The Mistress Part 2

My first night being introduced to Charles was non eventful, even though we were attending a very prestige event.

 I was picked up in the limousine from the airport and we were going to scoop him up at the Ritz Carlton in downtown St Louis. I was in the limo alone with my one overnight bag. I had no idea where I was staying for the night. My girlfriend had been whisked away in a separate limo.

Pulling up to the Ritz, I had no expectations. The door opened to the back of limo where I was, shocked as this funny good-looking Irish man bounded in. I knew briefly who he was, but figured him to be much older. Older than me, yes. I was twenty eight and he was forty four, six foot four and a lean body for his age. He sat next to me and smiled, turned up the air condition and than put his favorite music on. He smiled at me with his devilish grin and asked if I would like a refill of champagne. He carried on with his rambunctious humor and told jokes all the way to the event. I sat there enthralled. Before we proceeded to the event, he looked me dead in the face and said, " This is my event, and I apologize if I ignore you. I need to mingle." I sat there and nodded no problem. I didn't know him and was happy to just go this extravaganza. I preferred intrigue. No boundaries.

The event was fun for those who knew one another. My girlfriend had left me behind. She set me up with this wildly wealthy man and than vanished.

Skip ahead to the end of the event. I was sitting alone in a big round black leather booth and he saunters up a drink in his hand, and says, "Ready?"

Ready I think? I wasn't paid to go come here, I took the night off of work to be here? And, he says...Ready? His smile melted me. I got up, accepted his outstretched hand and we left with four security personnel following behind.

We enter limousine and head to the Ritz

The Mistress Part 1

I was a Mistress to a very wealthy man in 1998. He loved that I was a Showgirl. He owned a very prestigious pro football team. He was 44 and I was 28 when we met in St Louis, Missouri for an event that my girlfriend invited me to. She was dating his best friend and wanted me to join on the private flight from Las Vegas to St Louis. The private airport in Las Vegas is very fancy. Valet is complimentary and they serve flutes of champagne in the lobby while the pilot does his final check of the aircraft.

We boarded and the luxuriousness of the aircraft is probably like sitting on the queens throne. Prestigious and pristine.

We landed in St Louis and got whisked away into the grey blacked out limousine. 

A few months later after our initial meeting, I was the mistress.

Altered State

An altered state of being. With gloom of the city skies, one police helicopter looms above. I hear nothing but that helicopter. I wave when they fly low and above me. I know they can see me. Their camera is on the floor of the copter. They see everything and nothing right now. They fly around looking for misbehaving. But there is none.

The streets are empty at noon as I accelerate the beast beneath me. She purrs like a tame bull, on her way to an unknown stance. Its all a stance There is nothing in this desolation. I see random cars driving about, but no one cares. There is no destination that is apparent. I see one black beast, and we wave, than another red beast with no acknowledgment.  If you must know, Corvette owners have a traditional wave when passing. I miss those daily waves, but I got one today! That makes me happy. Simple things have always produced a smile.

Where is the April warmth and the sunny days laying poolside in 80 degree weather?

World, I miss you.

Tidbits

I do hope everyone has enjoyed my excerpts from my book. It is not the full story, just tidbits. I have a full eight chapters written and I am in the process of editing them one by one with four more chapters to add. This will be a trilogy. It may be done at some point this year. We all have extra time on our hands and writing has been my love. Although, I share my love for my three cats and the four kitties I feed outdoors, my love for sharing this part of my life is a blessing. To live the life I have as a performer in Las Vegas for over fifteen years has given me a new chapter to who I am at 50.

I have lived in this city for 33 years and plan to stay as long as my book wants me to write. It will truly be a work of art, with photos and much history of Las Vegas from the eighties, nineties and thousands. There will be reasons I write certain things, there is a value to everything I write. Its a story and factual but also a meaning behind my words.

In this time of our lives, find the things that make you happy. If you despair then despair will follow you. Chose happiness. Life will find its way, we will find our way.

Las Vegas present day, desolation

As I write, read and do my daily exercises at the park in the city I love, it is so quiet, I can now see the future. Maybe, all the hustle and bustle distracted me from the completion of my book? I do think it did. I do not find that this desolation is anything I ever want to experience again. Its a dark nerve right to the core of the soul. Looking and experiencing this darkness that surrounds the "City of Lights," is astounding. Never in my lifetime would I ever even 'think' this would be. And never want to be.

But, my mind has opened up to the fresh air at the park, the lonely drives around the city, the empty shelves at the local stores and the stillness at night. No rush of the airplanes that used to lull me to sleep every night. It has all ceased to exist, for now. And, we move on, daily, silently through a time we do not understand.

The Audition Part 5 Folies Bergere

After the longest 15 minutes we were all called to front of the stage. We were told to line up all in one row and strike the "bevel stance." As confusing as this sounded to me, I eyeballed a few of the dancers and copied what they did. I will try and give a clear description of what was meant by the iconic "bevel stance." In the standing position(of course facing forward), the front knee is bent and pulled inwards to the center of the body and the forward toe is pointed and faces forward. Sounds confusing and was confusing at first, but it was something that all Vegas dancers had to learn and perfect in order to be in any of the large scale productions on the strip. This position illuminated the female form with a striking silhouette.

So, we all stood there in the "bevel stance" heads held high, hands resting lightly on the hips and the biggest prettiest smile one could muster. If the smile was fake they would know right away. How could I not be the happiest girl onstage! My smile was proud and loud.

Laura stood up from the house theater and took the microphone once again. " Ladies we have chosen the final 5, please step forward when your name is called."

I can still feel those wild butterflies in my stomach. My name was called last, I was now walking towards the other 4 dancers that had been chosen. I could hear the whispers behind me, " How in the hell was she chosen? Shes too young. But why her?" Laura spoke to the rest of the ladies and said thank you for your time and we will keep you posted if there are any upcoming auditions. And, that was it.

As the disgruntled dancers left the stage, Laura walked up to the side of the stage and asked me to come down into the theater as Mr Lee wanted a word with me. She told the other 4 to hang tight and she would be right back. Now, the nerves shot through my body like a lightening bolt! This would be either good or bad news, or maybe neither?

The Audition Part 4 Folies Bergere

At this point there were only about 30 dancers left. Laura asked us to proceed to stage left. As we lined up one by one, the dancers all seemed to know what to expect, except me. I moved myself to the middle of the line, so I could watch the dancers ahead of me. I needed to see what they were doing for the walk. As I watched each dancer make her move onto the stage, I became more aware of this "Showgirl Walk." I was up next following a line of seasoned dancers. My long gazelle legs fell into step and glided effortlessly across the stage and back. There were no interruptions of the sequence from stage left too right and back. The stage was literally so large, it took about 2 mins to cross individually. I know that sounds hard to imagine, but it was very specific. After about 30 minutes with all of us being called to center stage once again. Eliminations were about to happen. About 10 dancers were dismissed just like that. I was not.

We took a breather as the line captain Laura conversed with the producer and other noble executives.

20 dancers left. The finale. The high kicks. We were positioned center stage and Laura showed us what she expected us to perform. 4 high kicks to the front with a swing through to the right with another 4 high kicks, back to front repeat and to the left back to front. She explained this was a serious of kicks from the finale Can Can. One of the most popular dance numbers in the show. Of course I had seen the show twice and loved the Can Can! She did point out that there would be no music for this part of the audition, it was just so they could see how high and fast we could kick.

We were in groups of 5. I was in the first group. I did notice a few of the dancers couldn't get their legs high enough over their shoulders. And definitely not with the speed and agility they expected. I had the flexibility of a 'Gumby Doll.'  My body was a bit hyper-extended, which gave me an advantage right from the start.

As soon as we were all done Laura told us all to take a 15 minute break so they had a chance to decide on their final picks.

Longest 15 minutes I ever felt.