#calamity2

part 2:    (continued from part 1: here)

Jane really loved the club; but she wasn’t there for the money. It was fine with her if no-one believed it. She mostly kept quiet, to herself, always watching a lot. She'd managed to fade, for the most part, into a background figure in the life of the "club family". She had a good following of regulars without needing to do any private or "lap" dancing. She was strictly a stage girl.  All the same, she did well enough to draw some passing jealousy. Most of which she combated by simply ignoring it and changing nothing about the way she did her low-key, sweltering and always evolving, dance rountine. Given the high turnover in the pool of employees, this had served her well. Early signs of conflicts ignored had a way floating past Jane. 

But then there was Aunt Suze. She was the senior dancer and the stage manager officially in charge of all the "girls". Suze was a couple of years older than Jane and mostly in pretty good shape, especially since she'd had that dental work. She danced only occasionally, maybe three to five times a month. She was well-promoted, because she was the owner's regular blow, and she was slightly famous locally so she had her own following. She drew a crowd, but as far as Jane was concerned, I don't think she really got what the fuss was all about. Once I saw Jane frown as she shook her head, turning away from Suze's act and mumbling something about boredom and lack of creativity. 

Jane and I both knew Suze was riding the pure tired coattails of an old, mostly worn-out reputation. We passively watched together as she threw her weight around, both of us quietly curious as to how long it would last, and what exactly it would look like when she crashed. In some ways, it was it's own entertainment. 

But lately, Suze had been amping it up. She was an active annoyance to everyone and she had grown downright cruel to a few of the girls that were her favorite targets. Quick to notice because I didn't want to lose her company around the place, I could sense Jane's frustration growing.  Even so, the patience she'd shown prior to that night made it surprising the night she finally walked out. 

I never found out just what it was that set Jane off, but I was lucky enough to step in through the alley door backstage, after taking the garbage out late, to hear every single word Jane said. She put words right in Suze's face, with a voice that was low but heard by everyone around her in the silence she commanded. I caught her mid-stride in a powerful walk that shut everyone up and put her three inches away from Suze's eyes, right up in her face.

That's where Jane stood straight and enraged when she really lost her temper. Dressed Suze down in short order like the tired middle-aged stripper Suze was, and had been, all her life up to the that point. 

"I am sorry." Jane said. "But I have been holding onto it for quite some time now and today is the day I'm giving it away, Suze. Directly to you. My honest opinion. The most outstanding thing about you is...well, wait. I will have to pick just a few. But top of list I'll go with your glaring unprofessionalism." Suze cringed, she was always yelling at the girls to be 'professional - not slutty bitches'.

Jane went on. "Since your buck teeth fell out, oops I mean back into a recessive position on my list of irritations. And what was *that* all about anyhow? I mean, I know you are a drunk but now I can't help wondering if there's been some kind of pipe involved in these dental mishaps. It cracks me up," here Jane smiled and let out the softest low chuckle. "I can't help it," she continued. "Get. Over. Your. Self. Suze. You are obviously queen skeezy, and so jealous. Of anyone who is *not* interested in tossing your disgusting salad. You bitch. I have had it. I am so out of here."

And Jane picked up her back-pack and walked, smartly, out the door. Never to return again.