Assignment: Dangle a Carrot

"We're losing subscribers." John Martin looked around as he tossed some printouts on the conference table, "I mean faster than we've been in the last few years. Urban Scrawl once was in every other household in the city, now..." He looked around at his top men. Ted Roberts, his Managing Editor looked more worried than thoughtful, Mike Alford, the Editor-in-Chief studied the numbers, and only Steve Gerard, the Creative Editor looked thoughtful. "Ideas? Look, at this point, we are either going to have to fold, go digital...or come up with something that grabs our readers."

Ted looked up, "Maybe we have to get with the times. Perhaps digital is the way to go." He looked at the man next to him, "Mike and I discussed this yesterday, we've got great writers but people just aren't into print anymore."

Mike nodded and looked around, "It's inevitable. Look at all the overhead we have that the bloggers don't."

John looked at Steve, "You don't agree. I see it in your face."

Steve looked thoughtful, "I beg to differ. How many of you still have your old National Geographics; Life Magazines covering important events...you know what I mean. Print is lasting. I know people say once it's online it never goes away, but good luck finding it. Every minute, another million blogs, articles, and uploads are dumped out there." He looked at John, "I have a thought about option three. Let's give the community something they want."

"We give them what they want. We cover local news better than anyone. We recap the week like no newspaper can; provide in-depth reporting on issues concerning the city. We can do that digitally." Mike said.

Steve reached into his bag, "Look at this." He tossed a copy of Cosmo out on the table.

"Seriously? Dating advice? How to lose 20 pounds in 20 days? Are your breasts making the right statement?" Ted sputtered.

"No," Steve tapped the article at the bottom, "How to Tell if your Man is Cheating on You." He stared at the men around the table, "Look, there's a ton of articles like that, what if we write about how does it feel when your man or woman cheats on you? How to deal with it. Let's get real-life examples. What exposed the infidelities, the signs...Hell, the pain in dealing with it. Did they divorce? Work it out? Let's go out and find people affected by this."

Mike grinned, "Shit. We don't have to go anywhere." He looked around the table, "Anyone here not have their wife cheat? No? How about all the guys out there writing?" He laughed, "We can gather stories right here."

"No." John interjected, "It's a great idea, but relating how people dealt with it...that's not enough. Let's look at it from the other perspective. Has anyone documented a great marriage before the cheating? Then tracked all the events that led to the infidelities? I want a weekly column documenting a spouse falling into temptation. I want readers needing to see the obvious, even if the writer doesn't. Remember that coffee commercial a while back that made people want to watch the sequel ads to see where it was going? I want people to rush to the mailboxes and the newsstands when the Scrawl comes out."

"Who the hell do we have that hasn't been through this?" Ted looked out the door, "All our main writers are divorced or on their second wives."

"Mike, who's that new kid you hired that's doing copywriting?" John asked. "The one who looks like a high school intern. His wife is the perfect girl next door if the picture on his desk is accurate."

"New kid? Oh, Billy Walker. He's not exactly new. We hired him a couple of years back. You want him to write the articles?" Mike looked around the table, "Why would he agree to that?"

*********************************************

Billy sat down at the table looking nervous, He assumed he was here to be let go. He could see the numbers, he heard the talk. All he ever wanted to do was be a journalist, but he never thought he'd be let go like this. Perhaps he'd be called into Mike's office but by all the Editors?

Mike looked at the young man. "Water? Coffee? We have an offer for you." He looked at John, "Relax, you're doing a great job. I think you're going to get to do what we hired you to do. You're a terrific talent and have paid your dues." Mike looked at his colleagues and back at Billy, "We're known for reporting on the mainstream issues affecting all of us, but perhaps we've gotten a bit out of touch. So we were talking and we need a youthful perspective in The Scrawl, it would mean your own weekly article and byline. Hopefully, you're up to it."

John got up and grabbed the pitcher of water and carried it over and while pouring a glass, he smiled, "Look, if this is not something you think you can handle, your job is secure. But, it would entail putting yourself out there, on the other hand, you and your wife should find it entertaining." He sat back down "I have to ask you a fairly personal question though. How is your relationship with your wife?" He looked around the table and glanced out towards the news floor, "I'm asking because I think this job stresses marriages a lot more than normal. Perhaps it's the hours, or just that we journalists are pretty much assholes." He laughed.

Billy looked surprised at the question, "We're fine. I mean, we're still, you know..." He blushed furiously, "We've just been married three years, so everything is great. Why? I never thought this would factor into writing articles."

Steve laughed, "Christ, he's perfect. Do you have a picture of your wife? I know it's a strange question, but when you hear the assignment, it will make sense."

Billy pulled out his phone and swiped through pictures and handed the phone over to the Creative Director.

Steve whistled, "Nice. I mean, she's very pretty." He admired the long straight, reddish blonde hair, slim figure, peaches, and cream complexion. He swiped over and felt his stomach flip, seeing the girl in the tiny red bikini. The sun was from the side and her nipples must be poking out a half-inch. He handed the phone to Ted with a wink.

Billy felt like he stepped into a strange new world seeing the men admiring his wife. He wondered where this was going to go, but drank some water to help calm his nerves. When he got his phone back, he saw they'd swiped over and looked at the pictures he'd taken in Maui. He looked up, "OK, you really have to tell me what the assignment is."

"Billy, we want you and your wife to go out on dates, at our expense. Basically, we want you to review the night spots out there for you young people. You'll get a corporate card, obviously without our logo on it. We'll need receipts, but we want you to enjoy yourselves, then write about it." Ted looked intently at the boy, "Here's the tough part. You'll need to talk to your wife, what's her name?"

"Jennifer. Talk to her about what?"

"Well, here's what you're going to write about weekly. You and Jennifer will be hitting all the hot spots in town."

"Meat markets," John interjected.

"Yes," Ted continued, "The meat markets. We want you to write about how each of these places makes it hard or easy for married couples to go out and simply dance or have a few drinks. We want you to go out and see how badly your wife is hit on." Seeing the look on the boy's face, he continued, "Of course, you'll be jumping in and stopping these guys, but here's the thing. You are obviously a married couple. Flash your rings, do everything like you always do, but you'll need to get up periodically to interview the manager, perhaps the bartender...you know, leave an opening for the men to hit on your wife."

Billy sat back in his seat, "I'm not sure she'd go along with that. Hell, as much as I'd like to get off the Copywrite desk, I'm not sure how I'd react seeing men hitting on Jennifer." He looked at the three men.

"OK, that's fine. If this is not for you, I can understand." John looked at the two other men, "Before you decide, ask around. Every journalist here has had to make personal sacrifices to pursue the craft. We're not asking you to have Jennifer sleep with anyone, we just want you to review and rate all these places as 'Couples Friendly' or not. You can come up with your own rating system, but wouldn't this be helpful to every married couple in the city? Hell, perhaps there are married couples who want to go to the not so 'Couples Friendly' places if you know what I mean. Think about it. How many articles have you seen covering the 'Singles Scene?' You're not dead just because you're married. You want to go out, dance, drink and enjoy yourselves without worrying about guys stealing your wife away. This series will be a guide for couples like you who are looking for a safe evening out."

Ted jumped in, "You'll be reviewing the place. You'll need to interview the people working there to get an idea of what they think. This would require you to leave Jennifer alone, so just a warning. This allows you to see how fast the sharks move in. If you accept this assignment, you must let it happen, or else how would you know?"

Billy shifted in his seat, "You want me you leave her alone so guys can hit on her? Let them buy her drinks?"

"Yes, but just while you interview the staff. I mean, you need to be really subtle about this. You'll not be poking a microphone in their faces, you'll have to take notes later. Of course, Jennifer will be left alone. It makes no sense to drag her along while you do your job. She'll be fine unless you don't trust her." Steve added. "I have to be honest. If you in any way suspect Jennifer might, well, you know, be open to these opportunities, this just won't work. OK, OK. I get it." He said seeing Billy's expression. "That's great. Um, though the whole assessment depends on Jennifer looking hot. Perhaps not like that beach shot, but the school marm look might not really be a valid test."

John stood up. "Don't make a decision now. Talk to Jennifer. Tell her you're writing about married couples hitting the hot spots, but she can't be aware you're intentionally leaving her alone while you go off to interview the staff. Oh, by the way, this would double your salary if you accept and you'll be able to mostly work from home." He winked at Billy, "I'm guessing being home after going out might have side benefits."

***********************************************

"Seriously? What did you say?" Jennifer said, looking excited. "I mean, you can finally write. Plus, they actually are giving you a corporate card and we HAVE to go out to drink and dance?"

Billy thought about the opportunity, but a voice in the back of his head told him not to, "I know. This truly is the opportunity I've been looking for, but as fun as it will be, dancing, having drinks, meeting people, there will be times I'll need to go talk to the staff there..."

"And you'll be leaving me alone. Really? I'm a big girl. I think it will be fun to see the guys get shot down. I mean what kind of sleazeball would hit on a married woman? Actually, I do hope you let that happen." Jennifer grinned, "I'll gladly tell them where to go. When can we start?"

"Well, you know the old saying, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is." Billy sighed, "But then again, never look a gift horse in the mouth."

Jennifer laughed, "OK, I see why you're hesitant. If all you have are clichés, then perhaps you better not take the assignment."

***********************************************

"Good call. I knew you'd see this as the great opportunity that it is." Ted slid over an envelope, "I know, you didn't agree yet, but here's a temporary corporate card and a list of the top night spots in the city. It's completely up to you where you start, but you probably want to geographically spread it around. I mean going to the one on Hall street one day and then visiting the one behind it on Elm might be an issue."

Billy took the card and scanned the list, "Some of these are pretty exclusive."

"Don't worry about it. Let us know and John will grease the wheels a bit. Oh, I almost forgot." He picked up the phone, "Henry. Can you bring the bag up? Thanks." He looked at the boy, "OK, I have to ask. What did Jennifer say about being left alone while you interview people? I hope she was OK with it."

"She looked excited about the prospect. I think she wants to flash her wedding ring and see their expressions." Billy sighed, "I wish I could share her enthusiasm for having guys hit on her."

"Look, I totally get it. Your wife is fucking beautiful. And I mean that in the best way. She looks like the girl next door every guy fantasizes about. It doesn't look like she even wears makeup. I hope she knows what she is getting herself into. She might be having to flash her ring a lot, but that's what's going to make your articles so good. Imagine how boring your findings would be if she were...let's say not Jennifer." Ted smiled at the young man. "I assume you trust her."

"I do. She'd never cheat on me. I just need to look at this as the great opportunity it is." Billy said swallowing his worries. "Actually, she gets hit on when we go to Applebees, so I think we'll get a pretty good sampling." He looked up as a guy he'd never seen came into the conference room.

"Henry, thanks. I was hoping you still had this. It works?" Ted asked.

"Yep. I tested it. New lithium batteries, blank SD cards. The works." Henry said. He smiled at the young man sitting there and headed out.

Ted plopped the shoulder bag down on the table. "Now this is really expensive, so don't lose it." He held it up and showed the seams on the inside. "This bag will record all the conversations while you're in the clubs. I know it sounds a bit cloak and dagger, but for your articles to be realistic, you'll need all the pick-up lines. This will really help your article." He grinned at his writer, "Actually, I'm a bit intrigued myself. You hear about pick-up lines, but you'll be collecting them."

"Crap. This makes me uncomfortable. I'm guessing you don't want me to tell Jennifer." Billy looked at the older man.

"That's your call. If you think it would help if she knew she'd be recorded, then tell her. On the other hand, you might want to wait. You know, perhaps her knowing might make her uncomfortable. Spontaneity is important." He put up a finger and dashed out.

Billy looked at his boss as he trotted out the door. He wondered what he was getting himself into. He accepted the mini-recorder when the man returned.

"Here. You can give this to her to see if she'd be comfortable. If she is, then your recorder and transmitter won't be anything sneaky. Plus, she might want to turn it off, you know, when going to the bathroom, etc. This will give her something to make her feel less...observed."

Billy took it and put it in the bag, "How do I know if it's recording? I mean the purse?"

"Give me your phone, oh, unlock it," Ted said and when the young man handed it to him, he pressed a few buttons. He handed the phone to Billy, "Need your Apple ID to get the app. Thanks." He handed the phone back, "OK, just open the app and click record. You can email the recordings, and clear the SD cards. There's an earbud that you can connect with Bluetooth. I think the range is probably 150 feet. You could listen in as guys talk to your wife if you like." He sat back down, "OK, don't forget we'll need receipts, so make sure you keep those. Also, let's start with about 1,000 words for each review, but don't worry about that." He laughed, "I'm sure you know about rewrites."

***********************************************

"You're going to wear that?" Terry asked seeing Jennifer wearing a white blouse and blue jeans. "This a probably a dress kind of place." He added. But he was thinking as pretty as she looks, few guys would be doing a double take when she walked in. He thought about some of her backless dresses which always made guys' heads jerk around. It was a strange feeling, wanting her to look slutty and available yet dreading her looking slutty...

"Why? I thought this was just a place to have a drink and dance some. This is really comfortable." The young woman checked herself out in the mirror. She then thought about what Billy needed to write about and unbuttoned the blouse, "I get it. You want the wifey to attract the boys. I'll change, but I'm not going to do the ho outfit you made me wear to Stanford's party, though come to think of it, we could use the extra income."

Billy laughed, "Christ. Did you see the looks on all our friend's faces?" He walked over and cupped those perky tits, "Man, you are so beautiful. I love you so much." He backed off as she batted his hands away and turned to the closet.

She hung up the blouse, "By the way, the point of this is to see if guys try to pick me up?" She asked, grateful she had her back turned as she felt her nipples achingly harden.

"Actually yes, but this is not some sort of game. I need to write whether this place is a comfortable club for married couples just trying to get out. You know, drink, dance, and have fun. So, if guys hit on you, just flash the ring and hopefully, they'll move on to better prospects." Billy felt a pain in his stomach thinking about guys trying to get his wife under them. "Anyhow, look at this as a fun opportunity at the magazine's expense."

"Those fools!" Jennifer laughed, "Wait 'til they find out you never planned on writing about it. But let me get something conservatively slutty on. Shoo! I'll meet you downstairs. I know all about you men, just trying to get your dicks wet." She blew her husband a kiss, "I'll select something between $1,000 per hour and '15 minutes in a back seat for a drink.'"

Billy inwardly groaned seeing his wife come down the stairs. She had on a flimsy, backless (and braless) dress. And even though she didn't need the support, she was more than blessed with expressive nipples. He lost track of the times he'd been able to tell her mood by how hard her nipples got. She never could hide her level of arousal. Sometimes she said she was eager, but her nipples gave her true level away. Other times she played coy but he knew he was in for an enthusiastic romp. Right now, her nipples showed an obvious excitement. In fact, if they weren't heading out, she'd let him take her right there on the stairs.

Billy opened her bag and handed her the small recording device, "They gave me this to record the pick-up lines and conversations in the clubs. I hope you don't mind." He said as he handed it to her. "Very simple. The on/off is the red button." He pointed to his ear, "I also have a Bluetooth earbud so if for any reason you need me to get back...we need a safe word, don't we?"

Jennifer laughed, "What kind of clubs are these? BDSM?" She punched her husband in the arm gently, "I get it. OK, what about 'Disco sucks', or more current, 'Techno sucks?'"

"That works. I'm sure you'd be able to work that into a conversation, 'Sure, I get that you're married, but let's go out to my car for a fuck.' The obvious answer is, 'Disco sucks.'" He laughed, "I guess there are no real great all-purpose phrases."

Billy and Jennifer arrived at the club. There was a line to get in and after creeping forward for 30 minutes, finally got past the doorman. They waded into a wall of techno music and bright lights, and looking around, saw a couple leave their booth. Shortly after sitting down a very pretty, very buxom waitress took their drink order.

Jennifer dutifully turned on her recorder and put it back in the bag. "I guess this shoulder bag is necessary so I wear it all night?" She saw him nod, "I can't believe it will track all my movements. That should be an interesting pattern," she smiled. "It's fine. It's pretty small."

As they sipped their drinks, Billy wondered where he should start, given that they could barely hear each other. How the hell could he do any actual interviews? He looked at the bartenders, the bouncer, and the waitresses moving between tables. He made sure he was recording and his Bluetooth earbud was turned on. He thought about checking out the bartender, but Jennifer pointed to the dance floor. Nodding, he got up, took her hand, and headed out to the floor making sure she had the shoulder bag around her neck. He had this fear of having to replace an expensive piece of surveillance equipment.