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After ruling out pregnant skydiving and deciding against getting vajazzled (an idea that she did not immediately turn down), I came across a foot massage advertisement. Now typically, because of the loose joints that my genetic condition gives me, I don't enjoy massages. I tried to explain to The Guy once when he talked me into getting a couple’s massage with him.
Ask him about it.
No seriously.
For some reason I agreed to go with him, and I found myself in a spa much fancier than is acceptable for my class of human. The Guy was lying on a massage table over on his side of the room, making relaxed, groany sex noises, and I was over on my side whimpering in pain.
My massage ended when the masseuse dislocated my rib and I burst into tears.
So when I saw via Groupon that getting just a foot only massage was an option, I figured I’d give it a whirl!
That is, until I really took a look at the wording of the advertisement; “where you come to have all your tensions, of every kind, released, as we hit just the right spot. No one leaves until they have been completely satisfied in every way."
Hum. Now I'm not always the brightest crayon in the box, but even I began to question what goes on there…
But then I found another place that looked more legit, so I bought two sessions, and that is where this story really starts to get weird.
A couple weeks later, Frisbee Boy's Mom and I showed up bright and early to have our feet massaged. I was immediately surprised and impressed at how authentically Asian the decor of the place was. From the detailed wall hangings to the ornate furniture, it felt like I had just walked in off the streets of China.
I was a little disappointed when I was told that being pregnant, they would not be able to massage the bottoms of my feet due to the risk of inducing labor, but I didn't want to complain so I kept my mouth shut and pretended that I was totally fine booking a massage to have the tops of my feet rubbed.
Because that's totally the type of foot rub people enjoy. The boney part.
After being led through silk curtains and into a dark room, Frisbee Boy’s Mom and I were instructed to lay down on a padded table, with our legs hanging off.
Walking over to me, a woman, who appeared to be in her late 60's, picked up a remote control, and pushed a button. Like a hospital bed, my table began to sit up.
“You like it!” she said, startling me both with her gusto, and the sudden break in silence. It appeared to be more of a statement rather than a question, so I nodded, because it seemed impolite to act as if I didn't like their services.
In response to my nod of approval, she excitedly proclaimed again, “you like it more!” and continued to assist the table in sitting me up.
I didn’t respond this time, because I was still trying to figure out if this was a question, or rather an instruction as to how I should feel about the table folding in half. Either way, I didn’t have a lot of time to ponder it before she said again — with an intensity level that rivaled most die-hard-fans at a sporting event — “YOU LIKE IT MORE!”
YES! YES! I nodded. I LIKE IT MORE!
I don't know why the hell I did that or what the hell I was doing, I was just too scared to disagree, and folding in half seemed like the better option at the time.
*shrugs*
With the table having no place else to go unless I wanted to be massage parlor roadkill, she stopped folding me in half, and then placed my feet in hot water. She wrapped my hands up in a heated blanket, laid a towel over my eyes, and then
What the hell kind of foot massage place is this? Bitch doesn’t even know where my feet are!
Feet or face apparently didn't matter to her, because she got right to work rubbing my forehead, and then running her hands up my face and back through my hair.
I’m sitting there wondering if I misread the sign outside that said “foot massage spa” and it actually said “foot massage spa and hairdo place,” because I’m pretty sure that at this point, I’m going to be leaving here with “Something About Mary” hair.
As suddenly as she started, she stopped.
She took my feet out of the water, placed them on an ottoman in front of her, and after lowering herself down onto a stool, started massaging the tops of my boney feet, and my ankles.
I’m not going to lie, it was a little bit strange, but she redeemed herself because somehow, I was relaxing.
That is, until she got confused by feeling a surgical screw in the side of my ankle, and started vigorously attempting to massage out the “knot.” She didn’t seem to speak much English, and I couldn’t think of a way to accurately mime out “that is a surgical screw” without making it look like I wanted her to massage harder, so I just let her do her thing.
I’m pretty sure it was awkward for both of us.
Eventually she finished the foot massage, and wrapped both my feet in hot towels. By now, I've forgiven her for making me do table yoga and rearranging my hair, and what's running through my mind sounds more like “Eden, you really nailed this one. I mean this right here, this is the good life. You should do this more often. You’ve been through a lot, girl you deserve this!!”
Just then, I notice that I can hear her shuffling around the room. I can’t see her with the towel over my face, and I can’t move it to peek since my hands are still wrapped up, so I’m using every ninja skill motherhood has given me, to not move at all, and yet still figure out exactly what she is doing.
I mean you never know when you might get slapped in the face with lotion, so you might want to be prepared.
Well, I didn’t have to wait long, because the next thing I know, I hear her move the ottoman, and come up between my legs, where she starts massaging my thighs.
This has just taken a very unexpected turn.
“OK, just relax," I'm trying to tell myself. "Thighs are legs, legs are attached to feet, maybe this is some kind of grand finale.”
She massages my outer thighs rather vigorously, and when she moves to my inner thighs and her... eh hem... technique... becomes a bit more gentle, I feel like I can’t lie to myself anymore and must execute some kind of escape plan immediately.
But then, just like the hairdo massage, just as suddenly as she started, she stopped.
She walks over to where my legs are, places them both back on the ottoman, picks one back up, and then drops it.
Then she does the same to other.
She does this a few more times — the repeated picking up and dropping of my legs — and before I knew what hit me, she hit me.
Like literally, no joke, this woman is bitch slapping my legs with both the front and back of her hands, over and over again.
By now I'm also realizing that my self preservation safety skills are seriously lacking, because again, I do nothing. Actually, I sit there and try to hear if Frisbee Boy's Mom is also getting beaten up, but even that is made more difficult when the
Karate. Chop. My. Legs.
This chick is full out kung-fu ninja-ing me, a pregnant woman, in what appears to be something she probably just saw on TV and thought it looked fun to try.
Just when I am about to burst into tears, or break down into nervous laughter, she stops.
With my face still covered, she puts my shoes on. The towel comes off my eyes and the first thing that I see, is her face about five inches from mine.
"YOU LIKE IT!” she shrieks before handing me a glass of water.
What. The. Serious. Fuck.
I look over at Frisbee Boy’s Mom, who is still laying flat on her back, and has just gotten the towel removed from her face.
“You already have your shoes on?” she asks me.
“I don’t even know what just happened” I say to her. “Yea,” she laughs. “Before they started on me, I saw her rubbing lotion through your hair. They didn’t do that to me.”
“Did they slap you?” I asked her.
“No” she says, "but it explains what that noise was."
“Did they rub your inner thighs?”
“Not for $28” she replies while placing some tip money on the ottoman. "But I may not be against it for that price” she chuckles.
We leave, me still not knowing what the heck happened, and a few hours later, here I am, writing this blog, that has no real ending, because seriously?
What. The. Fuck.
I mean I really don't even know what to say about any of that. I booked myself a boney massage, where I was forced into an unnatural position, nearly had a sexual experience, was slapped, and then when the lights came on, a drink was thrust into my hands, I threw a few dollars at her, and then she kicked me out the door.
They make bad porn like that.
Or... apparently now... you can have the real life experience if you buy a coupon off of Groupon.
Bwahahaa.....That's awesome. It's even more awesome that Frisbee-Guy's Mom was right there and didn't help you. :D Massages can get so weird, though. I had one where the masseuse was literally falling asleep during the massage (I'm pretty sure he was on some sort of opioid), but I was also too weirded out to actually say anything! I just let him snooze through, and got the hell out afterwards.
ReplyDeleteHahaha! That would happen to you! That's hysterical! Did you at least get your money back? I wish I could have seen his face when he woke up. He was probably trying to remember finishing the massage and walking you out!
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ReplyDeleteMy parents are from China and that's how I would describe most Asian or Chinese themed establishments.
DeleteWait... what other term would you use? I live down the street from an "Oriental fish market," an "Oriental buffet" and an "Oriental nail salon." All have "oriental" in the title. Since when is that offensive???? Isn't it called "visiting the orient?" How is that any different than "Western," or "Southern". Or even "European" ???
DeleteLooks like the original OP deleted their comment, but I had no idea the word Oriental was offensive. I thought it just referred to a region of the world. Obviously this blog is about accepting everyone, so I apologize if I offended and I changed the word. Sorry!
DeleteI've heard that calling people Oriental is offensive, but describing places as Oriental isn't.
DeleteThat's what I thought too, but maybe I was wrong.
DeleteEden how do you even? I mean really, HOW DO YOU EVEN? You have THE strangest experiences and id love to just go along for the ride some time.
ReplyDeleteBefore we left, I was already telling Frisbee Boy's Mom that this was a blog moment, because WHAT THE HELL? Why can't I just get a damn relaxing foot massage!? Haha!!
Deletei lmao
ReplyDeleteHehe
DeleteLOL reminds me of the time i thought a mother daughter massage would be cool.. until the moaning started in the next room. I was mortified... dude next door was very loud "oh yeah, mmmm baby yes". Awkward...
ReplyDeleteHahaha!!! I literally cannot even imagine!!
DeleteOkay so I was there and this blog had me reliving it and laughing all over again. Then I went for a hair cut this morning and as she's massaging my hair all I could think about was this blog. During the massage, my face was also covered with a towel everyone so I did not see what was going on in the chair next to me... But it could only happen to Eden LOL Thanks for the treat honey. Love you 💕💕
ReplyDeleteHaha! And I bet YOU LIKED IT !!!
DeleteWellllll......
DeleteThere are not enough laughing crying emojis in the world for this post! Again, I wish I lived sooooooo much closer to you so i could just hang out with you and we could be freinds! The things that you go through are sooooooooo out of this world! I was LOL'ing at my desk so hard I was crying!
ReplyDeleteI had a masseuse play Happy Trails and other cowboy type music with coyotes howling in the background. She would massage for about 5 seconds and then just stop mid squeeze, like she was in a trance, for a few minutes and then start again. This went on for an hour and I kept asking if she was okay and all she would do was hum along to the music. When she finished she bent down to whisper in my ear, "That was relaxing." For whom? That's what I wanted to know.
ReplyDeleteI am laughing out loud and crying from this experience!!! This is some good writing here!! 😂😂😂
ReplyDeleteI totally needed that laugh today 😂😂😂
ReplyDelete😂😂 hilarious!!! This is my other favorite massage story, which might make you feel like yours wasn't so bad!
ReplyDeleteWhen she started the slapping, I was dying. Then you said she was standing over you when you opened your eyes and I lost it completely. 😂😂
ReplyDeleteWhat the serious F?!!
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry.. but this just made me pee a little from laughing so hard.. I always wondered what a happy ending looked like... thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteI got a Groupon massage at a place near me. I overheard the two receptionists chatting as I was filling out forms. One of them said, "I hate these Groupon people. I wish they would just stop buying our Groupons!" The other one agreed with her.
ReplyDeleteMy massage sucked. The person barely put any pressure and basically just gently rubbed my back. Which, I guess feels good, but I wanted an actual massage and not a back rub. I asked him to apply more pressure and he would for a few seconds, but then it went back to a back rub my cat could give me.
They asked me to fill out a questionnaire at the end and I mentioned that the pressure wasn't sufficient, despite my asking for increased pressure. The receptionist looked at me and said, "Well, now you can pay full price for a massage next time!"
Uh, one, what makes you think there will be a next time?
Two, if you hate Groupon so much, why do you sell massages on their site?
That's so rude!! I would have felt so uncomfortable!! Aaaannnndddd I probably wouldn't have been able to keep my mouth shut lol.
DeleteSo glad you bought a certificate just for a stranger to touch you. RUDE.
I have an extreme inability to speak up sometimes. Working on it, but as I'm sure you're aware, childhood experiences are hard to overcome.
ReplyDeleteIt would have been at least tolerable if he had been cute, but he wasn't. Such a bummer, haha.
Eden this has to be a thing because my sister and i went for a massage that we also got off GROUPON and same thing happened to me! Only difference....MINE WAS FULL BODY. The slapping, the karate chopping. At one point she was standing on my bed stradling me amd grabbed my hands amd pulled me into a back bend. My bare chest exposed. LOL literally right down to the will she wont she happy ending 😂😂😂
ReplyDeleteI know I shouldn't laugh... but HAHAHAHA.
DeleteOh my gosh. I'm not sure that I would have survived that lol !