The chill wind bit through his coat and scarf, despite his best attempts at wrapping them around his neck and body.  He walked the two blocks from the bus stop to his apartment building and got out his key to retrieve his mail.  Taking the mail, he climbed the six flights of stairs to his small apartment, laying it on the table while he unbundled his body.  He raised the thermostat five degrees so that he could warm up his chilled body and put on some hot water to make some tea.

Sitting on the chair at his small two person table, he glanced through the mail.  A bill for the water.  A bill for the heat.  A bill for my rent and the rent on my studio and shit a bill for the paints I ordered last week.  Justin got out his phone and tallied up the total amount he owed. $1200. Shit I only make $1000 at the shitty diner and I haven't sold anything in months. 

The phone rang, jarring him out of his thoughts. "Hello."

"You okay?  You sound upset?"

"Sorry Jake.  I just got a bunch of bills today and realized again that this city is damn expensive to live in."

"I know."

"How do you do it?  I mean you are a starving actor who also works as a waiter by day.  Got any great words of wisdom?"

"I make do."

"Come on, tell me your secret.  I'm desperate, man.  Hold on, my water is whistling.  Be right back."  Justin turned off the burner and poured himself some hot water in a cup.  Placing the tea bag and a packet of sugar in the cup, he allowed the tea to seep.  "Okay, sorry about that.  You were saying?"

"I do some stuff on the side."

"Tell me about it.  I could do some stuff on the side.  I've got to stay afloat for at least a year.  I'm not going back to Pittsburgh before a year."

"I'm a dancer so my body is my best asset."

"Jake, stop being all evasive.  Just fucking tell me what you do to make some extra money.  I really need to do something."

"Okay.  Fine. I work as a stripper for hire.  I do birthday parties, celebrations, etc."

"You're a STRIPPER.  I know you have a great body, but a stripper?" Justin quickly pictured his King of Babylon stint and realized he could do that too.

"How much does it pay?"

"Depending on what I'm doing, usually $250- $300 a gig."

"How often do you work?"

"Usually 6-7 times a month.  I still get to try out for most of the plays and musicals that I want during the day as the gigs are usually at night.  And during the weekends, I work at the restaurant for lunch and early dinner.  I do all right."

 Justin quickly did the math in his head.  "Hey, do you think you could get me hooked up?  I mean I could do that to earn some extra cash."

"Sure I could.  Just let me make some calls.  You have a great body and I'm sure you could be put in the rotation."

"Rotation?"

"Well.  They first take your picture and add you to their book of clients.  Then, depending on the request, they look through their models and give you a call."

"Well, it's a start.  I really need the cash.  Can you do it tomorrow?"

"No problem.  I'll set it up.  What you doing tonight?  Wanna go for some drinks?"

"I'd love to but I have no money.  Remember?"

"My treat.  I might even get a little bonus for referring you."

Justin smiled for the first time in days, happy at the thought of making some easy money.  "Okay.  Let me grab a shower and some food.  I'll meet you at 9:30.  Tom's okay.  I'd love to play some pool.  Maybe win some of that bonus money off you before you get it."

Jake laughed. "Sure my friend.  9:30 at Tom's.  See you there."

Justin finished his tea and stripped, placing his clothes in the hamper.  He turned the water on and showered, running his hand over his taut body, thankful that he still had a flat stomach and didn't need to work out.  I hope this works out.  If I get a few gigs a month, I'll be able to pay my bills and won't have to ask Brian for money.  Justin put on a long sleeve white shirt and a deep blue hoodie as well as his beige cargo pants.  Going to the kitchen, he looked in the cabinets and small fridge to see what he had to cook and found some pasta and frozen chicken.  He placed the noodles in a big pot of water and started defrosting the chicken in the microwave.

Getting out his phone, he pushed the 1 so he could speed dial Brian.

"Kinney."

"Hey, it's me."

"Hey.  What are doing tonight?"

"Cooking dinner and going out with Jake to Tom's to shoot some pool."

"You're becoming a regular pool shark.  Win any money lately?"

"That's why I suggested Tom's.  Jake is a lousy player or he just lets me win.  Don't know why, but he's always up for a game."  Justin heard the ding of the microwave and turned the chicken over to the other side to cook. 

"At least you have one useful skill in New York."

"Ha Ha.  What are your plans for the evening?  Going to Babylon to find some hot tricks?"  Justin teased, knowing his lover's habits.

"Not tonight.  Gus is coming over.  I'm watching him while the munchers attend some fund raiser for the Center.  We're going to watch Toy Story 3."

"You're a great dad.  I love the animation in that story.  I wanted to be an animator when I was a kid."

"Speaking of art..."

"I've got to have time to paint in order to show it and I've been working a lot of hours so I can eat.  That is a high priority of mine."  Justin went to the stove and turned off the boiling pot of water and noodles.  "Sorry to run, but my noodles are finished cooking and I have to eat before meeting Jake.  Later."

"Later."

After he ate dinner, he placed the leftovers in several containers.  His roommate knew that stuff in containers was not to be shared.  Phil, his roommate was a friend of a friend of Daphne's cousin.  They were on different schedules and he rarely saw him, but that worked out for both of them.  He was a taxi cab driver who worked second shift, and that gave him time to audition for plays.  Justin wanted to be up during the day too, but he wanted the light for his drawings and this worked out perfectly.

He had about an hour before he needed to leave to meet Jake and he took out his sketch pad.  Jake's idea was the first real way of getting out of this financial rat race and he was excited which translated into wanting to draw.  He drew some Rage panels since Michael had been after him to work on their new storyline.  After drawing three panels, his hand was starting to cramp and it was time to leave.

Justin arrived at Tom's and went straight to the pool table.  He finished racking the balls and Jake walked up to his side.  "I see you found us a table already.  Eager beaver, aren't you."  Jake signaled the waiter to come take their drink orders and ordered two Fat Tires.  "Okay.  Let's play or shall I say, it's time to lose some money."

Justin grinned and broke the balls.  After missing his third shot, it was Jake's turn.  "Off your game Taylor?  Usually I don't get to play until you've sunk 5 balls."  Jake took a drink of his beer and shot the cue ball.

"I'm just excited.  I can't believe you've been keeping this secret from me for so long.  I could have been making some good money all this time instead of digging into my savings."  Justin picked up his stick and sank four balls in a row.  "There.  Is that more what you're used to?"  Justin grinned as he lined up another shot.  "Better start digging into your wallet.  I only have two more balls to go." 

Justin won that game and the next one as well.  "Let's sit.  I've been standing all fucking day."

They grabbed their beers and went to the small table in the far right corner of the bar.  Justin took several draws from his beer.  "So how long you been stripping?"

"A couple years."

"Seriously.  And I've known you for 6 months and didn't have a clue.  I'm a moron." Justin took his fingers to his forehead and bounced them off of it.

"No.  You've never really said anything about money, so I assumed you were doing okay."  Jake waved to the waitress to bring another round.

"Do all your friends know about the stripping, but me?"

"Justin, it's no big deal. For every successful actor, model, painter out there, there are thousands who just want to make the first break. We all have to support ourselves somehow."  The drinks arrived and he paid for them.  Pushing one over to Justin, he continued, "I love to dance and when I couldn't find gigs in plays and musicals I thought about other places to dance.  I mentioned to Peter that I was looking for other outlets and he turned me on the stippergrams.  The pay is great and you only work a few hours a gig.  It's not like a club where you'd be there for 6-7 hours and the patrons are pawing you all night.  Besides with a club you have to work your way up."

"I know," Justin said with a little tinge of regret.

"You were a club dancer?  I just can't see that." Jake took a long draw of his beer.  "Shoot, you got to tell me about that one."

Shrugging his shoulders, he said, "It was years ago.  I needed money and I didn't want to ask Brian so I got hired at Babylon to be a go-go boy."

"Wow.  That's cool."

"No, not really."  Justin shook his head in disagreement.  "I wasn't making much money until the owner said I could work the big shifts if I blew him.  I did and then, well, let's just say that he felt I owed him and I really didn't like the payment plan."

‘I'm sorry." Jake played with his beer, unsure what to say to Justin's story.

"I learned a really valuable lesson.  Know when to ask for help.  But hey... this is different.  I'll be hired out for specific events.  Can I say no if I'm busy?"

"Sure, but don't be busy real often.  They won't call you back." 

"Yeah.  But I don't think Brian would appreciate it if I had to work as a stripper at some party while he was visiting."  Justin grinned at how that conversation might go.  Not.

"True.  Why don't you just ask him for the money?  Problem solved."  Jake finished his beer and nodded at Justin to see if he wanted another.  Justin nodded back and Jake waved to the waiter to bring two fresh ones.

"I could, but I don't want to.  He'd give me the money.  He has it in abundance, but I want to make it on my own." Justin pushed his empty bottle toward the waiter when he brought new bottles.

"Okay.  Well, I'll make the call tomorrow and you should have your shoot scheduled for sometime this week.  I know Jose will love you."

"Jose?"

"Yeah.  He runs the place.  Remember, I told you that you'll go for a photo shoot so that they can put you in their portfolio of strippers and can choose you when they get a job. "

"Thanks Jake.  You're a lifesaver.  But hey, it's getting late and I need to head out.  I've got class at 10:00 and since it's costing me a fortune to attend this one, I don't want to miss it."

"Sure thing, Justin.  Let me know how the photo shoot goes."

"Will do."