PART 7: VALERIE

January 2020, Melbourne

My car that I’ve had for 10 years, my first car, was recently recalled and it was towed away today which is going to be such a pain in my ass to get to and from work safely and doing general tasks, and visiting my boyfriend who lives on the absolute other side of town.

Occasionally in the past when I’ve had to take Ubers home from work it hasn’t been a great experience for me. When I was at my last club they either wouldn’t pick us up because they had a thing against strip clubs, so they would drive away from me, take all these wrong turns in hope any times I would cancel the ride and have to pay the cancellation fee. That happened to so many girls. Even, like, if we got Uber Eats delivered, they wouldn’t come inside and give it to the receptionist. It’s so dumb.

At my new club I cross the road and go up a block because it’s easier for them to pick me up, and then we’re on the right direction to get home. I’ve gone to wait on King St after work at six in the morning because my ride was close by and then the drivers have continually taken the wrong turns to get to me, then, this happened twice, they drove right past me and looked me in the eye as they went past and kept driving away from me! Leaving me stranded on King St, full face of makeup, sober in the midst of so many drunk fuckheads, some of which I recognise from the club.

It’s not safe. I’m not about ridesharing at that fucking time of the morning. I understand so many workers have never had the luxury of having a car, and that I’m complaining from a very privileged position. I know some girls that take a train to work and back. That takes almost 4 hours round trip, so I’m very lucky to have been living in the city, with a stable home and good support. But having had this car since 2010, through all my schooling years in Townsville, I brought it to Brisbane when I was at uni, and for work in Brisbane and then now in Melbourne for almost for 2 years, I think I’m gonna feel pretty lost without it but I will get used to it.

I think my plan is to walk into work, because it only takes about half an hour, and then there’s two girls, wait, three girls that live right by me, and one of them drives, so I’ll probably just pay her to be my Uber, and we both like to stay till the end which is good.

I’ll figure it out, life will be fine.

But yeah, it’s ridiculous like how vulnerable we are at 6 or 7 in the morning, even though there’s like security and people everywhere. But it just feels so unsafe. I think people are beginning to recognise what strippers look like when they’re outside of the club, you know, like sweatpants. Or even looking nice but still have a big bag full of all our shit.

You know, there’s really not nice times. The ride shares just seem to not understand. I’ve written emails explaining it and they’re like ‘aw sorry’, then they’d make up an excuse for the driver or something like that. It’s just, it’s not ok.

But I will survive without a car.