The music was upbeat, pulsating, thumping...matching the pulse in my nuts. I held my breath.

My aunt said, "It takes a lot to get a dollar out of me."

She was talking like she was from Mississippi with an unusual drawl to her voice that I'd never heard before.

The fabulous stripper put on her shades, blocking out the haters that didn't like what she was doing, because they didn't have enough money to lure her to their tables.

A dollar wasn't enough.

She danced over to us when I held up the dollar my aunt gave me.

I was nervous. She was gorgeous.

"You must be Kitty's nephew. For you a dollar will do. I can stash it with the others." She shook my aunt's hand. "I'm Dawn."

"Dawn?" my aunt repeated, lightning a cigarette.

Dawn sat by me. "Cute kid." She kissed my cheek. I couldn't take my eyes off of her beautiful tits.

"Yes, he is. He's my son."

"I had a son," she began, kissing me cheek again.

Savagely, but my Auntie snatched her wig and brought the woman to her face. I was trapped in the middle.

"Don't put your dick suckers on my son's face. Don't want him getting rashes and shit."

The woman pulle away, glaring at Aunt Katt with benevolence.

"I'm Python," she stated, rising to her feet. Don't make me show my true colors, bitch. Touching me. I don't like people touching me."

Aunt Katt said, "More like a rat snake. Get on this table and make these two quarters. As a matter of fact give me my motherfuking nephew's dollar back, bitch. You ain't worth the $0.02 your tits rolled in on wearing that ugly-ass cowgirl hat."

"Fuckkkkkk youuuuuu!"

The Bossman walked up behind Python and slap that beautiful bubble ass. Damn I was jealous.

"Get that shitt shooter on the table bitch and make that money. Two quarters is common sense. Looks alike. It adds up to dollars. Get up and get it. Your ass called out four times in the past week, costing me money and customers. Your regulars don't even come anymore because they think you don't work here anymore, when you do. Either get your ass on that table for those two quarters, or get your ass the fuck out. We both know you can't do that because bitch you ain't got nowhere to go right now and don't no other strip club want your funky ass."

Dawn "Python" was stubborn. "No!"

"Now! Or you're fired. I'm throwing you outta my house!"

Tears welled in her eyes. Auntie Katt felt bad. I was glaring at Auntie Katt with daggers in my eyes.

Python said, "I hate you."

"I know," he said, feeling like shit. But the bills didn't pay themselves. "No time for hate when getting this money."

He gazed down at me. "You get a free table dance, son."

Felt like she was pushed into a corner. She got on the table after licking her lips. A western song came on and she was pissed about it, but she kept dancing.

Bringing her hands up into her hair, men looked at her body and saw war scars outside of the tattoos. I looked deeply into her eyes and saw her pain. Failure. If everyone had a mustard seed of faith, Python didn't.

And that made me shake in the seat I sat in.