The beauty of the fall season was on full display in New York’s Central Park. The crisp autumn air and the vibrant colors of the changing leaves made for a lovely setting. Men in long coats and fedora hats passed elegant women with precisely coiffed hair. The nineteen-fifties were in full swing, and America was prosperous in the decade after the Second World War.
The pleasant afternoon was interrupted by one discordant note. A very pretty young woman, statuesque and graceful, sniffled as she walked slowly through the park, tears welling up in her eyes. Her pretty face was red and a bit puffy, framed by her long, jet-black hair with uniform bangs hanging down over her forehead. Doing her best to reign in her now flaring emotions, the pretty young woman managed to make her way to a park bench, hoping that setting down would help her regain her composure.
Wrapping her arms around herself, the upset young woman cried for a little bit, closing her eyes as she tried to calm herself down. Her long coat pulled tight, she did her best to fight off the slight chill in the air.
“Surely it can’t be all that bad dear?” a kindly voice asked from beside her. The young woman hopped a little in surprise, startled that someone had sat down next to her without her noticing. “A pretty girl like you shouldn’t be so upset.”
The questioner smiled at the young woman. Her withered old features soft and friendly. She was the prototypical grandmotherly type, short and sweet looking. Her twinkling eyes sparkled as she waited for the pretty young woman to answer her.
“Oh…I’m sorry. Don’t mind me ma’am…I don’t want to bother you while you’re visiting the park.” The young woman gathered herself together, and began to stand up, excusing herself from her new companion.
As she rose, the old woman gently grasped her arm, gesturing for her to sit back down. “Don’t run off my dear. You’re no bother. Why don’t you tell me what’s wrong? It often helps to tell someone about the things that are troubling us.”
The old woman’s warm smile made the young lady feel suddenly more at ease. As she sat down, she realized that old woman reminded her very much of her own Grandmother. Sighing a bit, she relaxed back onto the bench.
“I don’t know where to begin. I…things just aren’t working out like I thought they would..” unable to continue, the young woman began to tear up again.
“You just moved her didn’t you sweetie?” the old woman chuckled softly as she patted the younger woman on the arm.
A little surprised at her insight, the young woman managed to reply, “Why-yes, how did you know?”
The old woman smiled again. “You pretty young ladies are a frequent site in this town. This is the place where you all come while searching for your dreams.”
“Well, you’re right. I came her from home a month or so ago. I thought I would try and become and actress, or model, or something…but, well, things just aren’t going well.” The young woman began to sniffle a bit at the admission.
“Go on dear.” the old woman offered as she put her hand up on the lovely young woman’s shoulder.
“I’ve gone to audition after audition, and nobody has any use for me. I’m just not making it, and now, I’m running out of money. My rent is due soon.” the young woman continued.
The old woman nodded sympathetically.
“The horrible thing is…the only job offer I’ve had…the only interest anyone has shown in me…well…it’s hard to talk about…” the young woman struggled to continue, embarrassment overwhelming her.
“Go ahead dear, tell me what the problem is, you won’t shock me. I’ve seen and heard it all living in this city.” the old woman encouraged her.
“I went to a audition yesterday and they want me to model for them, but, its for some kind of girly pictures! They want me to pose in underwear, wear high heels, be tied up, all kinds of perverted stuff. They’ll pay me a fortune to do it, but I just can’t do it. It’s all so sickening.” The young woman frowned in disgust at the very thought of it.
“Hmmm. That is a pickle,” the old woman answered.
“Well, I don’t have to think about it. I’d rather go back home with my tail between my legs than sink to that level,” the young woman declared. Strengthened by the old woman’s seeming agreement.
“Good for you dear. It’s important to stick to one’s principles; to remain moral and upright in one’s own mind.”
Pulling a compact and handkerchief out of her coat pocket, the pretty young woman looked in it to try and get her crying-fatigued face presentable.
“Yes, such things are important. One must be at ease in one’s own mind. Of course, you can’t just turn your back on easy money. A girl with a figure like yours could go far in those girly-books and such. You can’t deny a body like yours is made for that kind of thing. It’s always a shame when a prissy little prude like you doesn’t realize her full potential.”
Not really believing her ears, the young woman turned her compact a bit to look at the old woman. “What did you say…?” she managed as her eyes met a most horrible sight.
Where the kindly old face should have been, a very different set of facial features grinned at her in the compact’s mirror image. The face of the old woman was someone else’s. A smiling male face sneered at the pretty young woman. Turning to look at her, the young woman saw that the old lady only looked like that in the mirror, her smile being the same kindly old face she had seen for the past several minutes.
“I said that it sickens me when a delicious bitch like you doesn’t use everything life gave her to full effect. Boy am I glad I hitched a ride in this old bag today. It’s not everyday that a mount like you comes along, and because I happened to find myself in this withered crone, I get a crack at you,” the old woman smiled.
“What in the….” before the young woman could finish what she was saying, the old woman leaned into her, grabbing her with her surprisingly strong arms. Before she could let out a scream, the old woman’s left hand shot up over the surprised young woman’s mouth.
As she tried to break the old woman’s grasp, the young woman’s eyes went wide with terror. A strange, flowing mass began to rush from the old woman’s hands, rushing out like geysers, out of her and suddenly into the young woman. She tried to scream as the liquid form flowed into her mouth, choking her. A bizarre, warm sensation began to fill her, overwhelming all of her senses. As she tried desperately to get away, the young woman’s awareness gradually melted away, until her mind sank into a deep, utterly silent sleep.
The old woman’s discarded body sank back onto the park bench, exhausted and unconscious. Beside her, the young woman seemed to go slack as well, just after the last of the flowing form had disappeared within her.
After a bit, her eyes fluttered open again as she returned to wakefulness. A sly smile crept over her face as the new consciousness that controlled her began to become aware of his surroundings. Setting up, the beautiful young woman began to pat down her own body, feeling herself with admiring hands. “OOOOO…she’s even better than I thought she’d be. This is fantastic!”
Standing up, the dark-haired young woman continued to appraise herself. The mind that had stolen her body seemed to be pleased with his new home. Looking down at the unconscious old woman, thankful that the he had come across this magnificent new mount all by itself in the park, the Body Hopper began to take inventory of the young woman’s dreaming mind, sifting through her memories and knowledge for anything of use. A cocky bounce to her step, the young woman’s body walked off and out of the park, it’s new owner excited about the possibilities that lay before him.
While the young woman may have been loath to lower herself to posing for girly-magazines and fetish films, he would have no problem what-so-ever in making money in that line. In fact, he couldn’t think of anything more exciting than the thought of putting this sexy young body on display for the world to see. Corsets, stockings, the highest of heels, whips and ropes. He couldn’t wait to get her body into them. He’d show the world this amazing new body, and have as much fun as he could doing so. Bettie Page may not have known what a great opportunity her body presented, but her new owner did.