Bunny Tales by Izabella St. James Page A

devote all this time to the whole scene and not receive the same benefits as the girls who lived at the Mansion? It was my time to play, or my time to waste. As long as I was paying my bills and not taking my parents’ money, I was doing okay, or so I decided. In the end, my stubbornness and determination to be independent and experience life on my terms won out. I am an only child; I never had to compromise, share, or give in to anyone. An opportunity to move into the Playboy Mansion, regardless of the consequences and implications, does not come every day. Besides, I could always move out; we didn’t have to be there for a specific period of time, and we never signed any contracts or confidentiality agreements as to our relationship with Hef or our life at the Mansion. I was always in charge of my life.
    Starting January 2002, I was hanging out with Hef and the girls on a regular basis; I slept over at the house in one of the available bedrooms a couple of times a week and I became an official Girlfriend of Hugh Hefner, an occasion commemorated by a unique Playboy necklace (the same one that is given to Playmates, the pendant on the necklace is actually a pin) that you cannot buy. Emma and I made an effort to come out on “movie nights” and watch the old movies with Hef, and hang out with him on Saturdays, knowing how much he enjoyed our company and how important it was to him that we be there. Basically, we made extra effort to be there during the times we were not “required” to be there. Hef noticed and officially asked us both to move into the Playboy Mansion in April 2002, and we accepted. We were excited! It is so strange after so many months of deliberating whether we could, should, or would move in that as soon as he invited us to do so, we jumped at the opportunity. After all, it was just Holly, Tammy, and the two of us that were invited to move in. It was a privilege for him to invite us to move in—we knew how many girls wanted our position and how many thousands of dollars he had to pay for our rooms at the Mansion. For me it was all about having the unusual experience of living at the infamous Playboy Mansion. Moving in also meant receiving a steady allowance. Although he had been generous with Emma and me, those were random acts of generosity, and we needed something more regular to count on. So we began the process of moving our things in.
    The most complicated task was to tell my parents that I was going to move into the Playboy Mansion. I told my parents that I worked for Hef. I told them I had to live at the Mansion for convenience, which was true. They never knew about the different aspects of my relationship with Hef. My parents were not wholly comfortable with my living there; my father constantly asked me when I would fulfill what he thought was my destiny and be an attorney. My mom was supportive of my decision as long as I was happy. My father’s idea of a good person was someone who worked hard and was a productive member of society. His code was honor, work, and education. My mom knew how independent and spirited I am, and she gave me what I needed: love and support. However, if she knew the full extent of my relationship with Hef, she would never had allowed me to move into the Mansion. Ever.

5: The Crib.
“Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam, Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like home.”
    —John Howard Payne
     
     
    W hen you think of the most famous residences in the world, which come to mind? The White House, Graceland, Taj Mahal, Buckingham Palace, 10 Downing St., maybe the Neverland Ranch, and surely the Playboy Mansion. And now, one of those places was my new home! Except the Mansion is like its own little country, with a hedonistic ruler and its own special laws. It took a while to get used to the idea that I lived at the legendary Playboy Mansion. Every time I pulled up to that famous gate with the talking rock and it opened automatically for me, I would take