The days of being a stripper were days of excitement. I enjoyed those years and am glad that I became a stripper. That is one aspect of my life that I do not regret.
I can think of stories back in those days. Most are funny - some are not - but most are.
People in that line of work are different. they look at life alot different than most, common everyday people do. I am glad that I had the opportunity to cross over that line. I am glad I had the opportunity to show that type of life to my children.
I was stripping in Evansville, Indiana. I rented an apartment upstairs above the club. This is one week I had my kids with me. It was a time when they were on a holiday - like Christmas. It was getting close to the time when the kids would have to go back to their boarding schools. John was dressed in his military school uniform. He did not want to go back. I went upstairs. He was sitting on the chair with his hat lopsided looking all sad. He looked so cute. I said, "You look like a drunken sailor!"
While my kids were with me in Evansville, they stayed upstairs while I did my shows downstairs. This was ideal for me. I wish all the spots I worked had been like this.
The hostess at the club told me that she could not understand why they were so quiet. She said if she left her kids up there by themselves, there would be no way they would behave. She said you would be able to hear them romping around like crazy.
I did not tell her. But I believe that kids who do not mind are a result of bad parenting.
But I was not like a lot of parents. I placed my kids above everybody and everything. I still do.
I was twenty four years old and dating a guy who was in his early sixties. I was living in Kansas City, Missouri and stripping at the Pink Pussy Cat. He was some big businessman. I do not remember where. It was downtown somewhere. I cannot even remember his name. I thought he was sexy with his grey hair. He told me he wanted to rent me an apartment; so I let him. But I did not get a fancy one. I got one that I though I would be able to afford if and when we broke up.
He was a sugar-daddy; but I liked him. I could have got more out of him than the rent if I had been smart enough; but back then, I was not smart, at all.
I do not even remember how it ended. I do remember his coming in the Pink Pussy Cat and hollering while I was on the stage at me about how I liked some younger man.
I always thought I would remember him - but I don't.
One time at the New Era Burlesk Theater in Cleveland, Ohio when I was booked for two weeks as a stripper, I ran into a situation that I had never encountered before. The theater was allowing anything - anything goes! - Live sex with customers - Live sex with another girl - Live sex with an animal. Let your imagination run wild! It was becoming common for the customers to line-up and tip the dancer a dollar; so they could put their heads between her legs. In my opinion, the girls were no longer strippers or entertainers. They were cheap whores - selling themselves for a dollar tip.
Well, I did not go for this at all because I figured that that is where entertainment crossed over to prostitution. I have nothing against prostitution; but do one or the other. Don't say you are a stripper and entertainer; and use it in your show to be a prostitute.
But I needed the money; and it was a two week gig. Also, to make matters worse, I was the "star" of the show. This meant that if I did not think of something pretty wild, I would be booed off the stage because the "star" of the show had to follow everyone else - be the last one to perform - she was supposed to be the best. Also, even though it was beginning to be a rough place to work, I did want to work there again for the money because there were only a certain amount of burlesque theaters to work. I did not want the bosses to fire me or to put up with me because I was booked and never have me back again.
Well, believe it or not, because of my wild imagination, I DID come up with a plan; and the guys loved it! I used three vibrators. I put one in each hole - I don't think I have to explain any further - I eventually had all of them in each hole, all at once. Then I would take them out of the holes between my legs and the other hole and have the customers suck on the vibrators. This way I had no personal contact with the customers. They did not touch me; and I did not touch them. They did not tip me; but that was fine with me. I was making good money from the theater.
Well, the customers were satisfied; so was the management, and so was I. But the girls on the show - the ones who were having the live sex with each other, the customers, and the animals - Even though I did not care what THEY thought, their reaction was pretty funny! Guess what they had the nerve to tell me! YOU'RE GROSS!!!
One time when I was stripping at the State Burlesk Theater in Canton, Ohio my boss, Jim Manos told me that he had received a letter or a call (I don't remember which) from John Ory saying he was broke and could Jim send him some money. I felt really bad about his being broke. He is the one who, basically, started me stripping on the road with the Al Baker Burlesk Theater Circuit. If it had not been for him, I might never have pursued stripping for approximately twenty years.
Jim said he was going to send him some money. I think he said, $100.00 or so. I gave Jim $50.00 to send to him. Even though I was taking care of my two children and myself, I felt an obligation. This was a lot of money for me back them. But I did not miss it much; and I still don't.
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I had worked in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at the Liberty Burlesk Theater dancing as a stripper quite a few times. I had decided to stay in Canton, Ohio for awhile; so I tried to book myself in some of the surrounding burlesk theaters - one of them was Pittsburgh.
I told the manager that I would like to work there from time to time. He said there was no problem - I could. He then said that there was only one stipulation. All the girls that worked for him regularly "kept him happy" when he needed it. I immediately told him that I would not - that "keeping him happy" when he needed it was not part of my show. He said, "Fine! Go back to Canton and wash dishes!" I said, "O.K.!"
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There was a guy that used to come to the burlesque shows in Canton, Ohio that was from Wooster, Ohio. He was a little "slow". I teased him and called him the mayor of Wooster. When I was on the stge, and would see him sitting in the audience, I would holler out, "There's the mayor of Wooster!"
One day I was in the theater eating dried apricots. I asked him if he wanted one. He seemed to like them; so I offered him more. He ate almost the whole bag.
The next time he came to the show he told me that the apricots had had a laxative effect on him. All of us laughed so much. He said, "on my way home, they made me shit!"
He said it took a week to get the smell out of the car. His mother wanted to go for a ride before the smell had gone away. I said, "What did you tell her?" He said, "I told her Oh! Not today, Mom!"
