Confessions of a Mailgirl Ch. 01

The driver pulled into a spot near the garage elevator where a Japanese woman was waiting to meet us. He jumped out of the car and walked over to the woman. After speaking with her for a few moments he opened our door and held out a hand to assist us. The woman smiled and bowed her head slightly as we exited the car.

"Hello, my name is Mariko Isakawa," she said with a bright smile. "I am the managing director of Mailgirls for Hiromoto Industries and I am so very pleased to meet you." The woman spoke in accented but perfect English, speaking slowly and carefully enunciating each word. She invited us to join her in the elevator and as it rose toward the lobby I found I had a hard time taking my eyes off of her. Mariko was stunningly beautiful with flawless skin, large dark brown eyes, and silky black hair that flowed down over her shoulders. She wore an expensive, tailor-made business ensemble consisting of a black jacket over a light, silk blouse, a pleated skirt which hung to just above her knees, black silk stockings and black pumps. Her makeup was light but skillfully applied to perfectly accent her features and a waft of her perfume hung in the air. She exuded both professionalism and sex appeal and I immediately thought she might be one of the most intoxicating women I'd ever met.

As we exited the elevator I got my first look at the interior of the infamous Hiromoto Industries headquarters. My first impression was how surprisingly normal and unremarkable its lobby looked. It was clean, modern, and tastefully appointed with a large reception desk manned by a young woman in a blazer and a security guard. Men and women wearing business attire scurried back and forth through the lobby, many of them with cell phones glued to their ear. Notably absent were any naked women. I'm not sure what I was expecting but it looked about the same as pretty much every corporate lobby I'd ever been in. There was not a hint that this was the home of one of the most controversial concepts ever introduced into the modern business world.

"I see everyone has their clothes on so far," Kelly remarked, echoing my thoughts.

"Oh yes!" Mariko exclaimed. "Our lobby is open to the public. No deliveries or pickups are allowed here by our mailgirls. Only in the floors above which are restricted to employees, clients, and invited guests."

We followed Mariko to the receptionist desk where, after a brief conversation, we were each given an ID badge with writing in both Japanese and English identifying us as visitors.

"Please, we will go to my office first," Mariko said. "I am sure you will have many questions." We followed her into the elevator where I noted that the building had fourteen floors. I couldn't help but wonder what kind of shape a mailgirl would have to be in to climb up and down stairs all day in a building that size.

We exited on the fifth floor and followed Mariko down a corridor through what was also a very typical business environment. We passed cubicles and offices filled with people busy working at whatever it was they were working on. Except for the fact that the employees were all Japanese this could have been a floor in a typical American corporate office building. I looked around anxiously hoping to spot a mailgirl but there were none to be seen.

As we entered Mariko's office I noted it was tastefully decorated and uncluttered but seemed surprisingly small for the managing director of such a well known corporate program. Mariko motioned for us to sit down and then said, as if reading my mind, "I must apologize for the smallness of my office. Mailgirls gets much publicity but is actually a very small part of Hiromoto Industries. Perhaps with the addition of your company and the North American market that will change and I will be able to ask for a larger office." She smiled at us as she sat down and once again I was struck by how exquisitely lovely she was.

Mariko spoke for a few minutes about the history and evolution of the Mailgirls program, the development of the technology, and about the benefits it provided to corporations which had allowed the concept to grow beyond being just a bizarre novelty. It was mostly things we'd already learned in our briefings from Barbara or had read in our research, but her accented, deliberate English had such a lovely rhythm to it I enjoyed just listening to her speak. When Mariko asked for questions I spoke up.

"What about reports that in some countries mailgirls are little more than sex slaves and are subjected to bondage, whippings and forced to eat and drink out of dog bowls?" I asked.

Mariko lowered her eyes. "Yes, I am ashamed to say that is sometimes true in less enlightened cultures. But those are not Hiromoto clients. If we were to find one of our clients engaging in such abuses we would immediately pull our license and alert the authorities."

"So you say there have never been any abuses of your mailgirls here?"

"No, I cannot say that," Mariko replied. "There have been times when mailgirls have been treated very poorly here. That was especially true in the beginning but we have worked hard to educate our employees on the correct manner to interact with a mailgirl. They may gaze upon her because it is the role of the mailgirl to share her beauty with others, but they must not grope or fondle her or demand sexual favors from her. Unfortunately some employees have been invited to retire or seek new employment because they failed to learn these lessons. It is much better now than in the past, but I am always vigilant in protecting my girls."

I felt like I'd touched on a painful subject for Mariko and appreciated that she had given an honest answer rather than just spouting the company line.

We talked for a few more minutes about various things before Kelly spoke up. "You know we've heard a lot about mailgirls but have yet to actually see one," she said. "Would it be possible to meet and speak with one of your girls?"

"Yes, of course," Mariko responded. "I will summon one immediately." She pulled out her cellphone and poked the face of it a few times before setting it down on her desk. The whole process took no more than a few seconds. "A mailgirl will be here within two minutes," she said.

"I have to ask," Kelly said, "will this be a random girl or someone you arranged in advance to speak with us?"

"I used the normal method to summon a mailgirl, which goes to the closest available girl. Only senior managers may summon an individual girl. I can also do so as part of my job but I can assure you that I did not know in advance in this case who would be summoned."

As we waited I kept glancing at my watch to see if she would make the two minute deadline. With fifteen seconds to spare the door opened and the mailgirl entered. She assumed a stance with her legs slightly spread, her hands at her sides, and her gaze lowered to the floor awaiting orders. Mariko spoke briefly to the girl in Japanese.

"Hai," the girl said and turned and closed the door. Then she dropped to her knees on the carpeted floor and sat back on her haunches with her legs spread to shoulder width, her back slightly arched, and her hands resting on her thighs. Her breasts, vagina, and ass were all on open display.

The sudden appearance of a nude woman in an otherwise normal business environment was startling, and Kelly and I stared at her in fascination. The mailgirl had a lovely face and a petite but well-toned body. Her skin was unmarred by tattoos and glistened with a light layer of perspiration. Her breasts were small but firm and were perfectly proportioned to the rest of her body. Her brown hair hung down to her shoulders, her pubic area was shaved, and she wore no shoes or jewelry of any kind. The smart phones that had been strapped to the upper arms of mailgirls in the past were gone and instead she wore a much less obtrusive smart watch on her left wrist strapped on with a band that closely matched the color of her skin.

"This is Fifteen," Mariko said. "She has been instructed to answer your questions honestly and I promise to you that I will translate her answers honestly."

The reference to her as a number rather than by name angered me. "What is your name?" I asked her. Mariko translated my question and the girl looked up at Mariko's face for the first time. Mariko nodded at her and she lowered her eyes again and responded.

"She says, 'My name is Aiko.'" Mariko translated.

"And how do you like being called by a number rather than a name, Aiko?

"I do not like it but I have come to accept it," Mariko translated. "I understand that it is important for efficiency and to remind me and others of my place."

"What does she mean by that?" I asked Mariko.

Mariko sighed before responding. "You must understand that Japan was a feudal society with a caste system for many centuries. Although this system was abolished many years ago the caste mentality remains strong in some parts of Japanese culture. Mailgirls are considered servants of the rest of the workforce and even the lowest floor sweeper is their superior. Giving them numbers reminds them and everyone else of their place. I do not like this but I regret to tell you I have failed to change it."

"So will we have to refer to our mailgirls by numbers?" I asked.

"No," Mariko replied. "That is up to each client to decide." I resolved right then that none of our mailgirls would be referred to by a number rather than a name if I had anything to say about it.

"I don't see a number painted on her," Kelly said. "How do people know what number they are?"

"When they are summoned the mailgirl's picture and number appear on the Mailgirls phone app," Mariko replied. She held up her phone and showed us Aiko's picture which had the number 15 below it.

"What about the submissive pose there on her knees?" Kelly asked. "Is that part of that caste mentality, too?"

"Yes, that is part of it. The mailgirl must always portray a role of humble servitude but there are also practical reasons for it. Mailgirls must travel all over the building and even if we provided seats for them on each floor it would be impossible to keep them clean. It would be most unhygienic for our many mailgirls to use the seat. Each floor has a mat where the mailgirl may kneel and rest if she has no current assignment."

"So our mailgirls will be required to assume this submissive pose?" I asked.

"Yes. All mailgirls are required to assume a standing or a kneeling pose while awaiting instructions or assignment which allows their body to be viewed from all angles. That is part of their role."

"Why the bare feet?" Kelly asked. "Isn't that hard on them with all the running they do?"

"Some of our workers have a deep appreciation for the beauty of the female foot and we feel it would be wrong to deny them that beauty," Mariko replied. "We start our new mailgirls slowly to give them time to build their strength and harden their feet."

Aiko had been kneeling patiently before us as we spoke in English to Mariko so I directed my next question to her. "Aiko, what is your educational background?"

"I am a recent university graduate and have my degree in accounting," Mariko translated.

"And you couldn't find a job in your field?" I asked.

"Oh no, I was offered several good jobs in my field but I chose to begin my career with Hiromoto."

"But why?"

"The pay is very much better here for this job," she said, "and if I complete my contract I will get my bonus and hope to be offered a position in the accounting department."

"How long is the contract and what is the bonus?" I asked Mariko.

"The standard Mailgirls contract is for two years," Mariko responded, "and the bonus comes to about $47,000 US."

"And is it true that she might be offered a job in accounting if she completes the contract?"

"Most likely, yes," Mariko replied. "Mailgirls are very often given jobs in other parts of the company after completing their contract because they have proven to be hard working and loyal workers. If there is not a job opening in the department she desires she may accept one in another department or continue as a mailgirl until the job she seeks becomes available."

"I don't get it," Kelly said. "If there is a caste system mentality here and mailgirls are the lowest rung then why are they allowed to move up into other parts of the company?"

"It is complicated," Mariko said. "Mr. Hiromoto, our founder, was born burakumin. Do you understand burakumin?" We both shook our heads. "They are the untouchables, the lowest of the low in Japanese society. They perform the filthy jobs no one else will do. He rose from this very low standing to become one of the wealthiest men in Japan. Mr. Hiromoto believes in allowing those who prove their worth to rise above their low place."

"Yet he's the one who created the mailgirls and encourages his workers to treat them as servant girls, right?" I asked.

"Yes, as I said it is complicated. Mr Hiromoto is a complicated man."

"Okay," I said, "but I guess I don't understand why a college educated woman would choose to enter the company as a mailgirl in the first place. Is the money really that good?"

"Yes, it is excellent for a young woman just out of college. But they also know that if they complete their contract their opportunities for advancement are excellent. Better than if they are hired in a normal entry level position."

"Is that really true?" Kelly asked skeptically.

"Oh yes," Mariko said. "We already have several former mailgirls who have reached lower management positions and will be in line for further promotions if they perform well."

"But how do they ever gain the respect of their fellow employees if they've all seen them running around naked for two years delivering mail?" I asked.

"It is difficult but the strongest are able to overcome this," Maiko said.

"So what happens if Aiko doesn't complete her contract?" Kelly asked.

"Then she will forfeit the bonus and will never be offered another position here."

"But she's free to quit and leave at any time?"

"Yes, of course."

"Do you know what percentage of women actually complete their contracts?" Kelly asked.

"Yes," Mariko responded. "It is currently 62 percent. Most leave within the first few weeks because the job is more difficult than they imagined or they feel more shame than they can bear. Those that make it through the third month are often able to finish."

"And do any choose to continue as mailgirls after their contract is over?"

"Oh yes, we have some who enjoy the job and have no desire for another," Mariko said.

"Which mailgirl has been doing it the longest?" I asked.

"One of the original mailgirls has been with the program for nearly six years," she responded.

"Really? One of the two original mailgirls is still here? I would very much like to speak with her," I said.

"You are speaking with her now," Mariko said with a smile.

I have to admit that I was a little shocked that a beautiful, intelligent, educated and graceful woman like Mariko had chosen to make a career of being a mailgirl. In fact, as we continued talking to Aiko and Mariko I began to realize that all my preconceptions of these women as bimbos and sluts with few prospects in life was wrong. I learned that the number of applicants far exceeded the number of jobs available and most of those chosen were intelligent, well-educated women. Almost all had college degrees and only an exceptionally beautiful woman could hope to be selected without one. While looks were very important, Hiromoto Industries also sought women capable of overcoming their low standing as nude delivery girls to forge a career at the company.

After the session ended Aiko rose to her feet at Mariko's command, flashed a quick smile at us and disappeared out the door.

"Perhaps you would like to return to the hotel for some rest or some sightseeing," Mariko said. "We have a long day planned for tomorrow."

HIROMOTO HEADQUARTERS - DAY 2

The limo delivered us from the hotel into the Hiromoto parking garage just before seven a.m. Today Kelly and I were each going to follow a mailgirl around the building to observe her as she carried out her duties, and since neither of us planned on doing it nude we'd brought some athletic apparel to change into. Mariko was there once again to greet us and she led us into the building's basement where the Mailgirls locker room was located.

We walked down a hallway past several maintenance and janitorial offices until we turned a corner and saw two janitors and a security guard staring into a window. They looked us over as we approached and then turned their attention back to the window. As we passed them I glanced at what they were looking at and realized with a shock that the large window had a direct view into the locker room! Inside I could see several women removing their clothes while another fully nude woman was entering the shower area. Four other nude women were preparing to leave the room.

"You mean the girls aren't even allowed any privacy down here in their own locker room?" I asked Mariko.

"Oh no," Mariko replied. "Mailgirls are allowed no modesty when they are in the building. They are always to be on display for any who desire to see them."

As we entered the locker room I turned to look at the window and was momentarily confused to see only a large mirror instead. It took me a few seconds to realize this was a two way mirror. The men could see in but the mailgirls couldn't see out to know who was observing them.

Mariko smiled and greeted the four women who were already prepared to go to work. I couldn't understand what they were saying but she spoke to them with a friendly familiarity rather than as a superior and they responded with smiles. After they left I asked Mariko about them. "They began their shift at 6:30 and it is their duty now to place newspapers and fresh fruit in the executive offices before starting their duties as mailgirls," she told me.

A few feet away from us was a row of lockers and a long wooden bench. Several women were disrobing and I recognized Aiko as one of them and waved to her. She was already nude and smiled and waved back, then walked over to speak with Mariko. After a brief conversation Mariko turned to translate.

"Aiko has asked if she may have the honor of allowing one of you to observe her in her duties today."

"Sure," Kelly said. "I'll go with her." Mariko translated this to Aiko who smiled in response and bowed her head to each of us. Then she turned and headed for the showers.

The shower area consisted of eight shower nozzles and a seating area that ran the length of the back wall beneath the nozzles. I knew that this area could be easily seen from the hallway so I was shocked to see one of the women sitting with her legs wide open shaving her pubic area. As we continued to watch, all of the women soaped up and ran a razor over their underarms, legs, and pubic areas.

"Are they required to do this every day prior to their shift?" Kelly asked.

"Yes," Mariko said. "This cleansing and grooming ritual is required at the beginning of each shift and another shower is taken prior to the lunch break. This allows the mailgirls to begin the second half of their shift cleansed and scented and assists in preventing unpleasant body odors which could be offensive to others."

The idea of showering twice a day in front of an audience was shocking`and I wondered if my company would require our mailgirls to do it. I couldn't imagine it. As I stared at the two way mirror it suddenly occurred to me that I needed to change into my workout clothes. "Um, Mariko, where are we supposed to change?"

"Of course, I am sorry. You may use the comfort areas," she said pointing to some toilet stalls at the end of the room. Thankfully they had doors on them. "It is the only area where mailgirls are allowed privacy."