"Where does it hurt?"

I haven't had a massage in over a year. Everything hurts. That's what I am thinking laying naked, covered with a sheet, face up, on the massage table. She is massaging my head. I have no answer.

"Any particular area that has been bothering you?"

She asks as her fingers massage deeply in my neck and jawline.

"My back. Everywhere."

And with that, the enchanting Celtic ambient music begins. And the massage gets quite serious. Anticipating the pleasurable pain that awaits. I need to relax. Stop thinking. Just shut it .... oh my. Fuck!!

She's hit a nerve at the base of my neck, where the shoulder meets the neck. Tender tendon. Shooting pain down my left side. OUCH!! But only for a second as the masseuse, coincidentally my best friend, works down my arm. She whispers.

"I need you to release control and give in to gravity."

Right. That's really what I am trying to do. Let go. Relax. No pain now. She moves to my feet. I am completely relaxed. I could almost fall aslee eek! She found a spot in my foot that made my lower back burst into flames. Oh, my god! I have a pinched nerve in my right hip! I'm not telling her. She'll hurt me.

Still facing up, she begins to stretch my legs and back. She has a special technique to keep the private areas covered as she attempts to touch my nose with my toes. Of course, I am wondering...how many times has this woman seen the privates before mastering her sheet covering technique? Ewwwww!

"Don't try to help. Don't do anything. Just relax."

I must have gone elsewhere, and my body was resisting this stretching business. My right hip is beginning to pulse. Oh my god, I am old!! Crickity creaking. Time to flip over.

I hear the microwave ding. Ramen Noodles? That sprung to mind first. Don't ask me why. No. It's a warm body compress that is placed on my back. She starts on the left side. Deep tissue massage. If I flinch, she'll "work it out."

It hurts. Please don't stop. There is a throbbing pain in my right hip. That's the spot. I hope she doesn't find it. Relax. Float elsewhere. Stop. Everything.

Nope. She found it. Sure as shit! The big ole knot in my hip. Fuck! I know it needs massaging but it hurts. Crap!! Whimpers escape my lips and my body jerks. It becomes too much. Too deep. I pull my body away. I can tell she isn't happy. She gets off that spot none the less.

My whole right side is tingling as she finishes my massage. Warm compress. Light scratching to promote circulation. Oh. Let's not forget one last shot at that knot.

I swear I blacked out. I'm home now, drinking lots of water. I know I will have days of pain. Why do I love this? Why do we get massages? I'm going to find that answer as I've made another appointment for next week.

I'll be over most of this pain by then, I hope!