
-
Stripped
Tales of the naked city, from a Las Vegas dancer.
August 12, 2009 · 12:23 PM
The stuff of nightmares: A man in pursuit, and an impotent firearm
By Justice
Illustration: Justice
In the abyss of the VIP room, in the blackness of a small space inside the bowels of a strip club somewhere in an industrial part of Vegas, you’re naked and one-on-one with a man you just met. His brain is operating in primal mode and you need to be completely in control, both physically and psychologically, to keep him on his best behavior.
Sometimes it feels like they must have eight hands, like some kind of horny, unbridled octopus just repeatedly trying to cling to you. You’re on top but you’re still so vulnerable. Within screaming distance, there is a bouncer the size of an ox whose mere presence should make a customer behave. But what if they don’t? They’ve had a few drinks. They see a pretty lady in front of them. Things could get ugly.
They basically never get out of hand, but I’m expressing my fear of the situation. I get so scared sometimes. I have so many nightmares. Maybe it’s all the caffeine I take but I recently woke up in the middle of the night (what you might call afternoon) from a nightmare with my heart beating so hard, I truly believed I was experiencing a medical emergency. I could hear it beating in my chest like it was trying to escape and I was sweating profusely. It was so loud, I feel like anyone next to me would have been able to hear it too.
The nightmare is always the same. It’s always a variation of being attacked or chased by a man. In the dream, I also have a gun that doesn’t work. It’s completely impotent, my gun. I aim it at my attacker and pull the trigger and it may as well be made of neon-pink plastic and filled with water. It jams, or doesn’t fire at all. Sometimes it dribbles out pellets with the same projectile force as the poop coming out of a goat. More often, the nightmare is becoming associated with work situations. My attacker is blocking the exit to the VIP room. I can clearly see his faceless silhouette like a paper cutout looming in the doorway. The pointed edge of something sharp is in his hand.
I know that the root of this nightmare is an unsettling real world life encounter. I was once at home when someone broke into my house. I never felt so cornered or violated and though it happened years ago it clearly is still on my mind. Sometimes I think I see him at work, sneaking up on me. A similar facial feature will send me into a panic. I’ll seize up mid-sentence and become completely focused on the uncomfortably familiar person. I’m safe, I know. I have security personnel on my side. However, knowing something and feeling something are two very different things. I remain unsettled. Maybe it’s just the caffeine.
-
Wednesday
2012-02-15
The Strip
-
Wednesday
2012-02-15
Hard Rock
-
Wednesday
2012-02-15
Drink Specials
- More ›
-
Friday
2012-02-17
The Strip
-
Friday
2012-02-17
The Strip
-
Friday
2012-02-17
Las Vegas Hotel
- More ›
-
Sunday
2012-02-19
$5 drinks with text
The Strip
-
Sunday
2012-02-19
The Strip
-
Sunday
2012-02-19
Reduced priced beer and shots
Local Bands
- More ›
-
Monday
2012-02-20
Palms
-
Monday
2012-02-20
Las Vegas Weekly
-
Monday
2012-02-20
The Strip
- More ›
Most Popular
- Most Read
- E-mailed
- 1. Strip Scribbles: Is ‘Dancing With the Stars’ at Tropicana on again?
- 2. A personal tribute and a plea: Memories of Whitney Houston
- 3. Las Vegas Valentine's Day dining guide 2012
- 4. Kate Upton, 19, is 2012 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition cover girl
- 5. Strip Scribbles: Drama for Claire Sinclair and Marston Hefner
- 6. Celine Dion talks Whitney Houston, drugs on ‘Good Morning America’
- 7. Photos: Nik Richie's 33rd birthday at Pure with wife Shayne Lamas
- 8. The Situation plans a special Valentine’s Day date, his TV spinoff
- 9. Whitney love all around ... almost
- 10. This week: Ali, Sports Illustrated, V-D, MAGIC and Mob Museum
Facebook Activity
Featured Cocktail
Feb 8, 2012
by
Sarah Feldberg
The Wynn’s Aphrodite cocktail is liquid flirtation
In Greek mythology, Aphrodite is the goddess of beauty and love, and she’s often depicted nude with voluptuous curves and come-hither eyes. It makes sense, then, that she gets a ...
Read more...





Its part of the job...Unfortuately...As soon as they spend 100 for 3 dances or 250for 30mins or morr they feel u are theirs and alcohol doesnt help...Save money and switch job...Trust me !
Posted by: natkingcolebasket on 8/12/09 at 2:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It took a lot of guts to bare your soul and strip away the myth that a stripper is always in control of the situation. Unfortunately, there are nuts everywhere, and the only time booze makes a man goes straight is where the road goes curved. Hang in there, and keep the dreams coming.
Posted by: rrbill on 8/12/09 at 2:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
natkingcolebasket:
I'm not going to quit yet.
Yes, often times, the more they spend, the more they think they deserve.
rrbill:
I was unaware of this myth. Some people are better at being the dominant person in a conversation, I suppose. And I guess those people like to talk about it because they're out perpetuating myths?
sheckyvegas:
lol. Larger than lemons.
Posted by: Justice_4_all on 8/12/09 at 3:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I am a firm believer that dreams are sometimes a way for us to work out problems in our subconscious that our conscious minds are not working out. Obviously you need to consider finding a way to work through that awful fear and I have a feeling you suffer from PTSD too. Be safe dear Justice!
Posted by: MG on 8/12/09 at 5:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
18 years old, running a fun, dusky, family, bar on the edge of Detroit, the citi skyline a few miles from the window of the second floor, 5 bedroom old-school apt. The Boss sais no drugs in the head. So one night, a typical, inky, meth-head big-mouth, decides to put its swiss blade against my throat, wondering if I still had a problem? "Acutually was thinking... if perhaps I could buy you a rum @ coke (my choice)". Reality understands that some men are unfortunately driven entirely by their insecurities. Our friend, the bad lieutenant, took care of business. Program your mind before sleep that you are the power, not fear.
Made in Manhattan
Posted by: cypher on 8/13/09 at 10:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
"I recently woke up in the middle of the night (what you might call afternoon)" <-- brilliant line!
Posted by: CaseyDancer on 8/15/09 at 12:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Luckily is the men who should be most afraid in a stripclub, but Las Vegas is a scary place.
Posted by: mslv on 8/17/09 at 12:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I met the worste ppl of my life in vegas ...Great friends too but definitely the most shady ones...I dont drink do drugs or anything like that but almost all of the ppl i was with ther got an addiction: women,drug,alcohol,gambling they all developped it ther,i truted them and husteld me for money which i gave ...
Worse was probably the crazy horse too; so dangerous there...My gf worked there and they would do anything to make her their slaves...True story,thy knew she as in need for money to hlp of her family and were always offering her to borrow money through thier screening society called betcris,com in costa rica, they would lend her at 10% a week and in the end wanted her to be a whore...
When i think of it im glad i got out of this and her too...I promise to anyone reading this that this truly happened...
Ill never get why mankind can be so cruel...Of course she was stupid but she trusted them and had little option .(
Posted by: natkingcolebasket on 8/17/09 at 3:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Great read! I think I must be nieve when I read about the 'darkness' of some of these clubs. My usual experience is a bunch of guys out for a weekend to do some 'male bonding' and watch some T&A. A few drinks here and a few dances there and back to craps table to lose more cash. I never really considered the idea of customers as predators but certainly believe there are a few guys hanging around these clubs which the dancers wish would simply disapear. Maybe I need to look a little bit closer to my surroundings next time. It can't be easy to go through the motions of the VIP with all of the 'what if's' in the back of your head. I thought the bouncers were there to ensure than every dancer felt 100% safe and secure. I know I wouldnt want to be the guy who thought it would be a good idea to get frisky.
Posted by: parsch on 8/18/09 at 4:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Discussion:
In an effort to increase the dialogue on our blogs, we will be requiring Facebook accounts to leave comments on lasvegasweekly.com blogs. We believe that Weekly readers are likely to have Facebook accounts already and more apt to comment on this site with that account rather than have to create an account with us. If, however, you do not have a Facebook account, click here to sign up for one. If you have questions, comments or concerns about this new commenting policy, please let us know.
For any other questions related to commenting on Weekly stories, please read our full policy.