Never out the talent.

For the porn company I once worked for, that was rule #1. Most of the folks who “stared” in our films were everyday folks, folks with careers kids families and all the rest. The owner of the company threatened us with bodily harm if we EVER bumped into a former model and said, “Hey, I have been looking at your ass all week!”

Now if they choose to say hi to you? Well then that is another story.

So why am I telling you this? Well earlier today T and I were doing the grocery store thing. As I was picking out some nice radishes for tonight’s salad a woman caught my eye. Yes, I like to check out women at the grocery store. But this one was different. I had to pause and watch her out of the corner of my eye as she walked past. She looked… hot? Yes. Available? Maybe. Familiar? VERY. Shaking my head in a vain attempt to rattle loose where I knew her from, I turned back to my vegetable selection. I *knew* I knew her from somewhere, but I could not for the life of me place it.

Then while picking out some champagne for my date tonight I saw her again. This time it was from behind. BINGO! She used to pose for me. It’s been a few years, but yeah I recognize the ass. The monk NEVER forgets an ass. Now I know where I know her from, but what is her name?!

Finding T I tell her of my dilemma.
“So you see that girl over there, next to the beef jerky?” I ask as I covertly tilt my head in her general direction.
“What? The one with the tattoos?”
“Yeah, her”
“Yeah I see her, nice ass”
“I think, I think I know her”
“Really? From where?”
“I’m pretty certain she used to model for me way back when. Hell I think I have a print of her naked on the wall at home!”
“Oh yeah, the one with the hand cuffs and the dildo, yeah your right that is her.”
“Only problem, I cant for the life of me remember her name!”
“Really?!”
“Yeah, she posed for me almost a dozen times! I must have 300 photos of her naked in my archives. Hell, I think we even sold one to that gallery in New York!”
“Did she recognize you?
“I don’t think so…”

Granted, the last time she saw me I was 20 pounds heavier, had long hair and was not shaped like someone whose idea of fun is to strap on 70 pounds of armor and go sprinting. She, on the other hand, still looked the same. Maybe a little softer around the edges but still a lovely creature.

Now as tempting as it may have been, I was not about to march up to her and go, “Hey, didn’t you once pose naked for me with a giant purple dildo up your ass?” Not a good plan. Like I said before, never out the talent. If she wanted to say hi to me, fine. I’d be happy to catch up on old times and even see about shooting her again, but I was not about to out her in the frozen food isle.

As fate would have it, we ended up in the same checkout isle. She made small talk with the cashier. Pulling my sunglasses up onto my forehead I tried to put on my best “Hi, I’m not a stalker” expression and set about unloading my cart. She looked over a few times, never making eye contact. When it was all said and done, she left with out even a nod of recognition.

As T and I lugged out bags of groceries to the car, T turned and said triumphantly. “Athena!”
“huh?”
“That’s her name! Athena!”
“That’s right! Athena!”
“Wait a sec; didn’t you once take her to New Horizons?”
“Um…yeah.”
“You were gonna hook her up with Timmy…”
“Yeah, I wanted to do a shoot with the two of them.”
“And didn’t you, her and Timmy….”
“Oh yeah, we did do that….”
I smile remembering the fondly that night under the autumn moon.