High end strip clubs have become a regular item in New York. Sure, there have always been strip clubs, but now they're mostly owned by corporations and they're big money makers. Full disclosure: I've never been to one. I figure, why would you spend the money on someone you know isn't going to sleep with you when you can spend that same money on a date and at least have a chance? But, to each his or her own.
I had delivery of two dozen long-stem red roses to a well known and well populated strip club on the West Side addressed simply to "Patience". Look, I'm a man, so if I get to meet a stripper, yeah, I'm a little charged about even though I'd be going during the day, and if you've ever been to a strip club during the day, it's a pretty rough time. No one's on their A game, and let's face it, if you're a patron either you're depressed or desperate or both and that's not a pretty smell. I gave my usual patter to the front doorman about "having to deliver these personally" and was ushered to the back of the club under the protection of a man I simply knew as "Bone". When we arrived at the stable door, he called out for Patience who came to the meet me and I handed her the flowers. As far as strippers go, Patience was definitely a stripper. She was wearing a robe open at the front and a leopard print, two piece that her parents probably wouldn't approve of. Her reaction was not what I expected as her face registered total disappointment. She seemed to age ten years as every line in her face became a road map of her past. She asked me: "Are those from Jack?" I nodded solemnly as though I were her best friend commiserating over some sad news. "This guy. He came in once and I gave him a lap dance, like two months ago, and he sends me flowers every night I'm here." She took the flowers and I heard another woman from the back of the room scream: "Jack's back!" But before she closed the door I heard her answer to her friend: "I'll probably end up marrying the guy. God knows he's earned it."
Bone laughed and said: "She probably will."
