Learning the Ropes

"I'm Harry," I reply, seeing no reason to disguise my name. No doubt he will assume that it is spelt "Hari", as that seems to be a not uncommon female name in these parts.

"Pleased to meet you, Harry. I'll start you off on the afternoon shift, from noon till 8pm, when we are usually fairly quiet. Once I've seen how you shape up, I may transfer you to the evening shift, from 6pm to 2am. You'll be working six days a week. The wages may not seem over-generous, but you will keep any tips that you get, and you should do quite well from those." He mentions a figure, With my lack of experience of the cost of living here, I have no way of telling whether or not it is a fair wage, but I tell him that it is satisfactory.

"Good," he says. "Our clientele consists of members and their guests. The only thing that members have in common is that they don't mind paying about fifty per cent more for their drinks than they would in an inn, in exchange for the greater comfort and privacy that we provide. Most of them have a 'tab' and settle up once a month, so you won't need to handle money very often. They'll give you their name and membership number, you check it against the list of members, then add the amount to what they owe. You dispense the drinks, then bring them over to their table on a tray.

"It's near enough noon, so you may as well start right away. There's a changing room behind the bar. See if you can find a costume and a pair of shoes there that will fit you. If not, we will have to have something made to measure for you. Whilst you are working, you can put your own clothes and belongings in one of the lockers that you'll find there. At the end of your shift, you can stow your costume and shoes in the locker."

I follow his pointing finger, and find myself in a room that has four large lockers along one wall. Two of them are open, and I can see that they contain a rail for putting clothes hangers on, together with some hangers. There is a bench along another wall, and a walk-in wardrobe along the third wall. The wardrobe contains a number of outfits and shoes that, apart from their size, are identical, even in their colour.

I manage to find items to fit me.

1. I hope that I can provide enough evidence to enable the gang leaders to be arrested within the next month or so, as my costume is skimpy and will do nothing to hide my advancing pregnancy.
2. I hope that I can provide enough evidence to enable the gang leaders to be arrested within the next month or so, as my costume is very figure-hugging and will do nothing to hide my advancing pregnancy.
3. The costume is, to my pleasant surprise, modest and loose-fitting.

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