Cheeks is a stripper on the side. I was surprised to find out that she had a full-time gig. Despite the seemingly excruciating pain Cheeks was feeling in her lower back as a result of wearing those uncomfortable stripper heels for several hours, she had to be at her full-time job early in the morning. In a matter of a few hours, Cheeks had to go from being a seductive, money-driven stripper to caring for patients at a nursing home as a Certified Nurses' Aide (CNA).
At the time Cheeks told me that her long term goal was to become a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). She was actually on the waiting list for the LPN program at my school. Cheeks became a CNA with the intention of getting some needed experience in the field, and she loved her work. She even told me a story about a patient whose funeral she had attended a few days before our conversation. In the small amount of time we got to talk, it was very evident that she was born to be in a helping profession.
I was curious to hear about her experiences as a CNA because my mother had been one for the previous twenty five years. Like Cheeks, there was a time when my mom needed to work another job because a forty hour work week just didn't yield enough money. I remember there were days when she would leave her eight hour shift only to take on an additional four to six hours at another nursing home.
At the time, my dad was struggling to find work. Rent was steep. Bills needed to get paid, and there were two growing boys in the apartment (my older brother and I) who ate a lot. Instead of letting my father drive a cab, which he was very willing to do, my mom insisted on working two jobs. I clearly recall her telling my father very frankly that she refused to let him drive a cab because it was a menial job. She didn't want him to lose his dignity just to make ends meet.
Unlike my mother, Cheeks didn't have children or a husband. However, with the exception of an aunt who helped her pay rent, she was an 18 year old living on her own. Since rent is usually the most expensive monthly "bill", I didn't get the need for her to strip since she had a full-time job.
Me: Let me ask you a question, and please don't take this the wrong way.
Cheeks: Sure. Go ahead.
Me: Do you think most of the women in here like to strip.
Cheeks: Nope. I don't know anybody who likes doing this. The money's good. That's all. This is demeaning.
Me: So then why do you do this?
Cheeks: I need the money. I gotta save up for school. I have expenses.
Me: Moving back in with your mom isn't an option?
Cheeks: She chose her boyfriend over me. That's why I had to live in the shelter. Do you know what I found out last year?
Me: What?
Cheeks: She was doing coke when she was pregnant with me. I have a memory problem because of it. My short term memory sucks!
Me: Damn. Sorry to hear that.
Cheeks: It's whatever. Now that I'm a big girl, I just gotta do things for myself. No problem... Listen, it was nice talking to you but I gotta go now. I'm off the clock in ten minutes.
Me: You headed to your other gig now? Why don't you take the night off? You look like you're exhausted.
Cheeks: I wish I could, but somebody has to pay the car note on that all-black, pimped out BMW I'm driving. You should see it! It has everything!
Me: Check you out. How much do you pay a month for that?
Cheeks: $400 and change a month and I pay about $600 a month for insurance.
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