Panties for Sale (8 page)

Dear Diary,

I can’t believe that new
girl.
 
The Asian one. Chieko is her real
name. But what did I call her?
 
Oh yes,
Abby.
 
I think it suits her.
 
Man, but she is a god damned trip!
 
She calls me before every appointment.
 
I don’t know why.
 
At first I thought she was nervous.
 
But she’s so good.
 
I have so many bookings for her.
 
It’s like she needs a boost or something?
  

Mr. Roberts must have lost it
when that geisha doll showed up at his room.
 
He sure wasn’t expecting something as gorgeous as her. I don’t know why
he asked for her?
 
Dora said he sounded
so excited when he called to book her.
 
She hasn’t heard back from him yet.
 
Chieko said it went fine.
  
OK.
 
He paid the money.
 
That’s it?
 
I don’t know.
 
We’ll have to wait
till he calls again. Bloody man.
 

Why he pays for our services
I have no idea.
  
Men are funny. I wonder
if he got it up?
 
All the other girls say
that Mr. Robert’s can’t get it up.
 
But
bless his heart, he is not without persistence. I guess that’s a good thing.
Well, it is for me!
 
Ha!
 
But I am persistent too.
 
Damnit!
 
I am determined that one of my girls will cure him.
 
Maybe it will be Chieko.
 
Wonder what his problem is?
 
His wife is gorgeous.
 
Ha!
 

These men.
 
They think we don’t know their secrets.
 
Maybe they shouldn’t have family websites and
put a link on the bottom of their emails. The shit I have on these men.
 
I could ruin quite a few marriages.
 
And not just those quiet unknown men.
 
Nope.
 
I could tell stories.
 
Get some
serious businessmen and politicians in trouble. Politicians are always
fun.
 
Think they are so goddamned better
than everyone else and they are always the ones with the secrets to hide.
 

Anyways, Mr. Carl
Roberts.
 
CEO of Roberts
Electronics.
 
Yes.
 
The Roberts Electronics that just made a bid
to take over the NORTEL offices.
 
That’s
some serious cash.
 
And his wife.
 
Gorgeous!
 
And she’s not old either.
 
Not
like him.
 
I’d say mid 40s.
 
Stunning.
 
French looking though, I think.
 
Like that actress, I can’t think of her name, in the Chocolate movie
with Johnny Depp.
 

God. Chocolate.
 
I would kill for that chocolate shop right
now.
 
A steamy vat of melted
chocolate.
 
I haven’t had chocolate in a
week.
 
Can you believe it?
 
I had to stop.
 
Lindt chocolate balls should not be eaten
like breath mints.
 
But they are so damn
good. One week.
 
That’s got to count for
something?
 
Maybe tomorrow I can reward
myself.
 
What if I had hot chocolate at
night?
 
That would be ok.
 
No.
 
I’d rather have my wine.
 
Yes,
much better.
 
Although.
 
Could I combine that?
 
Hot chocolate with mint liqueur.
 
Oh Angela, you’re a sly one.
 
That will work.
 
Yes.
 
I’ll go shopping tomorrow.

OK.
 
Back to Chieko.
 
Not sure about her.
 
I mean she killed it with John Thackery.
 
He loved her.
 
What the hell is up with that man?
 
Thinks he’s James Bond with his stupid little tunnels in his house.
 
He has no idea that we are all laughing at
him.
 
Who orders a call girl when your
wife is at church, just so you can pretend you are bat man emerging from some
stupid tunnel you built in your house and just JUST getting the girl to give
you a blow job. And then fall asleep?
 
Does he think it’s not cheating if it’s just a blow?
 
I have never EVER had a girl do anything else
for that man. And it’s always the same white room.
 
I wonder. … I wonder if he video tapes
it.
 
You know, I never thought of that
before.
 
He probably does.
 
That’s why he does it.
 
Bloody perv.
 
If he wasn’t so regular and pays so damn well.
 
I mean he doesn’t hurt any of the girls and
yeah, it’s weird but it’s not dangerous.
 
I can’t really tell him to fuck off for being weird, can I?
 

What am I going to do with
Alex?
 
No one has booked her.
 
A few calls of interest, but they were slimy
clients.
 
Unknowns.
 
I don’t want to do that to Alex, not for the
first one.
 
I don’t know.
 
I know Chieko’s desperate for the money.
 
But she’s a good worker.
 
I just trust her, you know.
 
Ahmed likes her.
 
She’s quiet, he said, but he said she’s a
good one.
 
He knows.
 
He been driving my girls for years. He’s got
like a sixth sense. He can predict the ones that stay and the ones that don’t
last.
 
He said she’s determined. He said
he could tell by watching her walk.
 
I
know she’ll put on her face and do the job.
 
And the men adore her.
 
Alex
wouldn’t have been able to deal with those guys.
 
Could you imagine her with Carl Roberts?
 
With his fat old ass and dick that doesn’t
work?
 
Or Thaackery?
 
Him popping out of his bloody tunnel?
 
Yeah, she’d say something smart ass, I know
she would.
 
Damn it.
 
I need a semi-normal guy to start her off
with, or she won’t last.
 

Can you believe that Chieko
asked me why the men pay so much for the room?
 
Why they just don’t rent them by hour.
 
What kind of sleazeball place does she think I’m sending her to?
 
By the hour.
 
Motel.
 
Bloody Ghetto.
 
No.
 
Thank you madam.
 
And then she was
all upset about me blurring her face on the websites.
 
You would think she would be grateful.
 
I’m doing her a favour so her whole damn
family in Japan doesn’t see her online.
 

At first I didn’t think she
understood me.
 
She had all these poses.
Really.
 
It was hysterical.
 
She kept trying to flirt with the
camera.
 
Lower her head and flutter her
eyelashes.
 
To be honest, I thought she
was trying to seduce me. I had to tell her about Tanya.
 
Sure, honey, I can show your face. And then
someone can stalk you.
 
Bloody Tanya and
her ring.
 
And what kind of boyfriend did
she have?
 
I ask you? What the hell is he
doing online searching through the VIP pictures on my website?
 
To get into those pictures, you have to be a
client. Yes.
 
That would be someone who
has already paid for our services. Um.
 
So what is he up to?

Men!
 
Men!
 
Men!
  

I sure love them, but god
damned I hate the lot of them.
 
Jesus
alone knows why I got married again.
 
Especially to this stupid fucker.
 
John, what the hell are you doing?
 
Not home yet.
 
It’s past
11:00.
 
Work.
 
Right.
 
He’s at work.
 
Bullshit. He’s out
with his secretary again.
 
I know
it.
 
So what? It’s my fault. I’m
frigid.
 
Yeah, frigid is right. I don’t
want to fuck his sorry ass. I’m sick of it. Fucking men.
 
They got to rename that.
 
Servicing men.
 
Ain’t nothing going on for me. I’m so tired
of pleasing everyone. When is it time for me?

Luann says that my chakras
are out of line.
 
Whatever that bloody
means.
 
God damned chakras.
 
Where do people come up with this shit these
days? I’ll tell you what’s out of line.
 
My bloody satisfaction. I can’t get none!
 
When do I get to be satisfied?
 
When do I get to lie back and have someone
please me?
 
Mick Jagger.
 
Now he could satisfy.. with those big lips of
his.
 
Damn.
 
Angela calm yourself.
 

Son of a
bitch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Where is he?
 
Like I don’t know.
 
PRICK!!!!!

She’s nice enough.
 
Luann Black Feather.
 
What kind of a name is that?
 
Black Feather. Feather is right.
 
Feather brain.
 
But, she was right.
 
About my stress. I was too stressed out. And
today, she gave me the most marvelous tea.
 
What did she call it?
 
Ganja
tea.
 
It relaxed me right away.
 
I have to learn how to make that stuff.
 
She said it’s important for me to relax
myself.
 
To sit alone with my
thoughts.
 
Just stare out of the window
if I want to.
 
Stop and sit quietly for a
few minutes every day.
 
That’s what she
said. Well, I am.
 
I’m writing in this
journal.
 
Actually, I’m writing a
lot.
 
Oh, and I’m starting this goddamned
gratitude list. Every day.
 
I have to sit
and write down 10 things I’m grateful for. Ha!
 
OK.
 
I’m grateful for…..

Where is that damned prick of
a husband?
 
Why won’t he answer his
phone? No, really. I don’t have to think about him.
 
I am only going to fill my head with good
things.
 

Thank you. Thank you. Thank
you.
 
Thank you for my two darling boys.
Who I adore. I’m going to raise to be real boys.
 
Real nice boys. Not like their prick father.
 
But kind and strong. And open the door for
women. And listen.

The barista winked at Alex as he handed her two grande chai
lattes with soy milk.
 
She wrapped them
in cardboard sleeves and then carried them to the back of the busy Starbucks
café where Chieko was waiting.
 
Alex
would have preferred to lounge out in the big velvet chairs in front of the
fireplace, but the back table was probably much better for their
conversation.
 

“Ohma! It’s hot!” Chieko cried, almost dropping the large
paper cup on the table.

“Yes,” laughed Alex. “I’m sorry. I should have warned you.
You usually can’t drink it for a few minutes.
 
They make it really hot here, so it lasts a long time.” Alex held her
cup just under her nose and closed her eyes and let the strong spicy aroma wash
over her.
 
Warm fires, Christmas and
freshly baked gingerbread cookies all rolled into a Starbucks cup. When she
finally opened her eyes, Chieko was eyeing her strangely.
 
“You try,” Alex smiled, “It smells so good.”

Chieko lifted the cup suspiciously up to her nose. “In
Japan, we make tea, um, cold,
 
not so
hot.
 
How do I say?”
“Warm?”

“Ah, yes, warm, and not so giant.”

“Yes,” Alex rolled her eyes. Of course, Chieko would think
everything in Canada was too big.
 
She
was so tiny.
 
She was one of those girls
that GAP made size 0 for.
 
Size Zero!
Alex hated seeing that size on the rack. Doesn’t that mean you don’t
exist?
 
That you are so skinny if you
turn sideways, you disappear?
 

God, but Chieko must be intoxicating to men.
 
She must make them feel so big and
strong.
  
They must get that primal
warrior feeling like they are protecting this tiny delicate flower of a
girl.
 
Alex suddenly wished she hadn’t
eaten those Macdonald’s fries on the drive over.
 
She felt like her belt buckle was straining
against her stomach.
 
She readjusted her
belt and
 
tried to sit up straighter, but
it didn’t help.
 
She still felt like a
giant.
 
Crossing her arms in front of
her, slouched down in her chair.

The girls sipped their lattes in silence

Looking back at Chieko, Alex remembered she had promised
Angela that she would be nice.
  
“This
business is tough,” Angela had said, “everyone needs a support system.
 
And you two are starting at the same time. It
will be good for you to share your experiences.
 
Chieko might be your savior some time, you know?
 
I don’t know what I would have done without
Dora.
 
Think about it.
 
Who else can you talk to about this
stuff?
 
Your friends?
 
Your family?
 
They won’t understand.
 
No,
actually it’s better if they don’t know at all.
 
Trust me on that.
 
No, Chieko and
you should be friends.
 
You two can talk
about things, share your experiences.
 
Plus I really think she is going to need help here.”
 

“How long have you been in Canada?”
 

Chieko looked up, “I, ah, come to Canada for, rokkagetu,
ah, six months.”

“You mean six months ago?”

“Hai, yes.
 
Six
months ago,”

“Did you come with your family?”

 
“Nei, no.”

“Oh.
 
Are you here
with friends?”
 
Chieko shook her
head.
 
“You are here alone?”
 
Alex asked.

“Hai, yes.” Chieko nodded.

“With no one to help you?”

“Yes,” Chieko looked away.

“Wow that is brave. But what do you do? I mean, why did you
come to Canada?
 
Are you a student?”
 

Chieko looked up at Alex.
 
“No, I was a student in Japan.”

“Oh, did you study English in Japan?”

“Hai.
 
Yes, I did,
but I am not so good.”

“No, no, you are fine,” Alex smiled, surprising
herself.
 
Chieko puzzled her.
 
At first, Alex thought she was a total stuck
up bitch.
 
Any one that beautiful and
tiny had to be nothing less, in Alex’s experience.
 
But Chieko was here all alone and she could
barely speak English.
 
What was she
doing?
 
Toronto could be pretty harsh at
times.
 
Especially to immigrants.
 
Especially if they don’t speak English so
well

Torontonians don’t mean to be offensive, sometimes, they
just don’t understand.
 
They still have
that ‘we were here first’ mentality. Most Torontonians didn’t grow up with so
many different people, from different cultures and religions all around them,
crowding them in.
 
It’s not that they
mean to be harsh or insensitive, Canadians are usually very open minded
accommodating people, but the rapid influx of foreign populations can get hard
to deal with, especially when it means crowding the 401 and filling up the city
with foreign cultures that seem loud, dirty and at times dangerous.
 

It’s not just the Torontonians though.
 
Immigrants come to Toronto with their own
preconceived ideas of what life should be like and try to create small epochs
of their hometowns here.
 
It creates a
rather delicate balancing act.

“Isn’t it hard for you here,” Alex leaned closer to Chieko,
“to understand everything?
  
I mean, do
you understand everything?
 
You know, if
you need any help, well. I have a car, if you need to go anywhere.”
 
Alex ripped off a piece of paper, “Here, take
my cell phone number.”
 

“Domo, thank you,” Chieko nodded.

“Alex lowered her voice, “Escorting can be difficult.
 
You know, don’t you think?”
 

Chieko looked at Alex in surprise.
 
“You think so?
 
Mondai ga aru nante sinjirarenai, anata wa
kireidashi, jisinka dashi. I mean, but you are so strong.”

Alex laughed.
 
“Me?
 
No, are you kidding?
 
I’m freaking out.
 
My first appointment is tomorrow.
 
What about yours?”

“No. Already done. Done 5 already”

“What? Really?”
 
Alex
looked around to make sure no one was listening and then leaned in closer.
 
“How did they go?”

“Ok.
 
Fine,” Chieko
shrugged.
 
“Good.”

“Weren’t you nervous?”

“At beginning,” Chieko giggled, “yes.
 
Okyaku san no houga watasiyori kowagatteta to
omouyo. Um, I think, my client was more scared. But,” Chieko paused, “no, it is
ok.
 
Really, my client, he is nice and
very kind.”

“And that’s it?”

“Hai, really, don’t worry,” Chieko smiled, “you will be ok.
Sonnnani kirei nanoni kincho-surunannte okashi- yo.

“Huh?” Alex asked

“Oh,” Chieko giggled, “um, probably, the client, the man,
he is more afraid to you.”

“Yeah right,” Alex laughed.
 
“So, did you have, um, you know, have sex?
 
On your appointment? Or did you have to, you
know,” Alex shook her hand suggestively.

Chieko shook her head, giggling. “Not on first.”

“You didn’t?”
 

“I don’t know if I should say,” Chieko whispered, “but ok.”
She looked up at Alex.
 
“My first client,
he was very fat and very old. And,” she paused, “kare impo datta, um, not very
strong.”

“What, do you mean?” Alex started but then realized what
Chieko was saying.
 
“Are you
serious?
 
Really?
 
And he still paid you?”

Chieko nodded and tried to hide her laughter with her
hands.