“There are women in our town who will swap sex for cash,” said Granddad turning through the pages of the daily newspaper. Granddad is at the stage of life where he prattles on. I found it’s best to just humour him.
“How do you know that?”
“The other seniors. The blokes in the Seniors Club told me. They said just look in the classified ads section.”
“And they would know, right?”
“Eureka, I found it! Gee there’s quite a few ads in here. I’ll have to write down a list of all the phone numbers…but before I start making phone calls, I’ve got a question.”
“Hmm?”
How much money do these women intend to pay me?”
“I don’t think it works that way,” I replied trying to keep a straight face.
“What do you mean?” he asked, all the while continuing to scan the page.
“You might have to check with the wise old men you’ve been talking to.”
“Holy crap! Look at this,” cried Granddad holding up the newspaper. “Look what I found!”
“I can’t see it from here. Why don’t you read it to me?”
“Ok. It’s a proper big ad. Announcing the Grand Opening. Friday night. The first topless bar in our town. What do you make of that?”
“Sign of the times perhaps.”
“Maybe. I’m thinking I’ll have to be there for the grand opening. But I’ve got a question.”
Not more questions, I thought, but resignedly said, “Okay.”
“What if I go inside the topless bar, and take off my shirt, will they let me leave my singlet on?”
“Why don’t you go and find out?”
“I just might.”
“How do you know that?”
“The other seniors. The blokes in the Seniors Club told me. They said just look in the classified ads section.”
“And they would know, right?”
“Eureka, I found it! Gee there’s quite a few ads in here. I’ll have to write down a list of all the phone numbers…but before I start making phone calls, I’ve got a question.”
“Hmm?”
How much money do these women intend to pay me?”
“I don’t think it works that way,” I replied trying to keep a straight face.
“What do you mean?” he asked, all the while continuing to scan the page.
“You might have to check with the wise old men you’ve been talking to.”
“Holy crap! Look at this,” cried Granddad holding up the newspaper. “Look what I found!”
“I can’t see it from here. Why don’t you read it to me?”
“Ok. It’s a proper big ad. Announcing the Grand Opening. Friday night. The first topless bar in our town. What do you make of that?”
“Sign of the times perhaps.”
“Maybe. I’m thinking I’ll have to be there for the grand opening. But I’ve got a question.”
Not more questions, I thought, but resignedly said, “Okay.”
“What if I go inside the topless bar, and take off my shirt, will they let me leave my singlet on?”
“Why don’t you go and find out?”
“I just might.”
