episode 3 – gentle persuasionA young woman trying to avoid unwanted advances finds similar attitudes wherever she looks.
A young woman trying to avoid unwanted advances finds similar attitudes wherever she looks.
A Degrading Promotion
Sandy passes her test and begins receiving real male customers—the older ones who aren’t popular with the other masseuses. She’s under an obligation to send every customer away happy. At first, it’s easier than she expected.
Most seem polite, sharing stories about their lives, their grandchildren, and their careers. The men seem harmless—even fascinating. Their stories pass the time, and for a while, Sandy believes this won’t be so bad. She listens, nodding, smiling.
But after a few visits, their tone shifts. The banter turns into lingering glances, casual touches, and hands that slide too close. Their intentions become clearer. The fascination with her youthful figure overshadows their stories. The men lean in closer, their tone lower, testing the boundaries.
She’d learned to smile while handling dishes—but this is different. Now, she’s expected to handle their wandering hands. When it’s over, she rinses away the oil but can’t wash away the residual feeling.
These men are different—older, entitled, reaching for something they think is theirs for the taking. She can smile and pretend she’s on a tropical island with the warm sun tanning her skin. But something inside her hardens with every touch….
A Quest For a Better Life
At work the next day, an old guy, expressing genuine concern for such a young girl working in this place instead of studying in school, says, “If you want to get out for a better life, I can help.”
But she’s heard those words before. Help for a price. “You’re all disgusting,” she snaps, not caring about the rule to make sure every client leaves happy.
In her short experience, men take advantage of women. Not wanting to be a victim, she has a choice to stay in this environment or run somewhere possibly better.
For her sanity and dignity, Sandy quits a job she has become quite good at. With enough money saved up for her low overhead, she begins studying to be a bartender. First, she learns the names of popular drinks. Then she studies proportions. But she has no bar to practice in. So she watches videos.
Hiring people under the table is not something all employers will risk. After some internet sleuthing, she finds someone to make some fake identification cards with the name Sandy Blue. Her last name becomes her signature characteristic. With confidence, she begins interviewing at restaurants.
Many establishments claim they aren’t looking for anyone but dishwashers. It’s a position Sandy feels she’s moved beyond. One employer asks, “Do you have any bartending experience?”
She embellishes the truth.
“I have experience in the restaurant and hospitality service.”
“That sounds like a no from you, and a no from me.”
Reverting to her panhandling days, she needs to tweak her story. Another interviewer says, “We make more money from liquor than food. Can you handle a crowd?”
She responds overconfidently, though lacking experience.
“I can handle anything—if you give me a chance.”
Unfortunately, nerves get the better of her, and she fails miserably on her first night. The manager bails her out, demoting her to a waitress. At least she didn’t get fired. But serving customers in the restaurant seems like her lot in life.
This allows her to perfect her new persona and discover ways to earn more tips from men by wearing provocative clothing and spouting innuendos. Her real test comes after she turns 21, which is three years younger than the age on her fake identity card.
A New Opportunity
On a busy game night, the bar is full. She doesn’t know what happened, but suddenly, there’s no bartender. The frantic manager hurries toward Sandy for redemption. This is much more pressure than her first day. After some deep breaths and focus, she pulls it off, rescuing the bar in a time of disaster and earning a new job title.
Sandy Blue is now a bartender. In addition to all the standard drinks, she begins blending new concoctions and putting on dramatic shows at the bar that she learns from online videos. She likes the music and the atmosphere.
Her experience aligns with this new profession. However, bartending involves more than fancy drinks. She must listen to patrons’ stories, offer advice, and not be surprised when men respond to her flirtations for tips. It feels odd to offer advice on family life. She makes up responses based on a vivid imagination of what it should be like.
Instead of saying it’s attainable, she says, “That’s the goal to strive for.”
All men want something, whether expressed with subtlety or cruelty. If she plays her cards right, she could get more from them than they ever would from her. Her low-cut crop tops earn the best tips.
Sandy is objectifying herself, knowing where men’s eyes are looking, but it’s part of the game. To decline unwanted advances tactfully, she promises an extra shot of liquor with a risky smile and wink.
Continued…
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