V.R. Orthos
Recreational Orthopedics Resort
Installment 5

"All right everyone, I believe we have enough here to start on our discussion of Recreational Orthopedics, why we do it and what do we get out of it. I will appreciate everyone's input but let's try to keep on the topic and not break into small discussion groups..., at least, not yet."

Marjolyjn Holhoffen was in charge of a landmark get together at the ROR and yours truly Tom Johnson and my lovely wife Sue have been given the challenge of trying to keep track of attendees and all the possible thoughts that come out of this. There were perhaps 50 to 60 people in attendance and a board of moderators that consisted of four practicing psychologists. Mari, pronounced M, ar as in hard, e as in e, was in charge. Her full name if you want to try to pronounce it is Mar, as in car, e as in e(yes, the y gets an e sound), o as in oh, lane(yes, the lyjn sounds like lane), Hol as in hole, ho like go, fen as in fen. I know it sounds a little odd but personally I think it fits her. Mari is a transplant from Holland, shares similar interests and is a very nice lady. She is also a trained psychologist. Along with her are three other psychologists. Together they represent a sounding board and possibly some kind of a reference for those of us in attendance to try to figure out this phenomenon called recreational orthopedics.

This topic is one which a great many people either 1)participate, enjoy and don't feel any guilt, 2)participate, enjoy and feel some guilt, 3)participate, enjoy and feel really guilty, 4)would like to participate, enjoy and not feel guilty or 5)have found out about it, are scared/feel guilty, would like to participate but want to know what's wrong with them and 6)are adamantly against it, would never do it and will never be accepting of it. I know that there are many more categories and possible discussion topics but this probably covers most of them in one way or another. Just be open minded, OK? This is probably the first get together of this kind. Two of the members of the board, from what I've heard, have never even heard of or discussed recreational orthopedics and will hopefully be objective in their individual assessments.

As a little more background, we are at the V.R. Orthos Recreational Orthopedics Resort. This is a resort started by Vernon Roger Orthos and his wife, Margaret, to fulfill a need and desire some of us have to wear and enjoy using orthopedic devices, e.g., casts, braces etc., recreationally. I know it may sound strange but that is why this discussion is going on. Don't get me wrong, this board is not here to justify or condemn what we do. What we are trying to do is to come to some kind of a conclusion on why and/or possibly how we came to feel as we do. There are possibly thousands of reasons out there but most of us, as far as I can tell, have some kind of a commonality in reason. That is, we kind of have the same root feelings.

My wife and I got into this a long time ago but kept it hidden. Then came the ad, "Have you ever had fantasies that were unfulfilled in real life? Of course you have. Be it sensual pleasure, recreational orthopedics, adventure or anything else you can imagine, I can help make it come true. My name is Vernon Roger Orthos and I can help you fulfill your fantasy. How you ask? A very good question. And one that I am more than willing to answer. Call VR Orthos and Co. at (xxx)xxx-xxxx"(see Orthos01 for the full story). Well, one thing led to another and we now work at the ROR, that's short for Recreational Orthopedics Resort, as if you couldn't have figured that out.

V.R., after a lot of soul searching and trying to answer others questions finally decided to try something like this conference. He searched and found Mari. Most shrinks he talked to wanted him to come in for therapy and he was about at his wits end when he found her. She told him she had heard of recreational orthopedics(from here on called RO, just to save my typing fingers) but had never met a participant. Finding out about the clinic actually thrilled her. She wanted to find out more and so V.R. invited her. During her stay she did not participate, she was on a fact-finding mission. Boy, did she get an ear full from the guests. She was unobtrusive in her questions and was made to feel right at home. She was well liked and everyone was open with her. She was surprised to hear people's reasons and how they arrived at their conclusions that there was nothing wrong with them and that what they were doing was a recreational activity. I mean, after all, isn't recreation what we want it to be? Mari came with an open mind and left with more questions than ever. She told V.R. that she would get back with him. Several weeks later she said she would like to have a sort of symposium on the subject at the resort and that she would like to invite several colleagues of hers.

V.R. was thrilled. A date was set. Mari wanted V.R. to invite people of both thoughts to the symposium. That is people who believed what they did was OK and some who ether didn't think it was right or weren't sure what to think. That kind of mixed group, if open minded, could actually come up with some solid ideas and theories.

Understand that this mixed audience participation would include participants in casts, braces etc. and probably some who would be antagonists. It should be interesting. Let's get back to it.

Mari was introducing the board and the discussion topics. "For those in attendance my name is Dr. Marjolyjn Holhoffen. We also have Drs. Jeff Cambridge, Susan Antoine and Rick Mills. We will make a great attempt to keep this informal and so, with my colleagues agreement we identify by a first name basis. Each of us on the stand have our names here for you and we ask that you identify yourselves before asking a question with your first name. Thank you."

"Now, the topic is why would anyone participate in RO and how did the feelings for it come about. Also, I am sure the topic of right and wrong will come up but I hope it will be in such a way as too not put anyone at odds with anyone else. To start out I would like to say that this really is a new arena, at least to psychologists. Is a fetish? That would seem to depend on the individual, but would in general I believe be classified as such. Is it harmful? Again, it depends on the individual and the conditions while being done. Obviously trying to swim with a leg cast could be considered potentially harmful." That draws some laughter from the audience and the board. "Since we, as a board, are beginners, we have decided that the main question stated earlier is where we should start and the best form of discussion requires interaction I will ask you in the audience one simple question. Why? The floor is open."

Well, not everyone spoke at once. Finally a middle-aged man stood up.

"My name is Joe and as you can tell by the upper body brace I'm wearing that I participate in RO. Hell, not only that, I enjoy it. Is it wrong? I say no. Is it harmful? For me, no. I have no problem doing RO here. At home or outside of the ROR," he chuckles, "I'd have to say that right now I don't have the nerve. I think it has to do with where I do it that defines how I would feel. Here at the ROR, it's the norm. I feel comfortable because I'm around others who feel as I do. Outside of here? Well, that's a whole different story. I think, what if I should get caught, what would I say. Just thinking about it makes me nervous and uncertain. Where'd the desire come from? Don't know, just seems like it was always there but it was something I couldn't do anything about. I've always looked at people in wheelchairs or who wore braces or casts. Guess I never really thought much about it. Then my wife asked me why I looked at them with a longing in my eyes. Guess she thought I was just checking out the good-looking chicks." More chuckles from the crowd. "You know, I couldn't give her a good answer. My wife and I have always been above board on things with each other and I guess she thought that maybe I was hiding something. Well, if I was, I was hiding it from me too. Well, when we got home, she brought it up again. She still thought I was girl watching. Well, it was hard but I somehow managed to get out that it wasn't the girl herself but the cast or brace or whatever. Well, she couldn't believe it. She told me I was weird and needed help. I mean to tell you that I really got an ear full that night. Well, I don't know what or how it happened but the next day she brought up the topic again. Oh man, I thought I was really in for it. She said she'd thought about it and even though she didn't understand and it was hard for her to accept that she wanted to hear more from me about it. After a while she drew her own conclusions. She thought maybe it wasn't much different than looking at a nice car with a girl in it, as long as I really wasn't looking at the girl. Eventually she saw V.R.s ad and showed me and here I am. Been here several times and always enjoyed it. My wife has no interest and doesn't want to come but has never stopped me. Of course, she's that way when I go hunting to. And, that's how I see it."

"Thanks Joe." Said Mari. "Before you sit down could we ask a few questions of you? Yes. Great. I believe Susan has a question for you."

"Thanks Dr . . . Mari. Joe, you say you don't remember not having these feelings but your explanation was kind of vague. You said you'd looked but did you ever during this time want to wear a cast or brace yourself?"

"Actually, yes. It was like I wanted to be that person."

"Why?"

"That's the part that I'm not sure I understand. I know it might sound strange but I thought of how good it would feel. Now that I've tried it, I've found I do like the feel. From it being put on to wearing it. It feels good."

"In the way, say, like how one of your favorite shirts feels on you. Something like that?" "Well, yes but somehow more intimate, for lack of a better word."

Susan took down some notes and thanked Joe.

"Any other questions for Joe from the board or audience?"

A woman stood up. "My name's Jessi and I came out of curiosity and an invite from V.R. I really have no interest in RO and actually disagree with even the concept of it but I try to keep and open mind about things like this. I figure if I can handle seeing people with spiked hair and pierced body parts that I would never, ever pierce, that I could handle something as strange as this, but I don't think so. Anyway, my question for Joe is based on his statement that he felt OK here but wasn't sure about out on the street. So you're saying that where you are has a lot to do with acceptance, right?"

"Yes, I'd have to agree with that."

"Then even here all that you're doing is trying to avoid the guilt feelings?"

"Maybe, but doesn't everybody some guilt feelings about doing things in some places but not in others. Doing things in a place of acceptance isn't necessarily done just to avoid the guilt. As I said, I really like wearing this brace and not having to hurt myself to get it allows me to enjoy it that much more."

"Anything else Jessi?" Mari asked.

"No. I still don't get it but maybe someone will come up with something I'll understand."

"My name is Tod and I think you people are all a bunch of nuts and aught to be locked up in a psycho ward! What you do is sick and perverted even if it doesn't include anything to do with sex! I'm here to gather information to get this perverted damn place shut down so normal people don't have to put up with it."

From the stage Rick asked "Tod, you're here on your own volition right?"

"Yes. Well at least on an invite from V.R. but he didn't say why he wanted me to come."

"And you would not come to this place if the circumstances were known, right?" "That's right."

"Would you go to a nudist camp?"

"What kind of question is that?"

"A fair one. Will you answer it?"

"No, I would not set foot in a nudist camp. They're all a bunch of sickos too."

"Would you go to a boxing match?" "Yes, if it was one I wanted to see. But what's that got to do with this?"

"Well, there are many people out there who abhor boxing as a vicious and animalistic event and will not even deign to call it a "sport" even. They try to get all such events canceled. Would you say that what they are doing is wrong?"

"Of course it is. They haven't got the right to interfere in stopping what other people are enjoying. It's simply not fair of them to . . . Oh, I see what you're doing but there is no comparison between the two. Boxing is a sport and what goes on here is, is . . . well, it's just different is all."

With that last statement Tod sat down and Mari continued "As a board we've talked a bit among ourselves about RO and while the "norm" would tell us that this is nonstandard behavior and should be treated. As professionals we realize that the human personality is a varied as the number of people that there are. Yes, there are many things that people have in common and are a part of the norm, but at the same time we all have our own personality of likes, dislikes and prejudices, both good and bad. One thing that is often observed in people is how they want others to share their opinion of things. This is normal. At the same time what seems normal to one group will not seem normal to another group and so one group will try to change another. Familiarity breeds comfort, change breeds mistrust. This is true in just about every facet of life. You get comfortable about where you live, who you work with and what you do, and should it change, even a part of it, and there is a noticeable change in the way you see things. What was once normal may now be seen as just a little strange. How you see people is different, even the ones you know."

At this point Mari gave the floor to Jeff Cambridge. "Thank you Mari. As Mari has said there are social norms. Along with these norms are socially acceptable and non acceptable actions. RO, at this point, would seem to fall under the non acceptable for the most part. We are used to seeing people who have been injured in various types of casts and braces etc. but the thought of using these items recreationally has not even entered the minds of most people and would immediately trigger some form of mistrust or weirdness to the situation. A healthy person has no "need" for such items and in most cases such things as casting materials and braces require a physician's intervention to get them. True that some items are available "off the shelf" but not the more complicated or custom devices. Some of these devices even state that they are to be used only by patients and issued on the order of a physician. It would seem that even the medical profession recognizes that these items may be used in other ways and would also seem to want to curtail this move. But if history is any teacher at all is that if enough people want something, a way will be found. But I am wandering off course a bit. So in conclusion, at least at this point, the wearing of medical types of casts or braces is socially unacceptable unless approved and applied by the medical profession for the performance of it's intended task. I.e., broken bones, limb support etc. Would everyone here pretty much agree with this basic premise?"

Well, the crowd did pretty much agree that this was the presently accepted premise by the "norm" of society.

The floor was again opened for questions and I have to admit that at times I was almost tempted to call the police because I though there were going to be some fights. Isn't it amazing how loyal and devoted someone can become to an idea? I mean this little conference is not going to change the world, at least not in the immediate future. What we are doing is presenting information and feeling to a group of people who will leave the ROR and do some more research, each on their own and publish some papers about it. Lines will be drawn in the medical and psychological societies as to right or wrong, acceptable or unacceptable. This will go on for years and the lines will always be there because we are talking about individual philosophies. My opinion at the time I put it out is absolutely correct, for me. Will it change? Most likely. Life has a habit of changing people's opinions. Circumstance, education, information, age . . . all these things affect our "opinions on everything. And that is a good thing, otherwise we would be living in utter chaos. It is the acceptance of something and not necessarily understanding of something that causes change. I believe that acceptance is sometimes required and understanding comes later. Most people I know feel that understanding absolutely has to come first. Why? Hey, they're people and they have opinions and that's already been covered.

Then a short term discussion of how people became interested in RO began. To summarize, the gist of most of those who took part had determined that it all started in their youth. A great number fell into the "baby-boomer" range and either caught the tail end of Polio's high life or the fact that JFK wore a back brace to just a general interest to experience. Some actually admitted that the bondage feature of RO seemed to improve their sex lives. Well, it really take all kinds. Keep in mind that it is the sexual aspect that helped categorize RO as a fetish in the first place. Is it a fetish? I guess that would be up to the individual and his/her reasons for participating in RO. The general consensus here was that there is no single reason and it was an individual arrival to the fact that they were interested.

The audience, while numerically biased toward acceptance of RO, the opposition was not in the least hesitant about stating their feelings and opinions. Everything from "I don't think it's right personally" to "God will damn your soul to Hell" was covered. On the other side it was "I'm not bothering anyone or hurting myself" to "You have no right to stop me from what I am doing" was also covered. From gentle to vehement, it went back and forth. The board somehow managed to keep the "discussion" reasonably well civil. Although there were a few outbursts that were just expressions of frustration? Maybe.

After several hours, yes I said hours, Mari brought it back to a more controlled chaos.

"It seems that for such a small group that we have an extremely diverse pool of opinion and feelings. We are not here to determine right or wrong, good or bad. Some conclusions of this meeting might be stated as: 1)Those who do participate and say that they feel no guilt aren't being totally honest with themselves in that they will practice RO here and possibly in their own homes but not necessarily out in public. On the last some do feel a certain amount of guilt and uncertainty. 2)Some are interested in participating and actually look forward to doing it but let their conscience and fear or guilt hold them back. And 3) the adamant no way Jose it is wrong.

"It is getting late and I don't suppose that this discussion will ever really solve anything and that isn't the reason for our being here anyway. As stated earlier everyone has their own opinion, even the members of this board. I believe that in defense of each person's view that I hope you all understand that this was an open forum, no final and exact conclusion can or will be attempted to be drawn. I would like to say however that many opinions have been thrown out for consideration. I also feel that it is still the prerogative of each individual to decide their own course on this. On behalf of my colleagues and myself thank you for expressing yourselves. Mr. Orthos wished to say a few concluding statements."

"Thanks Mari and it's V.R. to my friends. All of you were very open and honest, I believe, in covering what was said here. I must also agree with Mari that the purpose of this get together was not really to reach any definitive conclusion. The jury is still out on the practice of many things such as homosexuality, the practice of medicine, government, gambling . . . and the list goes on. Some approve, some don't and others are ambivalent. In my own defense, even though not necessary, I must say that this resort was established for a certain type of clientele. To me it's no different that a ski resort or a yacht club except for why it was established. Right or wrong are very subjective and are based on the opinions of the individuals and I feel that is the way it should be. We should think for ourselves on our likes and dislikes or whether we agree to disagree. My only hope is that in all of us, no matter how strong or vehement our opinions are, that we leave a little room for improvement or change in our opinions. Circumstances change, people change and hopefully attitudes will also change. In conclusion I would like to thank Mari, Jeff, Susan and Rick for being our panel of experts." A general round of applause occurs. "And also those of you in the audience who participated so willingly. Thank you all for coming and I bid you good night."

It was a reasonably amiable meeting overall and I had to agree that the emotional feelings did cover quite a range. Maybe out of all of this, if a little room for change in opinion was there, a few of the attendees might just alter their opinions of RO. It's late and Sue's tired and we're outa here.

The next morning was just gorgeous. The sky was crystal clear, and you could hear the birds and squirrels talking, or yelling, at each other. The kind of day to really enjoy. Most of the previous nights visitors had gone back home. Two of the board though, Mari and Rick, had stayed behind. They were, at present, down in the ROR's casting rooms and both of them were looking forward to long weeks' worth of pleasure, relaxation and the fine feel of plaster and steel. Like I've said in the past, this type of writing is fun and I've enjoyed the feedback from the other stories of the ROR. So keep letting me know how you like it and I'll try to keep it going.