Addicted

by Abby Rhodes

 

"Good evening, folks. Welcome to another meeting of VS Anonymous. It's cold outside but this is a great turnout, and I bet that's got something to do with Christmas, right?"

(Cheers and clapping)

"I thought so. Because this is our last meeting before December 25, there'll be food and drink available at the back of the hall when the meeting closes. Now who wants to start the meeting? Any volunteers? You don't have to, but we'd love to hear from you so we can give our support and blessings. You're with friends here, so don't be shy."

A pretty blonde stood up and moved towards the low platform. As soon as she turned towards us and opened her mouth we could see she was having trouble. She got as far as, 'Hello, my name's Cathy and I'm a …. '. She burst into tears and had to sit down again.

I hadn't taken a meeting for three weeks and I was way overdue so I stood up and sashayed to the front. I turned to the meeting and I knew I had to keep control. I could feel tears forming that would flow if they got a chance but I could do this. I could beat it, say my piece and be stronger for it.

"Hello. My name's Abby and I'm a Victoria's Secret addict."

(Loud clapping and cheering and cries of 'Yay, Abby' and 'Way to go, Abby.')

"It's been three weeks since my last meeting and I've fallen by the wayside. I've bought from three stores and I've bought from the website. I've maxed out my credit cards and I've applied for a new one. In fact, I've applied for two new cards."

At that moment I was wearing about $350.00 worth of Victoria's Secret. I love the cold weather because I can layer my Victoria's and tonight I was layered to the max because it was supposed to be going to snow later.

"I want to control myself but I'm having trouble. I buy older Victoria's Secret stuff off eBay so I can pretend I'm just a vintage freak but I know it isn't true. I find myself leafing through old catalogues and reaching for the telephone. I need help. My girlfriend does her best. She hides my catalogues and puts my credit card away where she thinks I won't find it but I'm good at tracking it down when I get in the grip of Victoria's Secret fever and I have so many catalogues they take up too much space to hide easily. I'm starting to look at product codes and memorize them.

"I knew the end must be close when I sold my collection of Barbies to pay my credit card minimum and I went and bought an LK174-768 Merry Widow and matching panties instead." (Sighs of 'LK174-768' from those around me)

"I have a 1982 catalogue (gasps from the audience) I keep in a secret place that even my girlfriend doesn't know about and I sneak into the bathroom and study it. I feel the need for counselling. That's all I gave to say. I feel like a failure, but the whole silky, softness thing has me in its grip. I think Victoria's Secret is the lingerie equivalent of chocolate sauce with whipped cream on strawberries and vanilla ice cream."

(Groans from the audience.)

I sat down and people came up to me and hugged me and held my hands in theirs. A girl I knew as Martha took my place at the microphone and told us how she'd fallen in love, as most of us had, with the need to look sexy. Those models had persuaded her that the key to looking sexy was Victoria's Secret, and no-one in the room that night disagreed. We felt sexy because Victoria had promised we were.

Martha told a similar story to mine. She'd maxed her cards and was no longer in a position to buy champagne for Christmas Dinner. She was going to have to settle for a cheap sherry as a substitute.

Jodie stood up and told us about serial trips to Victoria's that left her beautifully undressed but constantly wondering how she could pay for her next pair of panties.

Her story was particularly sad because that very afternoon she'd had to put a favourite chemise to rest. She'd had it for five years and wore it constantly, but nothing lasts forever and she folded it up and wrapped it in tissue paper, put it in a small VS box and consigned it to the back of the garage. No, she couldn't throw it out, it meant too much to her. She'd become engaged in it, worn it on her honeymoon and had one of her children while she was wearing it. Wow, I thought, this is addiction. But who could blame her?

There was restlessness in the crowd and I knew what it was. There were too many descriptions of soft, silky nothings, little bits of froth and lace that we all wanted, needed, demanded. I saw Martha get up and sneak out of the room and not far behind her were three or four other girls. The trouble was, there was a Victoria's Secret store nearby and it was getting on for closing time. I joined the rush. Even if I couldn't afford anything I could still look and touch.

  

  

  

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