to octopus!

So last night I got propositioned for prostitution for the first time.

It was a slow Wednesday night, about midnight, with a minimal number of people out on the streets. I'd already made rent plus about $30, so I decided that if I got one more ride I would turn in.

I was looking pretty cute, but not my usual babe-a-licious pedicab outfit... I almost always wear mini skirts because, well, passengers like looking at my butt, and it probably makes me a little more money. But last night I was wearing a knee length gingham dress from the 50's with white motorcycle boots- I almost looked like I was going to a hoe down.

A group of loud men was standing on a corner near the Embassy Suites, and one of them flags me down. I stop and ask him if he wants a ride. He runs up, and standing a little too close in says "How much to octopus!?" in broken English. I'm certain he's talking about the Greek Cuisina (see above picture), a popular and extraordinarily trashy downtown club (possibly surpassed only by Dirty).

"You mean Greek Cuisina? Uh, five dollars."
"Alright!" he shouts and climbs in. As we start to round the corner he keeps hitting my back and saying "You come to Octopus with me! You come dance with me!"
I laugh nervously. "No, I've got to keep working."
"I pay you all night! I pay you all night! How much? You come dance, you spend night with me! You sleep in the bed with me."
"Uh, no, sorry, I really have to keep working."
"You be in the bed with me! You want, you just sleep. I pay you all night!"
"Sorry, I don't do that."
"Please!"
"No, I don't do that."

He continued to shout and started babbling in his native tongue, so I have no idea what he was saying.

It's rides like this that always feel like they're lasting way too long, even when it's only a few blocks. I saw my friend Tomas ride by with some customers and shouted his name, because I was getting to the point where I was worried that I might need back up to get this guy to leave me alone. When we arrived at the Greek, it appeared to be closed and he stumbled out of me cab.

"Octopus closed!?"

I offered to take him to another club, but he wasn't interested. He continued to babble, semi-incoherently, trying to get me to go with him. I continued to tell him I didn't do that and he pulled out a wad of cashe- not a ton, maybe $100. "How much?"

I was a little too generous. I told him tips and he gave me $10. I think he was trying to show me how much money I would get if I spent the night with him. I really think I could have gotten $20 out of him, but whatever, I was pretty happy to get away from him at that point.