a short note.
It’s a bad time to be an high-paid/over-paid prostitute in New York. I think I said that last year when the future of high-paid whoredom was a recurring topic of conversation (”something’s going to break,” a client used to say) and I think I said that again this spring when the Spitzer frenzy set off a wave of police attention. But now it’s bad enough that I’m getting phone-calls from clients. They’re worried for me.
“I’m fine,” I said, for the third time this week. I’m fine. I saved. I saw it coming. I live modestly.
“Do you need money?” one asked.
“Thanks, but no, I’m okay,” I said. I was tempted to say, do you?
I can’t read anything in the news without thinking about the hundreds of conversations I’ve had with clients about short-selling. Short-selling and private equity strip-mining, which, I suppose, is separate issue. I’ve been thinking about all those finance clients, from the distant past to the present or near-present, and I’m wondering how they’re doing. Financially they’ll be fine – that I know. But I’m wondering what’s going through their minds right now. I’m tempted to call one of them to ask.
*
I’m swamped until early next week, with virtually no time to write. In the meantime, short notes.
It is a very stressful time on Wall Street. You’re right about high end girls having trouble. I’ve received a few emails from ladies saying hi, love to get together etc.
Frankly I hope a number of them end up broke and jobless. Not all of them. Just the greedy ones who didn’t mind taking advantage of the dreams of others.
Maybe Karma does exist?
Nah, it doesn’t. Still, I laugh every time I see a news photo with some broker with his head in his hands. Awww the poor baby will need to sell one of his homes.
Here’s hoping the good ones come out on top and the bad ones get everything they deserve.
It’s funny, I always assumed that sex work, like the entertainment industry, was mostly recession-proof. In fact, if anything, I would assume that stress would drive more clients out for sessions. Any activity that functions as escapism/release/pleasure should thrive in such conditions, right?
Very interesting note.
Wendy – I think it is and it isn’t. I think to a certainly extent it is recession proof. But at the high-end, some of the rates are so high that they’re arguably inflated. And during times like this, for good reason, clients tend to spend less extravagantly.
Maybe there will be an upsurge of clients coming from bankruptcy lawyers. But don’t worry, there will soon be 700+ billion surging through the economy and not doubt the professional sex workers will receive some of the largess.
i think maybe our businesses are a little similar. i will have to tighten my belt somewhat when the ripple effect hits my city but there will always be people with money who need the kind of healing work that i do.
that said, i will lose a few clients who suddenly find themselves facing mortgage payments they can’t make.
that space will eventually fill up with other rich people but in the meantime i have to plan ahead and save and be careful.
axe: you’re assuming that they will be able to find a buyer and you’re further assuming that they aren’t feeling devastation on behalf of their clients. like any profession not all financial people are evil.
Article from Slate on this, counterpoint that sex workers seem to thrive in a downturn.
http://www.slate.com/id/2200640/
Something tells me that you have a much better idea of the reality, but still and interesting read.
I don’t believe that Sudhir Venkatesh is getting prostitutes to pour their hearts and souls out to him any more than I believe he infiltrated one of Chicago’s most powerful crack-dealing gangs. I’m amazed he hasn’t already been exposed.
Just had to comment on Badinfluencegirl’s note – I honestly believe, working in a finance related business, that the finance people who are at the root of today’s problem do not in any way form or shape feel bad on behalf of their clients. To them it is calculated risk (however poorly it may seem to have been calculated in hindsight) and if people were playing they should have known the rules…
Sorry for being cynical.
i’m really glad to hear that you’re ok and will be. the same inverse relationship between entertainment and economics exists somewhat as well, though it probably depends on the nature of your project. from a studio exec’s pov, this is probably a better time for a comedy than, say, a last exit to brooklyn. and if the pursuit of happyness wasn’t made a couple of years ago, it wouldn’t be made right now. if i’m right the scales will shift slightly towards funny material and fantasy/escapism, though i wouldn’t count out violent fare, either. i tell neophyte writers not to pay attention to this, though – this only applies to existing, ready material. if you’re going to start a screenplay, write whatever you want to see – too many variables exist that can change the wind, making it entirely unpredictable what hollywood (who is entirely unable to predict her own market forces) will buy and make tomorrow.
Glad to see you’re doing well. Also glad to see some more writing from you as I am attempting to force myself to focus on my own. And I must say your blog is part of the reason I am doing that.
I have to say while I didn’t endorse the bailout plan at all it is a very scary time for me. I am fairly young (Early early 20’s) and it seems like a absolute shit time to be trying to get out into the “real world” when everything seems to be going shit that I would be dealing with in doing that.
But I believe in the free market and such mindless gambling with finances by these corporations needs to be straightened out by its own accord to prevent it from happening again.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/52e1309e-8dcc-11dd-974f-0000779fd18c.html?nclick_check=1