Mess of a Life

Sitting in bed, looking at the screen of the laptop, she realized how indigent she had become. A senior in college with student loans building up, an unfilled graduation application, and $32.87 in her bank account she was becoming increasingly desperate. Asking her parents for money was starting to make her feel increasingly guilty in this economy and getting a job was easier said than done. She turned a hobby into a makeshift business by selling accessories both online and in local stores. However business was not booming, classes were getting increasingly more tedious and the first was already approaching fast. This was no position to be in while being in college although it happened far too often to those who are new to living on their own.

Her eyes fleeted back and forth between open tabs on the internet, some job listings, others bank statements and then another streaming the latest episode of Mad Men. It was the typical college student thing to do. Procrastination was her bread and butter, so much so that you’d think she was majoring in Procrastination with a minor in Bullshit. No one could possibly know she was having troubles because she was just that good at putting on a poker face. More often than not, she had her head stuck in the proverbial clouds of imagination. While scrolling through the Craigslist job listings she noticed an opening for an independent film that was to slate to go into production within the next couple of weeks, it was minimum wage with long hours. The job entailed being an assistant also known as errand bitch but it was certainly something she thought she could manage considering her desperation. With a few clicks of the mouse she sent the email with her resume attached to it. It was roughly the 11th resume and job application she filled out in the past three weeks.

After a few days she passed by the local strip club called Red Cabaret, most would think with a name like that it would be a pretty swanky strip club. It couldn’t have been further from the truth however; Red Cabaret was average at best but mostly cheap and trashy. The low number in her bank account nagged in the back of her mind and she took that extra step to head into the place. Of course the last time she had been in the place she was a little drunk and went with her roommate, Johnny. Upon entering the dimly lit establishment she locked eyes with a middle aged man who she assumed was the manager. A weary smile formed on her lips and she gave a slightly awkward wave to the man.

“Hi I’m Bettie and I was wondering if you are currently hiring,” she spoke.

“Bettie? Old fashioned name for someone your age.”

“I don‘t really mind, somehow it‘s grown on me.”

“What are you looking to do here?” he replies looking at the young woman up and down. She certainly had the curves for the job and her short stature seemed to exaggerate those curves.

“I could waitress and help with some of the handy work. I‘m very good at fixing things and promoting,” she says trying to think what exactly she could accomplish in a place like that.

“Do you dance?”

“Like on stage with a pole?”

“Honey this is a strip club,” he reiterates with a smile.

“Honestly I‘m sort of awkward but I‘ve been told I‘ve got a sexy walk, then again that was on my date with this incredibly dorky guy who didn‘t know how to talk to girls,” Bettie responds with a hopeful smile.

“You go to the university and you‘re hard for cash huh?”

“Yes, I‘ve literally tried to get a job for the past three months with no luck. I‘ve worked at a pizza restaurant and a themed park so I‘m used to busy environments. I am a very hard worker and have never been fired before.”

“I‘m just the bouncer, Jim, but I‘m sure I can get a good word in for you with Julius to hire you,” he smiles. “Jules there‘s a cute girl out here that needs a job.”

“Oh yea?” a voice responds from the back of the club. The man with salt and pepper hair walked out from the back office to see what Jim was talking about. His eyes fell upon the short brunette who smiled rather brightly next to Jim. She raised her hand and waved awkwardly at the older man that seemed like he was in his late forties, early fifties. The man smiled broadly at her, taking in her appearance. He knew who she was, well vaguely that is. On a few occasions he had seen her walk past his club and had many older men vying for her attention because she was built like the gals that existed in the 1940s. Her bust was just as prominent as her bottom and her waist cinched in creating the hourglass effect. When she walked her hips swayed and she always looked like she rushing to get somewhere. There was something soft about her appearance and wasn’t boney by all means. Jules held his hand out towards her and she remained smiling as she shook his hand rather roughly.

“I‘m Bettie,” she states in a friendly fashion.

“It‘s a pleasure to meet you Bettie, I‘m Jules. I hear you‘re looking to get a job.”

“I am, I think I could do well here. Not much of a dancer but I‘m friendly and stronger than I look.”

“Not a dancer?”

“I‘m good at cleaning, serving drinks, even have experience with sound equipment if you need someone to run the music,” Bettie replies quickly. Jules smiled at her enjoying her sincerity and sweetness because her presence was just lovely. There was something about this girl that he thought would help business.

“Alright, you‘ve convinced me.”

“Really?”

“Really, come in tomorrow night at six o‘clock sharp.”

“Thank you so much!”

The two men chuckled lightly as she hopped momentarily doing a victory dance. Bettie left the club feeling a bit of the weight leaving her shoulders. She really needed this job and it was kind of the man to give her a chance. All the while Jim looked at his boss Jules with a knowing smile.

“She‘s a pretty little thing,” Jim comments.

“A real bombshell, Bombshell Bettie.”

“Working an angle to get her to dance huh?”

“I don‘t think she‘ll have to, just get her in something tight and she‘ll get us more regulars.”

Jules knew her sweet disposition would gain customers and her curves would bring in some more upscale cliental. He was sure she needed a job desperately because girls like that generally didn’t just walk into his place for a job especially since she would pass the establishment without a second glance. Bettie was a fairly modest young woman. Most of the modesty on account of her bust that made her refrain from wearing certain things to avoid looking too slutty. It was one of the many issues she had, even wearing jeans and a t-shirt could be a problem because it seemed regardless what she wore she gained attention from men who were old enough to be her father. She often joked that it was her demographic but deep down she was sad that young men her age wouldn’t give her a second look.

Bettie would never care for relationships, she wasn’t good at them and she always felt like a fool. So she remained single, because she never wanted to rely on another without being able to rely on herself first. Someone would consider her a feminist but she considered herself logical, being independent doesn’t make a woman, a feminist it makes her smart. Now with a job she felt even more proud to say, she was capable of getting something even if there wasn’t a help wanted sign outside the doors of the club. She sucked up her fear of rejection and just went for it. It was the only thing she could do, a girl has to pay her bills and make ends meet. That was the life of a struggling college student. This was what her life had come to and she would make things work even if it cost her modesty.