Wakeup Differently - Part 1

PART 2 | ALL STORY LIST

I was totally burned out. The feature project on which I had been working for the last six months was drawing to an end. Production was wrapping up, and the crew was saying goodbye. 

The production company was excited about the product, a futuristic action adventure film shot in Atlanta with two of the hottest box office stars in the world. 

Figuring that it would easily net in excess of $80 million in theatrical release alone and grateful that we were on schedule and under budget, my friend for many years, Diane, who owns the production company, added a perk in the form of an all-expense-paid three-month vacation cruise. 

She told me, in passing, that they owned a part of a cruise line and that, as a small token of her appreciation, I was booked in a luxury cabin. 

Anything I might need could be obtained with my signature, so the fact that I was ill-prepared for an ocean cruise made little difference. 

She explained that she had taken a cruise on the line about ten years ago and that she enjoyed herself so much that she talked her partners into buying a major holding in the cruise line. 

Diane said that she had noticed how much energy I put into my work and that she knew that I needed a change of pace to wind down. 

"Sweety, we're not getting any younger, and I'd like my closest friend to be around for a long time. You need to relax and recharge for a bit." 

I didn't argue with her; I sensed that my creativity was at an all-time low and was in need of a recharge. 

"Les, I promise that when you get back from the cruise, you'll feel like a new person. And who knows? You may meet the girl of your dreams." 

She gave me a peck on the cheek, handed me a plane ticket to Miami, and sent me on my way. Hartsfiend/JJackson, here I come.  I arrived in Miami at 1:30 pm and was greeted at the airport by a limousine driver. 

I overlooked the obvious typo and introduced myself to the driver. After I showed her some ID and told her that Diane had sent me, she accepted that I was the party that she was to pick up.  She was a classy young woman in her twenties, and she introduced herself as Bobbi. 

She was dressed in a crisp black chauffeur's uniform with a cap atop beautiful long blond hair, a fitted jacket, a white blouse, a red bow tie, a hugging black skirt cut just above her perfect knees, and a and a black seamed hose, all perched atop a pair of red patent 5" pumps. 

To say that she was stunning would have been a great injustice. 

We exchanged idle chatter and waited for my single suit bag to appear on the carousel for almost an hour. 

All the other passengers from Atlanta had received their bags and were long gone. Bobbi, looking at the delicate watch on her wrist, said that there was a clothing store on the ship and that all I would need to do was sign for whatever I needed. 

"Besides, you probably will only need a couple swimsuits." 

I really didn't have many options. The airline claim office figured that my bag was now on its way to Puerto Rico and that there was no way they could get it to the ship before we left port. 

Bobbi reassured me that everything would be fine, and she escorted me to a white stretch limo just outside the baggage area and opened the door. 

"Make yourself at home; the cruise doesn't leave until 9 p.m., so we have some extra time. Have you ever been to Miami before?" 

I told her that I had, but like most of my travels, I had not had a chance to see anything besides my hotel room and the location. 

"Well then, we'll just drive around a while and I'll point out some landmarks. 

There's a tablet in the back with a vacation survey program. It will give us an idea of the activities that you might enjoy during the cruise. 

If you have any questions, feel free to ask me." With that, she closed the door and assumed her position behind the wheel. 

As we pulled away from the airport, I grabbed the tablet and turned it on.  It went through a short boot-up routine, and a screen appeared. 

Fantasy Cruise Lines, Preliminary Questionnaire. Press Enter when you are ready to begin. 

I pressed the enter key and began. I answered the first few questions with ease. Name, address, income level, hobbies, etc.   The next section dealt with legal issues.  

You know the "In case of emergency contact."  My parents passed away some time ago, and the last time I allowed another to touch my heart was too long ago. For the last ten years, I have married myself to my business. 

The offspring of this pairing were the coldness of a little fame and moderate fortune, children who could turn on you in the brightness of a photographer's flash. 

I could think of nobody who I would wish to burden if something should happen, so I put Diane's name in the blank. A shiver of loneliness swelled through my body as I realized that I had pushed aside any chance of sharing my life with another soul. Bobbi's voice brought me back to reality. "You looked stumped. Can I help?" 

"No thanks, I was just thinking about how much I needed time away from work to evaluate my life." 

Bobbi docked the boat of a vehicle along the curb and looked back into the passenger area. 

"There's a fully stocked bar back there. It's all part of the package. You sound like you could use a strong one. Just relax, and soon you will be away from all those old pressures."  

The look on her face and the sound of her voice showed honest care and concern. I felt as if somehow we had connected during the moment of eye contact that she offered. Then she turned, closed the privacy screen, and took us back into traffic. The brief encounter between our souls left me feeling somehow renewed. 

I opened the bar and grabbed a shot glass, salt, lime, and a bottle of Patrón. The ritual had begun Salt. Shot. Lime. CRINGE. All in all, the effect was well received. I went back to the survey. 

The questions became more and more personal as I went on. They dealt with sexual realities and fantasies, beginning with the age of my first experience and ending with my description of the perfect fantasy woman. 

I was meticulous, leaving no detail to the imagination. I have always been a perfectionist. 

Don't get me wrong, I know that physical attributes are only a small part of a person and that what counts is the heart and soul, but come on, this is a fantasy cruise. I finished the survey, and the screen responded. Thank you, Ms. Leigh. Your answers are being processed. Have a wonderful cruise.

 This was the second time this afternoon that I had seen this typo. I tapped on the privacy screen, and Bobbi lowered it and responded, "How are you doing back there?" I shifted up toward the open screen. 

"I  just wanted to let you know that the computer has a software gender identification problem. It's calling me Ms." Bobbi smiled and looked at me in the rearview. 

"Well, MS. Leigh, I noticed that you weren't a Ms. at the airport. Our computer must have fouled up your reservation. Don't worry, your survey answers have just been transferred to the ship via 5G. I'm sure that they will pick up on the mistake. Actually, 

I think it's kind of cute, Ms. Leigh." She giggled, gave me a little smile and a wink, and closed the privacy screen. 

It was about 4:00 p.m.; five shots of some of Mexico's best had graced my throat, and the stress of the world was all but gone. The stereo was caressing my mind with some soft rock as the world did a slow fade to black. 

As the world returned to my senses, I realized that I was no longer in the car. The world was moving up and down, back and forth. A blurry figure moved toward me. 

"Boy, you must have been totally exhausted." 

It was Bobbi's voice that entered my thoughts. 

"Where am I?" I asked. "You're on the SS Jorgenson, the flagship of the Fantasy Fleet. We didn't want to wake you, so we just brought you aboard and put you to bed. We are 100 miles out to sea in the middle of one hell of a storm, and you've been sleeping for 18 hours. 

I was beginning to think that you were going to sleep away your whole vacation. I took the liberty of ordering some clothes for you. They should be delivered at any time. It's 3 pm, and I thought you might like to have dinner here in the room until you get your sea legs. If you would like, I could join you."

 My eyes had focused, and the vision before me was that of a goddess. She was dressed in a red thong bikini and a very sheer cover-up, and she was standing in a pair of red high-heeled pumps. I sat up and felt a little unbalanced. "I would like that very much, Bobbi." She smiled. 

"The seas are a little rough today. It will take you a little while before your senses adjust. 

I'll call the ship's doctor; she can give you something to help." With that, Bobbi left the room. I once again attempted to get up, but this time I succeeded. I reached for a terry robe that was at the foot of the bed. 

As the covers fell away, I realized that I was totally nude. I began to explore the room. 

The cabin was massive. There was a bedroom with a king-sized bed, an elegantly furnished living room with a baby grand piano, a fully stocked bar/kitchenette, and a bathroom with a jetted tub, which looked more like I should use it to do laps than to bathe. I was feeling a bit lightheaded, so I went back to the living room, plopped down on the leather couch, and flipped on the television. 

It automatically turned on the events channel. There, I saw an overview of the ship. 

I was amazed as I was shown the shops, the exercise rooms, and the restaurants. This ship was more like a small city floating in the water. There were scenes of beautiful women parading around in skimpy swimsuits, playing volleyball, and tennis, and doing aerobics. Some women were just lounging around the pool, sipping colorful drinks. I heard a knock at the door and a woman's voice. 

"Ships, doctor, may I come in?"

 I opened the door and found myself standing toe to toe with another beautiful woman. 

She was attired in a very professional yet very feminine suit. 

"Hello, I'm Dr. Sullivan. Bobbi tells me that you are feeling a little woozy." 

I motioned her into my cabin, and she asked me to sit on the couch. She gave me a quick once-over and said, "A lot of people have problems at sea. 

Here are some pills that should make you feel better. Take three a day while we are sailing. Now roll up your sleeve."

 I  rolled up the sleeve of the robe, exposing my arm to her. 

She pulled out a needle and stuck it into a small bottle. She withdrew it from the  bottle, tapped it a few times, and announced, "The pills will take a  while to calm your system."    

This will get up and running in no time flat." 

She then took my arm and emptied the contents of the syringe into my arm.   

 She gave me a cotton ball and told me to hold it in place for a few minutes.  

She stood up and told me that if I  needed anything I  should give her a call.  

She then told me to stop by her office in the morning to receive another injection. 

 As she closed the door I could swear that she gave me a sexy little wink.  Nah, it couldn't have been.   

 As soon as I settled down there was another knock at the door.  When I  stood up I almost fell. My knees were like Jello.  I took a less direct route.  

"Come In." 

 A woman entered the room.    

"Hello, my name is Carla.  I have the clothes that Bobbi ordered for you. Are you feeling alright? "Without a word, I answered her question and made an attempt to get to the bathroom, but only fell flat on my face. 

Carla pulled the cart filled with packages into the room and ran to me. She assisted me into the bathroom. As I knelt to drive the porcelain bus, she asked if I needed anything. "No thanks, just leave the clothes in the bed." 

She ran out a washcloth with cool water and put it on the back of my neck. "You'll be fine. Your system is trying to adapt. I went through the same thing my first few days." 

I looked back at her. Her dark hair framed a flawless face. Her big brown eyes stared down at me.

 They soothed my mind, but my stomach was still stormy. I felt like my insides were being torn out and my head was pounding. I gazed into her eyes for whatever relief they could provide.

"When are we going to be out of this storm?"

 "My muscles tensed, and then it was over. Totally drained, I asked Carla to help me to bed. As she helped me to my feet, Bobbi appeared at the bathroom door. 

"Carla, what's wrong with Ms. Leigh? 

"Carla started me walking, and Bobbi jumped in for support. "The seas are not being kind to his system. Let's get her to bed." 

As soon as my head hit the pillow, I was out. Fade to black, I dreamed. Visions of beautiful women filled my mind. They taunted and teased me with their bodies and souls. I was unable to move. 

I was simply an observer, yet I seemed to be the center of attention. Bobbi floated through the crowd. 

"Hello, Ms. Leigh, we know why you are here. You have been searching for your perfect woman. 

Now it is time that you meet her." The remaining women dissolved into space, leaving Bobbi and myself alone in the blackness of infinity. A ghost-like figure appeared before me. 

As Bobbi had said, this was the vision of my perfect woman. 

"You gave us the plan, and we will provide the vision. 

We cannot, however, provide a soul.

 You must give of yourself to find your dream." 

As she finished her speech, the vision came toward me—closer, closer, until I could no longer focus on her form. I felt a chill run up my spine as the figure disappeared. 

Bobbi then whispered into my ear, "If you look inside, you can find your perfect woman, Ms. Leigh."  Leigh, Ms.  Leigh."I opened my eyes and saw Bobbi standing over me. 

"Ms. Leigh, I was so worried about you. I'm glad you're awake. How do you feel? "I sat up and did a quick assessment. 

"I'm a little sore, but I think I feel much better. What time is it? "Bobbi looked at her watch. 

"It's 4:30 p.m..  Do you feel like eating dinner? I don't want you to stand me up again." 

"Again? What are you talking about? "The voice I heard come out of my mouth did not sound like me. It was husky yet high but little more than a whisper. She put her hand on my shoulder and said, "You and I were supposed to have dinner three weeks ago." 

"Bobbi, you must be mistaken; three weeks ago I was in the middle of directing a second unit shoot in New York." 

The voice made me look around the room to make sure that there was no one who was talking as I moved my lips. 

"Ms. Leigh, three weeks ago, we were two days out at sea. You were having a few problems adapting when you passed out. Dr. Sullivan has been worried sick. She has never seen a reaction like yours. You've lost a lot of weight, and you've been fed through an IV. 

You've been sleeping for three weeks.  You are going to be a little weak, but you're looking much better now. 

Why don't you get cleaned up, and we'll have that dinner? I'll go change, and I'll be back in an hour. 

Do you think you can be ready?

I was feeling pretty numb, but felt as if my body needed to move. I smiled and nodded a big yes. 

She blew me a little kiss and walked out the door. I got up and began to stagger toward the bathroom. I didn't feel right, but what should someone feel like after sleeping that long?

 I laughed as I answered my own question. "Well rested." That voice! It was mine, but it wasn't. Perhaps it was from not talking for such a long time. 

"Three Weeks? I've been asleep for almost a month, my gawd."    

I caught a reflection in the mirror.  I didn't look like I remembered.  My skin was smooth and my hair was touching my shoulders.  

I found this odd because I had started to lose my hair when I was just 19 and at the age of 30 had a head of hair that only a bowling ball could envy, but now I had a full head of thick auburn hair.

I had been shaving since the age of fourteen and generally shaved twice a day, but when I ran my hand over my face I felt nothing but smooth skin.   

 I ran my fingers through my hair thinking that it was a wig.    

It was real!  And it was mine.  I turned on the shower and let my robe fall to the floor.  I stepped into the steamy water and soaked my hair.   

The weight of a wet head of hair once again reminded me that something was odd.  I looked at my hands and realized that Bobbi's comment about my losing a lot of weight was a gross understatement.  

My fingers were slender and my nails were almost an inch long.  Looking down at my body  I noticed something else.  My body hair was gone.    

Just like my face. I ran my hands over my body and again not a hair to be found.  As my hands caressed my bare skin I guessed that I was about  110 lbs.  I must have lost 50 lbs during my Rip Van Winkle act.  

The funny thing was that I didn't look thin.  

My muscle tone wasn't gone, it had just softened a bit.  My chest seemed rounder and my waist terribly thin, yet my hips and butt seemed swollen.  

The feeling was electric as  I felt the new-found flesh under my fingers.  For a moment I closed my eyes and thought I was caressing a young woman until I reached my crotch and found "Fred".  

"Hey buddy you're not looking real good"  I laughed out loud as I realized what a strange habit it was for men to treat their penis as if it were a separate thing with a personality.  

I did notice that it was small, smaller than I had remembered.  

Don't get me wrong, I was never "Hung like a horse", but now it was about the size of my pinky finger.  I wrote it off as another effect of my long sleep.      

I got out of the shower and dried off.  The sensation of the soft towel on my skin was sensational and gave me a new energy. 

I wrapped a towel around my waist and walked back to the bedroom and noticed my chest bounced as I walked. I thought to myself that it was nothing that a few reps in the gym wouldn't cure.  

I cupped my hands to my chest and stabilized the mounds when I saw that the clock read 5:25.    

Bobbi would be here any minute.      

I ran to the closet to get dressed. When I opened the door all I could find was very feminine clothing.  I guessed that Bobbi had moved in while I was passed out.  There were about ten gorgeous evening gowns,  satin robes, skirts, blouses, and some sportswear.  

On the floor of the closet there were at least twenty pairs of shoes, ranging from pink aerobic shoes to a pair of knee-high leather spiked heel boots. She must have decided to move in to take care of me.  I knew that she really did care.