They say when the student is ready the master will come.
For Marcia and Meg, the student came to the master, or in this case, mistress. Marcia, eighty-six years old, was homebound. Marcia was also the author of a dozen books on bdsm*. Her pinnacle tome, “On Their Knees,” was “The Bible” in some circles. Her favorite activity now was to watch the sun rise from her garden. Her days of incubating ideas that became bestsellers was over.
One day Marcia’s agent brought her a pink envelope that smelled of cinnamon and sex. The letter inside said, “Teach me. Meg.”
[100 words]
*My apology for not spelling out and/or defining “bdsm” in my story. Here is a general definition that should help explain:
Per wikipedia:
BDSM is a variety of often erotic practices or role-playing involving bondage, discipline, dominance and submission, sadomasochism, and other related interpersonal dynamics. Given the wide range of practices, some of which may be engaged in by people who do not consider themselves as practicing BDSM, inclusion in the BDSM community or subculture is usually dependent upon self-identification and shared experience.
The term “BDSM” is first recorded in a Usenet posting from 1991, and is interpreted as a combination of the abbreviations B/D (Bondage and Discipline), D/s (Dominance and submission), and S/M (Sadism and Masochism). BDSM is now used as a catch-all phrase covering a wide range of activities, forms of interpersonal relationships, and distinct subcultures. BDSM communities generally welcome anyone with a non-normative streak who identifies with the community; this may include cross-dressers, body modification enthusiasts, animal roleplayers, rubber fetishists, and others.
Similar to using CISgender in the LGBTQI+ terminology to denote straight, in the BDSM community vanilla is used to denote “the norm” or lack of any kink.
Note:
I tried to find the author of the first line and found so many different attributions, from Lao Tzu, to Buddha (Siddhartha), to Confucius, to even modern authors (ha!) that the author shall be considered anonymous at this time. If you know otherwise and can back it up with citation(s) let me know and I’ll change it.
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields is the dedicated host of Friday Fictioneers.
Tao Talk 
I suppose there is a kind of shamanism in BDSM
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Shamanism is a great word for it, Neil! Thank you for your comment.
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At least Marcia got to keep doing what she loves.
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Exactly! Sunrises are pretty and all, but…
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Everyone happy. The best way.
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Yes :)
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Well Marcia. As always, we forget that old folk were young once!
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:) Yep!
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I hope she has not lost her “touch”
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:)
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At least she’s willing and able to keep active. That’s always a good thing
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Yes, it is, Larry.
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You’ve got to love an envelope smelling of cinnamon and sex, brilliant as ever TaoTalk, i’m not a follower of BDSM, and had to read the comments to reassure myself that you weren’t talking about some sort of Sado Masochism, or maybe you are!! Oh I’m confused, sorry but a great piece.
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bondage-domination, sado-masochism. Thanks, Shrawl, glad you enjoyed the story, even if it confused you :)
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Is that what it stands for? I thought it was Budism with out the vowels like a Madonna album
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I had to look it up, Shrawl.
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Loved it!
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Thanks, Christine!
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Always more to learn about any subject. (K)
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You’re right, the story could have been about any profession or skill. Why I chose what I chose is a mystery!
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hopefully, the student will rise to the occasion. :)
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:)
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an old Indian master I believe but they would be happy it’s still in use, nice one :)
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Thanks Kate!
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Dear Lisa,
I love how you slipped in the word “incubation.” Light link to the prompt. Lovely write.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Rochelle, thank you and glad you enjoyed it.
Shalom,
Lisa
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Oh my! I learnt something today ;)
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:)
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Ooh, that Marcia! She’s still got it at 86, though now in a purely theoretical sense :-)
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Beauty fades. Experience lasts forever. I’ll take the power of the crone anyday!
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What is bdsm? I found a blog yesterday that the woman writes only erotic stories! I don’t know how you could write multiple books without copying story lines!
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Christine, I have added a definition at the end of the story. “How shall I love thee, let me count the ways…” –W.S.
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Oops, I don’t know how I didn’t see that! It was directly in my face. I had an assumption that was what it referred to. Thanks for the eye opener!
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Christine, you didn’t see it because it wasn’t there until after I read your comment. You’re welcome :)
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Bahahaha! That sure is a relief! I thought I was really losing it!
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I knew a woman into that. No I never went along but that was a red flag for me…I mean… to each their own…but just none for me. There is an underground cult of that stuff.
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My mom always said, “to each, their own.” As long as its consensual adults, none of my business. I do like the premise of the story, and Kerfe pointed out this could be any skill the person had that could be passed down.
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You portrayed it well in that compact space. Yes it could have been anything she was master at…sewing, tennis, or whatever.
The sad part of Lisa…she was messed with as a kid and she told me straight out…that is where it came from. It made sense after she told me that.
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Max, if you knew how many were “messed with as a kid” it might shock you. Our society is woefully inadequate to deal with childhood abuse and exploitation.. Often the perpetrators are never charged because the victims are too scared to talk or because the families of the kids try to hush it up. I think wiki talks about the link between the childhood abuse and various “kinks.” Many still engage in it even knowing why. As long as they are consenting adults I see it as ok.
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Oh no Lisa…I know. My sister (by an uncle), a cousin (by the same uncle), and many more. Most of the women I met were affected in some way when they were kids or teens. Now some were much worse than others. Thats when I found out.
It was attempted on Jennifer by her cousin but she jumped up and got away when she was 12. Although nothing happened it really affected her. She finally confronted him a few years ago. Her mom still WILL NOT accept that he tried…it pisses me off.
It seems most of the ones that I found out about was by family or friend of the family. Jen would not let anyone be alone with Bailey that she didn’t absolutely trust.
If a man was teaching Sunday school…she would not let him go in alone… I understood where she was coming from.
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I guess you do know then. They always try to portray the offenders as strangers lurking in the bushes, but the reality is they are almost always known to the victim. I’m glad Jennifer wasn’t messed with but she has been traumatized. How families react when they learn about it has a lot to do with how well they heal or don’t heal. By her mom not accepting it, she has harmed her bigtime. I’m glad she has you for support and she has kept Bailey safe <3
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Lisa she was really bad traumatized…she talked about it for years until she finally confronted him about it…after that…a lot of the pain went away. Many families don’t like turning in one of their own…no matter how guilty the scum is.
Sorry for the off topic rant…thinking of that reminded me of that girl.
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It’s perfectly understandable, Max. It triggered you. {{{{{{HUGS}}}}}
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Sometimes I guess things to be let out! Thanks Lisa.
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Haha… OK. Lisa, we need to talk… How you got from sunlight and eggs to BDSM… wanna share what’s going on in there?
Fun stuff and good for granny!
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Dale, you forgot the phase of the moon and some other vital details. It’s a witches brew in there, what can I say ;)
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Uh huh… Okay….
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Have you never had bondage and eggs for breakfast? Canada sounds boring, eh.
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Can’t say that I have… yet ;-)
Hardy har har…
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A very Freudian appeal to this story.
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:) Thank you, Fatima.
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Well, that’s something I’ve learned today! How useful it will be I’m not sure!!
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lol, thanks, Keith!
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Marcia is still in demand. Nice post :)
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Thank you, Moumita, you got what I was going for. It’s time we started valuing what our elders have to offer.
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Marcia and Meg sound like fun ladies.
Here fun is used to mean very intimidating. I don’t think I’d be up for any of that.
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Thanks for reading, Nobbin. To each their own.
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A mistress at 86! My goodness is it true that sex is all in the mind?
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I write the story, you take it where you will from there :)
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I admire how you slipped this story in…If you have flaunt it,
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Mike I enjoyed the concept and the writing of the story very much. Thank you.
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Just when she thought there was only watching the sunrise left. That must have been ashock for her and a new lease of life, no doubt.
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Yes. Exactly what I was going for. Thanks, Michael.
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Interesting where you went with this…no judgements (lol) ;)
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:)
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Lol a wise teacher
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:)
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I like the ambiguity of “Mistress” and “On Their Knees”. What a clever, unexpected take on the prompt!
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Thank you for your comment, Magarisa, glad you enjoyed the story.
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You’re welcome, Li.
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