Bad Sex

"Keelan MacGruder, pleased to meet you."

"Mary Appleton, pleased to make your acquaintance." We shake hands and I head for bed though stop at the door. "Oh shoot, bathroom is that door there. I have spare dresses if you want to wear something else or finding a job takes longer than we thought."

"What if I like staying here with you?"

"Well I suppose that would work, I get nookie at the juice joints and don't bring a fella home. Still be odd if one of us finds a fella. Suppose if us living together is agreeable all around we can find a bigger apartment." She smiles and waves so off to bed I go.

Wake up before my alarm, but not by all that much. Still blinking at the ceiling when it goes off. Roll over and reach out to turn the thing off, then I'm getting out of bed. Do stop to make it though have to turn around since I was halfway to the closet. Pulling out a great dress I then grab up clean garter and hose before heading for the shower.

Turn absolutely scarlet when I head for the bathroom because Keelan is sitting on the sofa. She was reading the paper then looks over at me. She turns back to the paper and I hot foot to the bathroom with plenty of sorry's filling the air. Shower taken I get to work on getting dressed, do skip makeup since I have to don the heavy duty stuff at the theater, waste of munitions let alone lipstick.

Back into the living room to sit next to Keelan. She doesn't say anything at first, and I do the same, so turned into a bunny since I can't think of what to say. Finally do think of something so turn to her.

"I am sorry I did that, I forgot you were here."

"Suppose we need to get used to that, only one bed and bathroom."

"Need to buy a nightshirt as well." Keelan giggles and shakes her head.

"I need the same, suppose we can make do without. I want to know what it's like in a juice joint."

"Well it's nice, plenty of fellas in them taking an interest in a skirt. You get your pick of fellas to give nookie to. Most wouldn't mind keeping a skirt so it is possible you won't need a job that long."

"So we only go to give out nookie?" Shake my head.

"I'm not a quiff, we go to a juice joint to dance, have a belt now and then, and talk to fellas. If he is an agreeable sort to you give out the nookie. If you are not interested just say so, though do say why. I find it is best to say you will take a check on nookie."

"So no simoleans to us?"

"No, juice joints are fairly good for meeting a fella. If you want to get a manacle on him you need to meet other places, they are just good for meeting him to begin with."

"Why have you not gotten goofy over a guy?" Sigh and look down.

"I keep meeting good fellas that don't give me good nookie. No reason to stick with a fella that gives bad nookie."

"Not what Pa has been saying."

"Fellas don't care if a skirt enjoyed the nookie, they only want her to give it out. Father McMichael enjoys my confessions, complains if I don't get nookie at least once a week."

"I've always had a different Father. May as well make breakfast now."

Hop up with her, and get looked at so giggle some then we go make breakfast. We get a good breakfast, she got bacon, eggs, and sausage. Even get biscuits, these were made up and cut out then left on the pan. Get it all cooked up then to my table, that came with the apartment. Partly furnished is so nice, especially when the stove, table, and icebox are so big, along with heavy.

"Why did your pa give you the bum's rush?"

"Refused to marry the fella Pa picked. He was yelling about how I'm a three letter woman."

"You like fellas?" Keelan nods and shrugs.

"So long as he's not a dewdropper."

"Oh yeah those are terrible, do watch out for drugstore cowboys, not all of them live as well as their get up says, if it is nice still."

"What do we do if I can't get a job at your theater?"

"Well then we can try the other theaters, and if nothing else you can work in some other joint, diner perhaps."

Keelan nods then we finish off breakfast. Dirty goes in the sink, we can wash it later, like say when we get back or in the morning tomorrow. Course my morning is in the afternoon most of the time but then morning is when you get up anyway. Before we go I look over Keelan's dress, it is nice, but not really something you wear to a juice joint.

So we collect a good dress for her to wear tonight and that goes in my bag. Not a good fit but it does go so down the stairs we go. Talk to Mr. Smythe some to make sure I did want Keelan to move in and get ice along with milk. Then we are off shopping, Keelan needs a bag of her own. Get her a nice one like mine, not too big but big enough.

After shopping it is off to my theater. She is looking around at everything as we go in, then I get to guide her to management. Oddly enough I get pointed to a chair with her.

"Mary did you not get told there is a later practice?"

"I did get told that, Keelan here has just moved in with me. Family problems and she needs to get work. I figured we would ask here first." He grabs his chin and looks her over.

"Not in need of line girls."

"Keelan can't dance anyway, I was thinking snack stand or collecting tickets."

"Perhaps assisting one of the performers." Keelan puts in and we both look at her, then I look at him.

"I'm not sure on the performer part, we let them find their own people. Do you think you could make popcorn?"

"If you got someone to show me how once then yes I can make popcorn." Wave my hand.

"Don't forget about coneys."

"I know how to cook those, just don't ask me to make one."

"Well then, let's go check the snack stands. Last time I just hired a skirt I got yelled at."

Us skirts are giggling as we all get up and out of his office. Find Olga in the big stand setting up the condiments for coneys. She looks at us when he whistles, I get smiled at, he is frowned at, and Keelan is just looked over.

"Least you learn lesson." I can't help laughing then pull out my hope chest to get a gasper. "Oh yes, one for me please."

"Olga, Keelan here swears she can do popcorn after being shown how once, and can do a coney." Olga looks up from getting her gasper lit.

"Will find out. Why is asking?"

"Family troubles. I am helping her out but need to get her a job, I don't make that much." Olga nods and smiles.

"Yes this good. Come will show popcorn."

My boss swipes my gasper as we follow them to the stand itself. I get another one out while Olga explains how to make popcorn, it is easier than I thought. So then Keelan makes popcorn, adds the melted butter and salt as Olga directed before she started. Olga is smiling after and nods at us.

"Yes, hire she is agreeable."

"How much will I make?" Keelan asks before he can say anything.

"Well your job doesn't pay well, three aces a day. Payday is on Friday so you won't get much this payday." Keelan frowns and looks at me.

"Should I find another job?" Shake my head.

"Unless you decide to get your own place this pay is fine. Besides for all we know you will find a right fine fella to marry tonight." Olga snorts.

"Not all place are expensive like yours."

"I didn't want to live with Germans, I'm not German so I'd probably get beat anyway." Olga snorts and we both giggle."

"You said your place is cheap." Look up at my boss and wink.

"It is cheap, I live there alone and can afford to eat out every day. Course Keelan wants to at least make breakfast so bills went up."

"Well she is helping pay the bills now, give me another fag." Pull out my hope chest to find I'm low, three left so better go buy another one.

"You horrible man, smoking my gaspers."

"Go buy another one. In fact buy me one."

I get handed enough for a hope chest so exit out the front door. Got a market down the street luckily so head that way. Step inside the market and get two, then pick up a chocolate bar. Olga always likes chocolate, I want some, and Keelan probably wouldn't mind. Exit the market heading back for my theater.

Reaching the door a skirt comes to the door with me. Look at her and she looks tired, along with perhaps in need of work.

"Just hired a skirt for snack stands so I don't think we are hiring." She shakes her head.

"I am here to get on the chorus line."

"I'm on it, we are full but come on. Boss probably knows the theaters that do want a dancer."

She follows me inside and over to snack stand where I pass over the candy bar to Olga. Leave her smiling, I'm smiling since I got a piece. Then we are at the office and in we go. Boss man is staring at me, then tosses up his hands.

"Mary stop bringing in skirts, we got enough." Roll my eyes then go poke him.

"I know that, I brought her in because she is looking to join a chorus line and I figured you would know the theaters looking."

"I don't, but I can make some calls. Did you not get me fags?" Roll my eyes then pull out a hope chest and drop it on his desk.

"I got you gaspers, now make with the calls." I sit next to her while he rolls his chair over to the phone and starts calling.

"So your name is Mary?" Nod and reach my hand out to her.

"My name is Mary and it is nice to meet you." She smiles at me.

"My name is Fen."

Start then look closer to realize she does have the slanted eyes. Also has straight black hair which I am jealous over, my hair is curly. She has long hair, mine is trimmed short since it is manageable this way. Not that I can't have long hair, I just have to braid it when it is windy, or I am going to sleep.

"You did not realize?" Shake my head.

"I didn't really look close, noticed you are a skirt and coming to the door at this hour, only means one thing."

"Can you tell me of places to go?"

"Not from around here?" She shakes her head.

"Came up from Boston."

"Well there is a new juice joint, went to it last night and it is hip to the jive so planning on going back. I live over there and don't even have a jalopy so I know over there and this street." Fen smiles at me.

"Yes have apartment same way."

"Must be farther to go than mine." Fen nods and shrugs.

"Eight streets, did not wish to have Chinatown place, been assured they cost more." Boss man hangs up and moves back to his desk with a snort.

"I've heard the opposite on Chinatown. I got two theaters that are looking for a line girl, first is next door and the other is a quarter mile that way." Fen nods and stands up to bow, to both of us.

"Thank you for the help. I shall go and try to get work now. Will see you tonight to visit this place you mentioned." We watch her exit then boss man points at me.

"I should yell at you about bringing in skirts to get jobs but we did need Keelan. Honestly I would have hired Fen if we had any problems with customers. Celestial skirts tend to bring in fellas."

"Why not have a colored line then?"

"Can't, the other theaters and governing board would toss a fit. I see it the same way mind, colored line or members of the line would be fine. Probably get us more fellas in like a celestial, problem is they would expect our colored or celestial skirts to be quiff."

"Some people." Boss man snorts and waves his hand.

"Go on out there and find something to do, I need to go over the report from last night still." Stand up then stop to ask.

"Is the performer going to perform today?"

"He better, not real sure what the problem was last night. Already told him another no perform and we will advertise for a new."

Nod and exit the office to get at the chocolate bar. If Olga hasn't eaten the whole thing yet. I'm not sure how often she buys chocolate but it can't be that often as fast as she eats them when I share. Find Olga and Keelan eating popcorn and I got half a chocolate bar left. Break it up into three pieces and we stand there eating chocolate and popcorn until the rest of the line comes in.

Then comes practice followed by getting the warpaint on. We all call it that, something of a joke. Course we put on so much munitions and then lipstick taking a knife to our face isn't so easy. At least it seems that way since we lay it on thick. Finally though we are going out to do our set before half the performers.

Happily the wayward performer of the night before performs without a hitch. We only do three sets and us dancers are all happy. End of the performance sees us all back to our closet where I share my experience at the new juice joint fully. Then I get to corner Britney to figure out what happened to her. Course mostly I want to know if he was made and good to her.

"Spill it." Britney giggles.

"I got with a made man, he was quite sweet to me. No manacle so I wouldn't be the mistress."

"Honestly I think I'd rather be the mistress, wouldn't be cheated on." Britney tilts her head to the side.

"That is true, and would let me stay working here."

"Keep in mind you are not Italian so most likely you are either a friendly skirt to bide time with until he finds a wife, or he has a prospective wife and wants a mistress first."

"I'll ask, he said he would pick me up there tonight. Did you really run to save Keelan?"

"It was when the sun was out so plenty of fellas going to work. Safe enough for me to run there, go to church with most of them." Britney sighs and shakes her head.

"Mary you are so brave to do that, fellas out and about or not."

"The area where a skirt is offed is south of us, up here the worst that can happen is a fella forces his attentions on. With two skirts the chances of it happening are low on account we double team him."

"Unless she is broken down or runs for it. I swear you are a saint."

"Hey we are going to get a taxi, you two coming?"

"I am waiting for Keelan, you lot go on. May be a celestial skirt out back, name is Fen and I am showing her the juice joint." Amanda waves her hand.

"I'll check, if she is out there I'll bring her in."

"I'll go in on the taxi with you skirts."

Britney goes with the rest of us and Fen does come in. So we go check on Keelan to find she is still cleaning. Snack stand skirts get to clean the floor in the lobby. So we help her and the other two with that to get going faster. Not to much longer and we are on the way.

"How does one dance at a juice joint?" Put my arm around Keelan and give her a half hug.

"It is easy, you just go on out to the dance area and wiggle. Just watch what everyone is doing and do that. Don't worry you are a skirt so you don't have to dance well, just go out there and smile at the fellas, they will come to you."

"What do I do if I get knocked up before picking out a fella?"

"Make as like the fella you do pick is the pa. So long as you manage to find a good fella in a couple weeks of the blessed event." Fen snorts.

"Different for us, if fella you pick is not pa of first child you give up child or fella."

"Speaking of that, I thought you got arranged marriages."

"No, well mostly no. It doesn't happen often and when it does it's for a political reason, most of the time. Sometimes a marriage is arranged before either can walk, heard of marriages arranged before birth. Most part though we go and pick out our own fella to marry, if we want."

"Oh I never asked, did you find work?" Fen nods and smiles.

"Next door, so we can walk home together."

"Most nights see me to a juice joint. I like this one, good hooch, good band. Stop off at a diner as well, Jake joe and good food. Last night had sinkers, got a dozen for a nickel."

"Look at that, you made me go and buy groceries then you talk about going to a diner."

Keelan's comment has us all laughing. No more conversation on the trip to the juice joint. Reaching that we find the same two out front. Bimbo on the steps stands up as we get to him, looking us over.

"A celestial skirt. Just in case the dolls haven't shared, no junk inside. We don't hold to that here. If you want to give out nookie pay no particulars, we don't have a side room. As an aside find a fella and stick to him, most will assume you are a quiff." Fen waves her hand.

"Much experience with that, dancer from Boston." Bimbo smiles at Fen.

"Well then come on in."

Up the stairs and in we go where I guide us for the bar. Get a round of martinis so Keelan can watch the dancing. Drinks downed we all get out to dance. All three of us get a fella right quick so plenty of dancing. When I go and sit with the fella I got he's after nookie and I don't want to oblige. He takes it well at least though do need to find a new fella.

Doesn't take long to get a new fella and cut a most impressive rug. Oddly enough he is not after nookie but is a most wonderful fella. Also something of an Ethel, which is not as bad as it sounds. At least we would agree on most things to be done with the decorating. In this case though I'm fairly sure this Ethel is actually a three letter man and not after a skirt, wonderful dancer though.

Keelan finds a made man, this one is Polish oddly enough so she may end up being his only avenue of nookie. If it works out alright for the two of them. Though it looks good, she leaves with him. Fen doesn't go off with someone so we end up walking to the diner together. Inside we get a booth and sit, Frieda is being slow on joe.

"Do you think Keelan will come back?"

"Definitely, that was a made man. Surprising on him being a pol though at least she would be his wife and no mistress, probably." Fen makes a face then Frieda is there with a couple cups of joe.

"Sorry, was in the back helping clean up." Smile up at Frieda then wave my hand before grabbing my cup.

"No problem, got a dumb Dora in every crowd. Heck I've been her a few times. So what do you got special today?"

"Only two sinkers today, he made less. Usually we got two fellas for it but we lost one so he has to come in more often and wasn't used to it. If you both want a burger it's a dime each." Fen looks lost for a moment.

"Just a burger?" Frieda shakes her head.

"No sorry, burgers come with fries. Course our fries are closer to wedges, management won't get the press." Can't help giggling then wave my hand.

"Honestly I like the fries here better than the ones done with the press."

"So two burgers?" We both nod then I point at the new jerk.

"May as well try him out, give me a chocolate malted."

We pay up, Fen has the coin for her burger and joe. Surprised a little though I shouldn't be, chorus line girls are paid well. Better than performers even though we are, also the big draw. The performer that comes on after us is always groaned about. Luckily for them who comes on next varies, so the show is always different.

The jerk brings my malted over to put on the table. When he goes to leave again I grab his hand.

"Here now, you are allowed to sit and talk. I'm Mary, and that is Fen." He smiles at me then pulls a stool over to sit on, but not too close.

"I'm Franklin and it is an honor to meet you both."

"Why are you sitting over there?" We both stare at Fen a moment.

"He is over there because he is colored and we are not. Someone coming by sees him sitting with us they call a bull because he is being uncouth." Fen frowns and shakes her head.

"Not been a problem with me sitting by a colored in Boston."

"Because you are celestial, though at a distance you look the same. I'm sure you had fellas walk closer then walk away with a snort."

"Have had that, never did know why but not asked neither." Franklin snorts.

"They as take offense reckon us colored fellas are trying to steal their skirts away. You being celestial means you are a quiff anyway, we are in the same boat." We all giggle and chuckle about that then Frieda comes back.

"Oh it's like that is it. Well if you are taking a break then I am too. Scoot over a smidge Mary." Scoot over then have Frieda sitting next to me.

"So how long before we get our burgers?"