the night is winding down. i’m sitting alone, staring into space when a youngish man asks to sit by me.
me: of course. how are you?
him: i’m great. i’ve watched you on the stage and you’re really good.
me: thank you. i saw you watching.
indeed i did. he was sitting with three other friends all night long along the back wall. they never tipped me and refused dances but watched hungrily. some basic, short small chat ensues between me and the youngster, then:
him: just coming out here to kick it with girls like yourself.
me: cool. do you buy lapdances from girls such as myself.
him: i just spent all my money on her. i was hoping you would give me a free one.
me: why would i do that, this is my work?
i ask him this without incredulous hostility, or a shred of annoyance in my voice. just a really curious wondering.
him: because it would be fun.
me: what do you do for work?
him: i landscape. i push lawnmowers for a living.
me: do you ever push lawnmowers for free?
him: i did twice, by accident when i did the wrong yards.
me: well why would i purposefully give my work away for free?
him: well this is my first time in the strip club. come on my boys tell me this is the spot.
me: yeah, it’s a really great place and welcome to your first strip club – i’ll tell you this. we all are working here. we pay rent and bills with the money we earn.
him: me too.
me: yeah, so why would i give my work away for free.
him: well you could out of the kindness of your heart.
me: and out of the kindness of your heart you could pay me.
him: but i don’t have any money.
me: well, it sounds like you spent it on a lovely lady and had a good time. you paid for a fun experience and now i’m going to go give my time and my work to someone who will pay me.
i pat him lightly on the knee and stalk off.
Tags: first time at the club, free lap dances, how do i ask for a lap dance?, stripping, work
August 6, 2011 at 6:49 pm |
Wow, some people just don’t get it, do they? Guys like that just rub me the wrong way. They seem incapable of ‘getting it’.
August 7, 2011 at 2:09 pm |
you were too kind
August 8, 2011 at 1:31 am |
yes, i’ve been accused of that before. had he been an old hand at the club scene i probably would have been much more rude. but considering his novice status, i thought, maybe just maybe through a line of non-aggressive questioning i might raise his consciousness one iota around his disrespectful request. probably didn’t work but i’m an optimist through and through.
August 25, 2011 at 4:53 pm |
Not tipping and/or paying for services is just about stealing, I think, especially in the food/drink/entertainment business. Wait staff by federal law is only paid very little and for a kid to ask for a free dance . . . . oh well . . . . he was rather brazen, wasn’t he? Hopefully you didn’t have any jewelry he could steal. I did bus service at a restaurant for a while and because I got paid hourly better than the wait staff I didn’t split tips, and I shouldn’t have. Now, a ten buck breakfast gets a five tip or something close to 30% or better . . . . I realize that for the most part there is no insurance or type of bennies for the server or dancer . . . (tho I’ve not been to a club in years and years . . . saw some of the dancers at the college I was at) It’s a tough job; like an athlete and you wouldn’t get into a game for free, not even in high school, so why would someone expect to see the dancer for free ? Such a douche hahahaha . . . you were great but probably wasted too much time on him . . . . easy for me to say.
August 25, 2011 at 4:55 pm |
Shouldn’t even say like and athlete. It is an athletic job. Most dancers that I’ve seen are that, and take care of themselves as a corporation. Take care of the legs and back and you’ll do well over time. Easy for me to say.
September 8, 2011 at 1:46 pm |
Haven’t seen or heard about you in a while so I hope your summer has been good and you’ve been able to enjoy it.
Stretch well and have fun as I say to dancers; although this is a job for you.
December 30, 2011 at 1:22 pm |
That was the best way I ever heard someone handle that situation! I don’t know why the pat on the knee crack me up but I’m glad you did it, I guess because I see it as a sympathetic gesture.