I am an idiot.

The required stuff: It's a club behind a black door, always open when they're open, off an alley leading to the back exit of a parking garage and a hotel loading dock. You may see guys out there on their smoke break. Don't sweat it. Behind the outside door is a mirror door. In the vestibule, there's a desk -- if they are charging a cover, there'll be a guy there to take your money. If not, it's free. Behind the glass door, to your right is first the mens room, then the bar. In front of you opens a dark room, with mirror walls all around, and low, well worn roller chairs clustered around cocktail tables. On the right wall is a small -- not much bigger than a king sized mattress -- two pole stage. Straight back is the DJ booth, the private rooms and the VIP rooms. And that, my fiends, is where I got suckered in the VIP. Serves might right.

Afternoon visit. Went in. Three dancers -- one pre-occupied in the back, a younger and curvier black woman and a tall blonde older blonde that looked like she'd come straight from central casting when the director asks for older stripper who's made bad choices and seen hard times. The bartender is a gorgeous young Black woman. Three other PLs -- one chatting with a curvy young dancer, one back with the missing dancer -- and one sitting on one of the rolling chairs watching the stage, where the blonde dancer. I sit at the bar. I get a beer. I look at the dancer on the stage and I'm curious. I hand her a couple of dollars and sit down and watch the show. After her set, she comes over, says she's collecting her tips and will be back. She does. I ask if she wants a drink -- of course she does and they are pricey here ($11-14 for shots/cocktails in my experience. Beer's about 8 now).

We talk. She's evasive on things. Not unusual. We flirt a bit. She's pushing hard for VIP but I'm having my second thoughts. And I need to get moving. The missing dancer comes back into the main room. Thin Black woman, small breasts, who has seen a few years. Where was she when I needed her? I never like knowing I'm being second. A man needs to kid himself.