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only time we played chess。〃 He shook his head slowly。 〃I'm running
out of things to try。〃
〃Face it babe； you're just not in my league。 I'm quicker； smarter； faster；
and stronger than you are。〃 Margo smirked and added； 〃Maybe you
should hit the weight room a little more and the dining room a little
less。〃
〃Hey； now； let's not get nasty；〃 snapped Larry。 〃I'm in pretty good shape
for a guy who works at a desk forty hours a week。 Besides； who says
you're stronger than I am？ I'm willing to concede that you're faster；
maybe even smarter； but there's no way you're stronger than me。〃
Margo's face froze。 〃Watch it buddy。 You're mouth's writing checks
your body can't cash；〃 she growled。
〃What the hell does that mean？〃 Larry demanded。
〃It means； how do you know I'm not stronger than you are？〃
〃Because men are stronger than women；〃 replied Larry。
Margo threw her head back and roared with laughter。 〃Why； you
chauvinistic； conceited； stupid idiot；〃 Margo said； wiping sweat off her
face。 〃I'll admit that some men are stronger than some women。 That
doesn't mean you are stronger than me！ It just doesn't work that way。
Have you ever seen any evidence that I'm not stronger than you are？〃
〃Well； no。 I've never seen your arms or legs； you always wear long
sleeves and pants； and you always work out in an oversized sweatsuit。〃
〃And you've never seen me lift weights； either。 On the other hand； I've
seen your arms and legs； Skinny。 I've got a pretty good idea of your
strength。〃 A smile touched Margo's lips briefly。 〃So let's go on the
evidence you've got。〃
〃Well； you're a couple of inches taller than I am；〃 Larry mused。 〃You've
got a pretty athletic build； from what I can see。 But I still can't believe
you're stronger than me。〃
〃What would it take to convince you？ Do you want to see who can lift
more weight？〃
〃Weightlifting's no good； technique means as much as strength。〃 Larry
thought a second。 〃I used to be a pretty good wrestler in college。 Why
don't we wrestle to see who's stronger？〃
Margo laughed again。 〃You think the stronger wrestler always wins？
You've admitted you know something about the sport； what if I don't？
I'd say that would give you something of an advantage； wouldn't you？〃
She shook her head； sending drops of perspiration to the floor。 〃Boy；
talk about trying to stack the deck in your favor。〃 Margo stepped closer
to Larry； forcing him back a step。 〃However； it does give me an idea。 A
contest with five parts。〃 Margo poked a finger into Larry's chest as she
ticked off the different tests。 〃Arm wrestling； leg wrestling； a tug of
war； simultaneous bear hugs； and simultaneous head scissors。 The
winner of three of the 'tests of strength' is declared the stronger； and the
loser has to be the winner's servant for a month。〃
〃Well； I'm not sure。。。〃
〃What's the matter； big talker； losing your nerve？〃
〃You're on； Margo；〃 said Larry angrily。 〃Where are we going to do this；
and who can we get to referee？〃
〃I know a private gym； and the owner will be glad to act as referee。
When？〃
〃How about tomorrow night？〃
〃Eight o'clock？〃
〃You're on！ See you then。〃 Larry headed off to the showers。
Margo smiled。 〃Yeah； Larry； see you then；〃 she said softly。 She bent
down and picked up the racquetball in her left hand。 With a slow； steady
increase in pressure she squeezed the ball until it split。 Margo laughed；
then dropped the mutilated ball to the floor and headed to the locker
room。
Larry's telephone rang the next morning。 〃Hello；〃 he said。
〃Hi； Sweetie； guess who？〃 Margo's voice purred。
〃Yeah； Margo； what's up？〃
〃Here's the address of the gym for tonight's little contest。 Ready？〃
〃Margo； are you sure you want to do this？〃
〃What's the matter； getting cold feet？〃 the voice taunted。 〃Chicken。。。〃
〃Just give me the damn address；〃 he snarled。 Larry grabbed a pen and
paper and wrote the address down。 〃Eight o'clock； right？〃 he said。
〃Right you are； Babe。 Don't be late；〃 Margo warned。 〃By the way； I've
invited some friends along to watch。 Is that okay with you； or will you
be too embarrassed to get beat in front of a crowd？〃
〃Bring along whoever you want； big talker。 I just hope they won't be too
disappointed when you lose；〃 Larry retorted。
〃My； aren't we confident！〃 teased Margo。 〃See you later。〃 Larry slammed
the phone down。 〃Bitch！〃 he muttered。
Larry arrived at the designated address at a quarter to eight that
evening。 He parked his car in front of a square； run down two story building。
A sign above the door read 〃Dominique's Amazon Gym … Members Only〃。
A tall young black woman dressed in a sweat suit and smoking a cigar
leaned against the wall next to the door with her arms crossed。 〃You
Larry？〃 she asked。
〃Yeah。〃
〃Come on in。 Everyone's here。〃 She tossed away the cigar； then opened
the door and motioned Larry through into a hallway that smelled of
leather； liniment； and sweat。 〃Sorry there's no men's locker room； never
needed one；〃 the woman continued。 〃We cleaned out a utility closet for
you。〃 She indicated a door on the right。 〃Hope it's big enough。〃
〃It'll do。 Thanks； uh。。。〃
〃Name's Dominique。〃 As the woman stuck out a large paw and shook
Larry's hand； he noticed that her shoulders were exceptionally wide and
she towered above him by a good seven inches。 〃When you're dressed；
just walk up those stairs at the end of the hall。 Good luck； Larry。〃
Dominique turned on her heel； and he thought he heard her mutter；
〃You'll need it。〃 She walked off with long； confident strides。
Larry changed to shorts and a tee shirt。 He tied his sneakers tightly and
did a couple of knee bends in the cramped space of the small closet。 He
was beginning to regret that he had ever gotten into this； but was too
stubborn to back down now。
Larry walked down the hall and climbed the stairs。 He didn't know
exactly what he had expected； but it was nothing like what met his eyes
as he reached the upper floor。 There was a large room； probably the
entire upper floor of the building。 Inside Larry could make out several
punching bags； both speed bags and heavy body bags。 Along one wall
was a large collection of barbells and weights。 Across the room from the
stairs was what looked like a regulation boxing ring； complete with
ropes and bell。 Bleachers were pulled out from the wall to provide
seating for about fifty people。
As he crossed the floor； he noticed that all the other people in the room
were women。 He saw Margo； dressed in her usual floppy sweats； her
pale hair tied into a pony tail； standing next to the ring talking to
Dominique。 Slowly he realized that the buzz of conversations had died
down and all the women were staring at him。 Margo glanced over at
him and smiled grimly。
〃Well； nice to see you're punctual；〃 she called。 〃Come on over and let's
get started。〃
Larry crossed the floor to where Dominique and Margo waited。
Dominique looked down at him and snickered slightly。 Larry reddened。
〃OK； there'll be five tests of strength；〃 said Dominique； 〃starting with
arm wrestling。 That'll be followed by leg wrestling； tug of war； bear
hugs and head scissors。 It takes three wins to be declared the champion。
All five tests will be completed； even if one person loses the first three。〃
She looked at Larry and snickered again。
〃First thing I'm going to do is weigh you both in；〃 Dominique continued。
〃I'll get your heights； too。〃 She led the way to the scale。 〃Margo
first。〃。。。。。
Margo stepped on the scale。 〃Weight； two fourteen；〃 called Dominique。
She adjusted the ruler to the top of Margo's head。 〃Height； six feet three
inches。〃 Larry was stunned by Margo's size。 He hadn't realized that
Margo was that tall； and he thought their weights were nearly the same；
but she weighed at least forty pounds more than he did。 Dominique
turned to Larry。 〃Your turn。〃 Margo stepped down right into Larry's
path。 For a second his brown eyes stared into her Arctic gray ones； then
Margo stepped aside with a mocking smile。 〃Weight； one seventy…one；〃
Dominique said。 〃Height； five feet eleven。〃
Dominique led the way to the ring。 Larry saw that it contained an
unusual table； about three feet square。 The table had a peg on two sides
and what looked like leather cups on the alternate sides。 The table was
mounted on a piece of wood about ten feet by four feet。 Margo stalked
to one side of the table； behind one of the cups。 Larry moved
uncertainly to the side opposite her。
〃This is a regulation arm wrestling table；〃 explained Dominique。 〃You
put your elbow in the cup and you grab the peg with your other hand。
You each get a good grip with interlocked thumbs and then I set you up
in the right position。 Then I'll say 'go' and you try to pin your opponent's
arm down。〃 She looked at both contestants。 〃You have five minutes to
beat your opponent； after that I call it a draw。 Any questions？〃
Neither Margo nor Larry said anything。 〃Either one of you left
handed？〃 asked Dominique。 Both contestants shook their heads。 〃OK；
then； this'll be just the one fall； right hands only。 If your grip slips； I'll
strap you together。〃 She held up a canvas strap。 〃Now； get in position。〃
Larry uneasily placed his right elbow into the padded receptacle and
grabbed the peg on the left side of the table。 Margo deliberately rolled
up the right sleeve of her sweatshirt and placed her elbow in it's place。
Larry was dumbfounded to see the thick sinews running through Margo's
forearm。 He looked up at her face and saw that she was watching him
intently。 Larry stared into Margo's gray eyes like a bird hypnotized by a
snake。 He couldn't seem to take his eyes off hers。
Dominique took both their right hands and ordered them to grip each
other's thumbs； with the wrists crossing。 Larry finally looked away from
Margo's stare and concentrated on getting a good grip on Margo's hand。
He couldn't help noticing that her forearm made his look small； and her
hand was much larger than his was。 When they were both satisfied with
the grip； Dominique took their clasped hands in both her huge ones and
twisted them until she had them perfectly straight。 Larry tensed his
muscles and readied himself to slam Margo's arm down。 Dominique
looked at each of them and said； 〃Ready？〃
Larry and Margo both nodded。 Dominique released their hands； calling；
〃GO！〃
Larry put all his power into his right arm； trying for a quick pin； but
Margo's arm didn't budge。 Sweat broke out on Larry's forehead as he
tried to force her arm to the table； while Margo stood as still as a statue；
showing no strain at all from holding his arm vertical。 For what seemed
like an eternity Larry kept up the pressure until his arm trembled from
the exertion and he began to pant。 Margo waited until he looked into her
eyes again； and then； with a slight smile on her lovely face； she slowly
began to force his right arm down。
Sweat was running down Larry's face； and his hand was sweating as
well； but Margo retained her grip and was forcing his arm down a
millimeter at a time。 Larry tried to hold her back； but it was like trying
to hold back an avalanche with a toothpick。 Slowly； inexorably； Larry's
arm approached the table until it was pinned firmly down against
Margo's left arm。 She held it there for several seconds while she
mockingly smiled at Larry's embarrassment。
〃THE WINNER！〃 called Dominique； 〃in forty…three seconds。〃 Margo
released Larry's sore arm and allowed hers to be raised in victory。
〃Margo leads； one to zero！〃
There was a large chalkboard on the wall behind the ring with both
Larry's and Margo's names printed on it。 Margo walked over and put a
mark under her name。
〃There'll be a five minute break while we clear the table out of the ring；〃
announced Dominique。 She waved her arm and two burly women got up into the
ring and lifted the table over the ropes； handing it to Dominique on the
outside。 She steadied it with little effort while her assistants clambered
out of the ring to take the table from her and store it in a corner。
In the meantime； Larry was trying to work the pain and stiffness out of
his right arm。 He was stunned by Margo's easy victory； especiall