It's hard enough to find a good houseboy so when you get one with potential, you
need to work hard to make it work. But the fundamental problem is that a
houseboy's relationship with his Mistress is a very special and personal one so
the hard work required is of a very special nature. That's how it was with my
newly purchased houseboy and me.

I had taken a chance on this boy when I was at Festival last September and I
realized then that he would require special care. It wasn't until he arrived a
few weeks later that I understood how unique our relationship would be. He didn't
need just training; rather, he required re-training. He needed to learn how to
trust.

I guess that's why folks don't often buy previously owned houseboys. Sometimes,
they're just too hard to work with. But I've never been one to go with the
consensus; instead, I'd rather do things my own way and follow my own instincts.
That's how it was with Peter.

He had a history although maybe it's more accurate to say that his history "had"
him. Although I owned him, I believe his prior experiences controlled him and try
as he might, he just could not break free of their restraints. He required some
help and I was just the owner to help him. After all, I had been without a
houseboy for too long and I was tired of having those chores to perform myself or
worse, having to look over every sub's shoulder to make sure he was performing
simple chores the way I preferred.

It was just too tiring. I needed, no, by now I *required* a houseboy who could
perform simple as well as complex chores on his own -- and get them the way I
wanted them -- without my constant supervision. I had other things to do.

So I guess that's why I decided to work so hard with Peter. Something about him
just told me that he had the potential to become a winner but the chronicles of
his British servitude seemed inescapable for him. It was just up to me, I guess,
and depended on whether or not I wanted to work with him.

Deciding to work with a sub or just get rid of him is a big decision for me.
First of all, there's the expense of getting another one, but second, and more
important, there's the whole idea of breaking in a new member of the household.
Why begin if you're not going to finish? I always say, 'Any job big or small, do
it right or not at all.'

No, Peter posed a dilemma and unfortunately, it required my direct interference.
He was much like a former houseboy I had and treasured dearly who had to leave
for personal reasons -- he had a very ill family member -- and he took it upon
himself to train his replacement. Initially, I thought this was a good idea, but
when the boy finally left and the new one took his position, it was as if he
weren't mine at all.

What I learned is that *no one* can train a houseboy *for* you. It's just
something you have to do yourself if the boy is going to be yours. Only then can
you claim him as your own. It's sort of like housebreaking a puppy; if you break
him, he's yours.