text: Content Warning: This story takes place in a gentlemen's club and the co-main character is an exotic dancer. Raven: Back again, huh? James: Yep. Raven: Do you actually like it here? James: Um...yeah, I guess so. Raven: Why? James: Why not? Raven: This place is a dump. James: You work here! Raven: Yeah, well, it’s still a dump. James: Um, ok. If you say so. Pause Raven: Do you have a girlfriend? James: No. Pause I don’t. Raven: When was the last time you did? James: Why do you want to know? Raven: Look, I’m just trying to make conversation. As you might’ve noticed, no one else is here and I’m bored out of my mind. James: Is it always this dead during the week? Raven: Pretty much. Strip club patronage isn’t what it used to be. James: Then why even open up? Why don’t you guys just open on the weekends? Raven: Because every once in a while a high roller will come through and spend a few grand. I guess it happens often enough for us to stay open during the week. James: Oh. I see. Pause Wow, lucky them. Raven: Lucky them? James: To have that kind of money to spend and it’s no big deal. Raven: Pshh, these guys are anything but lucky. James: What do you mean? Raven: I mean most of them are unhappily married and miserable. That’s why they come here. To quickly spice up their lives, even if it’s just for a couple hours. James: Wow, that’s really sad. Raven: What about you? James: What about me? Raven: Are you miserable? James: I don’t know. Pause Maybe. Pause But unfortunately I don’t have the kind of money those guys do to spice things up. Raven: Ugh, stop talking. James: Why? Raven: You’re better than...this. James: Pshh. Raven: What? James: How do you know I’m better? Raven: Because you're the only guy who ever comes in here who treats us with any respect and has decent manners. James: Oh. Wow. Pause Thank you. Raven: Don’t mention it. Pause Do you want a dance? James: Yeah, I’ll take a dance. Raven: Let’s go. *** Ten minutes later James: Wow, thank you for that. Raven: Just doing my job. Pause So, you never answered my question? James: What question? Raven: When was the last time you had a girlfriend? James: A long time ago. Raven: How long? James: I guess it’s been about nine years. Raven: Nine years?! James: Yep. Raven: Why? James: I don’t know. Raven: Yes, you do. James: I don’t know that I want to talk about this. Raven: Oh, come on. Humor a bored, frustrated stripper. Pleeeeeeeeeese! James: Well... Pause I thought I was going to be with her forever. Pause And it didn’t work out that way. Pause And I had never felt pain like that before. Pause And I don’t want to ever again. Pause That’s pretty much it. Raven: You’d rather be alone for the rest of your life? James: Well, I mean, I didn’t plan it to be this way. But it’s just become what it’s become. I’m used to it. Raven: Well, I think that’s really sad. James: Why? Raven: Because now you’re just going through your life like a robot! James: That’s not very nice. And how do you know how I go through life? Raven: I’m sorry, but what do you do when you’re not, you know, here? James: I work. Raven: Ok, what do you do when you’re not here OR at work? James: Well... Pause I read. Pause I watch movies. Pause Once in a while I do a little writing. Pause I watch a lot of sports. Pause I play some online poker. Pause I guess that’s about it. Raven: How exciting. James: Gee, thanks. Raven: And how do you feel? James: What do you mean ’how do I feel?’ Raven: Deep down inside, how do you feel? James: Honestly? Raven: Honestly. James: Dead. And empty. Raven: I thought so. I just didn’t think you’d admit it. James: Hahaha. Raven: Don’t you want a wife, kids, a dog, a house-that kind of thing? James: Sure, I guess. Pause Don’t you? Raven: My third marriage ended last year. James: Oh. I’m sorry. Raven: Don’t be. He was an awful person. Just my type. James: Why’s that? Raven: I don’t know. James: Yes, you do. Raven: Hahaha. Pause It’s a tough cycle to break. Pause That’s how my dad was. Pause And my uncles. Pause And my older brothers. Pause And as a result, that’s how all my boyfriends and husbands have turned out to be. James: You could...try to break the cycle. Raven: That’s much easier said than done. James: Yeah, I know. Pause So, what do you do when you’re, you know, not here? Raven: I have three kids. I don’t have time for much else. James: You do? Raven: Are you surprised? James: I just didn’t know. Raven: Strippers are people with lives, too, you know. James: I know. Pause It’s just not something I’ve ever really thought about. Raven: Few do. James: What do you do with your kids? Raven: Everything. Run them around to practices, go to the library, go to movies here and there, go out to eat occasionally if it’s in the budget. Pause Why are you looking at me like that? James: You sound like a really good mom. Raven: Thanks, I am. James: Maybe they’ll break the cycle. And if they do, it will be because of you. How you raised them. Raven: Maybe. James: Maybe I could join you sometime? Raven: For what? Raven: All the stuff you just said. Practices and the library and out to eat and movies. Raven: You're sweet, but no. James: Why? Raven: You don’t want my life. Pause And you really don’t want to ever have to deal with one of my ex-husbands. James: Why’s that? Raven: Just trust me when I say he’d make your life a living hell. James: Oh come on, how bad could it be? Raven: Really bad. James: Really bad? Raven: Really really really bad. James: Oh. Well...ok. Raven: Why don’t you just hop on one of those dating sites. That’s what everyone does these days. James Yeah, I know a lot of people who have met that way. Raven: Me too. James: Maybe I will. Raven: You should. Pause Well, there’s one of my regulars. I didn’t know if he’d show up tonight or not, but he did. James: He comes here a lot? Raven: Just about every week. James: Oh. Ok. Raven: He’ll probably keep me pretty occupied for the rest of the night, but it was nice talking to you. James: You too. Raven: Don’t come back here. James: Haha. Raven: I’m serious. James: We’ll see. Raven: Enjoy the rest of your night. James: You too. Raven: That’s not gonna happen, but thanks. See ya. James: See ya *** Three weeks later Raven: I thought I told you to never come here again. James: Oh, sorry. Pause I guess old habits die hard sometimes. Raven: You need to work on that. James: Yeah, I probably do. Raven: So, have you been on any of those dating sites? James: Actually, I have. Raven: Well, yay! How’s it been going? James It’s going ok. I’ve had a couple decent dates. None of them have amounted to anything yet, but we’ll see. Raven: It’s not going to take long. James: How do you know? Raven: I just know. Pause So, how are you feeling, you know, deep down inside? James: Well... Pause A lot better. Thanks to you. Raven: I do what I can. Pause So...want a dance? James: Yeah, as a matter of fact, I do. Raven: Well...let’s go!