as good as it could...

When I got to the club, I thought Julie might've played a joke on me. The Mad Hatter didn't look like a high-end establishment, but then I had never been to a strip club before. The neon sign atop the blacked-out building had a burnt-out "d" and "t" so it read as "The Ma Hater." I told the bouncer I had meeting with Joey and he let me in. Inside, the place looked a little more upscale. Red felt lined the floor and walls. A pristine glass bar stood in the back, a DJ booth to the side, and two stages. There were dancers, completely naked, but only about six patrons. It was, however, 2pm on Wednesday. I had no idea where to go and had to talk to the bartender. "I'm here for Joey."

The woman nodded, "Through the curtains behind the DJ. Second door on the left. Knock on the door before you go in darlin'."

I felt light-headed as I walked behind the curtain and into a musty dark corridor. Just as I began to knock the door opened. A burly middle-aged man with a thick beard and Judas Priest t-shirt stood in the doorway.

"Who are you?" he said in an almost accusatory tone.

"Um. ah," I stammered, "we spoke on the phone, you said I should come in."

"Oh right right. Ok come in then." I walked into the office and glanced over the walls plastered with pictures of women in different stages of undress, some of them autographed. The room smelled like a falafel truck I sometimes go to for lunch. I gulped audibly. "Have a seat," he said, pointing to the sofa across from his desk. "What brings you here?"

I struggled to make eye-contact, but managed to tell him I needed a job.

"Dancing? Bartending? Waitressing? Janitorial services?" I felt an overwhelming rush of panic and before answering Joey interjected with a laugh. "I'm joking hon. I know you said you wanted to dance. Have you danced before?"

"Um, not exotic dancing. I did gymnastics for twelve years. Some ballet."

"Better than nothing. Am I right?"

I couldn't tell if he meant for me to answer.

"Well as I told you our roster is pretty full," he continued before pausing to look me over. "You seem nervous. Are you sure this is something you want to do?"

"Uh. Um. I need the money. Thought it was worth a try?" I shot him an awkward smirk.

He smiled back, "Look, you have a lovely figure and a coed look that some customers love. You also have a certain exoticness. Maybe that's not politically correct thing to say. Are you Latin?"

I figured he meant Latina or Hispanic. "My dad is from Honduras. My mom is mostly Irish."

"Well that won't do. Let's say you're Puerto Rican. Don't want customers having to google Honduras during the show. Am I right?"

I just nodded and a cold silence fell over the room. My mind started racing. I assumed I might need to take my clothes off for Joey as part of my 'audition'. Is that what was happening now? I deeply regretted the words that came out next, "Do I need to, um, strip for you?"

Joey responded with a guttural laugh. "well sweetie how do you think I know what I am hiring?... lets see what you can do and I'll let you know if your working the lunch shift on Tuesdays or making the big bucks on the weekends...

I shook my head and swallowed the bile that was rising in my throat as I stood on uneasy legs and began to rock my hips to imaginary R&B music that was playing in my head...