Every Christmas I am reminded of what was perhaps the saddest thing I've ever encountered dancing and I have dealt with a lot.
It started right around Christmas 1996. By then I was doing a lot of modeling and bachelor parties with the occasional club. However, the parties were pretty much drying up so I figured I would go back to club dancing. I went to a club a dancer I previously worked with recommended and was hired on the spot. The owner seemed very happy and nice to work for. I met a few of the dancers and they loved working with him. He would take dancers to the casino down the street once a week and would often have parties for them. House was cheap too and if you sold a certain amount of drinks a night it was free. There was no schedule either. It was somewhat of a dive but the money was flowing and I made several hundred the two nights I was there. I remarked to another dancer that I now had money to pay my bills and buy gifts. The rules were very lenient too, basically the rule was you didn't turn tricks. I then took off Saturday with the plan of returning on Tuesday (they were closed Sunday and Monday). After dealing with a string of low paying clubs and managers who were assholes I was happy. I figured that I could stay there for awhile and make good money with little hustling.
It was not to be. When I arrived on Tuesday there were cops there. My first thought was it was being raided. Having danced awhile I became used to this. No, what happened was far worse. The owner had been killed driving on the street and was hit by another car that slid on the road. At first I was stunned because I believed it was a rumor. The club was closed and I drove home. I called the police along with various other places the next day and it was confirmed, he died. This was only a week or so before Christmas which made it even sadder. In the club it was all decorated with a tree and he told me he was planning a party for all the dancers and other employees and was looking forward to that.
15 years later I am always reminded of this. His son got ownership of the bar and turned it into something else (Italian restaurant I believe). It never reopened.
Who else has sad memories?



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