Eva looked in the mirror, surprised at her visage,

Other gals were getting ready.

Maroon velveted figures,

Something in Eva felt very unsteady.

Bashful with her own admiration of self,

A gal from behind said, “You’re new!

No time to think or ponder,

Just look alive and take from our que.”

“The boss will be watching,” she went on to say.

“Just smile and make the change,

We’re not here for a good time,

If a guy ‘comes on’ just look down range.”

“Thank you.   I’m a little nervous,” Eva just countered.

“Do I look all right?” she said.

Drop your nerves and balance your tray,

Poise your walk, smile, follow me instead.

An onslaught of young women came out from the back,

A swish of beautiful gams,

Dispersing themselves in the crowd

Amongst high spenders, maybe some on the lam.

Who would know what lay in the club’s disguise,

Theatre crowd and high class dames,

A penchant for spending money,

A lot of it spent with a lot of false claims.

The girls shared mutual protection and hustle,

But tip wars and turf competition,

Could rise up when vying for notice,

The club was a waiting room for audition ambitions.

To sift through the people on the floor and at tables,

You had to catch their eye,

It all seemed a little too brazen.

Do it but keep the respect of a guy.

Eva forced a smile.  She felt so desultory.

She definitely lacked a plan,

Felt like a country bumpkin,

She’d been so sheltered in her lifespan.

She’d better get over this and do it real soon.

This was such a big test.

Just  then a man waved her over,

Bought two Camels with tips as his request.

Eva started to loosen.  This wasn’t so hard.

Another sale over there!

As she saw how tips could mount up,

She was beginning to feel a little less bare.

Just then a slick guy reached for a grab,

“Hey sister, your stockings need straightening.

Come closer, I’ll give you a hand.”

“Touch me again…and I’ll give you an awakening!”

Eva was shocked, her response was so quick,

Her threat had jumped right out.

The floor boss was quick to see.

“We weren’t sure of you Eva, but now we’ve no doubt.

Show up tomorrow, we’d like you back.

Eva thanked him for the defend.

“We’d been waiting to get Mister Slick

One mistake maybe, but he was setting a trend.”

Eva was glad to be released from the creep

Glad to move away,

But when Eva looked down at her stockings,

A snag had left the right silk all frayed

El Creepo’s ring had a sharp point that ripped.

It even left a trail of blood

Again she’d need new stockings

At Woolworths, now she’d pay for this phony stud

To be continued…

By Flo Lawrence

and Zane Tatum