Fasting and the Dancing Telling Me it was a Beautiful Thing...

It really makes me sad to know that so many "regular", "normal" people do not possess some of the good, aesthic feelings and attitudes that a lot of the strippers who I worked with had. Most of these girls had crossed over the brink of normality and were living in a mental world of spirituality above what the basic normal, everyday person cannot understand and will never attain. I attained this level of thought and have kept it all through my life.

I was in the early stages of learning how to fast. I was at the little cafe, The Golden Pheasant in Canton, Ohio - next to the burlesk theater, The State Theater. I was drinking only liquids that day. Even though I was used to it because I did it quite frequently, at least, one day a week, it was still difficult to do, especially, with everyone around me eating. But I had reached the level of thought and consciousness that permitted me to surpass my hunger pains and led me to a higher level.

Not many people understand this way yof life. It made me feel really good when one of the strippers sitting across from me said, "Wild Star, what you are doing is a beautiful thing." At that point, I knew the people I was associating with were real and good. I knew that I would never know people like this back home. Nobody back there would ever be able to comprehend in the slightest what she was talking about. I do not remember her name or even what she looked like. But that one sentence has stuck in my mind for the rest of my life, especially, when I fast; and I know that it is right.

Bradley Apologizing to My Kids

I was dancing as a stripper in Syracuse, New York. My boss, Al Baker, had told me that I could work at this burlesk theater all summer to save on traveling expenses; since my kids would be out of their boarding schools for the summer.

The place all of the dancers stayed was the Hilton Hotel. It was not like the fancy Hilton Hotels. This hotel was an older one - like out of the early 1900's.

I was really happy, telling everyone my kids would be here all summer long. The manager, Bradley, wasted no time telling me that the hotel allowed "no kids". I wasted no time telling Bradley that I did not care what the hotel rules were. My kids would be staying at this hotel with me for the summer.

I left to go to Tennessee and Kentucky to get my children from their boarding schools. When we arrived back at the hotel, Bradley was at the desk. I introduced my kids to him. My son John, only six years old, shook his hand - manners he had learned from military school. Bradley once again told me - "no kids allowed". I once again told him they were staying. We walked to our room.

Bradley finally gave up. I really did not know why. I did know that we were going to stay. He would have had to call the police to get us out.

The kids had been there for about a month. Bradley told me he needed to tell me something. He said he wanted to apologize for telling me that my kids could not stay at the hotel. He told me they could stay there as long as I wanted. He said they were the most well-behaved kids he had ever seen in his life. I said, "I know. Now you are going to apologize to my kids". He said, "Oh! No! I told you. That's enough!" I told him that that was not enough and that he would apologize to them.

I brought my kids down from the room. I told them Bradley had something to tell them. He said, "No, I don't!" We just stood there. I said, "Tell them, Bradley!" Finally, after about fifteen minutes or so he gave in. He apologized to my kids and told them how good they were and that they could stay here as long as they wanted. I guess he finally gave in because he knew we would stand there until he did.

I always appreciated his verbal acknowledgement reagarding my kids behavior. I always respect a person who is big enough to say, "I was wrong".