I submitted this story to NPR's Three Minute Fiction, but it did not win. So, I'm sharing it with you. The prompt was to write a story in the form of a voice mail message.
Cash Business
Hi, so I’m just returning your phone call about the ad in Craigslist. I should probably tell you a little bit about my services. You asked a lot of questions about what I can offer you, so I hope I can answer all of them before the message ends. We’ll see. I don’t put much information in the ad because it’s a cash business, and I don’t want the wrong people asking questions, you know what I mean? For some reason, some in society still frown on what I do, but I think I provide a valuable service to people in need. At least that’s what I tell myself.
I typically do one client at a time, although sometimes people want group sessions. Group sessions cost more, as it’s pretty challenging to provide adequate service to more than one person at a time. I do have some experience with groups, so I can offer you better service than someone just starting out. As you can probably guess, someone in my line of work learns new techniques for providing clients relief. I am constantly searching for new tips, especially from Asia. You know their reputation, right?
I charge $100 an hour, and if you don’t need the entire hour, you still have to pay me for the time. Clients usually ask me to come to their house or apartment, although hotels work well too if you don’t want your neighbors to know that you’re hiring me. I guess some people still think that what I do is help you cheat.
