The 3’o clock a.m. Habit

*** After watching the movie Ghajini, I was inspired to write a short story which genre is far different from what I used to write. It revolves mostly on the life of Janet who entered prostitution in order to support her needs. In the story, Janet narrates everything about her ‘career’ and a few about her personal life. Prostitute though, she was full of dreams and ambitions in life even she knows that her work can’t help her attain those aspirations. Nonetheless, Janet, who has a rational perspective, hopes that someday, she will be able to achieve one of those dreams with the aid of her job. But how shall Janet realize her reveries in life if villains enter the scene. Find out. ***

Lots of light bulbs of different colors make my place warm yet it’s darkened. Lots of flirty ornaments were decorated so as to make my place be patronized by people whose happiness depends on the services we offer. Plenty of table and chairs were arranged accordingly so as to accommodate clients, be it a first- timer or an ‘aficionado’. Cases of hard drinks were always available so as to quench the thirst of people whose problems are temporarily washed out from their mentality once the alcoholic beverage enters theirs mind. Of course, there are also sexy and daring ladies whose make- ups cover the real emotions they have inside. This is how I describe my place, or better yet, my refuge.

Most of people, or let say ‘decent’ people, detest individuals whose work condition is like mine. They always have the conclusion that whores, like me were pests in the society that gradually infects the humankind. They treat us as parasites that needed to be slain in order to prevent infection. They also describe us as home wreckers who are not aware of the consequences that our immorality may bring. They never ran out of belittling words to say just to make us feel how unfortunate we were. It’s really not our fault to be in this kind of condition. If only we have another choice, a better choice, we would undoubtedly grab it instead of enduring the pain, physically and emotionally.

Okay. We may be immoral but our ‘importance’ to ‘whoevers’ makes  me realize that I entered the right ‘career’. People who lust for romance would just come in to our place and we will ‘whole- bodily’, not whole- heartedly give them a service. Married man who are not contented to his better half, or let say ‘worse half’, would find a way to unload his urge for another ‘playmate’. More often than not, some men would even fall in love with a whore and would offer her a more secured life without thinking the history of his ‘newly-found-love-of-his-life’.

Everyone calls me Janet. It’s not my real name actually. It’s been an exercise or, let say a tradition, in every ‘amusement and pleasure houses’ to change the names of their ‘workers’ in which costumers can easily recall. We were even instructed not to disclose any information about us to anyone whom we are giving a ‘service’. Though sometimes, it’s inevitable that costumers tend to be so inquisitive regarding our personal life. In cases that these costumers become so inquiring, I, who never allows anyone to violate that rule, will always win the argument. And my being brave and bold made me appreciated by many, be it my costumers or my companions.

I started being a prostitute when I was 17 years old and I’m now ‘commemorating’ my 6th year in this ‘career’. Young as I was, I learned how to support myself. I felt so shy then for I knew that this kind of work, if it’s really considered as work, was intensely disliked by the society. I knew then that once I entered this path, there will be no other way to regain the dignity I am supposed to have. But I had no choice. I have to earn for a living or else I’ll die having my eyes open. Without any hesitation, I grab for the ‘opportunity’.

My first two months in the ‘industry’ was a disaster. My first encounter was with a Dirty Old Man or known as D.O.M. who ‘tirelessly’ enjoyed his ‘privilege’ as a regular costumer. I was so helpless then. Since I was paid for a ‘short- term pleasure’ and considering the fact that I needed money, I numbly accepted the physical and emotional pain.

As the days passed, I learned to get used to it. I learned to get used to pain, to shame, to anything. I became stronger and fearless that even doing extra services was a big yes for me. Worst of all, costumers who were in the influence of prohibited drug would even insist me to take some of it. Big time businessmen would also invite me for a dinner or trip to somewhere. I also had escorted some traditional politicians who instructed me to act as his sweetheart. And for that, I had learned that some of the supposed public servants who are told to be the role models were dishonest and unlawful.

I just wonder why there are self- proclaimed leaders who still continue their ‘journey’ in politics even they know in the beginning that they are not worthy for the post. These ‘trapos’, as the society call them, can even mislead the people from reality by doing some ‘hocus- pocus’ in their administration. I believe that they fairly deserve the hatred of the mass to them, just like how the society disgusted the prostitutes like me.

There were also clients who just seek for someone whom they can talk with. No bed play, just a conversation. People like them are rare. I admired them especially when they talk about their family- their wife, their children, their parents-in-law and everything. Some would even burst into tears in front of me if they learned that their only daughter was pregnant; that their son who are about to graduate in college was kick- out from school due to misdemeanor; or that his wife cheated on him. In such cases that family is the center of discussion, I become so emotional. I missed them. If only I could bring the past back, I would not be in this situation.

Months rolled over. ‘The business transactions’ in my place become infrequent. Unlike the past months, the income gradually dropped. Only few clients would come in to our place. It was, for sure the effect of the killings reported these past months. The police authority is still in search for the mastermind of all these unlawful death. It’s been reported that it was due to business quarrel of some big time businessmen whose extra income depends on the revenue on human trafficking and prohibited drugs. Anyway, they should exert more effort to solve this crime or else, our ‘business’ would come to its end.

I wonder why there are people who can kill his fellowmen. Are they not afraid of what might happen? Could they still sleep deeply considering that they have taken the lives of people away. Do they not feel any guilt with their unlawful act? There are even criminals who take the advantage to sexually abuse their victims. If they are not still contented, they would even hit or punch the victim that will surely leave a mark on the sufferer’s body. Indeed killers are really merciless. Killing might be their source of happiness or a way to revenge or an outlet of their anger. I’m not sure. Let the law enforcers do their job. I have also a ‘job’. And that is to give ‘pleasurable happiness’ to ‘robust clients’.

In order to get back from the gradual drop-out of income, we think of an idea that will surely grab the attention of our previous customers. We offered extra services and freebies just to attract more and more clients. We never failed. Number of customers began to increase day by day. At 3:00 a.m., customers began to flock and rapidly multiply like a mushroom. It is when the ‘transactions’ become intensely high. It was also then when we coined the term “3:00 a.m. habit”. Because of the great demand, I became threatened that customers might not notice me anymore for there were ‘new comers’ who can do great things than me. I became afraid that my beauty and charm might be ignored for I knew for there were lots of ‘newbie’ who were fresher and more gorgeous. But that thought did not stop me from doing my ‘work’. I did a way to ensure my living. I tried to be more attractive and lustful so as to shift the attention of customers on me.

But our gimmick did not even last for a month due to unstoppable reported human killings. The scare began to spread out like an epidemic disease especially on our part as prostitutes for there were reported cases of whores who were brutally murdered. The police authority had hypothesized that there were two separate groups of killers. The former was a group of businessmen who slay their business opponent and the latter was a group of killers who, most probably condemn prostitutes like me. These murderers were really specialized to kill for it even made the law enforcers clueless about who really the mastermind was. They may perhaps investigate the crime scene meticulously and interrogate each possible witness thoroughly but the killers really never leaved any evidence on the crime scene.

Because of these incidents, some of my ‘co- workers’ decided to end their journey in this career for they were frightened that they may be slain too. Some had even gone to their provinces and started their new way of living. They were still fortunate to have their family who accepted and gave them another chance to change for the better. But I, who will never have a family anymore decided to stay and continue the ‘battle’ of life. The six long years of my stay in this kind of work, which caused me a lot of emotional and physical pain taught me to be stronger and braver. Those spans of years working with different kinds of people somehow help me mend the pain of losing my family. They all died when I was seven years old. We were 5 in the family- my Dad who was then an elite business tycoon, my Mom who was a plain housewife, my two elder siblings and I who was left grieving for their death, their inhuman and brutal death. They were mercilessly murdered and only I, survived. Horribly, I saw how they were killed. I saw the killers, that even these days, it still haunted and awakened me from sleep.

Because of that tragic incident, I was then adopted by my aunt, the sister of my father. The care, love and affection from her which I was supposed to have remained an illusion. She would hardly beat me until her anger fades away. Worst, she did not even let me eat and drink for a couple of days which really made me weak. Because of that, I became determined to escape away from her. Luckily, I got a chance to be free from her when she attended a business meeting with the investors whom my father transacted with when he was still alive. I did not care for the wealth that my father had put in. All I wanted before is to be free and justice for my family. Sadly, I lived in a land where justice is delayed and denied.

From then on, I learned to live on the street independently. I earned a living by asking for alms from the passersby. I also had no choice but to eat the leftovers from the garbage bins. I slept on the ground and endured the mosquito bites and cold until I became numb on it. That was my routine not until I entered the ‘flesh- trade industry’. I also had no knowledge about my aunt anymore. Whatever happened to her and the business she ‘inherited’ from us, I didn’t care.

Now that I have am grown- up, I will never allow anyone to hurt me. I will not let anyone know who really I was. I will not let anybody else ruin my mission. And that is to become the most attractive, most beautiful and most recognized prostitute; and most importantly, to revenge for my family. I will never stop from performing the 3’o clock a.m. habit until I find and kill the perpetrator of my family’s death. ###

***

Pasensya na kung may mga grammar lapses and tense errors.haha. 🙂