Fellow stripper stole my man

Dear Pastor,

From I was 19 I started to dance in clubs.

I learnt to dance from some of my friends. We all went to school in the country, but nothing was going on there. So, my friends left and came to Kingston.

In the country, if you did not get passes, you had to get pregnant, and if you did not get pregnant, you had to go on the street and sell.

Two of my friends came to Kingston and learnt to dance and strip. They told me they were making good money and encouraged me to come.

They took me with them to the club and I watched them. During the day, they would put on music and show me how to dance and to take off my clothes piece by piece.

I was a shy girl, but when I learnt the business, I wasn't shy anymore. I lied to my parents and told them I was working in an office. I sent money for my mother every two weeks.

One night after dancing, a man introduced himself to me. He said he was 50.

He asked me where I was living and I told him that I was living with some of the girls. He said I could come and live with him.

I promised that I would give him the answer at another time.

When I told my friends, they told me I was lucky and that I should take up his offer. Three days after, I saw him back at the club.

I asked him about his wife and he said he was never married. I told him that my roommates wanted to know where I was going to live, so he agreed.

We packed our things and then all of us went with this man. That night we all slept at his place and then in the morning, he took us back to where we were living.

To cut a long story short, one of the girls told a lie on me because she wanted him. She told the man that I was a thief and she worked herself into him, and he told me he did not want me anymore.

I have not done anything to this man, but she was the one who stole from him because he came back trying to get me to be friends with him again, and I told him no.

I am a poor girl, but I have ambition. I am still dancing because I love it. I do not sell myself as some strippers do. I am satisfied with the little I make.

Pastor, I would love to open my own club. Some friends are not good. Give me your advice as a father.

R.D.

Dear R.D.,

I am sure that you mean well. I also believe that when you came to Kingston, your desire was to work your honest bread. It is not unusual for girls to teach other girls how to dance and to strip.

Once I was living in an area and I walked across my backyard only to see three girls teaching another girl, and it was in the day.

They had her only in her underwear. When they saw me, they did not even budge.

I shall not forget that a young woman came to see me one day. She was working at a particular club and then something terrible happened and the club closed. She was out of a job. When she came to see me, she said she was so much in need that she reasoned within herself that the dancers who were at her club were not more attractive than she was.

They were making so much more money that she learnt to dance and to strip, and as a result, she was carrying home a bag of money, so to speak.

I understand what you went through. However, it was unfortunate that one of the girls lied on you. I am not here to condemn you at all.

I hope that in the future you will be able to run your own business. It would be good if you do not have to do that type of business to survive.

Perhaps you should consider attending HEART/NTA and studying some other sort of business. Think about it, and please, let me hear from you again.

Pastor