Chapter 7: Two Fridays

"It was a wonderful party, that's for sure," Saul began. "In addition to having a great time, did we learn anything from it, as far as Virtual Jewelry goes?"

"I figured out one thing, Saul," Anne said, "I'm not going another New Years without a swimming pool."

"Well, I agree, but we can't do anything now, and when spring comes, we'll think about it as an improvement project. Now, what about Virtual Jewelry?"

Mary said, "I think it was a great success, everyone enjoyed it, used it, had a great time playing around with it. Several folks wanted to know when we'll be on the market with it. Heather, most of the credit goes to you."

"Thanks, Mary. I did get one new idea. Don't know why I didn't think of it sooner. Anne's mother asked about it: Virtual Clothing. I'm going to see how we can make transfers that would go on large areas and end up looking like a dress, or a shirt or something like that. As long as the technology holds up, our costs won't change and this stuff is cheap to produce. But we should be able to get a lot more money for a virtual dress.

"We didn't have any technical problems at New Years, thank God. Nobody got The Itch, the stuff performed as advertised. I have notes about how some colors don't look too wonderful, but that's about it. Thank you all for all the help you gave me."

"Heather, there is one thing I want to bring up," Anne said, obviously speaking as president of Still Waters. "It's the business of pubic hair. Let me tell you what I think, then let's talk about it. We've been fussing about how to cover the pubic area. I say let's stop. Let's forget about it, let's stop talking about it. I'm up to here with pubic hair."

"And you don't have any. What's the problem, or rather what's your solution?" Heather asked.

"As I see it, it simply isn't a problem. One, not very many people will want to use VeeJays as clothing. Mainly for emphasis, teasing, or something like that. Second, if they really want to be as close to bare as possible without showing pubic hair or shaving, let them wear a G-string with, for example, mono-filament fastenings. Men could wear posing straps. We could even sell them. Third, men or women can wear regular underwear, if they want. It comes in so many styles and colors.

"Heather, the real issue is that no one, women in particular, should feel that to use VeeJays they have to expose themselves. I know you choose to, it's your choice, and that's not a problem, you look great... Well you know what I mean."

"You're right, Anne, we need to avoid putting pressure on the user. Especially sexual pressure, though God knows just about anything more than the most trivial use of VeeJays — Damn, you've got me saying it — of Virtual Jewelry is going to be sexy as hell. I hereby quit fussing about that."

Saul said, "Heather, VeeJays is a word we should trademark. I'll get on it."

"Better see about VeeCees, too, for Virtual Clothing, Saul," Anne said.

Two weeks later, Heather appeared wearing a raincoat. "I have great news," Heather announced. "Two breakthroughs."

"First, look at this." She threw her raincoat on the floor. She appeared to be wearing a suit of long red underwear. It even had buttons down the front from her neck to her crotch. Two buttons at the neck were undone, and her skin shone white where the material seemed to be folded back. She turned. Her back was evenly covered with red, except that the division between her buttocks was very real and just as red as everywhere else.