---The following is a fictionalised version of events based on The Hungry Duck Club in Moscow; videos of which are available on sites such as Dailymotion. Any similarities to any real people is entirely coincidental, however events SIMILAR to this do/did take place.---
I trembled slightly as I fumbled in my purse for the entrance fee. A burly, bald security doorman scowled impatiently; and coughed into his hands in a vain attempt to warm them up. I handed over the money, and he stepped aside to allow me through the threshold. Melanie was waiting for me on the other side.
"You took your time. Ready to go in?"
---
How I had let Melanie talk me into this I'll never know. This was our third night in this foreign, city and to be frank, we'd gotten slightly bored of all the usual touristy things. We'd done all the museums and attractions and were ready to shake things up a bit, but I was not expecting this.
Melanie had been to the city once before, and had suggested visiting the Impact club earlier that evening. In hindsight, I should have noticed the slight giggle and mischievous smile which spread across her (incredibly pretty) face.
I definitely should have clicked when Melanie insisted on selecting my outfit for the night out. My favourite tight jeans and floral top were discarded by Melanie in favour of a short skirt and revealing blouse. She even selected my underwear, deciding that I was to wear an incredibly tiny black thong and matching bra. I attempted to ask why this particular outfit was necessary but Melanie was incredibly coy. Nonetheless, she dressed in almost identical attire, and so I gathered that it must have been suitable.
---
I sat in my seat in the dark club and looked around. Music was blaring loudly and lights strobed wildly around the room. Melanie had known. How could she not have? Sure, she feigned innocence, but when we had seen the sign outside for the Male Strip Show, Melanie had given herself away. She'd always had a terrible poker face.
I'd never seen strippers before. I didn't really know what to expect. Sure, I'd seen guys naked, I'd had boyfriends, but I wasn't exactly what you'd call confident about sex. Sexual stuff was, to me, something private, that happened behind closed doors and that you didn't tell anyone about.
I gulped as the music dipped and the DJ made an announcement:
'Alright ladies here's what you've all been waiting for! Please make your way to your seats, the show is about to begin!'
An excited chatter arose, as women began taking their seats. It was an incredibly unusual arrangement in this club. There was a bar right in the centre of the club, surrounded by rows of seats. The bar had a vertical pole sticking out of it, connected to the low ceiling. The rest of the room was more typical, with various areas for dancing, and a few booths for resting tired feet.
Melanie hurried over to me clutching a tall glass of something awful-looking.
"Thanks for saving me a seat honey" said Melanie.
"Thanks for getting me a drink" I remarked, gesturing at the solitary glass in Melanie's hand.
"You don't drink" she said.
"So they didn't have soft drinks?"
"Oh shh you!" huffed Melanie, pretending to be cross. "Now shut up, it's about to start".
This was it. I could feel my heart beating faster and faster - or that could have just been the vibrations from the music. The lights flashed quicker and quicker as the music increased to a huge crescendo.
