Episode 8: In Five Years

A cliche question the reporters in those glossy women magazine ask when interviewing 'an achiever' is "Where do you see yourself in five years?" . And the cliche answer for the career women being interviewed is " I want to be living my dreams, running my own business". Well that is the right PR answer, masking the real one which could have elements of fear, greed and adultery.

Such women think it would show a lack of ambition and character to say they would still like to be working for the same company, in the same position or a slightly higher one.  But despite what the women say there  would be nothing wrong in working for the same company for five years; indeed in the formal companies the longer you stay the higher you rise, and the more your pay.

In our trade on the streets; the opposite happens; Your value decreases as your experience increases.Quoting five years experience is a turn off. Many a girl gets to prostitution telling themselves they wont do it for more than a few months, maybe six,  save some money, start a business , hit it big in some way or get a 'proper' job. But a year goes and another still on the street. The optimal experience is about a year; when one is no longer surprised by the antics of men and all the inhibitions are gone. After a year there is  a plateau and then the downward curve starts.

And this is not tied to age. If a girl hit the streets at the age of 18, in two years she will be 20 but  streetwise she will be older than the girl who started at 23, and has been at it for five months. Somehow men are able to tell the difference, and the more you stay on the street the fewer men  pick you. Eventually you fade away, drop out of the street or change tactic.  The obvious way to do the latter is to go downtown, to cheap brothels and bars; where you charge a tenth of your fees uptown. But its not a free ride down there;Duruma road and Latema are over flowing with fresh girls every day. Good Hope along River Road still offers some hope but there is something really boring about sitting on your chair, in a minis skirt , legs wide open waiting for a man to wink at you.

Of course there are girls who have been here for the five years. As to why they have been in the business that long they don't talk but something is usually miss with them, a thing I cant really explain. However one thing is absolutely clear; their view of men is on the lowest side. To them, men are  pigs, as some writer said.

In my opinion such girls sound so disillusioned because they are not able to justify the long time they have been on the street. To keep your head up in this business you need to justify , to yourself, all your 'awkward ' actions. So where will I be in five years; Going by the magazine cliche answers I should be a pimp. But the truth is I actually don't know. I might still be here, if that happens I will say " I think  sex is over rated. I have been trying to search for the real pleasure in sex". Certainly a holy grail more elusive than the actual Holy Grail.

.