The Placebo Effect

He stepped into her booth and she closed the shade to the hallway. He always came back too soon. She wondered if it was even worth the $10.00 she made doing shows for him. The routine was easy enough, but she didn't like the things he revealed to her.

She slid off her silk robe and laid down naked on her side, facing away from him. He didn't say a word as he put his money into the machine. As soon as the shade began to rise, he turned around and faced the wall and undid his pants. She stared at the wall and waited quietly. He leaned back against the glass and emptied a small pillow of lube into his palm. After a couple of minutes, he finally spoke: "Tell me about our life together."

"We live in a small cottage by the sea, surrounded by a beautiful garden," she said.

"We're married?" he asked.

"Yes, we just got married today . . . on the beach. Tonight's our honeymoon and we're in Italy," she said.

"Rome?" he asked

"Yes and we're lying in our bed ready to make love," she said.

"Tell me how you love me!" he said.

"I love you, baby. More than I've loved anyone else before," she said.

"I love you, too," he said. "You're the most beautiful person I've ever known. I'm the luckiest man in the whole world."

"And I'm the luckiest girl," she said.

"You promise we're gonna be together forever?" he asked.

"Of course, baby," she said. "I couldn't be with anyone else."

"Really, baby? Promise you love me?"

"I love you, baby," she said. "I promise."

They went on that way for the rest of the show, blindly professing their love for one another, until the curtain finally came down.

The customer wiped himself off with a tissue and zipped up his pants. He gathered his things and left the booth without turning around or saying goodbye.

She slipped her silk robe back on and lit up a joint. She left the shade to the hallway closed. She needed a moment to collect her thoughts. She didn't feel right lying about love. She lied about many things, but love wasn't one of them. But maybe for some people--she thought--fake love was better than no love at all.

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