I am performing a miniature Jess Lourey until I get my first draft of Skin done, which is close. So close I can taste it, and yet so far, so far I, er, um, can't quite taste it. (Yes, I are a riter.)
Still, I thought I would share this little snippet. It was a rather chilling moment in the Starbucks where I do much of my writing. Usually it's quiet, which is why I go there, and the baristas take good care of me. Yesterday, I and several others in the shop got a glimpse of the darker side of human nature. (This is pretty much exact):
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The Players are an OLDER MAN, a TEENAGE GIRL (the older man's daughter), and a TWENTY-SOMETHING MAN.
OLDER MAN to TWENTY-SOMETHING: "You like looking at her?"
TWENTY-SOMETHING: "Hey, I didn't—"
OLDER MAN: "You can have her, if you want. She's a whore. How much money you got?"
TEENAGE GIRL: "Dad—"
OLDER MAN: "Was I talking to you, Lisa? I'm negotiating here."
TWENTY-SOMETHING: "Listen, I don't want—"
OLDER MAN: "I know what you want. I can see it in your eyes. You have the money, she's yours."
The TWENTY-SOMETHING raises his hands in a gesture of mixed surrender and panic, and starts to walk away.
OLDER MAN: "What's the problem? You don't even have to worry about getting her pregnant. She's already got that taken care of. I'd wear a condom anyway though, if I was you. No telling what you'll catch if you don't."
---
I'd like to say I intervened, but I was too shocked to even move from my chair. No one else moved either, or said a word, except the twenty-something fellow, who grabbed his drink and fled.
The odd thing about the whole situation is the girl's reaction. She seemed mildly embarrassed at worst, not really upset. When the drinks came up, her father handed her mocha to her, and she said, "Thanks," like it was no big thing. You know, father and daughter hanging out. Except dad's a freaking psycho. They left together, and even seemed to be chatting quietly as they went through the door. After they were gone, the shop seemed frozen for a moment, then a fellow at the table next to me said, "That was awkward." At that, a bunch of us laughed that nervous, grateful laugh you use when you've escaped without harm.
But I wonder about the girl. What the hell was going on, anyway? I don't know what to make of the situation, but I do know it will percolate in the back of my mind for a while.
18 comments:
Eeewww!
Okay, how about this:
They're classmates in SOCI 1101. The girl is older than she looks, and the man is a retired Air Force Master Sergeant who has finally gone back to school to finish that degree. For their midterm, they have to break a social norm, observe the reactions, and write a paper about it. The plot was the girl's idea, but she's not a very good actor.
Only they're going to get a big fat "F" because soliciting is illegal. Even in the name of science.
I actually considered that. The vibe was so odd. I can easily believe it was a set up.
I wonder what would have happened if the twenty-something pulled out his wallet.
You know, many abused kids have that 'no big deal' affect. They don't react the same way that others will, if it's been really bad for a long time. I know that I laugh inappropriately, and this is left over from growing up in a violent, chaotic household.
Perhaps what her dad said at that moment was small potatoes compared what he's already done, and that is indeed very chilling.
Yes, that's very disturbing. I am also suspicious because it was at a Starbucks, who the heck does that sort of stuff at a Starbucks? If the Dad was for real he could easily be arrested for that. From my experience researching child abusers and prostitution, pimps and abusers are smarter than that. They're very secretive, very suspicious and very cautious. This does not seem like something a long time pimp/abuser would do.
If this was an "experiment" than I still disapprove because I think it'd be a very unethical experiment (look at the Psychologist sneak out of me). Some of the people in the Starbucks could have been seriously upset by this interaction and perhaps even felt badly about themselves that they didn't do anything. Affecting people's self-image and emotions in that manner is considered unethical by Psychology standards.
This is a puzzle...
Maybe they were just a couple of punks pulling a prank on a couple of strangers for an adrenaline rush.
If I had to say one way or another, I'm inclined to think it was real but not real. Real in that I think there was genuine hostility on the part of the father, but not real in that I doubt he really meant to pimp out his daughter. I think he was trying to humiliate her for what he percieved as her sexual indiscretions. So, basically, yeah, an abusive asshole. And, yeah, Trace, perhaps the daughter was just used to it, and worse, and had shut herself off from it.
My guess, and I'm terrible at ages so take this with a grain of salt, is that she was 15 or 16. Which means she could have been anywhere between 12 and 30, given my age-guessing track record.
I can't rule out some kind of weird performance, of course. I have never seen them before, and I am in that Starbucks four or five days a week. I know the regulars, and even most of the occasionals. No one who was there yesterday remembers ever seeing these two before.
Definitely disturbing, real or faked. I am heading back over there today to write, and it will be interesting to see if it comes up. It's the kind of thing that will probably get talked about a lot.
I'd have quietly dialed 911.
I'm serious about that.
Well, Mindy, I think you'd probably be right to do so. I think the shock of the whole thing froze those of us who witnessed it. Then the weird calm, almost affable exit by the two.
It was just so . . . strange.
First of all, I am so sick of the whole "whore" label. Is there an equivalent for men? But a father who would label his daughter that way? What, was she supposed to remain pure for him so that his reputation would not be damaged? What is this, the Renaissance? Ancient Greece?
Perhaps she had just told her father she was pregnant and that was his way of freaking out about it. Maybe she told him in public so that he wouldn't start screaming. But still--any man who treats his daughter with that sort of disgust doesn't deserve to have a daughter.
Let us know if you find out anything, Bill.
Most folks really don't know what to do when they see verbal/emotional abuse happening - especially with an older child. Now if he'd slapped her with his hand instead of his mouth, it's more likely that a phone call (to 911 or CPS) would have been made.
Sorry, but I find the reaction of the other Starbucks patrons more disturbing than the father's behavior or his daughter's lack of response. Trace is right. Kids who have grown up with abusive families accept the abuse and humiliation as the norm. And many, many abusers (even pimps) don't sneak around & try to be super smart. They don't have to when the public is so loathe to intervene.
i think when something falls so outside the norm people are numb and don't know how to react. i'm sure many people later thought they should have spoken up, but at the time most people are trying to process the whole thing, which obviously couldn't be done. i've had some situations where i wish i'd stepped in, but didn't because i couldn't figure out the best approach and within seconds that chance is over.
I think Anne nails it. You have experience with this, Angie. I'm a pediatric medical type, so maybe our reactions would have been more on top of it. Most people would take a bit to process it, because it was just so damned weird.
Of course, it's the Starbucks staff that should have been first to act. Based on the words only, he's pimping on the premises. At the very least, there should have been a "Sir, you can't do that in here, please leave."
Wouldn't have helped the girl, if she indeed needed help.
I'm guessing this scenario doesn't come up a lot in Starbucks training sessions, between the half double-shot mocha lite capucchinos and the extra, extra, extra iced caramel macchiato frappucinos...
You know, I see it as something completely different. I think this was a father's way -- albiet completely creepy -- of being protective of his daughter.
WTF? you might say.
But think about it. He was going way overboard to scare the guy away. Being over the top protective. Saying things that were completely outlandish.
And, of course, his daughter is used to it. Has seen it happen a million times.
Then again, I could be very wrong.
Anne, I wasn't saying I don't understand why people don't speak up in those situations. I get it, I just don't like it. Mindy's right. I've had too much experience NOT to intervene in situations like that.
Um, Rob? If that's a father's idea of being protective, I think his concept of showing love would be even more frightening. My dad would have confronted the young man without calling me a whore and intimating that I was a bastion of venereal disease. Kinda find that interpretation hard to buy.
Completely off topic, just wanted to wish you happy writing, Bill!
"A bastion of venereal disease," she writes.
I can't decide which it sounds more like: An epic adventure, or a WHO press release.
Either way, it makes me grin for some strange reason. :D
a serious subject, but this was funny as hell:
"I'm guessing this scenario doesn't come up a lot in Starbucks training sessions, between the half double-shot mocha lite capucchinos and the extra, extra, extra iced caramel macchiato frappucinos..."
bek, you are sooooo bad. :D
"I can't decide which it sounds more like: An epic adventure, or a WHO press release."
I guess it kinda depends...
What can I say? Nothing like V.D. to bring out the bizarre word images in my little brain.
:o)
I had an interesting chat with a police officer yesterday afternoon, and I will write a little follow up later.
Meanwhile, ladies! Good grief, my coffee squirted right out my nose onto my keyboard!
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