People who tatooed my life 12: Kim

My time with IBM ended badly but , but I had some amazing adventures, many that I could not even have drawn a picture of back as a nipper growing up in Smethwick.

One such adventure was my first trip to South Africa back in '01.

The chap who had asked me to visit a client in Jo'burg, Jake, was a notorious bon-viveur. He had a girlfriend who danced at the "Ranch" girlie bar, outside Jo'burg and because he was driving me around in Za I would visit her with him out of hours after our work, but before the club opened.

It was very interesting for me to see a lapdancing club during the day: in daylight the major security precautions could be more easily seen, and there was an air of tattiness and decay on the decor.  Once inside Jake met with his girlfriend and left the dance hall for a while. I was left in the main room with the girls who had arrived early to stretch and warm up or whatever for their shift in a couple of hours time.

A few of the girls came over to say hello - Jake was very well known here ! One girl, Kim, came over to me and just started a conversation. She was a statuesque and impossibly beautiful coffee-skinned girl, made more lovely by the modest baggy gym clothing she was wearing instead of her dancers uniform. All the girls were pleasant, pretty and vulnerable away from the make-up,lights and pumping music.

So Kim stated : I'm a friend of Jakes? Sort of. Would I be coming by later ?  Not sure - if local team wants to then yes. Do I come to dance clubs often ?  Oddly enough I had to admit - I had been to quite a few. Lots of colleagues, and clients liked to spend their downtime having a beer, and ending up a a "gentlens club".  So when i was travelling Id'take the local team out for a beer, and I'd step in with anything they wanted to do. This was just hanging out , nothing "Corporate". if they wanted to end the evening at a lap-dancing bar, we'd tag along.

Kim explained: " we get a lot of sad suits in here. You don't strike me as a sad suit. You married ?".

I showed her pics of my family. She was entranced;asking about school; my kids' loves and pets. friends, adventures. What about her family ?  All back home in another unnamed country. She only had her boyfriend / manager here in Za.  She didn't mind dancing but didn't really like the extras that made her boyfriend / manager the real money.

I said that it must be horrible doing a job you don't like, what else would she like to do ? "I wanted to teach" she said.  " I started doing this to pay for my degree...but it sort of took over years ago".

I said I thought she'd make a lovely teacher and she got a bit upset.  "My Boyfriend doesn't want me to be a teacher yet" she explained.

We talked about stuff for another fifteen minutes or so until Jake emerged from another room with his girlfriend.  I stood up to go and offered Kim my hand.  She declined it and gave me a hug instead saying: "You can have a free one after work tonight if you like".  I told her I was flattered but that I am sure my wife wouldn't be very appreciative of it !

I took Kims hand and said: " I hope you get to be a teacher one day. It was lovely to meet you Kim".

Off she went.  I never returned to the Ranch, as the client chose a meal at the word's best steak restaurant instead of a dancing evening.

I often thought about the girls and Kim expecially after I returned home.  I had built a picture for myself of the "kind of girl" who would work as a lap dancer, or even a call-girl but none of the girls I met at the Ranch were anything LIKE that stereotype.  Smart, vulnerable, sexy, yet even homely when freed of make-up and lights. Just father's daughters like my own who found themselves on a path in life they did not expect in many cases.

I bumped into Jake three months later in the coffee bar at our Heathrow location. Hands shaken, backs slapped. Thanks for my help.

Jake wasn't with his dancer girlfriend any more. By the way, did I know Kim took her own life soon after we met? I was shocked and horrified.

What a waste. All those kids who never got to receive Kim's enthusiasm and care through teaching...Rest in peace beautiful one. I will never forget you.