I'm fucking sick, sick of being broke all the time.
I'm a single mum, living on benefits. I didn't plan to be. I thought I was in a steady relationship but the arsehole bloke did a runner as soon as he found out I was pregnant. He just vanished. If I don't know where he is I can't claim any child support from him, but I don't think he'd pay up anyway.
That was four years ago and I've been skint ever since. I've tried to find work but it's impossible with a kid. Even the local shop wants somebody to work at any time.
It's always a struggle but somehow I've made it this far. The last few weeks have just about broken me. I've been living on a diet of tea and toast so I can afford food for my boy. Last week he needed new shoes. I managed to find a pair that fit him at a local charity shop but that took up the last of my little spare cash.
I'm at my wits end, not knowing what to do next.
While I was walking back from dropping my boy at afternoon nursery I got chatting to a woman I know.
"How are you getting on these days?" she asked.
"I'm OK in myself'" I replied, "But I'm sick of being broke all the time."
"I know how you can earn a bit of extra cash." She said.
"How?" I asked. "I've tried to find work everywhere but had no luck."
She came back with. "This is easy work. You do it at home. It doesn't pay great money but anything's better than nothing. Right?"
"I suppose it is. What do I have to do."
"He makes videos. He'll want to video you."
"I don't know about that. I'm not the greatest looking woman for a video"
"Neither am I. He pays to see a bit of cleavage and some thigh. How much he pays depends on how much you want to show. I'll text you his number."
"OK. I don't think it's for me though"
This idea occupied my mind for quite a while. The idea of extra cash was great but showing myself on video didn't really appeal to me at all.
My mind was made up when my boy came home with a rip in his trousers. He only had two pairs so this was quite a loss. I didn't have the money to replace them, even from a charity shop.
I rang the number and a pleasant sounding guy answered. "How can I help you?"
"Er...Are you the man who does videos? I asked hesitantly.
"I am. Do you want to do a video?"
"What does it entail?"
"Well I make a short video of you, fully clothed, but I'll expect you to show a bit of cleavage and some legs for a start. For that I'll pay a fiver. You can earn more depending on how far you want to go."
I didn't like the sound of "How far you want to go." but a fiver for just showing my cleavage and a bit of leg was fine by me. I know many will say a fiver isn't much but to me it meant I could feed myself and my boy well for two days.
"OK." I said. "Can we make a time?"
We made a time for an afternoon when my boy was at nursery and I gave him the address of my flat..
The day finally arrived and he was early. I'd just got back when he knocked on the door.
I let him in and he said, "This won't work if you are wearing jeans and a high neck sweater. Can you change into a low cut top and a skirt, short if you have one please, while I set up my equipment?"
As he was setting up, I went into the bedroom and found something that I thought was suitable.
When I came out, he was still setting up and I had a chance to have a closer look at him. He was older than I expected but quite presentable. His clothes looked clean but they were well worn.
"What do you do with these videos?" I asked.
"I have a small website that I put them on. I don't use any names or ways to identify anybody."
"What if somebody recognises my face?"
"When I edit, I can blur your face, or I can give you a mask to wear. Your choice."
Not fully trusting him to blur me out I said. " I'd like a mask please."
When he'd finished setting up his cameras and lights he handed me a mask. It was a very fancy mask like the ones women used to wear to balls in the olden days. I put it on and saw myself in the mirror. Wow! That looks great, I thought.
"You look lovely." he said as he looked me up and down. It was an uncomfortable feeling, but that's what he's here for.
"Here's your fiver." He said, putting a note on the side table.
Payment up front was great.
"Right." he said. "Shall we get started?"
"OK"
"Just follow my instructions."
He had two video cameras, one on a tripod and one hand held.
"Turn sideways to the fixed tripod and put your hands behind your head. Push those lovely breasts out."
Lovely breasts? Nobody had ever said that about my tits before.
He walked round me videoing all the time.
"Bend forward slightly and push that gorgeous bottom out"
Wow! Another compliment. I could get used to this.
"That's great. You're doing really well. Put your hands down, turn and face me and lean forward. Show me some cleavage."
I'm beginning to enjoy this. He's so kind and I'm starting to want to please him. I did as he said.
"Super. Now squeeze your breasts together."
"That's great. Now stand up and pull your skirt up and show me some thigh."
"Those legs are awesome. Let your skirt down and stand with your feet apart."
I did and he put he camera between my legs for an up skirt shot.
Ooh. Naughty, I thought. It's a good job I put some clean knickers on when I got changed.
"Super. You're doing great. You're a natural. Now can you let your hair down?"
My hair is quite long and I had it in a pony tail. When I let it down it fell almost to my waist.
"Now turn sideways to the fixed camera, pull your hair across your mouth and give the camera your best sultry look."
I did as he asked and he said.
"You were great, thank you. It was well worth the fiver."
The whole thing had only taken about twenty minutes, The easiest fiver I'd ever earned.
"What do you want me to do to earn more? I asked.
"Pretty much what you've just done but in your underwear. Lose the top and skirt for another fiver"
I thought about it. It's a bit naughty being half naked in front of a camera, but it's no worse than being in a bikini and a another fiver will be really useful.
I stripped off and we went through pretty much the same sort of poses. He was charming, giving me compliments each time I did what he asked. He put another fiver on the side table.
"Well, that's it." He said. "Unless you want to earn some more."
"Doing what?" I asked. "How much more"
"The same again, but naked."
"I can't do that for a fiver. It will have to be more"
"Sorry, a fiver's my offer. I don't pay more than that at this stage." as he turned off his lights.
"No. Wait. Let me think about it."
It was going a bit further than I had anticipated but he'd been a gentleman throughout. He'd never tried to touch me. With the mask on, nobody would recognise me. Another fiver would be really good.
I saw the fiver in his hand.