"I knew someone like that", says Carl. "In Amsterdam. Her name was Stella. Semi tans."
"You mean..." I say
"Chick with a dick. She worked in the Red Light District."
"How did you meet her?"
"How many guesses should I give you?"
"Oh, that's right", say I, feeling suddenly embarrassed and rather stupid.
Carl must see my face reddening, so he says, "Hey I don't worry about it."
"Were you..."
"No, she just took me under her wing. Became like my street mom or big sister. She was already in her thirties when I first started plying my trade. I would have been just sixteen. Mom was usually away in Switzerland, leaving me in charge of the house and Melissa, and little did she know. Dad by this time was here on his own so I had a lot of time on my hands, plus I already rather liked smoking crack and wanted to buy as much as I could. Plus, all those men. Paying me for being pretty."
"Stella took one look at me, it must have been my third night standing on the corner She walked over to me and said, 'Do your parents know where you are?' I answered, 'Maybe ask me if they should care.' She answered, well why wouldn't they if they're your parents. I don't think I had an answer for her, but suddenly she asked me if I'd eaten today, and truthfully, I said no, so she said, come with me, and took me to a local café and bought me dinner. That was the beginning of a very beautiful friendship..."
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