The tiniest SM room in Cologne (maybe even in Germany?) is right in the centre of the scene. Master Norman let us try out the sling.
Friday night, Rudolfplatz. Most of the gay boys who get off the train here are heading towards the Bermuda Triangle to have a few Kölsch. No one realises that Cologne's smallest S&M playroom is located above their heads, directly on the floor above the pub, where several men are indulging in lustful activities.
We venture into the hidden cave of the S&M lion. No name on the bell, just "Master". We have to keep Master Norman's true identity and the exact location a secret. It's not a grim S&M lion who opens the door, but a friendly man in his 50s. A fat dog greets the guest, panting happily.
15 square metres - SM room in Cologne
The room of just 15 square metres in the 30-square-metre flat is a temple for guys who like it rough. And Norman is their master, who knows how to handle them and the corresponding toys. Dildos and dongs in every conceivable size are lined up on a small table like monstrances on an altar. The thickest anal toy is 40 centimetres long and 12 centimetres in diameter. "Only two have managed that so far," says the host. Scattered in between are various aids such as gel, rubbers and gloves for safety, as well as cock rings, electric toys, clamps, chains, whips, gags, handcuffs and masks. In one corner is a cage made of solid metal, guaranteed to be escape-proof.
"My sling is the best piece in the collection, with a very sturdy frame," the sexpert proudly presents the largest piece of furniture in the room. We are allowed to try it out. The leather mat is soft and comfortable, it rocks slightly. The dog looks curiously. Normally, he always has to go into the kitchen when his master is playing with his masters. Suddenly it goes "click!" Are the restraints coming now? Warm air blows from below. "Ass heating included," grins Norman. Phew...
Ass heating included
It wasn't until he was in his late 30s that he discovered the joys of the SM scene. A straight friend gave him a taste for it. Since then, a five-figure sum has flowed into Norman's own pleasure room. "You can get to know a lot of people through it, which I did excessively at times," he admits. "There were phases when I had two or three people a day in my studio." He even worked as a regular escort for a while. But now he is purely private again. The Master, who currently lives in his playroom, places more emphasis on sophisticated sessions where all parties have fun. His Gayromeo profile receives plenty of enquiries, and not just from Cologne.
And so not everyone heads for the nearest pub in the Bermuda Triangle on a Friday night. Some stop in front of a house, willing and ready to lie in the sling in the smallest S&M room in town...
