INT.CHICAGO LOOP - SILVERSMITH HOTEL RESTAURANT - EVENING
Amy and LatteGirl are settled into a quiet corner of the
hotel RESTAURANT cutting into STEAKS and sipping wine.
NARRATOR
December raced by, an emotional
roller coaster ride from start to
finish. My best friend at the club,
LATTEGIRL, had a birthday coming up
and to celebrate we headed for a
girls' weekend in the Chicago Loop.
I treated her to dinner at the
5-Star Silversmith Hotel where we
were staying--tenderloins washed
down with a $200 bottle of Cru
Bourgeois.
INT.SILVERSMITH HOTEL SPA - EVENING
Amy and LatteGirl are lounging at the hotel spa being given
massages and pedicures.
NARRATOR
After dinner we relaxed with a spa
session where we were pampered with
massages and pedicures. I followed
that up by giving her a pair of
PEARL EARRINGS, courtesy of my
wonderful LunchGuy whose business
involved jewelry, which she showed
off when we hit the hotel nightclub
for some dancing until we both
dropped from exhaustion.
INT.SILVERSMITH HOTEL ROOM
The two best friends were chilling in their opulent hotel
room when Amy notices her phone vibrating. It is a call from
her GRANDMOTHER.
NARRATOR
Because of our serious religious
differences I am not close to my
grandmother, at least while I'm on
the JW's 10 most wanted list, but
when she called I knew something
important was up. After listening
to the message, no one had died, so
I didn't call back right away. We
had been close, I'd lived with her
as a child, but I figured the call
was about some bullshit family
business. Our weekend in Chicago
over, we hit the road during which
I called my grandmother.
INT. AMY'S CAR
While driving home Amy calls her grandmother who starts
crying right away.
GRANDMOTHER
Hello, Amy, hello...thank you for
calling back.
AMY
Of course, so you didn't say much
in the message you left...what's
going on?
GRANDMOTHER
I'm afraid your mother and father
are about to lose their home. I've
already loaned them all that I can
so unless you can help they'll have
to sell their house and move into a
flat somewhere.
NARRATOR
My father was a trust fund baby,
was given money whenever he needed
it, but that did not mean he lived
a lavish life style, Jehovah's
Witnesses, like the Amish and other
religious sects believed in working
hard,and he did try though
circumstances often seemed to get
the best of him. Hanging up with my
grandmother, I downed a couple
glasses of wine and watched some of
the film, STILETTO, to gird up my
fearless Taylor Thorn alter ego,
before calling my parents. The
early small talk was almost
unbearable---fucking bla bla bla,
until I finally changed the
subject.
AMY
I understand you guys are going
through some financial
difficulties. I care about you, I
always want you to have a roof over
your heads, and I want to help.
Her parents were both listening in and suddenly got quiet,
uncomfortable having to admit they were having serious
financial problems.
NARRATOR
My father tried to explain away his
business failures, blaming the
downturn in the economy.
AMY
Everyone has setbacks, but at this
time in your lives you should be
looking forward to a comfortable
retirement and not worried about
losing your home.
NARRATOR
For me their silence was an
unforgettable and mumental
turn-the-tables moment when they
finally said, "Thank you...okay
then...thank you."
AMY
So...get all the paperwork
together, we'll go over it and
decide how to move forward by you
sending me the most pressing bills
first.
NARRATOR
An awkward silence was building, so
much so that I knew we hadn't quite
come to the understanding I was
hoping for.
AMY'S MOTHER
Well, you know I usually take care
of all the bills, so would you send
us the money instead of us sending
you the bills?
NARRATOR
Now, that wasn't going to happen. I
knew my mother was a total control
freak, a trait I recognized because
I was the same way, and yet I knew
to put my foot down.
AMY
Let's face it, the way you've been
handling money is at the root of
your financial problems right now,
so, no, I need you to work with me
right now.
More silence on the other end of the phone, and more tension
building.
NARRATOR
Sunday was a blur of tangled mixed
emotions as I prepared myself to
face Monday at the club. Now, more
than ever I needed the money.
INT. AMY'C SLUB - DAY SHIFT
Amy drags herself into the club, looking like she's carrying
the weight of the world on her shoulders. may is breaking a
norm and drinking at the club to get drunk.
NARRATOR
First up was my sweet LawyerMan. He
saw I was drinking a glass a wine
which was breaking one of my
norms--no to drink while working at
the club. As I shared my family
problems hoping for his
professional advice there was such
a look of empathetic understanding
as we sipped our wine. After two
VIPs with him, my day stalled. On
to Tuesday. FuzzyWuzzy got things
off to a good start but with some
distressing news.
INT. AMY'S CLUB - TUESDAY - DAY SHIFT
FUZZYWUZZY
I wanted to let you know that my
wife will be retiring soon which
means I won't be able to get to the
club as often as I'd like.
NARRATOR
He was depressed, I was depressed
and even broke down crying as we
shared our tales of woe. After a
couple of VIPs I bid him farewell.
AMY
Now...now I'll be seeing you soon
enough, okay.
He looks at Amy with those puppy-dog eyes, squeezed her
harder than ever before, and she sent him on his way. Amy
walks into the lady's bathroom and breaks down in private.
INT. AMY'S MOTHER-IN-LAW'S HOME
Amy drives up to her mother-in-law's home, parks out front,
grabs some wrapped gifts, walks up the stairs to the front
door, rings the bell and is walks into the house.
NARRATOR
The next day involved a much
appreciated change of pace as I was
about to attend my mother-in-law's
retirement party--one family
comfortable in retirement while my
family was struggling. The conflict
had me craving a drink...hard
liquor would have been too much,
but when my mother-in-low ordered a
glass of wine, I felt comfortable
ordering one as well, I held up the
glass and we all toasted to her
retirement. The next day at the
club got started when my JailerMan
came in first.
INT. AMY'S CLUB - WEDNESDAY - DAY SHIFT
Amy walks JAILERMAN into the VIP area, spends time to talk
during his lap dance, he leaves and Amy's LAWYERMAN walks
into the club.
NARRATOR
He only had time for VIP quickie
sandwiched between court hearings.
After sharing some of my family
issues I was moved at how so many
of my regulars are able to look
past my revealing bra and sheer
thong to care about what's going on
inside.
As LawyerMan leaves the club regular RACECARGUY walks in
presenting a logistics problem.
NARRATOR
RaceCarGuy was always good for at
least a 2-VIP pop plus a generous
tip, but I was just headed into a
VIP with another guy when I saw him
enter the club. Not wanting this
big-bucks blue fin tuna to get away
I grabbed him and gave him a kiss
on the cheek.
AMY
I'm going to be tied up for about a
half hour, if you wouldn't mind
waiting.
RACECARGUY
That works for me.
NARRATOR
Knowing his patterns, I figured he
would wait...and he did. The next
day I'd been relaxing at the bar
when my MANFROMJAPAN came in, a
sweet guy but oh so small. Standing
next to him in my heels I looked
like the Japanese version of
Pinnocchio. Sitting at the bar he'd
squeezed my hand and touched my
knee.
Amy makes her way to the stage, does her show, and returns
to her client.
MANFROMJAPAN
Okay, we go now?
NARRATOR
I noticed him focused on my every
stage move and sensed he was pretty
nervous about the upcoming VIP
session. When we got into the room
he handed me a pretty little pink
box with a Victoria's Secret gift
card inside.
MANFROMJAPAN
I wanted for you something sexy,
but not know your size.
NARRATOR
So thoughtful...we hugged, he
smiled, kissed me on the cheek, and
after the VIP we sat around a
while. This day over, I was not
looking forward to tomorrow.
INT. DENTIST OFFICE - DAY
Amy walks into her dentist office, sits down to wait, and is
escorted into another room for the procedure during which
the dentist grinds on the tooth before destroying the nerve.
At the end of the procedure the secretary hands Amy the
bill.
NARRATOR
I was scared and shaking, while
insisting on extra shots of
Novocain while he shaped my bad
tooth, boring an opening to the
nerve. And the bill, over $1,000,
added to my mounting financial
pressure to help my parents...
INT. AMY'S CLUB - DAY SHIFT
Amy is sitting at the bar when one of her regulars walks in.
She goes over to him, gives him a hug, and along with
BLONDBOMBSHELL he buys them a round of drinks.
AMY
I think today is a good day for a
three-way...what do you say...a hot
blond with great tits and a hot
brunette with a great ass. Let's
all go to VIP and play!
ACCIDENTALTERRORIST
Now, that's the best idea I've
heard in a long time!
The threesome walks into the VIP room and the erotic fun
begins, the girls taking turns dancing for the client.
NARRATOR
We loped off to do three VIPs.
Doing a double is a little awkward,
you have to work out where everyone
is going to be inside the small VIP
area, then you have to make sure
each dancer has enough time dancing
for the customers. We figured it
all out, had a great time, and sat
with him afterward until he sobered
up so he could drive home safely.
AMY
Good work, girl...good work.
BLONDBOMBSHELL
Oh...yes...well, thank you, that
was so awesome.
NARRATOR
Needing cash for a trip she was
planning, and with another dentist
appointment coming up for me,
things worked out for all of us.
EXT. AMY'S DENTIST OFFICE - DAY
Amy walks out of the dentist office, this time her mouth
numb from the Novocain. Unable to go to the club in that
condition, Amy is seen buying Christmas presents at the
mall. At a food court she is seen slurping soup and
dribbling at not being able to control her lips.
INT. AMY'S HOME
Christmas morning, Amy is with her man and his two-year-old
son with SPECIAL NEEDS who temporarily looses it over being
frustrated trying to open a present. Then, Amy opens an
expensive bowl gift from her mother.
NARRATOR
Despite the boy's temper tantrum,
the rest of Christmas went well
although I had to hold back tears
when opening my mother's gift,
which I knew was now beyond her
means. The entire month was one
tsunami of raging emotional
turbulence coming at me from all
sides, but the month and the year
would soon pass a new year and a
new beginning, but before turning
the page I woke up after a draining
nightmare.
INT. AMY'S HOME BEDROOM - NIGHTTIME
Amy is tossing and turning while in the midst of a troubling
NIGHTMARE unfolds. Amy is sitting with her grandmother in a
Kingdom Hall meeting.
NARRATOR
This girl dreams in Technicolor and
3D which makes nightmares all the
worse. I was attending a Kingdom
Hall meeting with my grandmother
whose leaning over me whispering
about a girls' day she's planning,
and she specifically mentions her
friend has to lie about a dentist
appointment in order to spend an
afternoon with my grandmother.
Well, that stung, because I'd
always wanted to do just that,
spend a fun day together and yet it
never seemed to happen. Back to the
dream, two rows in front of us was
a young couple, a fairly tall guy
with a stylishly dressed girl with
bad teeth, not great hair, but a
pretty face, I thought. I'm talking
to my grandmother when she shoots
me a shush look. My grandmother
makes a face as to say ignore her,
she's a bitch, so I do. First the
guy, then the girl turn around
again to shush us. Now I'm pissed,
lean forward, and put my arms on
the chair in front of me, glaring
the whisper at them, 'is there a
problem'. He turns, then she turns
sitting straight up in her chair,
but turned back and didn't bother
us after that. Meeting over, I
sashayed up to her, offer my hand,
and say, 'Hi, I'm Amy, I'm Lois's
daughter.' I'm still holding onto
her hand, and tightening my grip as
I lean in to say, 'I suggest you
get off of that high horse of yours
and don't count on this man of
yours to save you, I mean look at
the other motherfuckers around
here...my man could take them all
on...he carries a mean angry chip
on his shoulder should anyone upset
me or my family. In the future I
suggest you be a sweet as peach pie
to my grandmother. If I hear
otherwise there will be hell to pay
and I'll be right there to help
him, that's right, I'll scratch
that pretty right off your
face...okay, princess, do I make
myself crystal clear. I lean in
closer waiting for a reaction.
Stunned into silence I end
with...'just nod your head if you
can't speak darlin.' She tries to
manage a wry smile, but only nods.
I get closer, wrap my arms around
her in what looks like a friendly
hug, but instead I squeeze the air
out of her lungs and say, 'Now fuck
off bitch,' and walk away. Walking
back to my grandmother, she asked,
'What did you say to her?' I just
smiled...and that was the end of
the dream.
INT. AMY'S HOME - AFTERNOON
The family is in the living room with the tree opening
presents, then, with no kids around Amy and her man enjoy
some love-making privacy, then, out for brunch. Not ready to
face the club, Amy spends a workday with LunchGuy. The meet
in a lakeside parking lot, Amy parks her car and gets in
with LunchGuy.
INT. LUNCHGUY'S CAR
Amy is opening a present he gave her, something he'd made
with his own two hands. He drives Amy to Whole Foods and
they shop the aisles.
NARRATOR
He'd given me many expensive gifts,
but this mail holder was crafted in
his own wood shop. He's such a
darling and I'm so proud of him.
Granted, it was something more like
a father would give a
daughter--yes, our relationship is
complicated, but good for both of
us. At Whole Foods he puts
expensive organic food in my cart,
reminding me to eat better. I knew
he was also going to give me our
usual several hundred dollar fee
and thinking about money, I
couldn't believe how much I made
this month, but I guess I earned
every penny. Many of my regulars
come in burdened with frustrations
and I do my best to take their
minds off their problems for an
important hour or so.
LUNCHGUY
You know I'm here for you,
kid...I'm here for you and you know
how I feel about you...I wish you
were my daughter.
NARRATOR
Over a sushi lunch he says that to
me. I knew he had two actual
daughters, but that they both were
dealing with all kinds of problems,
but that's life, right? You can't
pick your parents and as a parent
you can't really control what your
children will be like when they
grow up. He continues to love me
unconditionally and has been a big
help in dealing with my parents'
problems, something he'd already
had to struggle with. No matter
what you're going through, someone
else has already been there. Then,
we got to talking about my dream
for the future, to have a farm and
raise cattle.
AMY
So, when I get my farm operational
will you buy my first Scottish
Highland cow?
LUNCHGUY
You mean your first four or five
head?
NARRATOR
And he went there knowing that such
a commitment would involve
thousands of dollars.
AMY
Yeah, that would be even
better...that would be awesome!
Amy shows LunchGuy a CARD and we see it.
NARRATOR
Before parting I gave him a
Christmas card on which I wrote,
'You mean more to me than I think
you'll ever know.' to which he
replied, 'I think...I know I feel
the exact same way." My time with
LunchGuy over,in a few hours my
time struggling with the current
year would also be over and I was
looking forward to ushering in a
new year full of promise.
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