3: Short-term Rental: Accidental Book Signing

Note: See the introduction if you haven’t yet, to understand the back story of the time I rented out a friend’s sub for 3 weeks.

One of my favorite things to do when I’m in London is visit Harrods.

For us Yanks: It’s a majestic department store that’s been around since 1849 and has the most insanely awesome selection of stuff you can imagine. From Legos to bespoke furniture, to the most amazing foods and teas. Also some really amazing drinking chocolates, which really will re-solidify if you let them cool off. For us American folks, who think of department store and think of Sears, this is an otherworldly place to visit.

What a 175 year old department store looks like.

Any time I’m in London and have American friends in tow, I make sure to bring them to Harrods. It’s a fantastic place, and you really never know what you’ll find when you’re there. So of course I took The Rental there while we were in London.

One of the things she really wanted to do was try ‘proper tea’, so we made for the Cafe and she ordered a pot of tea. Sitting there, watching her lose herself in the joy of the experience, as she’s wearing my burgundy leather collar on her neck with my “Property of…” dogtag, warmed my heart as much as the tea warmed her’s. I live for that smile. I snap a few pictures of her savoring her tea. (See note at end of story.)

As we’re wandering around looking at things, an announcement comes on over the PA, telling us that Gordon Ramsay will be signing his new cookbook at 3pm in the kitchenware department. The Rental’s eyes nearly double in size, and she is shaking with excitement. I fear that she might manage to vibrate enough that her molecules will slip through the flooring, she’s so excited. So of course I answer the question she’s too afraid to ask, “Yes, we can get his book and get it signed.” It will be an amazing souvenir for her on this trip. She bashfully asks if I can take off her collar for the signing, and I agree.

I had no idea that a signing was taking place that day, but I’m certainly not going to pass on the chance to give her this experience.

We grab the book, and queue up in the line for his signature. When we get to the front of the queue, Gordon is very friendly and thrilled to have a couple of Americans in line. He talks with her for a bit and she’s so incredibly excited chatting with him. I can’t help but smile along with her. I snap a few pictures of them together for her, and generally bask in her enjoyment.

Then he turns to me and I admit I don’t have a copy of his book, I’m just in line to keep her company, and he doesn’t care. He talks with me and shakes my hand and wishes me a happy Christmas anyhow. Very friendly and genuine sounding, such a difference from the screaming maniac he’s portrayed as in the TV shows. (Then again, those are clearly exaggerated for ratings.)

As we walk away, I subtly clip the collar back on her and she clutches her signed cookbook to her chest. We get a few more pics from the shop, such as her standing with the massive teddy bears that guard the entrance, but clearly the book is her real prize from this day’s adventure.

I’m often asked “What do you get out of it?” when I talk about all that I do for submissives. For me, moments like this are the essence of my domination of the submissives in my care. Protecting them and leading them on these adventures that they never would have imagined being a part of. The Rental was a cute girl from the backwaters of Washington State and would never really had the opportunity to visit London, let alone be dressed up beautifully, with a beautiful collar on her throat, sipping some really amazing tea from a stupidly expensive tea pot, at the oldest department store in the world, if I hadn’t offered her this experience. And to get to meet one of her icons and shake his head, get a selfie with him and a signed book to take home. The smiles she had, and the happiness and the adventure she will remember the rest of her life. This is what I get out of it.