Issue 14: Nonfiction
- Chapter 3, Excerpted from WHIP SMART: A Memoir by Melissa Febos
The ad in back of The Village Voice read:
Attractive young woman wanted for nurse role-play and domination.
No experience necessary. Good $$. No sex.
At a loss for how to dress for such an interview, I wore what I did to conventional ones: black pants, button-up shirt, and cardigan. Fighting my way through the congested sidewalks of Herald Square, I dodged tourists outfitted in fanny packs and digital cameras who stopped mid-stride to stare up at the Empire State Building, or the display windows of Macy’s. I arrived at my destination unkempt, overwhelmed with sweat and irritation. After ringing the buzzer and riding the elevator to the second floor, I was greeted by a lanky woman in jeans with full lips and bare feet.
“Hi.” She sighed, and gave me a blasé smile. “I’m Fiona. I’ll give you a tour.” I could see I would not wow her with my firm handshake. I gave a feeble wave.
“Hi, Fiona, I’m Melissa.”
She gave me a once-over.
“Not for long, you’re not.”
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