blush.  "That's okay.  But I was just wondering.  I've noticed that my nails seem to be snagging my wool when I'm doing my crocheting – and thought maybe you could give me some tips on keeping them nicer?"

"No problem!  Here, let me have a look at your hands!" she said delightedly.  Then she added.

"They're quite good actually – but I can see where they might snag on your fine wool.  Like me to fix them up a little bit.  Give you a manicure?  Then I can tell you how to take better care of them, okay?"

"Okay"  I said happily

That evening, using the assorted files, emery boards, shaping implements, and lotions that Alice had recommended I spent an embarrassed few hours trying to rationalize to myself what I was doing as I assiduously shaped my nails as close into the oval shape that I was sure that Susan would want.  Being as it was the first time, and my nails hadn't been that long, I was a little concerned that Susan might find fault.  The strong smell of the polish, I frankly liked very much and I applied it a few times, then removed it for practice – all the time telling myself that there was no way that I'd do such a ridiculous thing as actually apply it to a fingernail – and then go out in public with it?  NO way!

But I did.

Susan didn't even need to see my finger – at least I don't think she did. She simply saw my face as I entered her cubicle and gave me a lovely smile that warmed my heart.  "Thank you Danny.  You won't be sorry," she said.  "Then she laughed softly. "Well?  You probably will at some time or other – but be a darling would you?  Go and get our coffees and bring them into your office, huh?"

"How do you like it Susan?" I asked meekly, well aware of  what her request indicated.

"Black.  Two sugars.  You won't forget that from now on, will you?"

"No, Susan.  I won't"

I joined the girls at the coffee machine after picking up the mugs that Susan and I used.  They didn't seem particularly surprised to see me there and wished me cheery good morning's.  I used a tray to carry the coffee back to the room.   Susan was standing waiting for me, smiling contentedly.  "Now put the tray down Danny and let me see," she said.

I held out my hands and she took them in hers. Nodded approvingly after she inspected my nails, then lifted them to her nose and sniffed. "Yes!  Estee Lauder  lotion, is it?"

I nodded.

"Come here," she said softly pulling me close to her.  "But keep your arms down at your sides."

I did as she suggested – and she put her hands to the side of my face and pulled me into her for the most sensual, loving, delicious, kiss I've ever had.  I felt as if I was going to faint from the thrill of it and the desire to hold her in my arms, but managed to keep my arms still. 

She finally pulled back, a sultry, amused gleam in her eyes. "Nice?" she whispered.

I nodded, too dumb to speak.

"Hold on.  Keep still," she said, then approached me.  Took a forefinger, and gently traced my lips.  Then she pointed " See my handbag over there?"

I nodded.

"Well, why don't you go open it.  You'll find a compact in there.  I want to see you open it up and have a good look at your lips.  Okay?"

I felt very self conscious taking her handbag into my hands and opening it.  Must admit that I felt very feminine doing so – but it was nothing compared to how I felt studying my face in her compact mirror a few seconds later.  I saw that the lipstick she'd left from her kiss had been shaped a little better to cover my lips.  It was blurry of course, but there was no doubt.  I was as near as one could be to actually wearing lipstick.

"Still too red for you?" she asked.

I looked at her helplessly. Shook my head and shrugged.

She laughed and came and took the handbag from me.  Pulled out a tissue and first of all wiped my lips clean, then the tip of her finger.  "Don't look so stricken Danny! Actually?  You were right.  It was too much."

I breathed a small sigh of relief.  I'd thought she was going to have me walk around with the lipstick on my lips – or even worse? Make me touch it up!

As always, she read me like a book and pricked my sense of relief immediately.  "Can't have you wandering about with lipstick that doesn't suit you, can we?  What would the other girls think? Thank goodness there's SO many other shades to choose from!"

But then she sat down and I joined her.  We had one of our normal everyday chats, though I had a definite feeling that it was her, rather than me, that was steering the conversation – but I didn't mind.  When we were finished though, she stood up to leave – and I started to go behind my desk.

"Danny?  I think you've forgotten something?" she said.

"Huh?"

"Can't be leaving the mugs lying around, can we?  Why don't you take them down to the utility room and give them a wash.  There's paper towels there that you can use to dry them.  Then?  Why don't you keep them here in this office somewhere?  Save you from foraging for them tomorrow, huh?"

And I knew that the making of coffee and washing up chore had just been passed on to me.

Alice was in the utility room washing some of the other ladies mugs.  She seemed a little surprised to see me doing this menial chore.  "Thought I'd give Susan a little break," I said, blushing. 

She took a look at my hands.  "Oooh!  Did you work on your nails last night?  Let me see!" she said excitedly.  I couldn't think of any plausible reason to deny her request, so held them out to her, then blushed some more as she examined them.  She was more concerned by my choice of color for the polish than anything else.  "You've made a really nice start on your nails.  You shouldn't be having any problems with your crocheting now. It's awfully hard to tell though," she said.  "But I'm not sure that that shade of red is the right color for you.  Though maybe once you do all of your nails it'll look better."

She seemed to see nothing wrong for me to be walking about with polish on one of my nails.  Just seemed vaguely surprised that I hadn't put polish on ALL of them.  She didn't make any comments about the feminine ovals either – which the polish had only served to emphasize I thought.  But, grateful for small mercies, we said our goodbyes and I headed back to my office.

"Did I see you chatting with Alice?" Susan asked as I entered her cubicle.

"Yes.  She wanted to see my nails," I said.

"Did she like the job you'd done on them?"

"Yes.  But she thought the red might not be my color," I said, with a little bit of satisfaction in my tone.

"Mmmm.  Seems like I've been outvoted here," Susan said. "Tell you what.  Ask her what color she thinks will suit you.  Then tonight, you can replace the red polish with it.  But this time?  Why don't you buy a lipstick to match the new polish.  Okay?"

She was looking at me with a strange intensity in her expression.  Somehow, I got the feeling that I had been disciplined for being naughty enough to enjoy what I'd said.  Decided that I shouldn't press this issue or ask any questions, so just nodded.

"Do you like Alice?" she next asked with what seemed like more than normal curiosity in her voice.

"I don't know her that well, but yes, she seems nice." I said after a moments thought.

Susan thought for a second or two.  "That's good.  I'd like you to become friends with her.  Good friends."

"How do I do that Susan?  She's kinda young for me, is she not?  And what will the women here in the office think of the manager becoming friends with the office girl?"

She inhaled through her nose – audibly and a little impatiently.  "Danny?  When I ask you to do something?  I'm not going to draw you road maps on how to do what I ask of you.  You're a nice person – she's a nice person.  You both work in the same office, why shouldn't you be friends? What other women in this office think of any of your friendships is no concern of mine – nor do I want it to be any concern of yours."  Then she smiled warmly.  "Asking Alice for her opinion on what makeup suits you will be a very good start now that I think of it.  Girls like that kind of interaction."

"When do you want me to ask her?" I asked.

She shrugged.  "Now would be as good a time as any, I'd say."

"Well I was thinking that I'd get that Shawcross memo out and . ."

"Danny?  I'd like you to spend this morning with Alice, starting now.  I'll take care of anything that needs to be done around here.  Now off you go – and have a nice time." She spoke in a warm friendly tone, with absolutely no warning evident in her voice.  At the same time, I listened to – and heard – an impending threat in her words.

When I got to Alice's cubicle she was staring forlornly at a pile of filing that obviously needed to be done.  She grinned when she saw me.  "Okay boss!  Just was pretending that I hated filing.  Just putting on an act, I actually love doing it!"

I had to laugh – but her words gave me an idea. "Alice?  Like a hand to do your filing?  I've been thinking that I've never really had the chance to know the nuts and bolts of the daily operation here – might be a good time for me to learn?"

She looked at me, open mouthed, then recovered somewhat.  "You're kidding!  You offering to help me do this filing?"

"If you'll show me how to do it – and anything else you need doing?   I'm . . "   I threw my hands out in a grandiloquent gesture.. "At your disposal for the rest of the morning!"

"I've never believed in looking gift horses in the mouth," she said.  "But let me show you how the filing works . . "

The filing was easy enough, but it was a never ending task. The clerks in the office would request a file which had to be hand delivered.  Then, when they were finished with that one, it had to be refiled and, naturally, they'd need a new one.  It didn't take me long to get into the swing of things.  I think the ladies on the floor were initially surprised to see me working there, but it didn't take them too long to start using me as a resource to run photocopies or get files or whatever. In the meantime, Susan had seemingly ensconced herself in the manager's position – was actually sitting in my office and had press ganged  Edna into answering her phones for her.  So, for that morning at least, Susan took over the office and me?  I took over the role of assistant to the office girl.

Actually?  I rather enjoyed it.  Alice was such fun – and the other ladies were so appreciative of the little tasks I did for them.  Told me how sweet I was – often.  During one of our short lived clear moments, I finally thought to ask Alice what color of nail polish I should use.  I'd thought and thought about how I could bring the subject up, but finally gave up and asked her directly. 

She didn't seem at all surprised at me asking such a thing.  "You're old enough to use red, but figure that pink is probably too young for you.  Think I'd go with Revlon's Tawny Island Girl.  Should look nice on you."

 Blushing, I thanked her.  Mindful of Susan's instructions, I made every attempt to be friendly with Alice and she reciprocated.  She had a warm, bubbly, personality and a few times we generated some funny looks from the other ladies when we sat giggling together at some of her more outrageous remarks.  From her early shyness with me, she'd got to be very comfortable in asking me to do things and, strangely, I didn't mind.

After lunch, as I was putting my crocheting away, Susan smiled.  "You did very well with Alice.  I'm very proud of you. Would you like to go and work for her tomorrow again?"

"Well, I don't think . ."

"Of course you do! After you've brought me my coffee tomorrow?  Why don't you go and have coffee with her?  I want to see you two establish a strong rapport with each other.  Okay?"

"Yes Susan," I said meekly.

I know how I must appear.  Could probably say I'm embarrassed, but I'm not.  Not really.  You see, Susan was correct.  I had a need to be told what to do by a woman – any woman.  Susan had the same need, only in reverse – so we were perfectly suited to each other. Her need was met by having me do what I was told.  My needs were filled by her – and by relegating me to an ever lower hierarchy in the office, now answering to even the office girl, - I was sinking into a sea of subservience, gratefully swallowing every mouthful of submission she, and all the ladies were now doling out to me.

From the next morning onwards, I reported to Alice, while Susan ran the office. I prepared Susan's coffee for her and washed the mug.  I sat with the 'Crochet girls' and did my crocheting at lunchtimes. In the afternoons, I attended Susan in the office, now a pure figurehead, signing whatever she'd put in front of me.  She had me wear my lipstick in to work one morning and told me how pretty it looked before saying I could remove it if I wished – which I did promptly – much to her amusement.

Everyone has heard the saying that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.  Susan had, no question, absolute power over me, but never changed personality while commanding me to do her will.  She was always solicitous of my feelings, never raised her voice, even occasionally rewarded me with a sweet kiss.  Yes, she talked to me as if I were a woman a great deal now – and obviously derived a great deal of enjoyment from seeing me squirm.  She did crack the whip now and then though, as I say, it was done with kindness and a certain amount of compassion.

One lunchtime I had just settled down with the other crochet girls, when Susan appeared.  "Excuse me ladies?  Danny?  After lunch, do you think you could give Isobel a hand.  She's really swamped and any help you could give her?  I'd appreciate very much."

I nodded, then noticed that she was dressed to go out.  "Eating lunch out today Susan?" I asked.

"Yeah.  Taking Alice out, and we may be a little late getting back in.  That's why I wanted to check with you just now and see if you could give Isobel a hand.  Edna can handle things while I'm gone.  Right Edna?"

Edna looked up from her crocheting. "Sure thing Susan.  Have a nice lunch."

"Thanks.  Bye girls.  See you later," Susan said, gave us a tiny wave of her fingers, lumping me in with the girls – and then was gone.

Dorothy had been telling us something about a prospective son in law and as soon as Susan left, went back into it and I got engrossed and didn't pick up on anything that had happened.  But Isobel had.

As we sat together later, we were primarily cross checking one list against another.  It was boring work and, with Susan out of the office, we felt safe in taking an occasional break.  We had been discussing how nice she was and how everyone of us in the office liked her, when Isobel gave me a sly glance and said, "Especially you Danny, huh?"

I blushed, and she giggled, then added .  "Yes Danny.  You got a crush on her, don't you – and do you think I don't see how devious you are – making up to Alice all the time?"

"Devious?"  I asked, secretly flattered at being described in this manner, but having absolutely no idea of what she was talking about.

She giggled.  "Yes, devious.  Trying to get an in with Susan's girlfriend.  Very crafty move indeed!"

Mystified, I stared at her.  "Alice?  Girlfriend?  What do you mean – girlfriend?"

Isobel grinned at me.  "Oh come on!" she said.  "Don't tell me you don't know that Susan likes girls – especially Alice at the moment.  We can all see that you're trying to make yourself less of a man – and see if you can attract Susan – win her away from Alice if you can.  You're such a sweet man – everybody – well at least most of us – are hoping you can!"

I was shocked, but tried very hard not to show it and under some quiet questions managed to draw out from Isobel what everyone was thinking.  None of them had missed my obvious infatuation with Susan but they figured that I had, like them, quickly seen that Susan liked girls. Then, in what they considered a brilliant piece of deception, I had started to de-masculinize myself in order to attract her.  Once I had seen that she was attracted to Alice?  Why, I'd smartly made friends with my competitor!

I'd wondered to myself why my employees hadn't seemed to notice, or comment on my increasingly feminine activities – or me giving up my managerial power.  Now?  Here was everything neatly tied up into one pretty parcel – with a perfect bow on it no less!

I saw immediately that for me to deny what popular opinion had come up with, would simply raise some questions that would be very difficult for me to answer. The hypothesis they'd come up with was wrong – but I could see perfectly well that Susan intended to feminize me to some extent and this hypothesis of theirs would protect my pride.  They simply saw it as a typical male machination to win a woman!

This solved a problem that had been bothering me, but I was furious in one respect at least.  Was  jealous beyond belief, and felt like a fool for my blindness in not seeing what everyone else in the office had seen immediately – Susan preferred  girls!  This even explained the dislike between her and Stan.  She'd probably seen him as a rival!

I started to discuss my feelings with Susan when she got back into her (MY) office. She listened quietly to my mumbled complaints, then turned her smiling eyes on me. "Why Danny, you're jealous!  Jealous of Alice!  How sweet!"

"Am not!" I mumbled, but weakly.

"Yes you are.  Oh, you poor thing.  Come and let Susan give you a kiss!  Come on now!"

And, as always, I had to stand with my arms at my side, while she took my face in her hands and gave me a wonderful kiss.  One that brought tears to my eyes.

"Danny?  Don't cry.  I like Alice – it's true.  She's a sweet girl.  But let me ask you this.  How many times have I kissed you so far? Four or five times?"

"Counting this last one?  Seven." I grumbled.  "That's all."

"Well?  I've only ever kissed her ONCE.  Now who should be the jealous one do you think.  You or her?"

Relief flooded my system.  "I'm sorry Susan.  Awfully sorry.  I thought you were  .  you were . ."

"Having sex with her – instead of you?"

I stared guiltily at the floor.  "Yes."

She put a hand under my chin and raised my face until she was looking directly into my eyes.  "And don't think it hasn't crossed my mind that I want to have sex with her – or that it won't happen in the near or distant future.  But dear?  If it does?  I want you to stay friends with her – just like I want her to be friends with you if WE have sex.  Understood?"

Shamefaced, I nodded, again unable to meet her eyes.

"But Danny?" she continued. "You understand that I can't be having you walking around criticizing what I DO, can I?"

"No, Susan, I'm sorry."

"Mmmm.  Sorry isn't good enough, I'm afraid. If I let you away with being naughty this time, you'll think you can be naughty any time, won't you?"

"I don't think so, Susan.  Honestly."

"Maybe so.  But I don't think I want to chance it. So?  Shall I spank you just now – or would you rather I thought up something else?  Let me tell you that I'm not really into hurting people – so it would be a relatively pain-free spanking – but I can't think of any other way of disciplining you right now."

The thing was?  I knew she could do this – I was powerless to stop her.  "Not in front of the office girls please." I mumbled.

She let out a tinkling laugh. "Oh what a delightful idea Danny! Hadn't even crossed my mind!  You, with your pants down and over my knees in the middle of the office!  All the girls watching?  Bet they'd get a real chuckle out of that!"  She saw the horror on my face.  "No Danny.  Won't do that to you.  Not yet at least.  But tell you what.  Alice is going out to the mall to do some shopping tonight.  Why don't you ask if you can tag along?"

I can't say that the prospect thrilled me very much, but as an option it was decidedly better than what I'd imagined before.  "Any idea what she's shopping for?"  I asked. 

Susan shrugged.  "Not really.  Shoes for sure.  Maybe undies too.  Don't know.  But now that I think on it?  I rather like that fingernail polish you chose.  Why not put it on the rest of your fingers on that hand tonight, so that it'll be nice for tomorrow?"

I stared at her in horrified fascination. 

She smiled beatifically.  "Oh!  While I'm at it?  Seeing you seem to anticipate a little humiliation in the office?  Starting tomorrow, bring in a nail maintenance kit with you.  When Alice does her nails?  I'd like you to do yours.  That'll give the other girls something to gossip about, yes?"

I could only work my mouth – but no words were coming out.

End of Part 2