Unique made taunted and teased me when I went to put my seatbelt on; I don't remember if I wore it or not , but it added to the strange feelings in my heart. Adrenaline pumping, and heart beating faster than was probably healthy, I struggled to maintain a calm and collected demeanor. I was determined to seem professional, as if I knew what I was doing, even though I was clueless and terrified because the unknown quantities were bearing down on me like an anvil.
I glanced at Unique repeatedly, trying to grasp at something that might calm my panicked mind. I breathed deeply, and began to realize that I was going to have to do this.
We were dropped off on a corner street outside of a short stay motel that had red neon lights flashing all over it, advertising itself as a prime spot for hour long hookups. And a great place to take johns.
I stood on one side of the corner, Unique on the other. We paced the sidewalks, and I was freezing cold, my arms prickling with cold, I was dreaming of a warm blanket, a jacket, a bed. I was tired, and I didn't want to be out there. I picked up a few guys, and I tried to get them to buy condoms at the motel. And yes...it was that kind of motel.
Quincy had given us a few rules that we were supposed to follow. He, even though he was black himself, didn't want us to pick up black guys. And also, avoid anyone who looked like a pimp. I swear, I didn't know what a pimp looked like. Also, we could charge nothing less than $80 per job, preferrably $100, (get as much as we could) and if the job was taking too long, we stop and ask for more money to continue. Get the money up front, and if they take too long and won't pay any extra, they were wasting our time when we could be out there getting more money. His idea of too long was something like fifteen to twenty minutes. Fast turn over.
This one guy that night was taking 'too long' and I tried to extort more cash out of him, and he cried bullshit. He wanted his money back. When I wouldn't give it to him and I left, he followed me, cursing at me, and trying to mess with me. Unique came over and gave him what for, and he got in his car and left, blaring his car horn and yelling out the window.
We kept working, but Unique got lazy and didn't want to stay. She said we could call Q and tell him to come pick us up, and we'd tell him that the asshole pulled a gun on us so we wouldn't get in trouble. I was fine with that idea.
Some of my memories blur together, but on one night I was on that same street, I was signaled by a big black SUV. I walked over, and started talking to the guy. We hadnt gotten very far when I heard a siren, and saw a flash of red and blue lights.
A police car pulled in and I froze. I was utterly terrified. The cop got out and told me to step away fom the vehicle.
I backed up, and backed up, and backed up. Very slowly.
The cop began to talk to the john, who may have been an undercover officer...but I don't really know for certain. He then came and talked to me. He asked e my name "Harper" I told him. And how old I was. "eighteen" I told him. I was shaking from head to toe, from the cold, and from fear and anxiety. I was petrified. The officer was young. A good looking young man, gentle voice, soft spoken, with calm mannerisms.
He didn't act like he was going to arrest me. All he did was tell me that I was too pretty of a girl, and too young, to be wasting my life away like this. I had too much to lose. Basically a pep talk. But a nice one. I heard his words, but kept thinking to myself, "BUT ARE YOU GOING TO ARREST ME?" he didn't, and I was so relieved, I almost danced over to Unique, but my legs were too weak and unsteady for me to walk straight; I was so shaken up, and Unique and I were terrified that they were patrolling the area, that we called Q and headed straight home.
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