Please, don't forget to donate to Nifty as to keep this site free.
I realized that translating came to me after I read quite a lot of books. Some translations were really poor and it irritated me to read them. A book can be super interesting in its general contents, but if the translation is poor or that there are too many grammar and spelling mistakes (yes, it happens) the book loses a lot. It can make the difference between a book that stays in a corner and a best-seller.
A story, being short or long is the perfect escapade from reality. When it is well written, it helps the reader to be absorbed in it and forget everything about reality and daily problems or stress. Of course, that is MY point of view and not necessarily that of others. I know that when I start a book and I can't put it aside, it means that the author captured my attention and makes me live something else, something that I am not used to. I can relate to the main figure of the story and even identify myself to it. It is not unusual that I start to read something and when I end up "waking-up" from the story, I realize I have been reading for hours in a row. A well written story can make me forget to eat or drink or even go to the bathroom.
It was also the reason why I always read completely what I had to translate. It often happened that when I was caught in a story, I would order it in its original version and then read it instead of reading it from my computer screen. I already told you I hate to read on electronic devises. If I could escape from reality, I knew I could do a good translation job, but... Constantly escaping from reality thanks to literature had also some inconveniences and the biggest one was that I shut myself off of the world and, automatically, from people, making me a total asocial man. Fortunately, meeting Filip had changed a lot of that. First of all I was no longer confined in the silence of my apartment as he came by every day or I had to go to his place. When I went to him, it was good for my physical health as I refused to take my car and always walked to his house and when he left for work, I walked back. Before I met Filip I could easily stay at home without coming out for days, except if I had to go grocery shopping. It was nothing extraordinary that I was in loose sweatpants and a T-shirt for days, not bothering to dress properly. Once Filip entered my life, I always dressed, paying a special attention to what I was wearing (certainly my underwear) to give Filip enough enticing reasons to undress me.
I mentioned to Filip that I needed to expand my horizons, labor-wise. I couldn't go on like I was doing. The silences became deafening if you understand what I mean. It became so deafening that I couldn't even concentrate properly on the job at hand. Filip came up with an idea I had never thought of. He suggested to become a specialist in "voice-over". At first I didn't even have the slightest idea what it was all about and he was patient enough to explain it to me.
-It is a job that very few people can do. A voice-over is an instrument that is common use in publicity and adds. It is the voice you hear but where you never see the person who is speaking. A lot of television adds show you beautiful pictures related to the product they want to sell you and a voice explains the benefits of it. But you never see that person...
It was not difficult for him to show me what he was explaining me: he switched on the television. The commercial adds could be found on every channel and soon I understood what he meant.
-Do you mean that the person's voice is a man or a woman just reading a script?
-I wouldn't say: "just read a script" Filip answered. It is far more than that...
He took out his smartphone that had a voice recorder on it. He asked me a question that he wanted me to answer as naturally as possible. The question was as banal as what I had done that day. I answered, a bit hesitantly at first, but it came out of my mind and my mouth quite normally. He then wrote my answer down on a piece of paper and asked me to read it out loud. He recorded that again. When he made me listen to both recordings, which were identical in text, I could clearly hear the difference. The part where I was reading was not natural at all.
-You see it is not "just reading" as you said. You have to be able to read a text and that it sounds as if you are NOT reading it, like it is a spontaneous answer to a question. As a speech therapist, I can help you with that. Quite a few of my patients are indeed voice-overs. There are techniques to make a read text sound natural and that is what the publicity agencies are looking for. A very good voice-over can make a fortune because their voices appeal to people.
-But do you think I have the necessary voice to be able to that?
-Of course you have. Your voice is sexy and appealing. With the right techniques you will have quite a lot of success and for the moment I am just talking about commercial adds. The next step is the translations of complete movies... the dubbed versions I mean. Of course, the jewel of the crown is when they want your voice in cartoons. You certainly know that Disney movies contract famous actors to give their voice to cartoon characters. Once you dubbed a confirmed and famous actor, there is a lot of chance you'll be called to dub his voice in every movie that actor plays in. You won't reach that point that easily, but with a lot of patience and hard work, you could do it and I am here to help you with it. As a speech therapist, I have a lot of contacts in the business and could introduce you to the right people when I feel you are ready to perform a hundred percent.
Wow! I suddenly had a lot to think about. It was obviously a good idea. I would have a lot to learn apparently. Filip constantly assured me that my voice was perfect for that kind of job. I had no self-esteem concerning my voice. I had no idea that my voice was sexy or appealing. I had questioned my voice in the past and most certainly after hearing Frank and Floren.
During the following days, Filip recorded various commercials and patiently put them all on paper. Without making me feel he was already helping me in a new professional exploration, he made me read them one by one and of course recorded them. Then he played the original, immediately followed by what I had read from the paper. He took his time to show me the differences and correct them. He made it a point to complete the whole process per add, at least one a day. My evolution in that aspect was slow but determined. He tried to compare the new skills with the ones I already had, explaining to me that it was like when I translated something and used several dictionaries to reach the perfect words for the occasion. Once I made the connection between two totally different works, my evolution went a bit faster.
He arranged to have a sound-proof studio to record my voice. During several hours we recorded different commercials he had made me study thoroughly. Through a window, I could see him standing next to the technical guy, from where he gave me the thumbs up. From time to time he had his hand on the technician's shoulder and it bothered me a little. Filip must have noticed that something was going wrong as he told me to come out of the sound-proof chamber. I went over to him and the technician stood up. I couldn't help myself to look him over and it was obvious that the guy, Fernando, had a serious hard-on. Was there something going on between him and Filip? I suddenly realized I was jealous. I had no reason to as I had had something with Frank, but Filip and I had decided to be an item and monogamous.
-You have an incredible voice, Fernando said.
Without the slightest hesitation he took my hand and brought it to his crotch where I could feel what I saw before. He had a major boner.
-You feel that, he asked looking me straight in the eyes and not bothering that Filip was standing next to me. That is the effect you have on me, only with the sound of your voice.
I was desperately waiting for Filip to react, but he didn't say a word. He looked at me smiling, indicating me to look down at his crotch and yes, indeed, it was obvious he was hard, too. To make things clear to Fernando, I got closer to Filip and kissed him on the lips. His reaction was to kiss me back with undeniable passion. While we were kissing I could feel another hand on my buttocks that I knew was not Filip's. He was hugging me with both arms so the hand on my ass could only be Fernando's. Was Filip aware of what was happening? I didn't know, but I was trapped in his arms and couldn't move. The first hand was soon joined by the second one and Fernando was even pressing his body against my back. I could clearly feel his hard-on against my butt. That was absolutely not what I had expected from the recording session. Had they actually planned this? I didn't know. What I knew was that I got sexually very excited and my own cock grew to enormous proportions.
When the hands on my hips surreptitiously glided towards my front, Filip broke the kiss and looked me deep in the eyes, as if he was asking me if I agreed to what was happening. I didn't know if I really had a choice as I could feel Fernando opening my jeans and slipping a hand inside of them, grabbing my cock and squeezing it softly. I knew at that moment that I was lost and would allow far more than my initial intention. Fernando lowered my zipper and my jeans fell on my ankles. As Filip and I were almost pressed together, I could feel that Fernando was doing the same to him. I could feel that his jeans were falling down as well and our crotches were only protected by our skimpy briefs that tented obscenely. I heard that Fernando was unbuckling his belt and pushing his trousers down. I hadn't expected him to push down his underwear at the same time. It was only when I felt his hard-on poking at my brief covered ass that I realized we had reached a point of no return. Sex was well on its way and I couldn't do anything to stop it.
Fernando sank to his knees, massaging my buttocks and slowly lowering my briefs till his hands were on my bare ass. He didn't lose any time, spreading my ass-cheeks and diving in between them with his wet and warm mouth. He skillfully ate out my ass and it seemed he couldn't get enough of it. Meanwhile, Filip sank to his knees as well and took my hard manhood in his mouth, engulfing it to the root. I had to find some support as my knees were giving away. My right hand went to Filip's shoulder while my left hand rested on Fernando's head. I started a forward/backward movement with my hips, pushing my cock deep in Filip's mouth on the forward movement, while pushing my ass on Fernando's face on the backward one. It was an unexpected threesome and it was so damned hot!
I pulled Filip up and almost obliged him to turn around so that his ass was aligned with my cock. I used quite a lot of spit to make his hole wet and slippery and didn't wait till it dried to force my cock in Filip's ass. Fernando must have felt what was happening as he as well stood up. I heard him spit several times and then feel his slippery fingers at my entrance. He was considered enough to prepare my ass for the invasion. I had felt his cock through his trousers, but didn't know how big he really was. I soon enough found out he had to be well endowed, very similar to Filip and I. He entered me. His mushroom head breached my sphincter and as soon as it was in, I clenched my ass-muscles around it. I heard him gasp. He waited a few moments to let me adjust to his cock and then thrusted in inch by inch till I left his pubes tickle my ass. As my ass adapted itself to the invasion, I started my hip movements again, entering Filip while Fernando's cock almost left me and then reversed the movement, getting out of Filip till Fernando was fully back inside me.
I did all the work, so to speak, and didn't mind at all. Isn't that the role of the one who is the middle of a sandwich? Our actions were hot and sexually very satisfactory. I knew I would n't last long in that position. I could feel my juices boiling in my balls and ready to fill Filip's bowels. From the ragged breathing I felt on my neck, I knew Fernando was evenly close to climax. I grabbed Filip's cock and started to masturbate him at the same rhythm of my hip movements. It was good we were in a recording studio that was well sound insulated, because we almost simultaneously cried out loud (very loud) when we orgasmed. Filip's load landed in my hands and that triggered my own ejaculation. The spasms of my ass-muscles made Fernando go over the edge and he filled my ass with his cream. Filip lifted my hand and drank his own cum, licking my fingers as to not miss a single drop.
We didn't move while we caught our breaths, but nature took over and I felt my cock shrink and leave Filip¡s ass, while Fernando's cock was doing the same. Filip turned around and rewarded me with one of his special and passionate kisses. We had a group-hug before lifting our pants and trying to be presentable again. Fernando went to sit at his huge technical desk as if nothing had happened. All the recordings were burned on an USB drive. Before leaving, we hugged and kissed on the cheeks. In the car, going back home, Filip and I were silent. It was only once we were sitting in my living room with a glass of white wine that I had to open my mouth.
-Have you two planned this? I asked.
-No, My Love, it was not planned at all. Fernando took me completely by surprise when he took your hand and brought it to his crotch. What happened after that was more of a logical consequence.
-Was his hard-on caused by my voice or by the fact you were squeezing his shoulder quite often?
-Maybe it was the combination off both. I have to tell you that I didn't have the slightest clue that he is gay. It all came as surprise to me. Honestly, I have to say I don't regret what happened as I enjoyed it. Did you?
-I have to admit I did. It was most unexpected, but pleasurable. I remembered your words when you said it would be sex for sex without any feelings and by common agreement. We kissed but Fernando didn't join in that kiss, something I appreciate.
-I see what you mean. As to know what caused Fernando's hard-on, I am almost sure that your voice played a big role in that. We will listen to the recordings and I can tell you they are absolutely fantastic. When I listened to you and closed my eyes, I felt like I was transported to another world. You don't realize the potential you have. It is just amazing. I was hearing you through the headphones and, indeed, it had a sexual effect on me. I can foresee a brilliant future for you. I am sure Fernando will have some important people listen to the recordings and have the desired effect.
-How can you be so sure about that?
-You don't realize what your voice is capable of. If you would be a singer, I can guarantee you would be at the top of the lists. Your voice is going through the body and even through the bones. I knew that when I first heard you on the phone when you called me for an appointment. When I heard you in real life at that famous appointment, I immediately saw the potential of your voice. At that time you were so absorbed by your translating job that I didn't insist. Once you told me that you needed a professional diversion, I knew what to do. Mind you! You still have a lot to learn, but your progresses are far more faster than I thought.
-You really mean that, don't you?
-Oh yes, I do! If I didn't push Fernando's hand away when he started to feel you up, it was because I think he could be a great ally for you. In normal circumstances, I would have told him to back off as we are a couple and that we love each other. My mind was racing when he started and sorry to say so, I saw the potential that I didn't want to jeopardize. After all, we had agreed that if the occasion arose, we were not against it. I don't mean we have to accept sex to achieve goals, but in Fernando's case it was different. He is genuinely a good guy and I have worked a lot with him over the years. I have never before seen a misplaced action or movement. So, I guess your voice did a really good job.
We kissed and showed each other that we were ok with what had happened. I was convinced it was a one-time-thing, an impulse of the moment. If it had positive consequences, it was all the better, but I didn't count on that. Filip was quite intuitive about that kind of things and as he had already worked with Fernando in the past, he probably knew better. After all, the world of voice-over and dubbing is a small little world where everybody knows everybody.
My lessons with Filip were not easy. I very soon learned that Filip, as a teacher, was very demanding and persistent. When I was not reaching the results he wanted, he never lost his patience. On the contrary, he went on and on without stopping till I could do what he wanted. His purpose was to get my voice a tone lower than what it was. He pretended that I was going for a baritone voice and that these vibrations would appeal even more. He was looking far more ahead than I did. One of the publicity agencies that often sent him patients, had mentioned they were looking for a new voice, something that had not been heard before and that would have a serious impact. Of course, Filip said he knew the perfect person for that (me) but that I was not ready a hundred percent yet. He told them to have a little more patience.
-You'll see you will thank me for the few weeks I am asking from you, he told them.
Each and every night after we ate, he did all he could to get me the perfect voice. Sometimes I was not even in the mood for more lessons, but he assured me that it was more than worth it. To be able to offer a perfect recording my voice, we returned to the studio. Fernando was so glad to see us again and pleaded with me to not excite him like the last time as he had tons of work to do. I went into the sound-proof cubicle with the texts Filip had given me. Fernando adjusted a thousand buttons on his desk and finally told me I could go ahead. I did the best I could. Filip was not a hundred percent satisfied and made me repeat it all over and over again. Fernando looked at him in awe. He didn't understand what Filip wanted to achieve. I heard them almost argue about the results with Filip saying it was not good yet and Fernando insisting it was absolutely perfect. What had to be a session of an hour at most, became a session of almost three hours. With the latest recording, Filip made Fernando listen to it and then the one where Fernando had said it was perfect. Even I heard the differences although they were very small. Fernando couldn't say anything except that Filip was right.
I was exhausted. Do you realize what it is to repeat the same text over and over again without stopping and receiving instructions that a normal ear wouldn't hear? Filip insisted there was so much to gain. The smallest mistake could put the complete project at risk. It was the first time that a company seriously would have to think about contracting my services. It was not only that. It was also Filip's name and fame that would be put on the test. He couldn't afford to take any risk.
Apart from being my teacher, Filip became my agent as well. That meant that whoever wanted my voice, would have to talk to Filip. I couldn't have a better agent as I knew he would look after my interests in the first place. When he told me what he was going to charge for my voice, I was flabbergasted. It was more expensive than what I charged for the translation of a book! I told him that I thought he was exaggerating with that kind of price.
-I know what I am doing Al. Don't worry about it. As soon as they will hear your voice like I taught you to speak, they will gladly pay what I ask for it and this is only the start price. Once they will see the impact it has on their publicity, I can tell you today that they will pay even more in the future.
I trusted him. He was a voice-specialist after all.
To be continued...
All comments welcome at amahy1957@gmail.com