INT.NEW YEARS EVE CLUB - EVENING
Amy worked at the club on the last day of the year, got
home, and DRESSED to go out and ring in the NEW YEAR with a
few close friends at a nearby night spot. They arrive around
11 PM, hit the DANCE FLOOR, and finally celebrate with the
crowd at MIDNIGHT.
NARRATOR
The past year sped by so fast, but
the past is past and I'm looking
forward, to a new beginning, and
possibly an entirely new
life...heading in that direction
anyway. And so, me and my man, some
close friends, no fights, no fuss,
had two drinks, one at the
beginning of the night, one at the
end, and danced my ass off. Two
guys in our group could have been
NFL players so no one was going to
mess with us. Home before two and
in bed by three after New Year's
Eve sex in the shower. After a day
to just rest and recover, the
following day I felt the need for a
good massage.
INT. SPA WITH MASSAGE
Amy walks into the spa, spots her MASSEUSE, is waved over,
STRIPS down to a couple of towels, and lays down on her
stomach to begin.
NARRATOR
I'd been to this masseuse before so
he knew the kind of chronic pain I
lived with as a consequence of my
chosen profession. Working deep and
hard, clearing out the toxins, is
what it took. A large, powerful man
with strong hands, he put me
through the ringer, every muscle
stretched, prodded, poked and
pressed in every possible
direction. Finally over, I felt
totally manhandled and a touch
violated, but it was all good.
INT. AMY'S HOME
Soar and tired, Amy SHOWERS, packs her club bag but isn't at
all sure she's up to going in to work.
NARRATOR
Still sore and tired, the next
morning was all about whether I
would go into work or not. On
autopilot, I showered, packed my
club bag, but still wasn't sure I
would go in...then I began to
remember the new stack of bills I
now had to pay.
INT. AMY'S CLUB - DAY SHIFT
Amy drags herself into the club, gets DRESSED, and heads to
the floor.
NARRATOR
At this point I'd been at the club
for six years and knew that Mondays
were usually good for a VIP or two,
so...I dragged myself into the
club, threw some stripper garb on
from my locker, stomped onto the
floor and sure enough one of my
regulars was there waiting for me.
It was my CowboyMan. I didn't have
a stitch of makeup on, had just
thrown myself together, yet there
he was beaming a big smile when he
saw me heading in his direction.
AMY
I'm glad you're here, I almost
didn't come in today!
His smile lengthens as he pats me on the BUTT while nodding
his approval.
AMY
I'm going to put my stuff away,
primp a little, and I'll be right
back.
COWBOYMAN
Okay...I'll be here.
NARRATOR
When I return we talk for a while,
I'm called to the stage, finish my
tip walk and we do some dances yet
during most of the time we just
cuddle. As soon as he leaves three
more regulars are waiting for me,
one a recent cancer survivor,
someone I wasn't sure I'd ever see
again.
Amy sits down with her cancer survivor regular to discuss
his situation.
NARRATOR
As things turned out after his
treatment he'd been given a clean
bill of health although every four
months he had to go in for relapse
tests. I'm thinking, what a
horrible way to live, and yet, I
guess it's much better than the
alternative.
CANCERSURVIVOR
Thank you so much for being there
for me.
AMY
You stay healthy now and I'll see
you again soon.
Amy is at the counter checking out when she overhears a
dancer nearby talking about HER FATHER.
NARRATOR
I know what it feels like to need a
good reason to get up in the
morning and for some of our
customers I know we provide that
priceless service. After a surprise
VIP my day shift ended with me at
the counter paying my tip-out when
I overheard one the other dancers
talking about her father who was
close to death, her family all
fucked up, the whole situation had
her in the depths of a Grand-Canyon
depression. Knowing that explained
so much, especially why she was
getting drunk every goddamn day at
the club. It really bothers me when
the girls are hurting, no matter
who they are, whether I like them
or don't I can sympathize when
anyone is having a hard time in
life. When changing in the dressing
room I saw her phone buzzing with a
call from her uncle.
AMY
I noticed your uncle left you a
phone message, just so you now.
She starts crying right away.
DEPRESSEDDANCER
I can't even take this anymore. My
dad just doesn't deserve to die,
he's such a good man, so caring,
and he's always been sweet to me.
Now, my mother is a piece of shit
but he's the one who's dying.
Amy pauses to give her a chance to calm down.
AMY
You know...good and bad people die
every day. It's so so hard because
it's your father...I'm sorry to
hear about everything you're going
through.
They hugged, she CRIES some more, and Amy leaves to go home.
Driving home Amy begins to imagine how devastated she will
be when her beloved grandmother passes.
NARRATOR
I don't want to even think about
losing a parent, but since we were
never close I know I'll get over
it, but not so with my grandmother.
When she passes I'll be nearly
inconsolable, so much so that I'd
be hard pressed to even work at the
club while I'm grieving her
loss...but hopefully I'll have
moved on from the club by then. Not
working at the club still seems
like a dream I haven't actually had
yet, but life has a way of changing
quickly just when you think things
will drag on exactly the same
forever and ever.
INT. AMY'S CLUB - DAY SHIFT
It's another down FRIDAY at the club. Amy services several
clients, but on the drive home begins to crash and needs
three days off to recover from the stress of the holidays.
To get back to her earning ways, Amy accepts of working
lunch date.
EXT. DOWNTOWN RACINE SHOPS
During the lunch date Amy peruses the local shops while
LunchGuy has a business meeting.
NARRATOR
I don't even know why I come in on
Fridays, not many girls so I'm on
and off the stage too much
interrupting any VIP triage I might
have going on. But as luck would
have it one of my regulars,
OlympianMan, came in. Normally I'm
rushed with him so since it was a
slow Friday I was able to take
extra time with him, we talked, did
some dances, had lunch and I sent
him on his way. As he left
TeddybearMan walked in. And yes, he
reminds me of a child's cuddly
teddy bear all covered in crushed
brown fur. And to support that
impression he's usually wearing a
bulky fuzzy sweater! With huge arms
and facial hair he gives the best
bear hugs ever. My workday over,
heading home it began to snow and I
began to crash...apparently the
demands of the holidays finally
caught up with me and I was out of
it for three days. For years and
years I'd never gone three days
without earning some serious money.
Feeling the tension, I welcomed a
text from LunchGuy to spend some
time with him outside of the club.
Feeling well enough to peruse some
of the quaint downtown shops, which
I did, buying a few gifts for
LunchGuy. We have a complicated,
layered relationship and it only
works because he genuinely loves me
and more importantly respects me
and the boundaries have had to set
with him and all my clients.
INT. AMY'S COSMETOLOGIST OFFICE
Amy gets a call from her COSMETOLOGIST canceling her
appointment for a wax, citing a medical issue with Amy's
cosmetologist and BEST FRIEND. She calls her private number
right away.
AMY
What's wrong?
NARRATOR
I'd asked the question but was
petrified with fear over the answer
I did not want to hear.
COSMETOLOGIST
My mother's with me...I'm in the ER
dealing with some stomach pains.
AMY
Okay...okay...but please text me,
call me, just let me know what's
going on.
NARRATOR
Managing for the time being, I
forced myself to get on with my
day, but a few hours later I got
the text I was dreading.
COSMETOLOGIST
My cancer is back...its now in my
liver.
NARRATOR
I knew she'd had a bout with breast
cancer, but after successful
treatments was hopeful for a
long-term cure. I was stunned, had
to look away from the text, but
still broke down. I finally wiped
my eyes, blew my nose, took a deep
breath and gulped the remaining
tears away. My closest and dearest
friend, if she dies it would be the
third person I've loved and lost to
cancer. Strong and always
optimistic, if anyone she could
beat the Grim Reaper. My man,
always there for me, had a
suggestion that gave me a sense of
something I might do to help.
AMY'S MAN
You know, if she's up for it maybe
the two of you could take another
trip, get away together, relax, on
me...just in case, well, you
know...
Amy hugs her man and starts feverishly CLEANING her house,
bites into a candy bar, and chips another TOOTH, soaks in a
hot tub,
NARRATOR
I thanked him, but was in an
emotional black hole. All I could
think to do was clean. Five hours
later, spent, I was able to calm
down. Then, after biting into a
candy bar something broke loose
from one of my teeth...yes, folks,
I chipped another fucking tooth.
Trying not to dwell on the
impossibly sad situation, I soaked
in a hot tub and watched some 30
Rock, and prepared myself to go and
visit her tomorrow.
INT. AMY'S COSMETOLOGIST HOME
Amy, arms full of GIFTS and groceries, heads for the front
door and is let in. After a long hug, Amy presents her
gifts. Life goes on and the State's favorite team, the Green
Bay Packers were in the midst of a heated playoff game.
NARRATOR
She began sharing the hard, cold
facts about her deteriorating
condition. No time like the
present, I spoke right up.
AMY
Look, if you're up to it in between
treatments let's get out of Dodge.
She just looks a bewildered stare at Amy
AMY
Yeah...my man said he'd pay, spend
a week just relaxing. I know you're
not going to be yourself, but
that's not a problem.
COSMETOLOGIST
You know, that just might be really
nice.
AMY
Great...great...so I'll start
making plans and let's keep in
touch.
COSMETOLOGIST
I will, dear...okay...
AMY
Love you so much...
Amy hugs her dear friend and walks out the door. Driving
home Amy remembers others lost to CANCER. Her once strong,
confident GRANDFATHER withering away in a hospital bed.
NARRATOR
I lost my mom's dad to bone cancer.
It took him five grueling years to
pass. He had been a strong,
vigorous man, ex military. The
second was a close Witness friend,
another big man with lots of
attitude. A nasty melanoma got him
and in less than a year he was
gone. He'd been 300 pounds or so
and ended up being unrecognizable.
The weekend over, it was time to
get back to work.
INT. AMY'S CLUB - DAY SHIFT
Amy enters the club, DRESSES, and heads for her spot at the
bar, MCDONALD'S bag in hand.
NARRATOR
In my line of work I often tread a
fine line, yes my clients
appreciated the personal
conversations we have, but at times
like this I have to be careful not
dump my burdens on their
shoulders...they come to the club
to forget their troubles for a few
hours. I'd picked up a McDonald's
so right there I knew I was
stressed. The week went well, made
some decent money, but the weekend
was looming large as I was planning
to visit my parents and begin the
process of bailing them out of
their financial problems. I'd
reached out to my aunt, let her
know I was coming up, she called my
parents.
AMY'S MOTHER
Amy, dear, the weather is supposed
to be bad this weekend, why don't
you just send us a check.
NARRATOR
I thought I'd made it clear that
wasn't going to happen. I was
infuriated. Once again they were
putting me off, just like they'd
been doing my entire fucking life,
just like they'd been putting off
dealing with their financial
shit-storm woes and now I have to
step in and clean up their fucking
mess. I'd arrived at the club early
enough to manage all these
conflicting emotions while still
preparing myself to serve the needs
of my clients. Things go better
when I treat my club gig as a
regular job...because it is my
regular motherfucking goddamned
job! But I'm stressed, I'm upset,
I'm angry...I call and find out my
cosmetologist best friend has had
her first chemo treatment. The club
starts to come to life as more
dancers arrive and slowly take up
their spots around the bar. Just
then the bartender notices me.
BARTENDER
So, what's up...you never eat like
this?
AMY
Don't start...my days sucks already
and this new year has been anything
but good.
NARRATOR
When people are pissed they chew
fast, for me that meant eating four
French fries at a fucking time and
finishing off the fish in five
bites. When I'd just about finished
my boss walks over.
AMY'S CLUB BOSS
You shouldn't be eating that stuff,
not good for you, too much sugar
and salt.
AMY
Yeah...I know.
AMY'S CLUB BOSS
How are you?
AMY
Shitty...
AMY'S BOSS
Oh no...I suspected as much. What's
wrong?
AMY
I don't want to go there, I'll just
get all upset.
AMY'S CLUB BOSS
What is it?
NARRATOR
He was approaching me like a
father-figure, so I laid out my sad
story of how my parents squandered
their financial resources and that
now I had to bail them out of the
mess they made for themselves. An
experienced businessman, he had
some useful advice.
AMY'S CLUB BOSS
Well, this is the sort of thing
bankruptcy was designed for. If you
want I've got lawyers on retainer
you could talk to...whatever you
need I'm here for you.
AMY
That's so thoughtful...thank you.
AMY'S CLUB BOSS
I know you make a lot of money
around here, but you also make a
lot of money for the club.
After Amy gets done speaking with her boss, LUNCHGUY texts
her, offering to come in. While waiting for him two other
regulars come in and Amy has to manage servicing them both.
NARRATOR
I couldn't believe he had my back
like that, and offering me that
kind of help without expecting any
sexual favors. All this went down
before even a single customer had
walked into the club. After
clearing my head I began texting
some of my regulars beginning with
LunchGuy. Although he hadn't come
into the club in over two years
knowing I was hurting he offered to
stop in. While waiting to see who
might show up, this adorable little
old man brings me an early
Valentine's present, perfume in a
pretty red bag featuring a crimson
heart. I was on a roll when another
regular, AccidentalTerrorist
stopped in looking for me wanting
to tell me a story. I wasn't sure
if I was in the mood to deal with
his bipolar bullshit, but decided
to risk it and sat down to chat
with him. After doing some dances
with another customer, I returned
to sit with AccidentalTerrorist who
was pissed that I hadn't focused my
time on him and decided to piss me
off by going to sit with another
dancer. Not sure how to handle
this, I looked up and there was
another regular, SweetheartMan.
SWEETHEARTMAN
Surprise!
NARRATOR
Whether he spends money on me or
not I just love being around him
while soaking in his constant
stream of compliments. Noticing
that AccidentalTerrorist was
getting up to leave I excused
myself, headed over to him, and
gave him a hug.
AMY
You have to go?
ACCIDENTALTERRORIST
Yeah, you're busy and I just got a
call from my secretary...they need
be back at the office.
AMY
I'm sorry I was so busy but you'll
tell me your story next time,
right?
ACCIDENTALTERRORIST
Yeah...sure...
NARRATOR
I sensed he'd loosened up so I
think we left on decent terms. When
I hugged him goodbye I tried to
pass on the impression that damn it
you're not going to be mad at me
for doing my job, cranky old man. I
often build genuine emotional
attachments to many of the people
at the club, regularly spend hours
listening to all of their problems.
That's my job, not theirs so when I
feel the need to vent and they
laugh it off, like lemon juice in a
fresh paper cut...it stings. At
times like that, though, I know I
have my man waiting for me at
home...someone I can always count
on for the support I need to carry
on, and with the weekend coming up,
I'm going to need him more than
ever.
EXT. AMY DRIVING UP NORTH - DAY
Car packed for a weekend getaway in order to take some
serious steps toward helping her parents, Amy and her man
driving up north to help her parents and stay at his
family's cabin. Amy ends her day at the club and they hit
the ROAD.
NARRATOR
We're heading up north to hash out
all the details with my parents. My
man cared enough to arrange
everything and take off work so he
could be with me. We'll be staying
at his family's cabin. His mother
will be there, without her
daughter, someone I can't stand.
I'm looking forward to just hanging
out.
INT. AMY'S CLUB - DAY SHIFT
Before leaving for up north Amy finishes up a day shirt at
the club by speaking to HOUSEMOM.
NARRATOR
After asking HouseMom for
permission to leave she spoke to
me.
HOUSEMOM
Sure...sure...get going...don't
worry now, everything's going to
work out. Honestly, you're one of
the best things that's ever
happened to this club. You're
really important to a lot of people
and you're really important to me.
NARRATOR
God...I almost started crying, I
didn't, but almost. I reached out
and squeezed her hand.
AMY
Mom...I can't tell you how much you
mean to me. You listen to all my
bullshit and it helps get me
through the tough days, keeps me
sane in this sometimes mad house!
NARRATOR
So, we had a moment...and as I
start thinking seriously about life
after the club, she's the one
person I'm going to miss. Some of
us really do get close at the club.
HouseMom's nickname for me is
AmyJean and one the bouncers calls
me Miss Amy. I will definitely stay
in touch with some of them after I
leave.
INT. GROCERY STORE - EVENING
Amy leaves the club after talking with HOUSEMOM and has a
thing for a CHECKOUT BOY.
NARRATOR
Heading home I stop for groceries,
shuffle around just to blow off
some unspent club steam, pick up
things to bring up north, and
settle into a long checkout line.
When a second checkout lane opens
up I move right over and notice the
young, charming, tall, dar, and
Robert Pattinson handsome thing
manning the cash register. Heading
toward him I'm thinking, really, am
I this lucky? As I approached he
smiled while ringing everything up.
AMY
Thank you...
NARRATOR
I'm thinking...damn, you're cute.
CHECKOUT BOY
No...thank you.
NARRATOR
And he's thinking...Hello foxy
lady!
NARRATOR
...I guess I've still got it...
EXT. AMY DRIVING HOME - EVENING
Amy leaves the grocery store and looks at her PHONE, knowing
she is going to call her FRIEND who is very sick.
NARRATOR
Driving home I quickly lost the
buzz from my little flirtation when
realizing I'd soon be calling to
see how my friend's chemo went, and
as if that wasn't bad enough, then,
I'd be on the phone with my
grandmother, confirming I'd be
coming up to sort out the family's
financial problems.
THE END OF LIMITED TV SERIES EPISODE 04
.
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