How To Lie Sincerely

By Helma Pietsch

This biography is revealing an insider report about the deceitful techniques in the slimming industry, also the reason a scientist disappeared permanently, when he researched cosmetic products, the high-society life of a nameless billionaire, proven facts about manipulations from so called art experts, also revealing different facts about the way Marilyn Monroe died; Helena's life in Paris, she primarily mingles with the European high-society, until she is escaping to Australia.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Helma Pietsch
• Release date: Dec 29, 2013
• ISBN: 9781311608307

Helma Pietsch

Helma grew up in Germany, encouraged by her grandmother to appreciate authors from the German Schiller to the French Voltaire. Her all time favourite author is Dumas senior. Over the years, she lived on 2 extremely different continents, Northern Europe and Africa, before she arrived in Australia.

Book preview

How To Lie Sincerely

by

Helma Pietsch

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2013

All Rights Reserved

© 2013 Helma Pietsch

*~*

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1

To Get A Job

Chapter 2

Aunty Jenny

Chapter 3

Friedhelm

Chapter 4

Consumer Affairs

Chapter 5

The Canary Islands

Chapter 6

Mister Vincente

Chapter 7

The Carnival

Chapter 8

Lausanne

Chapter 9

Football

Chapter 10

The Wind Never Smiles

Chapter 11

Springtime In Paris

Chapter 12

Moroccan Customs

Chapter 13

Marrakesh

Chapter 14

Marilyn Monroe’s Demise

Chapter 15

Tito and Aida

Chapter 16

Home Sweet Home

Chapter 17

Nirvana

Chapter 18

Las Vegas

Chapter 19

Another Job

Chapter 20

Australian Adventures

Chapter 21

Vanished

Chapter 22

A Deadly Visit

Chapter 23

Greedy Real Estate

Chapter 24

How To Settle A Score

*~*~*

Introduction

This biography is relating to events from the middle of 1950, to the end of the 1970s, across Europe, the Canary Islands, Morocco and Queensland in Australia.

*~*

Please note, this book is written in British English.

To respect the privacy of some people, a few names have been changed.

Several events are condensed for story telling purposes, but the overall chronology is an accurate description of the actual experiences, to be narrated into a biographical story.

*~*

Acknowledgement:

The author acknowledges the trademark status of various products, which have been mentioned in this book.

*~*

Adult-content rating:

If you like hot werewolf love, then this is the wrong book for you.

This book contains contents unsuitable for young readers under 18 of age and may also be offensive to some readers of all ages.

*~*

Chapter 1

To Get A Job

A short summer shower forced all morning traffic in the inner city to a near standstill, afterwards, a slight breeze carried the clouds away; and the old weeping willows alongside the footpath were swaying in the gentle wind, shaking off the rainwater.

It must have looked somehow strange to the driver of a passing car, when this tall, slim, very fashionable dressed young female, her ash-blond hair combed back in an artistic styled bun, made the occasional odd little jump on the pedestrian way, obviously in a hurry. She walked briskly in a zigzag, trying to avoid the small puddles of water, which were scattered along the pavement, like a misunderstood knitting pattern.

She did not care how ridiculous it looked to the passing traffic, holding with one hand her perfectly coiffured hair, when she was attempting another leap - over a larger puddle - missed it a bit and said very unladylike Shit.

Angry about the mishap, she mumbled to herself, I just keep going, for this train to Düsseldorf. Helena why is any public transport always arriving on time, when you leave home a little bit later than you should? If I take the next train, I’m probably arriving too later for my job interview, which is a sure way in Germany, not to be considered as an applicant, no matter how good the résumé and references are.

Helena noticed on the other side of the street an old friend from her family. This was not a good moment to be polite and show respect towards elderly people. It would have been the proper way, to cross the street, a polite greeting, enquire about his health, make some more small talk and wish him a nice day.

No, she decided to let him find out for himself, apart from the two housemaids there was nobody at home. She raised her hand in a waiving gesture, hoping he would not mistake it for calling him over, but he did and therefore she called louder than necessary, Mister Caspari, I have to catch a train.

He acknowledged it, understanding, by tipping with two fingers his hat in an old fashion, gentleman way and to demonstrate that she was really in a hurry, Helena ran to the next corner of the street, when she noticed her watch had stopped, so she kept on running towards the busy main street, where Helena had to dodge between prams, jumped over a long leash with an obese woman at one end and an overweight mutt at the other; she overtook a little old lady, like a Ferrari would leave a VW behind, at the same time she also avoided to collide with any small children, especially the ones eating fairy floss or ice cream.

Her legs kept running to the rhythm - the train - the train - the train.

When she arrived at the railway platform, the train was already there and while she was waiting for the passengers to depart, her heartbeat tried to come down; perspiration started to gush out of her pores running down her face and neck, as if she just would have finished an intense workout at the gym.

As soon as she entered the train, she rushed for the ladies’ room, with a ticket conductor close behind her. He was convinced to have spotted another yuppie passenger, as they were apparently all under the impression, for them the train rides are free.

Helena noticed him following her, she turned around, shoved her ticket so close to his nose which made him look cross-eyed as he tried to read it. See Mister Stalker, I have one, now go away and follow someone else!

She pushed herself through the small door of the ladies’ room, before a mother with three young children could reach the door knob.

It took Helena the full length of the trip to Düsseldorf, to get herself again presentable for the job interview.

When the train arrived at her destination, she opened the door and with an overly friendly smile towards the mother of three - one of them in tears, with a little puddle around his shoes - Helena hissed, but still smiling, After your persistent banging on the door, it’s all yours.

Do you know it took you nearly thirty minutes in there?

The mother kept raving on, by complaining about a complete lack of consideration, but Helena ignored the comment, determent to get this job she was going for, intending to buy a nice car, therefore never rushing again to catch a train.

Her parents and grandmother stood firm in their decision, that Helena should work a proper job and buy her own car. It was unfortunately not a question of money, which would have been understandable for her, but there were two live-in housemaids, only attending to five adults and Helena’s poodle.

What she never considered, the two housemaids had to dust and clean 12 rooms, wash all windows once a fortnight, cook, then serve three meals a day, plus clean-up afterwards without any dishwasher in those days, also wash, iron and fold-away the washing, daily make all beds with fresh linen and never to run out of anything in the pantry, apart from it all, Helena’s poodle needed twice daily a good walk to stay fit and healthy and being groomed to look pretty.

Helena was oblivious to mundane tasks and therefore had great difficulties to understand the logic in her parents’ reason, when they were expecting from her to look for a paid job. Twice yearly, she went on holidays to various countries with her mother or grandmother and by the time Helena was eleven years old, she was familiar with the procedure, how to fill out a custom declaration.

Now, as a young adult, she had to look for work, only to buy her own car.

Helena’s 21st birthday was coming up shortly and her parents made it perfectly clear, there was no car amongst the gifts, on the contrary, she was certain there would be - as usually for her birthdays - a bundle of shares in oil, iron, textile or whatever. Her parents took great care to choose only blue-chip shares; although she could not have cared less about it. It was certainly another proof for Helena, that her parents had forgotten what it was like to be young.

She arrived at the Employment Agency, ahead of the appointment time. The waiting room was already filled with anticipating applicants, each hunched over, nervously looking around. For Helena, they all looked like a long row of hens, on their perches in a chook pen and she smiled, she had to, otherwise she would have burst out laughing.

A representative from the Sherri-Lynn Slimming Institute entered the room, a very suave looking lady, in her forties with a fantastic figure which proofed again the theory, that regular exercises and a healthy diet can work wonders for any age.

She approached Helena: I don’t care about your references; I will employ you, because you have entered the room with an utmost winning smile, while all the other young ladies resembled scared rabbits.

She handed each person a folder with a questionnaire to be filled out, then left the room.

A girl sitting next to Helena, took out of her handbag, between enormous quantities of cosmetics, an eyebrow pencil and intended to write with it on the first page of the application form, so Helena handed her discreetly a pen.

The high-pitched giggling Thank you, left Helena wondering about the level of I.Q. the girl had - apart from that - she was a Marilyn Monroe replica with the only difference, this girl’s blond hair was not bleached.

A short time later, as if to confirm a low I.Q., she gave Helena a little nudge in the side and whispered, What do previous experiences mean on the form?

It was too much for Helena to let go pass! She knew already to be accepted for a job and this Marilyn duplication was no risk for her in the first place, unfortunately, Helena could not leave any stupid question unchallenged under any circumstances - neither in this case - and without a blink in her blue eyes, Helena replied, They want to know, if you have a steady relationship with your boyfriend, or you recently finished a stormy affair and they intend to be sure, no jealous boyfriend rings you up at work, or shows up drunk in the office to confront you.

Thank you, but please what do I write if I have not had a boyfriend in the past two years and what is an affair? Marilyn spoke slightly lisping, although with a sincere sound of gratitude in her tweeting voice.

Helena shook her head in disbelief, she felt a bit guilty for having a go at this blond bimbo and watched her from the side, while Marilyn was writing and humming a nursery rhyme at the same time and she started feeling sorry for this look alike Marilyn Monroe and wondered if this brainless airhead, but drop dead gorgeous girl, was able to cross a street without getting confused.

The lady from the Sherri-Lynn Institute entered again, called Helena into the next room and introduced herself as Miss Wagner, she looked at Helena’s application and commented, I won’t employ you as an exercise instructor. Your figure in a leotard would depress any of our future clients. They know exactly deep down in themselves, they will never have a figure like yours. You are too slim, your posture shows years of intense training and I presume, you have never eaten a sugary cream bun, because your face is completely pimple free.

Helena’s heart sunk; here she thought until a moment ago, this job was as good as in her pocket and now this! Only the many years of classical ballet training, still to look serine when performing on stage in physical pain, helped her to show no facial signs of any severe disappointment.

Miss Wagner didn’t seem to notice Helena’s emotional turmoil and continued, I want you as a sales person for our Institute. You start on Monday for a month intense training, with basic wages paid, until you know every possible sale pitch backwards, but still displaying your wonderful smile, when I first noticed you in the waiting room. You also will learn our different treatment programs. Survive the month training and you shall receive on top of the basic wages an additional 10% commission from each sold contract, including the initial sale of massages and gym outfits from leotards to headbands.

She handed Helena a business card with the address of the Institute and indicated with it, this was the end of the interview and while Helena left the room, the next one who entered was Marilyn, lisping with her chirpy voice, Wish me luck.

Helena knew for certain, Luck was not needed here, but a solid miracle would have come in handy. There was a better chance of collecting manure from a wooden rocking horse, than Marilyn landing a job with this firm!

*~*

The following morning, a Saturday, Helena and her mother Lucie were enjoying their favourite time of the week, reading the weekend newspaper, combined with a leisurely long breakfast.

Lucie looked up from the paper and said slowly, Mister Caspari died. There is a notice in the paper for his funeral service.

Mum that’s impossible, I saw him around lunchtime yesterday at the beginning of Gulden Street, when I was going to the train station for my job interview in Düsseldorf. He was on the other side of the street. I said hello, but I did not go to him and yes, I did get the job, so I won’t have to work anymore as an unofficial glorified receptionist in grandma’s wholesale business.

Lucie phoned the Caspari residence and spoke Italian, one of the three foreign languages she spoke with ease, Helena stood next to her, by more-or-less guessing the conversation, but she understood enough to know, her mother mentioned nothing about Helena’s meeting with the apparently deceased on the previous day.

Finally, Lucie finished the phone call, I do not know who you think you may have seen yesterday, but it surely wasn’t Mister Caspari. He came home on Thursday from an early morning walk and had a fatal heart attack in front of their house. His Italian wife is tremendously upset, not only about his death, even more so as he died without receiving the last sacraments of the church.

Helena was not a religious person, therefore cared not at all for this ritual, but she had the feeling that someone just poured a bucket of cold water over her and an ice-cold shiver rushed along her body.

She tried unsuccessfully to make sense of the fact that Mister Caspari died the day before. On the other hand, she was 100% certain, it was him and therefore wondered, What would have happened, had I crossed the street to greet him?

She knew, the man was Mister Caspari! Considering from a logical point of view, it could not have been him. She did not believe in ghosts, which made the whole situation even more difficult for her to understand.

Mister Caspari was a regular visitor and always welcomed. She often doubted his stories from overseas countries, where he spent many of his younger years.

On more than one occasion she laughed when he told his stories about mysteries and strange happenings in Asia and Africa. She therefore was not often allowed to join her family when Mister Caspari was visiting. She remembered, during one of his visits he became upset, when she was teasing him again. Her grandmother just left the room to check about the delayed coffee trolley, he looked at her, then said very slowly, with his voice lowered, One day, I will show and prove to you once and for all, I am not a liar.

Helena contemplated, Well, maybe he did demonstrate, there was some sort of life after death.

She made up her mind, never again to mention the incident from the Friday, when she saw the apparently dead Mister Caspari.

*~*

Monday morning, Helena went to the Sherri-Lynn Institute, which occupied the complete first floor in a new 10 floor insurance building. There were tradesmen everywhere and in a large group of them, surrounded by men of all ages, each one trying to look macho, there was Marilyn giggling with her high pitch voice.

Helena was genuinely glad to see her. From this moment on, she took Marilyn under her wings, covered up for mistakes and protected her, as a tigress would have done with her cup, when some of the other girls were making smart remarks about Marilyn’s curvaceous figure, but Marilyn never really understood what the fuss was all about, because sarcasm was not part of her vocabulary.

Gradually, all the other girls were wearing heavily padded bras. They desperately wanted to get the same admiring looks and whistles Marilyn received, wherever she went. She really represented a rare specimen of people. To Marilyn’s knowledge, there was no meaning for the word insinuation. Whenever Marilyn didn’t understand something, she had this wide open-eye-look and a half open mouth, making a pitiful sound, which happened daily and could have easily melted any hard-core jury member, in a criminal court case.

It was a natural reaction for most people to feel sorry for her helpless hopelessness. This notion gave people the feeling as if they wanted to save a drowning child, with a desire to give her a heartwarming cuddle, to protect her from the proverbial big bad wolf.

Her real name was Kristina Skiskibovski; a hell of a name for someone with a chronicle lisp! After one week, everybody from the staff called her Marilyn, including Miss Wagner.

Sherri-Lynn was an American business venture, new for Germany and the training of the future employees was very intense and serious. Helena did not believe at first, there would be much to learn in a month, how-to sign-up women for a slimming program. She soon found out.

Miss Wagner was her tutor. She taught Helena in the first week everything about body language and the interpretation of colours.

A prospective client was sitting with her arms crossed, a typical sign of apprehension, offer her a cup of coffee with some tempting looking biscuits, to break the barrier.

She always had to wear at work only outfits in blue, the colour of sincerity, red was reflecting aggression, while green and yellow were never considered either, from the chart of psychological colours.

Helena was taught how to listen to a customer’s concerns and problems, finding out their weaknesses and use this knowledge as an advantage, to close the deal and make them sign.

When speaking to a customer, she was to keep a constant eye contact, while using the phrase: ‘would you like a.....’ and never ever: ‘do you want a.....’

She was told to avoid the sentence: ‘Please sign the contract here,’ instead of it, always: ‘I would like your autograph here, please.’

At the beginning of the second week, Miss Wagner introduced Helena to Sandra, who worked as a sales person in Sherri-Lynn studios already well established in Switzerland.

Sandra pretended to be a difficult customer, with every excuse in the world for not signing at that moment a contract.

Helena had to give all possible argumentations, for the customer’s own good, to sign right now, because once they left the office, women thought about it and cooled down from the hype. Less than 10% would return to sign.

It was obvious; Sandra enjoyed the charade immensely and drew from her experiences with difficult clients. After two hard days of none stop sales pitch talk, Sandra declared, Helena I think, you are now a good sales person for Sherri-Lynn. Welcome to the club.

She embraced Helena, as a congratulating gesture and then left on the next flight back to Switzerland. Helena had the feeling; she was mentally just done through a mincing machine.

Miss Wagner smiled and explained in the next three days, the cost of the treatment and various structures of membership contracts.

A deal for one month included unlimited use of an individual exercise program, including gym equipment, sauna and spa, but extra for massages with the intention, getting the signature on a contract.

After a few days the plan was, extending the contract to a six month or a one-year agreement, while the clients were still eager to get their monies worth.

The six months contract cost only double the price from a one month, with the calculation, most women would have lost interest a few weeks later and come only once per week.

Translated into plain English, using the program six days a week it was a bargain, but the amount escalated for one visit per week to be very expensive, paid in advance at the beginning of the contract. Nowhere was the ‘Slimming Institute’ at fault, if the client did not utilize the opportunity of daily visits anymore after a while!

Sherri-Lynn also offered a three months contract, with the written agreement of 10% loss in bodyweight, or a money back guarantee, ideal for obese women.

This program was individually constantly supervised by a floor-girl, who had to make sure that the client exercised the program properly at each visit, 4 times per week. The money back guarantee was void, if the client could not come, for whatever reason, in one week minimum 3 times and therefore 5 times in the next week.

The calculation was, obese clients didn’t last the full distance, if you work them hard enough. Most immensely overweight women did not have enough stamina for physical exercises and dreaded the thought, to do it the next day all over again.

It was a very cleverly structured system, burning off calories makes the weight fall off. In theory a simple calculation and wouldn’t require a modern Albert Einstein to work it out.

Piece de resistance was the contract for 10 visits, with a loss of three inches at each visit, without any exercise program.

This treatment started with a 30 minutes sauna, supervised by a floor-girl, in case the client showed any signs of fatigue, afterwards a 20-minute shower turned gradually to hot. It was believable explained as a preparation, cleansing and opening the pores, to absorb the secret herbal crème.

The measurements were taken from the waist, hips and upper legs. A floor-girl applied then the herbal crème very generously onto the measured body parts, which were then wrapped into individual electric bandages and connected to an electronic machine, regulating the temperature and the stimulating vibration.

The clients laid down for 50 minutes, letting the electric bandages to do all the work.

After unwrapping, a warm shower was gradually decreased to ice cold and supervised by the same floor-girl, who was responsible to change the water temperature, to a lower degree after each minute, with a stop watch.

It was explained in detail to each client as a procedure to rinse off the special crème and the cold water had to close the pores. Afterwards, the body was measured again at the precise same places and voila, there were fewer inches than before!

At this point, Miss Wagner emphasized to Helena, Make certain nobody but you will be taking the measurements before and after the treatment. You are responsible for the result of the lost inches. Ignore any interested customer walking into the reception for a free figure analysis and the costs involved!

Miss Wagner, it could be a prospective client. I get only paid on signed contracts, not for measuring.

The receptionist will show the future client around the studio, while you look after your existing client, who paid good money, to drop as many inches as possible in 10 visits. You don’t have to hold their hands, while they are receiving the treatment, or having the shower, but you will be returning for the measuring!

She had the uncomfortable feeling; it was said as a strict order, with a hint of intimidation in Miss Wagner’s voice and Helena had the distinct impression; the whole thing was a farce. The mysterious machine did nothing for the loss of inches. Everything was depending on the technique of taking the measurements.

Her suspicion was confirmed, when Miss Wagner continued, Most women will complain after a few treatments, about the return of the lost inches, always returning, which also shows up on the chart of their visits. Take them into one of the consultation cubicles and talk to them, like a priest to a naughty child at a confession. Ask them, what they have done, in between their visits, to the lost inches. Make them feel miserable. Show them a list of items not to be consumed. Be concerned about your fruitless effort to help them. Let the women cry if they have to, make them feel guilty and make each one of them believe it is their own fault.

She handed Helena a list, which quoted in alphabetical order drinks, fruits and solids with most of them having a big DON’T next to it.

Helena glanced at the list and could not help herself commenting, There is literally nothing left to consume but mineral water, unsweetened black tea, lettuce, without any dressing, only water melon, also celery sticks are allowed, anyone would starve to death if they follow this!

Don’t try to be funny. This is big business, if you want your piece of the cake; you’ll have to eat the crumbs too. I leave it in your capable hands, how much money you want to earn. I believe in your case, it’s plenty.

By now it was clear enough for Helena, without another word from Miss Wagner, it was a well-organised scheme.

Not good at all for the future customers, but extremely good for Miss Wagner and her invisible associates.

In the third week of training, Helena joined the other girls, who were trained as floor-girls learning all the different exercises. She studied the available program; each one of them with 20 different combinations possible, which would give each client the impression it was individually designed for them.

All exercises were increased on a weekly basis, with the amount of each exercise also adjusted to the age of the person.

Firming or increasing the bust without building up the biceps, while firming the upper inner arms to eliminate the cafeteria arms with their ugly, but known wobble effect, which was another special program. There was also a treatment to diminish cellulite on the thighs and the list went on....

Marilyn still could not remember the code numbers translated into each exercise. She was hopeless.

Helena felt obligated to approach Miss Wagner, I do hope, you have an alternative job for Marilyn, she is not very good as a floor-girl.

Miss Wagner laughed, Not very good? Please give me some credit and admitted, Marilyn is useless as a future instructor; however, momentarily she is only filling in time. I decided right at the beginning of her interview, Marilyn is perfect to handle all complains from angry spouses, when they find out about the amount their wives have paid, to lose a few kilos.

How would Marilyn handle it to manage irate husbands, who are intending to cancel a contract and get their money returned?

There is no training for it. You’ve got it, or you haven’t got it and Marilyn is a natural. She is the complete package for it, mentally and physically.

What? They will shred her verbally into bits and pieces! Marilyn is so dumb; she can’t tell the difference between an Alsatian and a Huski, while she giggles after each sentence and in between. To top it all, I found out this morning she must be extremely colour-blind, short sighted, or both. I watched her here from the window, when she was waiting to cross the street at the traffic lights. Marilyn kept watching the pedestrian sign turning green. She stood still until it started orange blinking and then walked across the street; unfortunately, she stood still as soon as the blinking stopped, standing in the middle of the road; believe it or not, then she ignored the next green pedestrian sign, waited until the pedestrian sign was blinking orange again and walked the rest towards the footpath. The weirdest part was, all the traffic waited patiently for her to get off the street, including a school bus. Miss Wagner, do you intend to feed her to the lions?

Precisely, she is very vulnerable and could not stand her ground in any argument. A well-known fact is also that men are suckers, if they are confronted with a shy, although gorgeous looking young female, who is not smart at all. It will turn every man into a white knight in shining armour. Clever business men will melt like snow in the sun. Trust my judgment, Marilyn will be fine. I also have a soft spot for her. You could not imagine and would never believe, what she wrote on her application form for previous experiences!

Helena gave no comment to the last sentence from Miss Wagner, because she had a fair idea about it. Eventually, some weeks later, she had to admit that Miss Wagner was spot on with her prediction about helplessness.

Marilyn molded all the hard business men in her very own special way, making them soft little gummy bears. They were all smitten with her. She received daily by courier, bunches of flowers and boxes of chocolates, addressed to Marilyn without a sender. Therefore, fresh flowers were always at the reception, consultation room and dressing room.

The boxes of chocolates finished up in Helena’s office for unhappy clients, because Marilyn had an intolerable lactose problem and did not eat chocolates at all. Helena had from then on always an open chocolate box on her office desk.

Clients were cranky about regaining constantly the lost inches, Helena never said a word, only observing how women were munching the chocolates, like there was no tomorrow, while they kept complaining at the same time.

Sometimes she wondered with a cynical smile, if it could have been their own husband, who sent the chocolates to Marilyn and the wife now scoffed them.

*~*

In her last week of training, Helena learned a lot about advertising with the meaning of K.I.S.S. which translated to Keep It Simple Stupid.

Before the launch of the big opening, there were local advertisements for two weeks in the Sunday, the Weekender and the Daily newspaper. Only three catchy slogans, designed in full-page format with the address of the Institute and the opening date, but nothing else, no picture, no prices, no phone number, so the women had to come for the advertised day, to receive their free figure analysis, free sauna and complimentary Champagne.

*NO DIET AT ALL, YOUR KILOS VANISH WITH SHERRI-LYNN*

*EAT WHATEVER, COME, SHAKE OFF YOUR WEIGHT*

*SHERRI-LYNN WILL MAKE CHERIE SLIM*

One week before the opening, Miss Wagner invited all reporters from the local newspapers to observe the daily training of the floor-girls, demonstrating how serious the Institute was in giving future clients expertly advise and supervising constantly the exercise program.

The reporters had no choice but to come, considering Miss Wagner paid thousands to their individual newspapers for the full-page advertising campaign. She sweetened their forced acceptance of the invitation, with an impressive liquor bar in the reception room, complimented by serving an endless supply of warm and cold finger food.

Despite the fact, that most of the reporters did not see a glimpse of anything beyond the liquor bar, all their articles were brilliant in the next issue of their newspapers.

At the official opening, women came in droves to Sherri-Lynn. The approach was, the floor-girls served a customer the complimentary glass of Champagne, a second glass relaxing in the sauna. A third glass during a soak in the spa and after they got dressed, Helena was ready for them and geared up for the kill.

She gave them individually her hard-core sales pitch, looked them straight in the eyes and displayed her best understanding smile. It was easy, since it was part of the training, for hours in front of a mirror, to smile sincerely.

Helena gave them two options, to choose a program they liked to join, making them believe it was purely their own decision, to sign the contract. Helena loved this mind game!

After the first day and numerous contracts, she was able to sense which woman was easy picking. From the next day onwards, it took Helena less than 30 minutes from the first handshake, followed by the figure analysis, until a contract was signed.

The others were referred to the receptionist, who booked the appointments for another time, so they could get their free figure analysis, sweetened up with another free visit to sauna, spa and a few glasses of bubbles.

Meanwhile, Miss Wagner did have a terrible time, trying to find a registered masseur and a masseuse. Some applicants never heard of a Swedish massage, could not supply any diploma and were working in dingy massage parlours.

She employed two diploma certified professionals, for whatever reason both had close to no scruples when it came to the necessity for extra weekly massages. They were paid per treatment and it seemed that every customer needed some special attention.

Helena found her métier. She knew she was good at it and the commission paid was not bad either. She worked 10-hour days, without a lunch break, although Saturdays only from 9am to 3pm.

Months later, there were no more appointments to be kept for a free figure analysis and most monthly contracts were converted to yearly memberships.

No more listening to stories that salad diets don’t work, while they were pressed into their expensive leotard outfits. Only the strong quality of the material had to be thanked for, by holding back a force of flesh ready to explode any moment, while they still attacked the box of pralines, placed conveniently in front of them, like in a competition.

She was certain; most overweight women had a deep psychological problem. Any postgraduate student in psychology would have been able to write a thesis on Helena’s observation that many of them bought garments one or two sizes too small and were convinced, it would make their figure look slimmer. Instead, they all resembled deformed sausages, bulging at the wrong places and to make this matter even worse, any single colour especially yellow, pink or lime was really showing every speck roll in detail. It certainly never made a fat woman look skinny!

After all the hectic months, it occurred to Helena, she saw Miss Wagner only once. Suddenly, with more time on her hand, she found out from the receptionist, it was the only time Miss Wagner surfaced.

Apart from this visit, the receptionist received a daily phone call from Miss Wagner, to report on money banked and the volume of new contracts.

Considering there was nobody supervising the business, the staff worked well together in an atmosphere of pleasant politeness, having a good pay packet helped. The floor-girls received the same pay ranking comparable to a manageress in a small retail shop and the receptionist could match her salary with many corporate secretaries. The difference was, most corporate secretaries got their behinds pinched by a horny boss and couldn’t do anything about it, if they wanted to keep their job.

On Miss Wagner’s instruction, Marilyn had a third of her pay sent to a fixed savings account, the rest Marilyn spent, after rent and other living expenses, as usually on her only hobby, going to the movies at least three times a week, watching a love stories or a musical.

Helena enjoyed her slow-motion job for a while, until Miss Wagner returned and called her into the office, which was constantly locked, when she was out of town.

It was this time a superficial greeting, while Miss Wagner listened to different recordings. Helena noticed they were overhearing conversations from the sauna room, reception, and exercising room, Miss Wagner, is this allowed? How can you do that?

It is voice activated. Miss Wagner answered in a tone, as if Helena would have asked her, in which month Christmas will be celebrated this year. Miss Wagner then continued, Helena, I want you to oversee the opening of other Sherri-Lynn studios.

Firstly, the conversation recordings, then Miss Wagner’s attitude, finally by being told to open more studios, Helena was taken by surprise, What about my clients here and their size reducing contracts?

I intend to train one girl in the art of measuring and the now only occasional walk-ins for a new contract. She will be on a well-paid salary, for primarily looking after established clients. There won’t be any advertising or promotions here in the foreseeable future. We have reached our capacity. With the banking figures, I had no problem of finding interested buyers for other studios to be established as franchises in different cities.

Helena noticed the word Institute vanished completely in this conversation and Miss Wagner would train the new floor-girls only for one week at the studios, while Helena would supervise the advertising campaign in the same week and then sign up contracts for two weeks at the franchise studio.

It was afterwards the new owner’s responsibility: to extend contracts, sign up new clients and hang onto the contracts, without Marilyn to soften the blows of complains.

How will I get paid and who will pay me Miss Wagner?

Same as before, I employ you and I pay your basic wages. Don’t forget to push in the new studio our sensational program, loosing minimum one dress size in ten visits without exercises. Not as it was here in the beginning, when clients nearly had to beg you to sign them up for it.

I was very busy then, the first week was an avalanche of fat women.

Sure Helena, try to remember you will be at the new studio only for two weeks to earn your commission. The owner paid big money for the franchise name, additionally the cost of the studio fittings and equipment, trainees’ wages, advertising, plus catering including liquor for opening and your hotel accommodation as well as expenses. It is in your own interest to do your best. I hope you receive a nice pay from the new franchisee when you are leaving and then let the owner worry about extending contracts. Give them also a gentle hint of a reminder, they can ask you for a paid repeat, to get more extended contracts.

Sherri-Lynn studios began to mushroom all over Germany, from Hamburg in the north to Munich in the south, every month there was a new studio.

Naturally, Helena was no longer catching a train. She often preferred understatements, therefore, she bought herself a car, which from the outside looked like an original VW Beetle, but was a green mean machine in disguise.

It was fitted with luxurious padded, deep brown leather seats and the dashboard resembled a cock-pit in a jet plane. No room for any passenger at the back, just enough space for luggage.

The best part of the car was the Porsche motor. A thick steel plate was fixed under the entire length of the chassis, for extra stability, apart from special tyres, for Germany’s snowy roads in the winter time.

The previous owner was the senior mechanic at a Porsche dealership and nearly cried, when he sold the car to Helena. His wife was glad to see the end of the ‘Money Pit’, as she referred to the car. She had given him the ultimatum that it was her and their marriage, or the car. Any other car enthusiast would have decided on the car and let her go!

Helena kept the big writing across the rear window: Mercedes’ Rescue Car, painted in shocking pink; and for no apparent reason, she named the car Freddie.

It was a special thrill for her, leaving at traffic lights other drivers behind, or overtaking other cars on the Autobahn at 220 km per hour and she drove ‘Freddie’ all over Germany, opening studios. Now it became a routine, she would supervise the advertising campaign - including the invitations with a huge bar for the reporters - and then ‘hammering in’ the contracts for the new franchise owner.

Helena booked a flight to West-Berlin for another opening, the only place reachable in Germany exclusively by air. It was one of the biggest blunders when the Americans decided for the other three Allies; Germany was to be divided into four sections after the total capitulation of the nation.

The eastern part of Germany was from then on under Russian control, declared as East-Germany and had nothing of value to offer, low population, no heavy industries, primarily endless farm land, which Russia had plenty of. The capitol city Berlin was to be divided into East-Berlin for Russia and West-Berlin for the western Allies.

Unfortunately, none of the Americans realised that Berlin was situated in the middle of the new created East-Germany, belonging to Russia, there was no turning back.

The western Allies had to create an air corridor to West-Berlin, for the more than 2 million citizens, or give up Berlin completely and let their citizen’s fate be in the hands of Russia, which started to become a matter of humanitarian principles, because Russia intended to starve the Berlin people to death, by not wasting one bullet.

*~*

Helena met Gloria in the second week of opening the West-Berlin studio, while signing her up for a contract. Gloria really did not need a program, instead of it, the truth about herself would have been more appropriate, which was not what Helena was getting paid for, so she signed her up for a contract anyway.

Gloria used to be a popular child and teenager film star known throughout Europe and now regarded as a has-been. Her historic film roles as a young Princess Sissie and later Queen Sissie, were legendary; all she really had to do look photogenic and walk graciously in 18th Century costumes. There was no acting involved.

She tried unsuccessful to get a chance for a come-back in the film industry, still pretending to be an innocent teenager when she celebrated her 29th birthday for the third or fourth time. Understandable, nobody wanted to make a movie with her.

Then she had the disastrous idea to produce and direct her own film and naturally perform as the star as well. It was good old Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet to be produced authentic in every detail and presented as a serious drama, with co-star Alan Dubois from France, who was a photo model for swim wear and primarily Gloria’s boyfriend, but not an actor. The result was a Pandora box of clumsy performances.

Alan and the movie were financially a fiasco for Gloria. She went to France, hiding in the country-side with Alan in tow and nearly lost all what was left of her investments, thanks to him.

Since the disastrous premiere, the movie was an important part of the permanent film archive at the State School for Music and Drama in Hamburg, to demonstrate to their pupils that this was never the way it should be done.

After years, the European critics were still debating; if the film was supposed to be some sort of persiflage, or a weird and wacky comedy. Only one Swiss film critic was proposing the possibility, it was maybe just a plain disaster of a film. Starting with Gloria, an obvious dilettante director’s debut, with an impossible untalented Romeo, also the over the top tacky decorations and costumes. He was instantly ridiculed by his colleagues, they were all convinced that nobody in the film industry could be that stupid.

Recently, Gloria’s manager convinced her, the calling for her was now on stage to perform in a modern dramatic role, to show the public real talent. There she was in Helena’s office, explaining why she had to be