&games

I was parked outside the Mecca Bar waiting for a drunk to stumble out. Instead, this tourist approached me and asked in broken English:

Ahhhh, red light district?

Not really.

Are you ahhhhhh, local?

Yes.

No red light district?

I came up blank. Since the one shady massage parlor burned down and the cops cracked down on the walking girls Fairbanks has not been whoremonger friendly.

I tried to explain that to the tourist. Don't know how successful I was.

The best I could do was explain that a couple iffy-looking massage places had sprung up in the last couple weeks but I hadn't heard any scuttlebutt about them.

I consider all the times over the years that tourists have asked directions to the strip clubs, hookers and massage parlors...... and I feel useless... as a cabdriver I should know how to squeeze money from a horny drunk... but I was forced to face the fact that I just didn't know where he could get laid. It was a humbling experience.

Must say (from a purely cabdriving point of view, dear) that I miss Lee's Massage Parlor. It was out of town, nearly a $30 fare to get there from downtown. In the last few years Lee always called my cab company when she had a customer who needed to get back into town. Made quite a bit of money shuttling her customers around over the years.

I wish her the best of luck.