Tuesday, May 26, 2009

How To Lose A Business In 10 Days

Last week I mentioned that I once saw another Business get "stolen." Someone asked how that was possible, so here is the story of how you can actually steal an entire Business.

This place was owned by an old friend of Audreys (we'll call her Mindy), but I knew her too. It started off innocently enough with the woman's boyfriend hanging around the Business (Let's call him Mork). He started spending more and more time there, and he finally justified this to his girlfriend by claiming he was providing "security."

Well since he was now "in charge" of security, he had a perfect excuse to start spending time there - even when she wasn't around. So what do you do when your bosses boyfriend is sitting around watching you work? Whatever he tells you to. He started handling all the house money, and so what if he pockets a couple hundred at the end of the night? If money starts missing, who's Mindy going to believe - the drug addicted ex-hooker working night shift, or her loving faithful boyfriend?

After a while he started threatening the girls with their jobs. "You know, Mindy has noticed cash missing from your shift. I think we should go in your room and 'talk' about it..." He ended up banging a couple of the girls on a regular basis behind Mindy's back.

This went on for a while until Mindy finally got it through her thick skull that he was cheating AND stealing from her. Then one day she shows up for work and 'click-click-click' - her key doesn't work. Asshole Mork had been planning for a while how to do a complete hijacking of the Business right out from under her. Paperwork had changed names, money had been moved around, phone numbers switched, etc. And there Mindy was - with nothing to show but a key that didn't work.

I know that sounds insane - how can you possibly steal something that's attached to the ground? But Mindy had nothing since all the records were inside the Business, and she couldn't get past the security door - even during Business hours. You think the landlord gives a shit who signs his checks? Remember - he's getting paid extra NOT to ask any questions.

So what's she gonna do - go to the cops? ("Hey, isn't that the whore house over by Main Street?"). And that was it. Mindy was Shit-Outta-Luck, and the place just kept open with Business as usual. In fact, it's still there. I think they're down to just 2 or 3 girls, but it's still open. It has since gone full service, as most male-owned Businesses do. I tell my customers looking for full service to stay away from there.

And that's how you can steal an entire Business. Any questions?

CJ

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a good argument for off-site storage of documents.

And on-site security cameras.

Greg Voltaire said...

Yes. Is Audrey dumb enough to let that happen (and if so, how could you, an employee, stop it), and would you leave if it did?

marginalutility said...

You know, I just found your blog and I'm *really* enjoying reading through the archives, but as a full service girl myself, one thing that troubles me is your attitude towards "real hookers". First off, do you think you're not guilty of prostitution with the genital contact you have with your clients? Secondly, we're both sex workers, and the differences between what we do on the job are slight--where do you get off assuming that all full service escorts and/or parlor workers are sleazy drug addicts (or even that most are?) Thirdly, we don't all call our clients "johns" or "tricks" or whatever. You seem to be really uninformed about girls who offer full service. Instead of being divisive and contemptuous, why can't we have sex worker solidarity?

Anonymous said...

"He ended up banging a couple of the girls on a regular basis behind Mindy's back."

Why would the ladies tolerate that?

cj said...

Greg,
I would like to think that Audrey isn't dumb enough to let that happen. But just in case, I will GUARANTEE that would never happen. And if all else fails, I would just bail for another Business. It's bad enough that we make shit money nowadays... but to let some asshole come in and start skimming off the top - I don't think so.

Marginal,
Personally I have never considered myself guilty of any prostitution since we only do hand releases. Nothing has ever entered anwhere in my body, nor will it. However, you've probably noticed that I reluctantly call myself a sex worker.

Now my reference to the "drug-addicted ex-hooker" was meant to be as accurate as "loving faithful boyfriend." I was just trying to make a point and be funny at the same time. But I do get what you're saying. Considering all the working girls I've known throughout the years, I've had little reason to say anything nice about them. But since I've started writing down all my experiences, and talking with other colleagues around the country, I'm starting to feel guilty about some of the things I've said in the past. I'm not trying to offend when I write here, but I sometimes just say the first thing that pops into my head as I'm recalling a story. Sorry, I'll try to be more thoughtful in the future.

Anon,
It's called KEEPING YOUR JOB. Unlike McDonalds, we don't have a sexual harassment policy. If some guy wants to pinch my ass, I don't consider it harassment, I consider it an extra $20. And the last time my boss told me to suck his dick, I had a choice to either do it or leave. I left. THAT is our unofficial policy on sexual harassment.

So for male bosses, dippin the old pen in the company ink is a double edged sword. Maybe you'll get lucky, or maybe your business will collapse. That asshole that I said "no" to all those years ago - he went down with the ship. After I left, other girls had the courage to follow me to another Business. But that's just how things work in this industry.

CJ

Anonymous said...

marginalutility - To be completely honest, reading your blog(The Virtues of Vice), I honestly have to say that you validate CJ's statements pretty well, actually. I know thats probably not the most diplomatic thing to say, but yes, you do and yes, her statements are likely reality for most in the business.

Not that I have any large experience with those in the field, but those I have known also tend to follow the stereotype as well. Your blog is interesting as an intellectual exercise, but the logic is false for a number of reasons, and honestly you appear to be exhibit "A" for why that is the case, whether you wish to believe that or not.

That said, best of luck to you, I wish you no ill will. But I do believe in calling an Ace an Ace. It would be too bad if CJ started self-censuring because a few people were offended by her personal experiences.

marginalutility said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

marginal

I am with you. The europeans despite some issues with human trafficking have had a fairly successful experience with the legalized sex industry. Nevada has a fairly successful experience also. If the fundamental sex trade was regulated by the health department for disease/vector control, and, if you had licenses, so, OSHA-DOL could check the work conditions/labor practices, fundamentally this would work out.

Unfortunately the Puritans were an early powerful force in this country, and the Evangelical Baptists took over from them. Now Gay Marriage has them on the Run, and Marijuana decriminalization may open the door for a better opportunity set.

marginalutility said...

Thanks, cj. I appreciate the apology--makes me think ten times more of you, and I already thought pretty highly of you, given what I read in your blog. I'm really glad you didn't get all defensive and flame me.
I suggest reading a full service sex worker's blog so that you can identify with us and see we're a lot like you--just normal girls. Here are some--http://bornwhore.wordpress.com/,
http://www.texasgoldengirl.com/afterhours, http://hellaestella.blogspot.com/ ,
http://collegecallgirl.blogspot.com/
http://jennydemilo.blogspot.com/
http://debauchette.com/
http://auletrides.wordpress.com/
http://marikopassion.wordpress.com/
http://modernhooker.wordpress.com/
(Check out her cute comics, too)
http://williamrockwell.wordpress.com/
http://serizy.blogspot.com/
http://wendyvinaigrette.wordpress.com/
That's just from my own blogger dashboard. Also check out http://deepthroated.wordpress.com/, Bound Not Gagged, the best sex worker's rights blog on the web, for more of these sorts of links.

Don't know why all the full service girls you've met are such assholes! I kinda feel mad at them for ruining our rep ;)

And, one last thing. You might not feel like you are guilty of prostitution in actuality, but legally, any genital contact for money counts as such. (I'm sure you know this, & it's sort of a "duh" statement, but just want to make sure you know the risks you're running.) So, we're all in the same boat, and might as well have some solidarity. I'm sure you want to see sex acts between consenting adults decriminalized as much as I do, so the police can focus on protecting people from violence rather than enforcing the legislation of morality.

marginalutility said...

Reflexeve,
I might be an IV drug user, but ALL the other escorts I've met are either normal recreational drug users like most young adults are, or are totally drug free. In fact, more escorts I know are drug free than the rest of the population. & I've known a LOT of escorts b/c of my involvement in the sex worker's rights movement. You say yourself that you have limited experience. I write my blog specifically to connect the two movements b/c most of the time, *since* the sex worker's rights movement is mostly composed of drug free workers, they have little interest in the drug war.
& I find it interesting that you fault my logic without going into why it's flawed--perhaps because you have no argument?
Anyway, I'm not asking cj to censor herself about having bad experiences with particular full service workers, but to just not make universal assumptions about all of us.

marginalutility said...

Anon,
I actually think human trafficking could be prevented more if sex work was legal, b/c there would be more of a distinction made between prostitution that was voluntary and involuntary, and people that were being exploited or abused would feel more comfortable going to the police.

cj said...

Dear Marginal,
You bring up sooooo many things I wanna talk about. But let me start by saying that I already follow a couple of the blogs you just mentioned. Another one of the reasons why I've softened up on the issue.

The human trafficking thing I've talked about earlier. I fully agree that we should get our priorities straight. I read this one police report about how they "staked out" some place in Seattle for 2 years before making 5 arrests. You mean you wasted 2 years of time and money to arrest 5 low level people when you could have been chasing down murderers? It makes no sense. That's one of the reasons why I like where we are out in the suburbs - we have an understanding with the cops. They don't bother us as long as we don't draw attention to ourselves.

Now you've gotten me started!!!

CJ

Anonymous said...

Marginal - No, because I wasn't going to take over CJ's blog to argue topics that belong on your blog. Honestly though, there isn't much point to arguing it, you have your mind made up and I do respect your position, I simply disagree with it strongly based on the fact that much of what you have proposed, has been tried elsewhere and simply become a tradeoff of one evil for another.

You, for instance, believe that legalization of sex work will reduce human trafficking, when in fact it has drastically increased it(this is a major EU issue now with multiple proposals to deal with it). You believe that legalization and regulation of drugs would reduce the crime around them, well I submit the fact that the most trafficked illegal item in the US is actually among the most regulated, namely, cigarettes.

When you regulate and tax an industry, you do a few things:

1) You move the item into the mainstream, increasing demand.

2) You increase the competition for the service to fullfill the demand, which of course creates pricing pressure.

3) Due to competitive pricing, you create a black market for underground versions of the product or service, namely, untaxed, unregulated versions which can undercut 'legit' pricing. Furthermore, to fullfill the needs of the illegal and legal trade, other activities become common, for cigarettes you have rampant smuggling and organized crime, for sex work, you have human trafficking.

I also contend that the legalization of all drug use would not turn out as the recreational users believe. Once its legal, nothing stops Merck, Pfizer, etc from jumping into that market with drugs so addictive and so horrifyingly consuming as to make what is out there now seem like child's play. After all, it would be legal.

Disclaimer: No, I am not a fan of the police wasting tax dollars chasing after every college student on Craigslist, or filling up our jails with pot users or addicts. I do NOT embrace how the issue is handled currently, and decriminalization to some degree is necessary. My contention is that going in the completely opposite direction is just as damaging, if not moreso, it is simply a trade of one set of evils for another.

A middle road would be prefferable, although where that road lies is open to debate.

And there you go, I hijacked CJ's blog anyways. ;)

marginalutility said...

Guess what? I believe in decrim rather than legalization. I am not a fan of the Nevada brothel model & I'm not interesting in Big Pharma worming its way into the trade of what we now label "illicit" drugs.
But to really see what benefits happen when you decriminalize *all* drugs, check out the Cato Institute study on Portugal, which has done just that.

cj said...

Hey guys!

Go at it. I'm finding this debate interesting.

Personally, I believe in de-criminalization too because it's kinda what we have right now - the cops ignore us as long as we don't cause any trouble. And I think it would make it easier to keep an eye on the asian places which is where you find organized crime.

As for the drug thing, I still think they should remain illegal since I've seen so many people ruin their lives over them. But I think they should target the dealers and makers and not the users. But that's just my 2 cents.

CJ

marginalutility said...

That may be what you have now, cj, b/c of your arrangement with the cops, but a lot of other escorts and masseuses aren't so lucky...

Thorn said...

CJ said: Marginal,
Personally I have never considered myself guilty of any prostitution since we only do hand releases. Nothing has ever entered anwhere in my body, nor will it. However, you've probably noticed that I reluctantly call myself a sex worker.


Oh CJ, CJ, CJ...

You know I respect you but I can't let the above go unchallenged as it is a pure rationalization.

No matter what definition of prostitution you use: legal, dictionary, social, taking money to get naked and give manual releases [hand jobs] is prostitution plain and simple.

You can't just make up stuff because it suits you.

Own it for what it is and be honest with yourself about it because that is the healthy way to be when working in the sex industry.

Remember, you can lie to others but it is never a good idea to lie to yourself.

As always I wish you very well...

Anonymous said...

marginalutility picked up on CJ's sweeping generalizations and putdowns of other sex workers, and Thorn on her level of denial. "Rationalization" is the word and a cop would know because criminals do it all the time.

My particular beef with CJ is her insistence on calling Asians criminals, especially when she admits herself stories like the Seattle one.
She's all for licensing and enforcement, as long as it doesn't affect HER.
She condemns all manners of sex work as long as it is not what SHE does.
She calls herself a therapist because of a piece of paper and holds her nose at her sisters in the profession.

Not very high road or even self-aware, and while some would expect such pettiness from a whore, I would hold an intelligent blogger to a higher standard.

CJ is also very uninformed, and as long as she keeps claiming to educate, she's gonna have her ass handed to her in the comments section.

Anonymous said...

what is it with women being attracted to pieces of shit? It just doesn't make any sense! Do women feel like they need a challenge or something? There are nice guys out there trust me...of course that might just make it way too easy for women who like to keep things complicated.