What Do I Owe This Dancer?
I just checked my emails after a long hike on the Ligurian coast in Italy and I am shocked to report that I have caused one of my favourites in Alberta to be black listed. Dancers in Alberta clubs get their gigs through TWO agencies. If a dancer is black listed by one of these agencies she cannot work in Alberta for at least six months. Individual clubs may impose more severe sanctions.
The lady in question comes from Vancouver but works in Alberta as much as she can because of the higher income available in this booming economy. We hooked up last August and enjoyed two romps of OTC fun. Just before I left for my winter vacation we got together for an ITC encounter before our usual OTC joy. The club we connected in maintains a strict no-contact policy in the private dance areas. Being a rampant horndog I push the boundaries immediately we go to the back rooms. The lady is willing as well.
Unbeknownst to both of us, cameras have been installed in the cubicles and we are caught violating club rules. OTC had been agreed upon already for that evening but I was just being my usual horndog self, enjoying the frisson of the forbidden.
I feel very bad for this lady - losing the income from Alberta clubs for six months because of my actions is a bitter blow. I would love to finance a legal challenge to this egregious limitation of this lady's charter rights; but she will never agree to the grief involved in a court case like this.
I have the bucks to cut her a cheque to compensate her for the six months of lost income and I think I will do so. Is this really pathetic or what?
Comments
last commentIf you are serious about paying her for 6 months of lost income, it might be worth a few bucks to pay a P.I. for a couple of days to track her and confirm that she is telling you the truth. If she knows (1) that you have plenty of money; and (2) that you are out of the country for several months, she may be playing you.
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Honorable ? Yes. Pathetic ? Yes. Would I do it ? No. Have I done something like that ? Yes.
You need to talk to yourself.
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You could be a real rat bastard and offer to "keep" her for that six months. :) Fly her to France. :)
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Don't sweat it, strippers aren't humans like you and I. Just let her eat dog food for the next six months.
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To answer your question more seriously, you "owe" her nothing beyond what you agreed to at the time of the encounter. She knew the risks involved; even if the cameras were new, the rules probably already stated something on the order of "hanky panky will get you black listed", so she took that risk with knowledge of the consequences.
That said, if she needs help, and it won't hurt you, the, as my wife puts, "ice cold calculating bastard" part of me suggest that you might find some advantage in doing so, if you're so inclined.
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Black-listed?! Sure hope those "agencies" aren't "trafficing" talent illegally.
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instead of cutting the check all at once, write it month by month. Each month send her a new check. It helps keep her in touch and you never know what could happen in the next 6 months to her.
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I'm with GMD on this one. When you conspire with another person to break the rules (or break the law) you are under no moral obligation to help that person when they are punished, and you are not. However, it is better to be an empathetic person than an unfeeling bastard. My approach would be this: I would say, "Contact me if you find yourself in a bind. I may be able to help you." And leave it at that. Who knows, she may take this as a kick in the pants, swear off stripping, and embark on a new career. Or not. But, wait and see.
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what rick said makes sense to me, she could be playing you.
i'd be interested in seeing what she said in her email. can you post it here but maybe edit whatever you don't feel comfortable posting?
but even if she's telling you the truth, she was a willing participant that knew the consequences.
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No - you should not cut her check. Your money is your power in this why would you simply give it away to her? You can use that money to see her more often or take her on a trip. It may even be an opportunity to move her in with you and get POP down. I never give them money for services not performed. They know the risks of ict better than we do. Her situation unfortunate but too bad so sad.
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I agree with others that you are not responsible. However, if you really intend on paying her without getting anything in return the most you should pay is the difference between what she could make in Alberta and what she will make in Vancouver, not the whole amount.
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We are each responsible for our own actions. If you had been busted/fined, do you think she would be helping you out? If you do decide to help her out, I would put it out there like HarryDave said and leave it as "if you need help..." then you could negotiate for services.
I don't know what the laws are up there exactly, any chance she could get out of her trouble by setting you up? Are OTC activities considered illegal in your neck of the woods? I wouldn't put it past anyone to set someone else up to get themselves out of trouble.
Just my $.02
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farmerart, she knew the risk and she took it. If she can't make a living doing something else, it really isn't your problem. If you choose to help her, so be it.
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farmerart, she knew the risk and she took it. If she can't make a living doing something else, it really isn't your problem. If you choose to help her, so be it.
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Prim0:
No laws were broken; just the club's rules. I have great distaste for the "closed shop" nature of the strip club business in Alberta. The two booking agencies control which dancers work in the province. All clubs in Calgary are owned by the same guy. The potential for conspiracy is obvious and the industry is ripe to be opened to real competition. Being banned from all clubs just for violating one club's rules does not pass any legal smell test that I know.
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farmer, if you are going to do this then I agree with metal in that you should only pay for the difference between her normal Vancouver money and the higher amount she earns in Alberta. Again though I would be damned sure that she is being honest.
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I wouldn't do it (for all the reasons given)but that is just me.
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"I have great distaste for the "closed shop" nature of the strip club business in Alberta...the industry is ripe to be opened to real competition"
Sounds like an ideal opportunity for a semi-retired entrepreneur with time and money on his hands. Anyone come to mind?
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^
i was thinking the same thing ;)
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I do not think you did anything wrong and are certainly under no obligation to help her out. I suspect she knew the policy and decided to take the risk (of getting caught) with you. If you want to help her out offer to see her more often OTC so that she can make up for some of the lost income. That would seem to be a solution that would benefit both of you.
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FarmerArt .. I think your very sweet .. to offer that kind of help .. But i wouldn't give her the cash she know the rules of the club .. thats how it goes in the biz ,,
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steve229 says:
[ignore]Posted: 11/29/10
"I have great distaste for the "closed shop" nature of the strip club business in Alberta...the industry is ripe to be opened to real competition"
Sounds like an ideal opportunity for a semi-retired entrepreneur with time and money on his hands. Anyone come to mind?
^^ Ditto!
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steve229; troop; Prim0:
Believe it or not, I have actually mulled this over as the wine or beer flows on a lonely evening at Rancho farmerart. I still own a building in Calgary that would be suitable. It is in a light industrial area of the city so zoning is in place. I have some juice in that town - one of the current aldermen is married to one of my former long-time employees. But, when sobriety returns I throw all those thoughts away.
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Art, yeah if you're on that side of the bar, you gotta look out for guys like you!
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Art, if she's a real favorite, ask her to ride out the season with you at your winter hideaway. If she's not worth it, that's part of your answer. If she can make up for it on her own, that's the other part. You're under no obligation based on the facts you've revealed to us.
Now, as to that entrepreneurial idea; you've been successful. Why launder that success in a strip club business? Not necessary. If you've got some juice, change those closed shop rules.
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"Being banned from all clubs just for violating one club's rules does not pass any legal smell test that I know."
Of course it does. She violated a club's rules & was punished for it. I'd bet that there's even a written contract from her booking agency that states that she could be punished for violating a club's rules.
Does it make any sense that Alberta is apparently a closed circuit with only two booking agencies for strip clubs? No, but that's a different story altogether.
It's your money, but you'd be a fool to pay her anything IMHO farmerart.
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