Joanne and I had been together for almost a year when I first discovered the ointment shop. Joanne was pretty much everything I looked for in a woman. She was 5' 5", with perky breasts and raven black hair. She was intelligent, working at a local library while putting herself through school for a pharmacology degree. She had a sense of humor, and a great smile. There was only one problem: she had a rather low sex drive.
It wasn't that she hated sex, or had a problem being intimate with me, rather it simply never occured to her, as she was very wrapped up in her studies and her work at the library. Initially, that didn't bother me at all, but after nine months, things had grown a bit tense in our home. I didn't want to ditch her, but a man has needs, you know what I'm saying?
I don't exactly know what drew me into the store, or why I
had never noticed it before. Almost against my will, I went inside, not knowing what they sold, or if I would even want anything.
An ancient chinese man worked the counter, dusting the shelves, which were filled with all manner of bottles and tins, all of them unlabeled. I browsed silently for a few minutes, attempting to decipher the uses for the items, and was unable to do so. Then the man spoke.
"Looking for something?" he asked me, smiling a knowing smile.
"Uh...I'm really just browsing," I replied, "But I can't help but notice that nothing is labelled. Exactly what is it that you sell here?"
"We sell dreams, sir," he replied, still with a knowing smile. "Anything you desire, anything you wish, we can help you."
I don't know why I chose to confide such an intimate problem to the old man. Perhaps it was the anonymity, perhaps it was desperation. At any rate, I spent the next fifteen minutes telling him about my problem with Joanne.
"Ahh..I see," he said knowingly. "I have what you wish for right here." He reached onto a shelf behind him, pulling down a small bottle. "This will bring out the animal in your woman," he said, smiling once more.
"Really? Are you sure?" I asked him.
"I guarantee it, sir. Simply put a few drops into her drink, and all will be as you desire."
"How much?" I asked, slightly wary of some old man's aphrodesiac.
"For you sir, there is no charge, simply tell others of this small shop," he said, waving me to the door.
"Umm..err...thanks," I stammered, eager to get home and try it out.