I woke up to a cold draft. I looked around but no windows were open. I threw back a few too many shots last night with the degenerate I guess, I don't really recall though. I just remember getting home and he fixed me a drink. In a thick morning daze I climbed out of my bed only to find my apartment ransacked. The front door stood wide open and every drawer and shelf was cleared. I didn't have much to begin with, but everything I had was gone anyway. I went into the bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth...but even the toiletries were gone! So there I was, essentially back to square one with nothing.
I threw on a jacket he hadn't taken and checked my stash of money: safe and sound. I grabbed twenty bucks and headed to Mo Liquor and the Food Mart.
"Hey Big Z, what's going on?"
"Hello, third day in a row, you going through a handle a day?"
"Yeah..work's sorta slow and I don't really have many friends quite yet so..I dunno what else I'd do but drink."
"Well bye then, come back and see me, baby." I smiled courteously and headed out for groceries, asshole drank my drink and ate my food. It was brisk outside but at this point I was used to it.
"Aisle 12, 16 and 21...bread, cheese, mayo and pop tarts..brown sugar cinnamon"
"Excuse me, are you alright?" I guess I was talking to myself and hadn't noticed until some greasy hag called me out.
"Yeah, just remembering." I picked out what I needed and headed for the cashier, register 4.
"It's gonna be $12.87, Bite."
"Shit, Jude..come on, I already spent $10 on..my medication, can you front me $3?"
"Goddamn, I can't keep doing this for you, third day in a row...I can't do it, I'm sorry. Put something back."
"Please..this is all I need and I won't be back for a week and I'm late on my rent, please Jude."
"No, I can't, I'm sorry." Just then a thing hand slid 3 dollars under my hand that clutched the counter. It was the...dirty hag. I stared her down and realized what she'd done.
"Just take it, it's nothing."
"Oh..thank you." I whipped out a smile, took the money and headed out.
"My name's...Fanny Mae Le..."
"Yeah..thanks."
As I walked back home, I realized..there was nothing keeping me here. Based on the lack of shifts and way my boss talked down to me, I knew he knew I didn't belong in the industry, that I was going nowhere.
I stopped, looked around. I was surrounded by the dirty, wet town of bumblefuck...nowhere, except this fortune teller. Madame Maureen?
"what the hell, might as well..." I went inside. Granted, I didn't believe in fortune teller's, if she can see the future so damn well then why didn't she see herself in this crumby town? Because I know for a fact she didn't choose to live here, she just wound up here like the rest of us.
The incense fled my nose and the warmth penetrated my exposed skin.
"May I help you?"
"Hey..I'd just like to get my fortune told."
"Sure thing, come sit down and concentrate."
I sat across from where she sat as she gazed into her crystal ball.
"So..where do you buy a cryst-"
"Sh! I want to get a clear vision..you shouldn't talk."
I rolled my eyes and was about to leave when she began,
"Oh dear, I don't really know how to tell you this...but I'm seeing disaster in your future. Death, perhaps. Maybe not to you personally, but someone you've interacted with recently."
"Maybe my boss?! That'd be great."
"No, no, a female..middle aged maybe?" I waited for more, but that's all she had to say.
"So..anything else? Good news?"
"Nope. That's all, sorry sugar. That'll be 20 dollars."
"Bullshit, you told me one thing, I've been here for like..5 minutes. I make less in an hour..but I guess that doesn't say much. I'm not paying, you can kiss my ass." I stormed out and began running, maybe it'll be her that dies. Whore.

You know, for most people manholes are just inconveniences. Might trip and sprain your ankle, whatever. But for people like me, manholes are DITCHES. So, I'm stuck down underground and it's like..4am, only a guess..you know, judging by the position of the sun that's not up. But I'm just guessing.
"Help me!" For what it's worth, I could at least try and yell.
"Hey bitch, watch out..I'm coming down."
So there we go..my one source of help out the window.
"Fuck you! I obviously needed help man.."
"Shut up, you'll attract attention!"
Alright, so now I'm an accomplice..? Great.
"You might as well just tell me now, what'd you do? Rob mo'liquor or what? If we're gonna be down here together, I want to know what the deal is."
"I'm not asking about your height..so let's just keep quiet."
Honestly, I'm really getting sick of that being the first thing people notice. Because I don't live in some Pleasentville 'burbs people don't just turn their heads at me, instead they flat out ask me what the deal is. I don't mind it personally, because I'm used to my height, grown up with it for..23 years now.
"I escaped prison..but I really didn't do it- I didn't rape that girl. I swear."
"Aw..hell. That's a shame. So much for keeping each other in the dark...I'm a midget..obviously..?"
This guy really wasn't so bad. I mean, for the most part he wasn't bad looking and the fact that he came clean...more or less...was awesome.
"Yeah, I'm sorry. I was being a dick. It's really cold down here."
"You wanna come up to my apartment? It's like...just outside this manhole, I think you could totally get away with making the move...just somewhere to warm up and eat and sleep..just if you want."
I didn't mind, really, but maybe I have too much trust in people.
"Yeah, sure."

"Shut up!" Sirens awoke me quicker then any nightmare could've. I opened my eyes to find myself passed out in the middle of my floor.
"Great.."
My mouth tasted like ass (or old PBR, same thing) and the sun shined way too brightly through the window. The sheet I tacked, no, taped up had fallen; not like it made a difference anyway since there was a huge hole in the middle and it was thin as paper. Whatever.
When I finally convinced myself to get up and make coffee I made a frightening discovery, I was out of coffee. Well shit. I threw on jeans and my brother's old ninja turtle sweatshirt and headed out the door for the pharmacy.
Outside the sirens blared throughout the streets, attracting neighbors from their apartments. I began to cross the street when a biker zoomed right toward me and I jumped out of the way to avoid him,
"fffuuucckkk..." I landed on my back onto a patch of ice. I slowly opened my eyes and saw the same dumbass standing over me. He reeked, not even a normal stink though. He smelled like old tequilla, fish and way too much lube.
"God almighty, I ain't never a chick like you before! Wait, wait, lemme guess, Bridget?"
"No.." He reached out his right hand a considering his stink I declined.
"I'm alright, thanks," I hoisted myself up and looked at the scraggly mess in front of me
"I'm real sorry, I didn't..uh..see-"
"Are you staring at my tits?" He was, it wasn't a question.
"Yeah..sorry. Listen, I was just trying to chase them hoodlums that pulled the alarm. Sorry I made you bust your ass." I smiled, despite being dirty and an idiot, there was a charm about him.
"It's alright, I gotta go...I perform at the Jaguar, you should come by sometime." As I walked away he murmured,
"A stripper! Who'd a thought!"

"Seriously Midge?"
"I'm sorry, I overslept, my alarm didn't go off...it won't happen again-"
"You're right, it won't."
My first night shift- I finally was given the 10 to 4 shift and I screwed it up. I had had a late night the night before and the only thing keeping me awake was the sunshine. Once the snow storm moved in, I was out like a log- that's when the power shut off. Nonetheless, I slipped into a thin pink slip, caked on bright blue eye shadow, cherry colored lip stain and threw on 6 inch clear heels. I was ready to go.
The bright florescent lights blinded me and in my hungover stupor I tripped onto stage, facing the huge night time crowd. Everything but the tacky beat fell silent- clearly the Saturday scoundrels had yet to see someone like me doing what I do.
Half way through the set the audience began to clear out and boo- I really didn't think I was that bad...but then again, today clearly wasn't my day.
"See ya Midge, tomorrow will be better..."
I threw on my faded blue sweats and headed out the door where a brown haired women waited. I prepared myself for mockery until she approached me reluctantly,
"Hi...I just saw your show. I know it's kind of weird but I've heard about you and just wanted to see for myself. How do you do it?" She peered at me while her unannounced innocence peered through me.
"Strip? I mean, when you're broke anything's possible." I dug in my purse for my house key and headed for the stairs.
"Oh..okay. I just moved here and I auditioned at Le'Royale, so I was just wondering-"
"Listen, I'm not too familiar with this town yet. If you really need advice then come back tomorrow, maybe I'll have something more helpful for you then. I've just had a rough day, sorry."
Without hesitation I walked around back and upstairs. I couldn't deal with this girl, she didn't know what she wanted and I had nothing to offer her- finding opportunity in this miserable town is like trying to find a guy without a boner in the strip club.

"You shake that thing for money?" the shadow growled from the dark corner.
"Didn't your mother ever teach you to respect women?" I responded, clutching my tattered cloth purse.
"Aren't you a goddamn stripper? I see you coming outta there.."
I scrambled away, rolling my eyes- he was right. I wasn't always a stripper, you know. I dropped out of medical school, I couldn't live off of what I was making. I started stripping until my dad found out, he kicked me out.
I lit a cigarette but didn't inhale, I wasn't trying to take years off my life- but I needed something in my mouth or else my anxiety became overwhelming. I stomped it out and entered the pharmacy. I hadn't realized how bone biting cold it was outside until I felt the burning sensation all throughout my arms as the heat of the pharmacy hit me.
I picked up an economy sized jar of Tang (aisle 8) and a bag of Cheetos (aisle 10) and took it to the front. Behind the counter stood an old man I had never seen before, reading Maxim magazine with Angelina Jolie on the front...from October 1993. The corners were bent and coffee stains tie dyed her face.
"Excuse me...?" I realized he couldn't see me above the top of the magazine. He glanced down.
"Oh, sorry...didn't see you there." I smiled as though I didn't hear it...all the time.
I gave a smile, pushed five dollars into his hand and made my way out.
As I left I felt the man's burning yet awkward stare on my 4 foot 2 frame.
I rushed home, just wanting to go to bed. Though the days didn't get worse, they didn't seem to get better either.