The Real Plan

"I told you that we'd signed a two year contract with Hiromoto, and that's true," Barbara said to us, "but there's a ninety day escape clause in it once we go live with the program. For all their bravado about how this company thrives on controversy, the truth is there are some people upstairs who are scared shitless that this thing is going to blow up in our faces. I've been ordered to keep a tight lid on things until we go live so I haven't been able to advertise for mailgirl job openings or do any interviews. I couldn't even put out discreet inquiries in house to find women who might be willing to take the job."

"So we're it, aren't we," Kelly said. "The company's Mailgirls program is just going to be me and Danica. We're going to be your naked guinea pigs."

"I'm afraid so," Barbara responded. "For now anyway until I get authorization to expand the program. But the two of you are bright women so I'm sure you've suspected this for awhile now. I was very glad to hear that you both got naked on your mailgirl observation runs in Tokyo. That should make it easier for you."

Even though I'd known this was probably coming it was still a shock to hear Barbara confirming my worst fears now. "For how long will we have to do it?" I asked.

Barbara shrugged. "At least until the company commits to going beyond the ninety day escape clause. The board won't authorize any mailgirl hires until then. If you're lucky they'll decide to pull the plug on this thing after a few weeks and you'll be free of your contract commitments. You can go back to your old jobs or quit, whatever you want to do."

"What about our student loan bonus?" Kelly asked.

"You won't be obligated to pay that back. You won't get the contract completion bonus, though."

"And if the company commits to the full program after ninety days?" I asked.

"It will take awhile to get up to full staffing but after that I can probably pull you two off the line to help me with management and administrative duties."

"Liar!" I wanted to scream, but I held my tongue. I knew Kelly was right, there were any number of women in the company with more managerial experience to do that job. Our real value to the Mailgirls program was in our bodies so there was no incentive for Barbara to allow us to cover them up until they scrapped the program or our contracts expired.

Barbara pulled a couple of letters out of a drawer and placed them on her desk. "Now that all of the cards are on the table I have something for each of you to sign."

"What is it?" Kelly asked suspiciously.

"It's a nudity waiver," Barbara said. "It basically says the company has the right to establish your dress code while you're on the job, up to and including full nudity. Nudity will be a required condition of employment."

"And if I don't sign it?" Kelly asked.

Barbara reached into her drawer and pulled out another letter. "Then you can sign this instead. It's a letter of resignation."

"So I can just quit and leave then?"

"Of course you can, Kelly. But you must know there are significant financial penalties involved in breaking your contract."

"You mean you assholes would actually try to collect after lying to us about what our roles were going to be?" I saw a flash of anger cross Barbara's face and I was shocked by Kelly's reaction. She'd always acted like she was perfectly okay with being a mailgirl for the money they were paying, but now that the moment of truth had arrived I could sense she was starting to panic. I was also scared and nervous but had resigned myself to the fact that it was probably going to happen. I started to worry that Kelly might back out now leaving me in this by myself.

"It's okay, Kelly," I said trying to calm her down. "We've talked about this. We can do this. We've already done it before."

"Yeah, but that was half a world away in front of a bunch strangers, Danica. I have friends here. It's going to be so humiliating!"

"I know, but just do what you said. Invest the money they're throwing at us and then walk away when its over. Besides, they might pull the plug on this crazy thing in a couple of weeks anyway."

"They won't, Danica. Don't you see, this is like slavery! They're going to own us for the next two years!"

"Indentured servitude is probably a better historical comparison," Barbara said coldly, "since there's an expiration date to your so-called bondage. So I guess I can put you down as a 'no' then Kelly?"

"No, wait!" I said. "I'll go first. Give Kelly a chance to calm down. Okay, Kell?" She looked like she was about to hyperventilate but she nodded to me.

Barbara placed the nudity waiver on a clipboard along with a pen and handed it to me. I read it carefully making sure there were no hidden surprises but it was pretty much as Barbara had described. I was giving the company the right to make me work naked for the next two years as a condition of continued employment. My hand was trembling as I picked up the pen. Two weeks ago I never could have signed something like this, but my experience in Tokyo and meeting Mariko had changed me. I took a deep breath and signed the waiver.

"Thank you, Danica," Barbara said as she took the clipboard and the signed waiver from me. Then she turned to Kelly. "Now, which one of these would you like to sign, Kelly? The waiver or the letter of resignation?"

"Can't I have a few days to think about it?" Kelly asked.

"You've had time to think about it. I know damn well you both had a good idea this was coming. Things are moving fast now so I need to know before you leave this office whether you're in or out."

"Please Kelly, don't leave me in this by myself," I pleaded. "We'll help each other through this."

Kelly still had a panicked look on her face but she closed her eyes and began breathing deeply to try to calm down. That seemed to help and after several minutes she opened her eyes again, glared at Barbara and said "Give me the damn waiver." Without reading it she scribbled her signature at the bottom and handed it back to her.

Barbara took our two signed waivers, placed them in a drawer and locked it. Then she stood up from behind her desk. Kelly and I also stood up thinking the meeting was over. "Okay girls," Barbara said, "strip off your clothes, fold them, and place them on your chair. Every stitch." When the two of us stood there in shocked silence without moving she walked out from behind the desk and stood directly in front of us.

"Now!"