1977 - 1979

 I left home at 14. I lied about my age and no-one asked for proof. I easily passed for several years older.   After brief spells working at New World and Simplicity Patterns, I answered an advertisement for a masseuse at The Velvet Touch.  I had no idea that this meant anything other than massage. On my first day, the manageress gave me a client and sent me to a room.  Less than five minutes later, I ran from the room and bumped into the owner who I had not met. I was incredulous that the client was insisting on more than a massage from me! Another girl was sent in to the client. Rainton, the owner, advised that I would be better suited to his other business, The Pink Pussycat. I could be a dancer.  I look back on that day as probably fortuitous for me.  What on earth would have happened to me had I not been redirected to the club which for me became a safe haven?

The show was wholesome by today’s standards. Prostitution and stripping were not linked. If girls were involved in prostitution, it was conducted elsewhere. Club owners of the day would not have condoned dancers picking up clients.

I danced for myself, all the while watching myself in the mirrors. The audience didn’t exist for me.   It was fun playing dress ups and picking the songs.

Emotionally I was probably a decade younger. A fucked up preschooler in a woman’s body, I made the most of dressing up in beautiful dresses and shiny things.

Rainton prided himself on the costumes and was always trying to make the show “classy”.  This was his buzz word.

2009 - Las Vegas, K-Road. Home again!

In between stints at the Pussycat, I worked at The Las Vegas, New Zealand’s longest running strip club. John the owner and Adrian the D.J are still there.  John was a father figure for me.   He spoke out against drug abuse and always pulled me up when my behaviour was out of line.

In the late 70s, John and Rainton had an informal code of conduct for the dancers. They made it clear they would not tolerate any behaviour that could jeopardise their business.  Each time I left the clubs it was because I had been obnoxious or used too many drugs.