Guest guest Posted August 24, 2007 Report Share Posted August 24, 2007 I am reminded of a story from back in'82. Another segment in the life and times of, ah....me. Seems I have started to remember things more and more lately, for some reason I'm not sure of. It was around 1982, the recession was in full swing...many factories were shut up tight, alot of people out of work, especially in the south. I've pulled from share of jobs, from factory work in the carpet and yarn mills, to construction, to cooking, and many of the jobs in between. And there were many, many times, I simple created jobs, and businesses out of thin air. I'll get to those stories some other time. During this time, no one was finding much of anything, and even creating something wasn't working, people just didn't have the money to spend. This was during the time I was married to my first wife, and we were staying at her mom's, as well as several of her brothers and sisters, and their crews, families, etc...Needless to say, it was getting alittle crowded, but, together, we were all just getting by. It was about this time I decided we needed to do something else entirely, so after some discussion, I decided the best thing to do, was for me to hitch-hike to Atlanta, a few hours away, and try to find work there. Now, we had a car, but figured it was better left where it was, as my wife would have need of it, and besides, where do you park in Atlanta, especially without money to take care of the expense...so off I went. The plan, to find work, then some housing, and then I'd send for her. It took about a day, and into the night to get there, and found myself downtown. It was winter, very cold, and I had but a few bucks in my pocket. I tried a coffee shop first, and got warmed up, wasn't much I could do before it got morning anyway. Unlike many places, downtown of anywhere is not exactly ther place to camp out in a diner. Their use to this possibility and can make things really uncomfortable at times when you've been there long enough. And someone carrying a bag across their back is definately a " camper " . I left, and wandered the streets of downtown Atlanta for awhile, walking to keep the cold out, taking note of places I'd check in the morning, for work. I'd also need to check on places to stay at night till some money started coming in, even if a safe place in an alley way, or a friendlier coffee shop. Around 2 or 3 am, on my way back from walking all the way to Buckhead and back, up Peachtree, I ran across one of the places that was open all night long...not a diner, but a strip club. And for what they are, this was one of the nicer ones for sure. Being cold to the bone, the streets nearly vacant, well past tired, I fondled the few bills in my pocket and went on in. This time, out of all other possible times, I was not ask for a cover charge,,but invited on in with a smile. Must of been good will night or something. I was shown to a seat in a booth along the back wall, near the all night kitchen, another blessing in disquise, as I later found out. The smells from the kitchen were over taking my senses like you wouldn't believe, and the warmth of the place, would have sent me to sleep, if it hadn't been for the loud music being generated by the DJ, as he introduced the next dancer to the stage. I settled in and tried to play down the bag I was carrying, ordered a burger, and a cup of coffee. I took note of the dancer on stage, as she went through her process, and, well, I suppose I admired her, beauty form across the room. There in Atlanta, they do a 3 part show...dressed the first song, nude by the last one. As the others would go up to the stage edge and slip a dollar or two in their garters, I did feel alittle ackward not having any way to show any, graditude myself. As I sat there, trying to eat very slowly, trying to stall, should it be relized I was only trying to stay warm, and not tipping or buying drinks...knowing I might be asked to leave. During this time, I just happened to have been writing on my napkins. Not really writing, as much as, drawing...a few friends and I use to sit for hours creating, copying, ad designing album covers and other related commercial art, writing with lots of special graphics, all freehand. I could take any word, your name espacially and with just an ink pen, make it look, well, like a work of art. I had actually been " doodling " the stippers name on the first napkin, and was just finishing it up, figuring, that when I lefty, I'd leave it on the table, and she would get it, and that could be my tip. As it happens, as stipppers will do when they come off stage, is go around and thank those who tipped her, and perhaps offer a nude table dance. As she got around to near where I was sitting on the back wall, a customer next to me requested a dance from her. As she took off her outfit, she turned around, facing me, and caught her eyes...I froze. As she unlocked the glance, with a slight smile, she noticed the napkin, as she laid her clothes on my table. She completed her dance only inches from me, but our eyes never left each other. Maybe it was the napkin, maybe it was trying to figure out why this man at the next table, with a naked body only inches away, had never looked away from those eyes. After she completed her dance, as natural as if she had always done it, she slide in next to me, after she had dressed, and picked up the napkin. " Is this for me " , she asked. Half embarrassed, because I didn't want attention for having done it, I like just sneaking away, leaving others with their own ideas. " Yes " , I said, " I thought you might like it " . She wrapped her arms around my neck and whispered, " no one has ever thought about what I might like " , and kissed me on the cheek. She had to get up to go back to work, and I let it go at that. But the next thing I knew, more girls were coming over to the table asking me about the " art " , and if I could do one for them as well. I had certainly warmed up to this bit of attention, and thinking, I could stretch this out till at least dawn. When asked how much I charged, I hadn't even thought to ask for anything...they were doing me a favor...so I said " a beer " to one, so she told the waitress, " bring him wahtever he wants, and keep it coming " . The next one, I said maybe another burger...and so on. It turns out, I did each and every girls name, there must have been about 7 that night, a few of their kids names, the cook, the bouncer, and even the DJ. I ended up back there for several nights, and was welcomed each and everytime. I got to tell the story of why I was in town, and things would be looking up soon, that I was looking for work and I'd get it covered. I did find a job doing maintenance a couple days later, for an older hotel downtown there, not a few blocks away, and received a room out of it as well. Who knows, maybe the sign I did for the hotels diner still hangs outside. Maybe these napkins still hang on someones wall at home. Maybe, a girl or two remembers, that guy who, never seemed to look much anywhere besides their eyes, to see all I really needed to, where I found my warmth in a cold place. I recall, one of the dancers, I drove her after work, 3 hours away to see her husband who was in prison, because she was just too tired, and hey, a few hours of extra sleep in her car while she went in helped alot too. I remember helping another one of them move across town. There were a few more stories during this time, but, they aren't important... I suppose I've had a good share of seeing some beautiful naked women...but it wasn't because of their lack of dress...it was because of the heart that looking into those eyes revealed to me. While the guys that came in to see alot more in the dim lights and flashes, I saw what wasn't being seen, all you have to do is " look " . I'll leave you with that for now... copyright2007knightsintent(dc) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 24, 2007 Report Share Posted August 24, 2007 Thank you for sharing this story, what a perfect example of why we should not judge people/places but just look at the person. Namaste Isabel > > I am reminded of a story from back in'82. Another segment in the life > and times of, ah....me. Seems I have started to remember things more > and more lately, for some reason I'm not sure of. > > It was around 1982, the recession was in full swing...many factories > were shut up tight, alot of people out of work, especially in the south. > > I've pulled from share of jobs, from factory work in the carpet and > yarn mills, to construction, to cooking, and many of the jobs in between. > > And there were many, many times, I simple created jobs, and businesses > out of thin air. I'll get to those stories some other time. > > During this time, no one was finding much of anything, and even > creating something wasn't working, people just didn't have the money > to spend. > > This was during the time I was married to my first wife, and we were > staying at her mom's, as well as several of her brothers and sisters, > and their crews, families, etc...Needless to say, it was getting > alittle crowded, but, together, we were all just getting by. > > It was about this time I decided we needed to do something else > entirely, so after some discussion, I decided the best thing to do, > was for me to hitch-hike to Atlanta, a few hours away, and try to find > work there. Now, we had a car, but figured it was better left where it > was, as my wife would have need of it, and besides, where do you park > in Atlanta, especially without money to take care of the expense...so > off I went. The plan, to find work, then some housing, and then I'd > send for her. > > It took about a day, and into the night to get there, and found myself > downtown. It was winter, very cold, and I had but a few bucks in my > pocket. I tried a coffee shop first, and got warmed up, wasn't much I > could do before it got morning anyway. > > Unlike many places, downtown of anywhere is not exactly ther place to > camp out in a diner. Their use to this possibility and can make things > really uncomfortable at times when you've been there long enough. And > someone carrying a bag across their back is definately a " camper " . > > I left, and wandered the streets of downtown Atlanta for awhile, > walking to keep the cold out, taking note of places I'd check in the > morning, for work. I'd also need to check on places to stay at night > till some money started coming in, even if a safe place in an alley > way, or a friendlier coffee shop. > > Around 2 or 3 am, on my way back from walking all the way to Buckhead > and back, up Peachtree, I ran across one of the places that was open > all night long...not a diner, but a strip club. And for what they are, > this was one of the nicer ones for sure. > > Being cold to the bone, the streets nearly vacant, well past tired, I > fondled the few bills in my pocket and went on in. > > This time, out of all other possible times, I was not ask for a cover > charge,,but invited on in with a smile. Must of been good will night > or something. I was shown to a seat in a booth along the back wall, > near the all night kitchen, another blessing in disquise, as I later > found out. > > The smells from the kitchen were over taking my senses like you > wouldn't believe, and the warmth of the place, would have sent me to > sleep, if it hadn't been for the loud music being generated by the DJ, > as he introduced the next dancer to the stage. > > I settled in and tried to play down the bag I was carrying, ordered a > burger, and a cup of coffee. I took note of the dancer on stage, as > she went through her process, and, well, I suppose I admired her, > beauty form across the room. > > There in Atlanta, they do a 3 part show...dressed the first song, nude > by the last one. As the others would go up to the stage edge and slip > a dollar or two in their garters, I did feel alittle ackward not > having any way to show any, graditude myself. > > As I sat there, trying to eat very slowly, trying to stall, should it > be relized I was only trying to stay warm, and not tipping or buying > drinks...knowing I might be asked to leave. > > During this time, I just happened to have been writing on my napkins. > Not really writing, as much as, drawing...a few friends and I use to > sit for hours creating, copying, ad designing album covers and other > related commercial art, writing with lots of special graphics, all > freehand. I could take any word, your name espacially and with just an > ink pen, make it look, well, like a work of art. > > I had actually been " doodling " the stippers name on the first napkin, > and was just finishing it up, figuring, that when I lefty, I'd leave > it on the table, and she would get it, and that could be my tip. > > As it happens, as stipppers will do when they come off stage, is go > around and thank those who tipped her, and perhaps offer a nude table > dance. > > As she got around to near where I was sitting on the back wall, a > customer next to me requested a dance from her. As she took off her > outfit, she turned around, facing me, and caught her eyes...I froze. > > As she unlocked the glance, with a slight smile, she noticed the > napkin, as she laid her clothes on my table. She completed her dance > only inches from me, but our eyes never left each other. Maybe it was > the napkin, maybe it was trying to figure out why this man at the next > table, with a naked body only inches away, had never looked away from > those eyes. > > After she completed her dance, as natural as if she had always done > it, she slide in next to me, after she had dressed, and picked up the > napkin. " Is this for me " , she asked. Half embarrassed, because I > didn't want attention for having done it, I like just sneaking away, > leaving others with their own ideas. > > " Yes " , I said, " I thought you might like it " . She wrapped her arms > around my neck and whispered, " no one has ever thought about what I > might like " , and kissed me on the cheek. > > She had to get up to go back to work, and I let it go at that. But the > next thing I knew, more girls were coming over to the table asking me > about the " art " , and if I could do one for them as well. > > I had certainly warmed up to this bit of attention, and thinking, I > could stretch this out till at least dawn. When asked how much I > charged, I hadn't even thought to ask for anything...they were doing > me a favor...so I said " a beer " to one, so she told the waitress, > " bring him wahtever he wants, and keep it coming " . The next one, I > said maybe another burger...and so on. > > It turns out, I did each and every girls name, there must have been > about 7 that night, a few of their kids names, the cook, the bouncer, > and even the DJ. I ended up back there for several nights, and was > welcomed each and everytime. I got to tell the story of why I was in > town, and things would be looking up soon, that I was looking for work > and I'd get it covered. > > I did find a job doing maintenance a couple days later, for an older > hotel downtown there, not a few blocks away, and received a room out > of it as well. > > Who knows, maybe the sign I did for the hotels diner still hangs > outside. Maybe these napkins still hang on someones wall at home. > Maybe, a girl or two remembers, that guy who, never seemed to look > much anywhere besides their eyes, to see all I really needed to, where > I found my warmth in a cold place. > > I recall, one of the dancers, I drove her after work, 3 hours away to > see her husband who was in prison, because she was just too tired, and > hey, a few hours of extra sleep in her car while she went in helped > alot too. I remember helping another one of them move across town. > There were a few more stories during this time, but, they aren't > important... > > I suppose I've had a good share of seeing some beautiful naked > women...but it wasn't because of their lack of dress...it was because > of the heart that looking into those eyes revealed to me. While the > guys that came in to see alot more in the dim lights and flashes, I > saw what wasn't being seen, all you have to do is " look " . > > I'll leave you with that for now... > > copyright2007knightsintent(dc) > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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