The gentleman's club downtown pays top dollar for topless dancers...

"You know," offered John thoughtfully, "you could raise that money in just a few nights down at the Red Spotlight. They do an amateur's night that's open to anyone 18 or over. The tips alone would pay for your whole trip and then some."

Allison wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Isn't that a strip club? No way I'm doing that. Are you crazy?"

Kate shook her head, muttering, "Typical male," and the rest of the girls glared at him sourly.

"Yeah okay, John, thanks for the suggestion. I think we'll figure this out ourselves," said Tanya reproachfully, extending an arm that invited him toward the exit.

"Was just an idea," he grumbled, and headed off toward the parking lot.

From that point onward his relationship with the girls gradually dwindled, until he eventually quit the team altogether. He never did end up going to Honolulu. Other things seemed more important than a high school gymnastics meet at the time, but later in life he looked back on it as a missed opportunity. More importantly, he eventually came to realize that erotic relationships---just like all relationships---shouldn't be rushed. They need to be cultivated with tact and wisdom, not boorish propositions.

The End