Author's Note: We would never publicly identify anyone that has ever attended any of our events, but the information in the following article was already made very public.

Artwork by T.J. Kirsch.

It's funny how things affect other things. Sometimes a simple occurrence can influence a bigger occurrence. Then that influences an even bigger occurrence... and so on and so forth until the effect is huge. This is what happened when one particular couple decided to check out our swinger club. Who would have known at the time the set of events that this visit would start in motion... events which may very well ultimately be felt around the world.

In early 1997 we started our first lifestyle socials in New Orleans. We held monthly off-premise socials where couples could meet other local couples. They would dance, flirt, have drinks and then maybe head back to their place after the party for some sexy fun. We held these parties at a local hotel where we'd usually open up one of the suites for any couples that wanted to "get together" right there at the hotel.

That night the party was going great and the guests were all in a good mood. There was a lot of energy, so when the night came to a close many couples were still in the ballroom not wanting to leave. I announce on the mic, "You don't have to go home, but you have to go somewhere!", I let everyone know that our hospitality suite was open in case anyone was interested in attending an after party. I had noticed a new couple at the party that night. They were both very striking. It looked as though they were heading up to the after party... It might be a good night.

The hospitality suite's vibe was always different each night depending on the crowd that showed up. Sometimes couples just sat around making small talk, but other nights the room looked like a sexual circus. This night was one of those nights. People played, in fact, Tess and I actually joined in on some of the fun. The new couple just sat in the corner and watched. The man tried to convince his wife to join in... she didn't want to. He asked her if she would join him so others could watch them... again she declined. His persistence was futile. The man was clearly disappointed, along with many others in the room that had hoped this hot new couple would loosen up and join our collective. But apparently tonight wouldn't be the night. The couple left the party and made the trek home. Oh, well, there was always next month's social. Maybe they'd be back? Or maybe they wouldn't. We'd been throwing parties long enough to know that not everyone has an easy time assimilating into the lifestyle.

Fast forward to the end of 1998. That same new couple is in divorce court. I guess their marriage just didn't make it. During the custody battle, the wife told the court about their visits to "swing clubs". She said her husband had insisted that they go to the clubs and that he asked her to perform sexual acts while others watched. They went their separate ways, like so many people do. They both went back to their separate homes, their separate jobs, their separate lives. They were just another in a long line of divorces that happen in our country every day.

In most cases that would be the end of it... but this case is just a little different. You see, this was not just any couple. This was a couple who each had gone on to become famous in different public circles. This couple was Jack and Jeri Ryan.

Now, if you are a Star Trek fan, then I probably don't need to explain who Jeri Ryan is... in fact, I'd say the chances are pretty high that many of you have fantasized about spending a weekend on the holodeck with her. But for those of you who are not Trekkies, Jeri Ryan the actress who was best known for playing the spandex-clad Borg character "7 of 9" on the popular sci-fi television series Star Trek Voyager.

In 2004 her ex-husband, Republican Jack Ryan, was the front runner to be the next state Senator of Illinois. That year the U.S. Senate was very narrowly divided (48 Democrats and 51 Republicans). The Illinois Senate race to replace retiring Republican Peter Fitzgerald was crucial in determining which party would control the Senate.

Jack Ryan was considered an extremely popular and inspirational candidate with "Hollywood" looks, who many people compared to JFK Jr. His life story seemed nothing short of astonishing. He had earned three Ivy League degrees. One from Dartmouth and one from both Harvard's law and business schools. He had become a partner at Goldman Sachs becoming a millionaire before suddenly leaving it all behind and dedicating his life to helping those less fortunate. He worked as a high school teacher in predominantly African-American, low income section in the Southside of Chicago. Jack Ryan described his senate campaign as being "about happiness... not only happiness for yourself but happiness to making other people fulfilled in their own lives." Now that is a campaign I could have gotten behind, and it seemed like a lot of people felt the same way, because he was ahead in most of the polls.

Well, he was ahead in most of the polls... until the Chicago Tribune got a hold of Ryan's divorce custody records and made the news of his visits to "swing" clubs public. Jack Ryan was forced to withdraw from the race. With the election close at hand the Republican party hastily chose Alan Keyes as Ryan's replacement. An election that had once seemed like a sure win for the Republicans was now lost in the largest defeat in Illinois history. The winner of the election with 70% of the vote... Democrat Barack Obama.

Which brings us to present day. Obama is the front runner to become the Democratic nominee for the President of the United States. He's considered an extremely popular and inspirational candidate with "Hollywood" looks, who many people compare to JFK. A candidate who's campaign is not only about making a change in Washington, but one that asks us to believe that we can change our own lives. Now that's a campaign I can also get behind.

So let's review... Barack Obama would probably never have become one of the Democratic Presidential nominees if he hadn't first won the Senate race back in 2004... and there was a good chance that Obama wouldn't have become Senator if Jack Ryan hadn't withdrawn from the election... and Jack Ryan wouldn't have withdrawn from the election if the story had never broken about he and Jeri Ryan visiting swinger clubs... and his visits to swinger clubs never would have become public record if his wife, Jeri Ryan, hadn't mentioned it in their divorce proceedings... and maybe Jeri might not have wanted to get divorced in the first place if Jack hadn't tried to pressure her into sexual situations at swinger clubs that she wasn't comfortable with... and maybe she would have actually gotten turned on that night back in 1997, and said "Yes" to swinging if only she hadn't seen my bare naked ass.

I hate that someone (anyone) was adversely affected by simply going to a swinger's club. Especially someone like Jack Ryan. But that pebble was dropped into the water here in New Orleans back in 1997 and it rippled until Jack Ryan's campaign was doomed. Funny how much can happen... just by dropping a stone.

So if Barack Obama becomes our next U.S. President... He has my ass to thank.

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