The Strip - Max

36 / Mini

I returned home a few days after my lap dance class but still had a couple days before my next shift at The Strip. Two of the ladies from the class, Nora and another lady that was a couple chairs over, asked if I could go with them to Naughty Things. Since the store in Brockville had been temporarily closed, they hopped in a car and made the trip from Kent just to go shopping with me in the naughty section of Radcliff Mall. We went to the spa and I took them to The Strip and The Ranch to make the most of the trip.

Melanie made the trip by train on her own a day later with her life packed to move. She was barely off the train when he stopped by to check out the club. Her hopes were set on getting into the business. I wasn't going to discourage her, but when the time came, I'd have to be honest about the work and its toll on life.

"Melanie! Welcome," I said as the young hopeful walked into the club.

"Max, I gotta ask her for ID," a bouncer said.

While Melanie dug into her purse for her identification, I introduced the bouncer and got some easy conversation going. I could notice a slight hesitation as she passed it over and a twitch of the man's brow as he inspected the driver's license.

"Happy, almost birthday," he said as he passed the ID back to Melanie. "Max, she's gotta stay here near the door."

"Almost birthday?"

"Oh, ahhh, my eighteenth is actually Thursday. Would I even be allowed to work here? Like, I heard you have to be twenty-three or something," she asked with her voice dripping with apprehension.

"Well, after your birthday, yes. I don't understand it, but according to Tyler that age restriction is a bylaw that can't be enforced," I replied. "As for being here, now, technically no, but if we stay close to the door it's probably not a big deal." I replied. "Sooooo... you took the class before— I'm surprised they let you," I responded.

"So was I! But the lady said it was open to sixteen and older. I think she was confused, 'cause I looked at the info on their web page, after the class, and it clearly says eighteen for lap dance. I took a couple pole dance classes, but I sort of suck at it. I think I did good with the lap dance classes, but pole, not so much. Anyway, so, uhm, you did the class with your boss as your partner? Does he, you know, expect—" she asked. Her voice made it clear that she was nervous and excited. "I mean, like, I would be totally fine... with it. I just... was wondering."

"Tyler, no, he doesn't expect anything like that. In fact, it sort of broke a personal rule of his. I didn't know I needed a partner. Anyway, long story. What about the guy that you were with, is he your boyfriend? Or—" I felt a little awkward asking about Melanie's partner in the class. He looked much older than her. I wasn't being judgmental, just curious.

Melanie paused and let her eyes drop to the floor before telling her story. "Oh, he's a friend. Actually, he's my best friend's, or I guess ex-best-friend's father. I was visiting and getting drunk a little over a year ago, we all were. Then my friend just walked out, went to sleep at her boyfriend's house and left me there. I just hung out with her dad. Next thing you know we've done it. And kept doing it for a year. He's single, by the way, but we weren't anything like a couple or anything. Neither of us really wanted that. We were both, just, lonely. My friend found out a month ago, so I decided I needed to move away. So, ahhh, that's why I'm here."

"Tyler!" I called out to get his attention. "You remember Melanie from the class."

"Yes, you were asking about working in a club," he replied as he shook Melanie's trembling hand. "Are you okay?"

"Uhm, yeah..."

"You might need to explain why that bylaw about age can't be enforced," I added.

"Oh, well, the cities in this county don't have the power to override certain laws and the county has made it clear that the age to be in and work in a licensed establishment is not within their control. That didn't stop them from coming up with that bylaw but the moment anyone from the city comes in here to enforce it, the county will step in and basically take control."