Sunday, October 30, 2005
This is the Jess story revised...
Jess
“One more shot, come on Kate, don’t wimp out on me yet!”
“Jess, we have a final in the morning.”
“Oh who cares? We’ve been doing nothing but studying all of college. We’re seniors. Live a little! Here, take this kamikaze and have some fun!”
Kate sighed and looked at her roommate, as usual Jess’s hair was disheveled and she was all dressed up ready to party. Kate looked down at her own button down shirt and jeans; she was still wearing her glasses and had no make up. She hadn’t exactly planned for a night out. However, what had begun as their celebratory round of drinks after their last class had turned into an all night affair. Everything with Jess usually turned into an all night affair. That was Jess’s motto, “why stop when you’re having fun?” It was great occasionally, but she always threw responsibility out the window. She looked at Jess holding the shot out to her. She was dancing along with a song playing on the jukebox. She really seemed like she had no care in the world. Kate laughed to herself as she realized that in the four years she had known Jess, she had never actually seen the girl stress about anything. She really did live life day by day. Finally she grabbed the shot from Jess’s hand and threw it back.
“Yay! These are our last days of college baby! Embrace them now cause soon they’ll be gone!”
“Oh boy I’ll be regretting this tomorrow I’m sure.”
“Don’t think about tomorrow, enjoy today, come on let’s go dance.” Jess grabbed Kate’s hand and dragged her out to the dance floor.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Jess rushed around her small apartment, trying to throw stuff into a ragged duffel bag on her bed. She grabbed a flesh colored thong, a black leotard, and tan high heeled tap shoes and shoved them in the bag. She stopped in front of the mirror and sloppily put some mascara on her eyes while gathering the rest of her makeup into a bag with her other hand. She finally had a gig tonight. When the knock came, she was right in the middle of struggling with the almost- broken zipper on her duffel bag. She stopped in her tracks and stared at it. When she didn’t answer right away, the person on the other side banged louder. Then a low, gravely voice called, "Jessica, there's no where to hide. You know we're just going to track you down anyway. It’s time to pay up. You and Steve are long overdue."
She tentatively walked to the door and opened it an inch, with the chain still attached.
"Steve's not here anymore. He left," she said.
"Ah, so he skipped town, huh? Not surprised, I knew that kid had no thread of decency. Well, too bad you're still here, and I still need my money. So, I guess you'll have to pay his debts too," the guy said.
"What?!? That's impossible; I don't have that kind of cash. You know that" she protested.
He suddenly reached forward and slammed his bulky frame into the door, breaking the flimsy chain. Jess went flying back from the force of impact. He lunged after her and cracked his fist across her face so hard she went slumping down the wall. He loomed over her menacingly as she lay cowering on the floor. "Too bad, find it. I've waited long enough, I need to get paid. You have till Wednesday and I better have that cash in my hand, or those pretty legs of yours will never dance a gig again.
"Wednesday? That's only two days...there's just no way," she sobbed.
He kicked her hard in the ribs and reached down then pulled her head up by her long, blonde hair so his face was right in hers. "Wednesday, or else," he said.
He dropped his hold on her hair and she went crashing back down to the floor where she slumped down and cried. He turned, fixing his pin striped suit collar and casually smoothing down his dark hair in her mirror before strutting to the door and closing it behind him as if nothing had just happened.
She lay there sobbing, curled up in a fetal position. Finally, she crawled over to her dressing table and pulled herself up to her knees to look in the mirror. Her face was already swelling up and her side was throbbing horribly. She knew there was no point in even showing up to her gig that evening. They would never let her on stage with her face looking this way and she was in no condition to dance, anyway, since she suspected that he had broken a rib. She reached up and lightly touched her bruised eye, wincing with the pain, oo yea; RJ certainly had done a number on her. He definitely meant business this time.
She reached to the back of the dressing table and pulled out a cherry wood music box. Opening it, she pulled out a small, cracked, smoky mirror and a bag of white
powder. She lightly tapped the bag and poured out two lines. Then she reached into her jeans pocket and pulled out a crumpled bill. After leaning over and snorting the two lines, she slowly felt the pain disappear. She slowly stood up and walked over to her desk where she sat down and pulled out a white sheet of paper and a pen. She sat there for a second, trying to find the right words in her muddled brain, then finally she put the pen to the paper and began to write,
Dear Kate,
Well it definitely has been awhile. I don't really know how to say this, I'm so sorry that our lives have gone in such different directions. I do want you to know that you have always been one of my best friends and one of the few people that understand me. However, I know you're not going to understand what I'm going to say right now. I'm killing myself tonight...
Jess
“One more shot, come on Kate, don’t wimp out on me yet!”
“Jess, we have a final in the morning.”
“Oh who cares? We’ve been doing nothing but studying all of college. We’re seniors. Live a little! Here, take this kamikaze and have some fun!”
Kate sighed and looked at her roommate, as usual Jess’s hair was disheveled and she was all dressed up ready to party. Kate looked down at her own button down shirt and jeans; she was still wearing her glasses and had no make up. She hadn’t exactly planned for a night out. However, what had begun as their celebratory round of drinks after their last class had turned into an all night affair. Everything with Jess usually turned into an all night affair. That was Jess’s motto, “why stop when you’re having fun?” It was great occasionally, but she always threw responsibility out the window. She looked at Jess holding the shot out to her. She was dancing along with a song playing on the jukebox. She really seemed like she had no care in the world. Kate laughed to herself as she realized that in the four years she had known Jess, she had never actually seen the girl stress about anything. She really did live life day by day. Finally she grabbed the shot from Jess’s hand and threw it back.
“Yay! These are our last days of college baby! Embrace them now cause soon they’ll be gone!”
“Oh boy I’ll be regretting this tomorrow I’m sure.”
“Don’t think about tomorrow, enjoy today, come on let’s go dance.” Jess grabbed Kate’s hand and dragged her out to the dance floor.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Jess rushed around her small apartment, trying to throw stuff into a ragged duffel bag on her bed. She grabbed a flesh colored thong, a black leotard, and tan high heeled tap shoes and shoved them in the bag. She stopped in front of the mirror and sloppily put some mascara on her eyes while gathering the rest of her makeup into a bag with her other hand. She finally had a gig tonight. When the knock came, she was right in the middle of struggling with the almost- broken zipper on her duffel bag. She stopped in her tracks and stared at it. When she didn’t answer right away, the person on the other side banged louder. Then a low, gravely voice called, "Jessica, there's no where to hide. You know we're just going to track you down anyway. It’s time to pay up. You and Steve are long overdue."
She tentatively walked to the door and opened it an inch, with the chain still attached.
"Steve's not here anymore. He left," she said.
"Ah, so he skipped town, huh? Not surprised, I knew that kid had no thread of decency. Well, too bad you're still here, and I still need my money. So, I guess you'll have to pay his debts too," the guy said.
"What?!? That's impossible; I don't have that kind of cash. You know that" she protested.
He suddenly reached forward and slammed his bulky frame into the door, breaking the flimsy chain. Jess went flying back from the force of impact. He lunged after her and cracked his fist across her face so hard she went slumping down the wall. He loomed over her menacingly as she lay cowering on the floor. "Too bad, find it. I've waited long enough, I need to get paid. You have till Wednesday and I better have that cash in my hand, or those pretty legs of yours will never dance a gig again.
"Wednesday? That's only two days...there's just no way," she sobbed.
He kicked her hard in the ribs and reached down then pulled her head up by her long, blonde hair so his face was right in hers. "Wednesday, or else," he said.
He dropped his hold on her hair and she went crashing back down to the floor where she slumped down and cried. He turned, fixing his pin striped suit collar and casually smoothing down his dark hair in her mirror before strutting to the door and closing it behind him as if nothing had just happened.
She lay there sobbing, curled up in a fetal position. Finally, she crawled over to her dressing table and pulled herself up to her knees to look in the mirror. Her face was already swelling up and her side was throbbing horribly. She knew there was no point in even showing up to her gig that evening. They would never let her on stage with her face looking this way and she was in no condition to dance, anyway, since she suspected that he had broken a rib. She reached up and lightly touched her bruised eye, wincing with the pain, oo yea; RJ certainly had done a number on her. He definitely meant business this time.
She reached to the back of the dressing table and pulled out a cherry wood music box. Opening it, she pulled out a small, cracked, smoky mirror and a bag of white
powder. She lightly tapped the bag and poured out two lines. Then she reached into her jeans pocket and pulled out a crumpled bill. After leaning over and snorting the two lines, she slowly felt the pain disappear. She slowly stood up and walked over to her desk where she sat down and pulled out a white sheet of paper and a pen. She sat there for a second, trying to find the right words in her muddled brain, then finally she put the pen to the paper and began to write,
Dear Kate,
Well it definitely has been awhile. I don't really know how to say this, I'm so sorry that our lives have gone in such different directions. I do want you to know that you have always been one of my best friends and one of the few people that understand me. However, I know you're not going to understand what I'm going to say right now. I'm killing myself tonight...
Growing Up
By: Joyana Peters
Every summer growing up my family went down to visit our family friends in Virginia. Their son Paul and I had grown up together as children in New York, and then they moved away when we were about 9 years old. Paul and I remained friends over the years and kept in touch through letters. As time went by our relationship changed, as gradually we hit puberty and began to see each other for the boy and girl that we were becoming. There was one summer in particular that has always stuck in my mind.
I was about 13 years old that summer; my family went down to visit for the 4th of July. The families decided to go to a barbeque over by another farm nearby. We all piled into two cars. I sat in between Paul and his little sister, Melanie. Paul and I talked about what had been happening in school, how different this year had been at junior high and how hard our finals were. Melanie kept trying to get me to play Barbies with her. I tried not to be mean, but she was being so annoying. We finally got to the barbeque and we all spread out and did our own thing. The parents went off and started drinking with the other adults. Meanwhile, Paul and I began our usual game of the last couple of summers, “trying to ditch the little kids”.
There was a brook that ran through the property; Paul said it was really cool because it led up to a dam at the end after a good fifteen minute walk. We decided to walk it, knowing that our tagalong siblings would be too scared to follow us into the woods. The woods were cool and damp and there was a nice breeze that blew through the trees. I felt goose bumps pop up on my uncovered arms. As we walked it began to get darker as dusk slowly settled on top of us. We carried little glass jars with us to catch fireflies later. As we walked through the woods, the ground beneath us slowly began to slope up as we began to climb up a hill towards the dam. Faraway in the distance we began to hear the noise of running water, signaling that we were getting closer. The sun began to droop in the sky and hide behind the branches of the large trees making funny, shadowy outlines of the leaves on the ground in front of our toes.
Along the way Paul pointed out different plants, explaining their names and differences to me. I made fun of him, telling him, that he was beginning to sound more and more like a country boy to me. As it got darker it became harder to see as we climbed our way through the tricky path. I stumbled over a root and Paul caught me by the arm. His hand slowly slid down my arm and he began to hold my hand. We continued walking that way the rest of the way to the dam; sweaty hands clasping each other’s, trying to match each other’s strides, nervously trying to anticipate what came next.
Finally, we reached the dam and sat down on the ground next to it. It was beautiful. The stars were out in the sky and unlike home in New York there were no buildings here to block the view. We laid down on our backs in the tall, green grass and could see the navy blue sky stretched out for miles with gorgeous little diamond speckles decorating it. It was one of the most beautiful moments I have ever experienced in my life. As we laid there Paul began to point out some of the constellations, “See over there? That’s the Big Dipper. And over there? They call that Orion’s Belt.” As he talked, I noticed that slowly he was inching closer and closer to me. I smelled Doritos and hot dog on his breath. Suddenly, my face was facing his. We laid there looking at each other for a couple of seconds. I noticed an ant climbing a piece of grass next to my face. Finally, he leaned in and I felt his warm lips closing in over mine in a wet kiss. As he pulled away I felt my lips curl into an uncontrollable smile. It was perfect. Then he turned away, immediately embarrassed. “So, uhm I guess we should probably head back right?” he asked. “Yea they’ll probably be looking for us,” I answered. We stood up and brushed ourselves off and began to head back to the others.
As we headed back into the dark woods, I felt a funny tumbling in my stomach. A firefly flew past my face, but I didn’t open up my jar and try to catch it. I looked over at Paul, but he seemed deep in his own thoughts as we carefully found our way down the trail. I tossed my hair and tried to start swaying my hips to look cute as I walked; instead I ended up throwing off my balance and tripping over my own two feet and stumbling. Paul grabbed my arm once again, and the two of us stopped there in the middle of the trail. We stood like that for a couple of seconds, Paul clutching my arm, the two of us looking at each other waiting for the other to speak.
“I guess I should have worn sneakers today.”
“Yea those sandels aren’t good for this trail.”
I nodded and waited for him to say something else, instead he just reached down for my hand again and we began to make our way back to the barbeque clutching each other’s hands hoping that somehow the answers would miraculously appear.
By: Joyana Peters
Every summer growing up my family went down to visit our family friends in Virginia. Their son Paul and I had grown up together as children in New York, and then they moved away when we were about 9 years old. Paul and I remained friends over the years and kept in touch through letters. As time went by our relationship changed, as gradually we hit puberty and began to see each other for the boy and girl that we were becoming. There was one summer in particular that has always stuck in my mind.
I was about 13 years old that summer; my family went down to visit for the 4th of July. The families decided to go to a barbeque over by another farm nearby. We all piled into two cars. I sat in between Paul and his little sister, Melanie. Paul and I talked about what had been happening in school, how different this year had been at junior high and how hard our finals were. Melanie kept trying to get me to play Barbies with her. I tried not to be mean, but she was being so annoying. We finally got to the barbeque and we all spread out and did our own thing. The parents went off and started drinking with the other adults. Meanwhile, Paul and I began our usual game of the last couple of summers, “trying to ditch the little kids”.
There was a brook that ran through the property; Paul said it was really cool because it led up to a dam at the end after a good fifteen minute walk. We decided to walk it, knowing that our tagalong siblings would be too scared to follow us into the woods. The woods were cool and damp and there was a nice breeze that blew through the trees. I felt goose bumps pop up on my uncovered arms. As we walked it began to get darker as dusk slowly settled on top of us. We carried little glass jars with us to catch fireflies later. As we walked through the woods, the ground beneath us slowly began to slope up as we began to climb up a hill towards the dam. Faraway in the distance we began to hear the noise of running water, signaling that we were getting closer. The sun began to droop in the sky and hide behind the branches of the large trees making funny, shadowy outlines of the leaves on the ground in front of our toes.
Along the way Paul pointed out different plants, explaining their names and differences to me. I made fun of him, telling him, that he was beginning to sound more and more like a country boy to me. As it got darker it became harder to see as we climbed our way through the tricky path. I stumbled over a root and Paul caught me by the arm. His hand slowly slid down my arm and he began to hold my hand. We continued walking that way the rest of the way to the dam; sweaty hands clasping each other’s, trying to match each other’s strides, nervously trying to anticipate what came next.
Finally, we reached the dam and sat down on the ground next to it. It was beautiful. The stars were out in the sky and unlike home in New York there were no buildings here to block the view. We laid down on our backs in the tall, green grass and could see the navy blue sky stretched out for miles with gorgeous little diamond speckles decorating it. It was one of the most beautiful moments I have ever experienced in my life. As we laid there Paul began to point out some of the constellations, “See over there? That’s the Big Dipper. And over there? They call that Orion’s Belt.” As he talked, I noticed that slowly he was inching closer and closer to me. I smelled Doritos and hot dog on his breath. Suddenly, my face was facing his. We laid there looking at each other for a couple of seconds. I noticed an ant climbing a piece of grass next to my face. Finally, he leaned in and I felt his warm lips closing in over mine in a wet kiss. As he pulled away I felt my lips curl into an uncontrollable smile. It was perfect. Then he turned away, immediately embarrassed. “So, uhm I guess we should probably head back right?” he asked. “Yea they’ll probably be looking for us,” I answered. We stood up and brushed ourselves off and began to head back to the others.
As we headed back into the dark woods, I felt a funny tumbling in my stomach. A firefly flew past my face, but I didn’t open up my jar and try to catch it. I looked over at Paul, but he seemed deep in his own thoughts as we carefully found our way down the trail. I tossed my hair and tried to start swaying my hips to look cute as I walked; instead I ended up throwing off my balance and tripping over my own two feet and stumbling. Paul grabbed my arm once again, and the two of us stopped there in the middle of the trail. We stood like that for a couple of seconds, Paul clutching my arm, the two of us looking at each other waiting for the other to speak.
“I guess I should have worn sneakers today.”
“Yea those sandels aren’t good for this trail.”
I nodded and waited for him to say something else, instead he just reached down for my hand again and we began to make our way back to the barbeque clutching each other’s hands hoping that somehow the answers would miraculously appear.
America’s New Women
By: Joyana Peters
In a dimly lit room, girls are dancing on stage in sexy outfits. The girls wink and smile at the admiring men sitting below them on the floor as they stick money in their thongs. Cocktail waitresses strut around the room taking drink orders and flirting with customers. Rowdy catcalls come from the back of the room as appreciative women express their interest? No, there are no men up on the stage at this strip club these are just a group of women out with their girls appreciating what a sexy woman can do. In a new trend sweeping across the nation strip clubs now find a good percentage of their clientele to be women. Some come with their husbands or boyfriends to take part in the “foreplay” action making it a joint sexual fantasy experience, while others come in groups to appreciate the liberated sexual woman.
Cities have supported the trend by opening up female only sex clubs and beginning Ladies’ Nights at strip clubs now. A new type of club experience is opening up as well. Known as a 60/40 club, the club divides itself into sections to offer an atmosphere of 60% entertainment along with 40% restaurant making it the perfect date place for these new “liberal” couples. The Riviera Club located in Astoria, Queens, once known as the gay club, Krash, is a successful example of this new type of strip club. With many of its old customers still returning, it is known for its laidback, accepting attitude. An increasingly large percentage of their customers are now women. They say they enjoy going because the atmosphere is not as stuffy or expensive as some of the more well-known strip clubs in the city. You can just go kick back and relax and enjoy the action.
Across the country this phenomenon is continuing to take root and becoming more accepted and even considered popular. New York City’s Scores now boasts celebrity clientele such as Naomi Campbell, Courtney Love, and Robin Wright Penn. America can finally admit that women can enjoy their bodies and by attending strip clubs they are embracing their sexuality and having fun by taking part in an open experience.
This new activity has spurred all kinds of controversy as to why women like to go and watch other women take their clothes off. How is it fun for them? For the most part there seems to be a division of two main competing opinions. The one opinion mainly explains the women that go with their significant other, these people argue that women really do not get turned on by watching the female strippers but are there just to keep tabs on their men or to try and understand what their man gets out of attending. These people may argue that any feelings the strippers do conjure up in a woman are just sexual feelings at taking part in the fantasy with their significant other or they get aroused at watching their significant other getting aroused.
The other argument mainly explains the groups of women going together, these people say that these women are not really straight but are just acting out bisexual or lesbian tendencies. This speculation also stirs up the argument that everyone has some bisexual tendencies or curiosities but most never speak of it. Psychologists defend this argument by giving the example how all women check each other out as they walk by in their clothes or how women compare boobs. An example for men is how they feel the need to check each other’s packages out in the gym locker room. Some say it is a physical insecurity causing them to do this, but others argue it is the bisexual curiosity making them look.
Whatever is the cause of this newfound popular activity, it is now being practiced, and growing with time. This goes along with the general new American rising trend of a more liberal outlook on sex. With hit shows like Sex and the City, Desperate Housewives, Friends, and Will and Grace, it is becoming popular to discuss sex in a more open, accepting way. Sex and the City tackled many controversial topics and finally portrayed real-life women who embraced their sexuality and single lifestyle.
Riding the wave of this newfound liberal attitude are entrepreneurs introducing women’s sex toys, women’s porn, pole dancing lessons, strip tease lessons, sex museums and many other ways to encourage women to open up sexually. This newfound open motto is telling women it is finally okay to admit that you enjoy sex. You no longer have to pretend that you just have sex with your husbands behind closed doors to make babies. Women’s magazines are now devoting full sections on ways to enjoy yourself in the bedroom, giving advice on things from finding your g-spot to new positions to spice up your sex life. So whether you want an open environment to watch half-naked men and women dance, or you want to learn how to pole dance to turn on your partner we are lucky enough that new opportunities are offered each day to feel more sexy and alive. Isn’t it a great time to be a woman?
By: Joyana Peters
In a dimly lit room, girls are dancing on stage in sexy outfits. The girls wink and smile at the admiring men sitting below them on the floor as they stick money in their thongs. Cocktail waitresses strut around the room taking drink orders and flirting with customers. Rowdy catcalls come from the back of the room as appreciative women express their interest? No, there are no men up on the stage at this strip club these are just a group of women out with their girls appreciating what a sexy woman can do. In a new trend sweeping across the nation strip clubs now find a good percentage of their clientele to be women. Some come with their husbands or boyfriends to take part in the “foreplay” action making it a joint sexual fantasy experience, while others come in groups to appreciate the liberated sexual woman.
Cities have supported the trend by opening up female only sex clubs and beginning Ladies’ Nights at strip clubs now. A new type of club experience is opening up as well. Known as a 60/40 club, the club divides itself into sections to offer an atmosphere of 60% entertainment along with 40% restaurant making it the perfect date place for these new “liberal” couples. The Riviera Club located in Astoria, Queens, once known as the gay club, Krash, is a successful example of this new type of strip club. With many of its old customers still returning, it is known for its laidback, accepting attitude. An increasingly large percentage of their customers are now women. They say they enjoy going because the atmosphere is not as stuffy or expensive as some of the more well-known strip clubs in the city. You can just go kick back and relax and enjoy the action.
Across the country this phenomenon is continuing to take root and becoming more accepted and even considered popular. New York City’s Scores now boasts celebrity clientele such as Naomi Campbell, Courtney Love, and Robin Wright Penn. America can finally admit that women can enjoy their bodies and by attending strip clubs they are embracing their sexuality and having fun by taking part in an open experience.
This new activity has spurred all kinds of controversy as to why women like to go and watch other women take their clothes off. How is it fun for them? For the most part there seems to be a division of two main competing opinions. The one opinion mainly explains the women that go with their significant other, these people argue that women really do not get turned on by watching the female strippers but are there just to keep tabs on their men or to try and understand what their man gets out of attending. These people may argue that any feelings the strippers do conjure up in a woman are just sexual feelings at taking part in the fantasy with their significant other or they get aroused at watching their significant other getting aroused.
The other argument mainly explains the groups of women going together, these people say that these women are not really straight but are just acting out bisexual or lesbian tendencies. This speculation also stirs up the argument that everyone has some bisexual tendencies or curiosities but most never speak of it. Psychologists defend this argument by giving the example how all women check each other out as they walk by in their clothes or how women compare boobs. An example for men is how they feel the need to check each other’s packages out in the gym locker room. Some say it is a physical insecurity causing them to do this, but others argue it is the bisexual curiosity making them look.
Whatever is the cause of this newfound popular activity, it is now being practiced, and growing with time. This goes along with the general new American rising trend of a more liberal outlook on sex. With hit shows like Sex and the City, Desperate Housewives, Friends, and Will and Grace, it is becoming popular to discuss sex in a more open, accepting way. Sex and the City tackled many controversial topics and finally portrayed real-life women who embraced their sexuality and single lifestyle.
Riding the wave of this newfound liberal attitude are entrepreneurs introducing women’s sex toys, women’s porn, pole dancing lessons, strip tease lessons, sex museums and many other ways to encourage women to open up sexually. This newfound open motto is telling women it is finally okay to admit that you enjoy sex. You no longer have to pretend that you just have sex with your husbands behind closed doors to make babies. Women’s magazines are now devoting full sections on ways to enjoy yourself in the bedroom, giving advice on things from finding your g-spot to new positions to spice up your sex life. So whether you want an open environment to watch half-naked men and women dance, or you want to learn how to pole dance to turn on your partner we are lucky enough that new opportunities are offered each day to feel more sexy and alive. Isn’t it a great time to be a woman?
