I was talking to “Maggie” about Mae. I don’t sound “urban” in my voice characterization and she was saying that it didn’t seem that important to the character. She doesn’t have to be so urban and I had never considered that before. The important thing, we finally worked out, was that she thinks that she’s in control of her destiny, not very well-educated, and she ends up being pushed around by events that are not in her control.
She doesn’t hate “the life”, she rather likes it. She isn’t a “victim” because she’s a prostitute. She’s a victim because she’s poor and illiterate. She didn’t get into it because she drinks; she drinks because it was easier to face the world and it gave her that feeling she once got when she was a teenager and a cute guy looked at her. I can relate on that level.
I mentioned to “Maggie” that I needed to interview more prostitutes that actually like what they do, and don’t feel like they’re victims.
Long pause on her end.
Then she said, “Why don’t you get on Yahoo, and then come check out this online chat room brothel role-playing thing we got happening?”
“Do whut huh?”
Oh. My. God.
It’s a chat room. “Maggie” says it’s a game, but these people
really get into the game of it. “Maggie” is “Maggie”
* and she is a manager, like a Madame, and also she’s a piano player and … oh my god … she’s a
working girl!!! I should mention that, it’s not real. It’s all role-play and chat – you’re not allowed to ask a girl for webcam – you’re not even allowed to ask for voice chat. It all happens in the conversation box.
A client (there are male and female clients allowed) does not just enter the chat room and ask for a woman. (Only women work as prostitutes.) It’s controlled by the list. The Manager runs the list.
The Manager will say something like:
If you want to be one of the 5 people on this list, please type “I need a lady!!! J”
And the first 5 to type that gets on the list.
Then the Manager asks if there are any ladies “on the couch”. The ladies on the couch change their font to Bold, Blue, and say that they’re sitting on the couch.
Then the Manager says, for example if Roger is the first one on the list, “Kristi, please take Roger upstairs for 20 minutes.”
Then she role-plays going up to him, usually in a very suggestive way, and then they go to private message and I assume, have cybersex.
(My spell-checker suggested “cabers” and “cabernet” for “cybersex”.)
They can only go for 20 minutes, then the girl as to “come back downstairs”. 20 minutes doesn’t seem nearly long enough but the room is always full!
OK the whole brothel chat room thing sounds silly when I describe it, but it’s really not that weird.
One of the reasons I like the idea is that women are thought of as prey on IRC and Yahoo. In this one room, they’re safe. No one can send them a personal message without permission. If anyone ignores that rule, then he’ll get warned, and it might happen that he can’t get on a list.
The benefit for men is that they can get a chance to hook up for at least 20 minutes.
“Maggie” says she has lots of fun and I believe it. She’s really sexy and very articulate.
Also – she uses the Room Voice Feature to play piano for the customers in the room.
How freaking cool is that?
The bad part is, she doesn’t want anyone to know that we know each other in real life. Which, I can understand. Doing this is somewhat dangerous if anyone finds out who you are and where you live.
I’m seriously considering becoming a “working girl” there. The idea turns me on, totally. And as long as I don’t get caught by Scott, who doesn’t even know I have a Yahoo account, well, what he doesn’t know and 6¢ none the richer.
I think the idea of working when “Maggie” is managing is what is getting me going. And also, I think getting me going would really help things with Scott. I’ve been falling asleep lately before he gets home – this chat room is all hours and it would keep me up at night.
[*Editor’s note 9/30/2005: A brief explanation is in order as to what I mean when I say «“Maggie” is “Maggie”». It has been brought to my attention by an avid reader of this blog that I should have NOT used “Maggie’s” real first name, since I provided so many details about her life, talent, husband, etc. It was an oversight on my part, and I have meticulously gone through and removed any reference to “Maggie” by searching for {“Maggie’s” real name} and replacing it with “Maggie”. Also D’s name has been removed here and there, as well as that of his sister, who is now referred to as “Mademoiselle D”. Got it? Good. No other facts have been post-edited. We now return you to your regularly scheduled blog.]