Debt Overload

Ron Lovatt comes over to Dayna Smith's apartment to say hi. She's outside next to her car, giving it a polish. 

Ron: Lovely set of wheels. They must pay you well down at the nightclub.

Dayna: I'm just a cocktail waitress, which is not the same as the girls who entertain clients. I do some freelance accountancy work at home too.
Ron: So you have a busy life.
Dayna: I have a lot of dreams. This car is part of that. I love it.
Ron: Do you have to service a loan on the car?
Dayna: You're cheeky to ask but yes, my pay doesn't stretch beyond a deposit. The pay will cover the repayments.
Ron: You also have a mortgage on the apartment.
Dayna: You sound like my parents. I earn enough to cover the monthly payments for that too.
Ron: Fair enough.
Dayna: Anyway, I want to take you for a drive. Come on. Off they go.

Ron catches up with Dayna a couple of months later at a cafe and she doesn't look so happy.
Ron: What's up?
Dayna: Money woes. I lost my largest client recently with my accountancy business. My cocktail job requires I dress well so I updated my wardrobe recently on my credit card. Now interest rates are on the rise. Another increase and I don't know what I'll do.
Ron: Oh, that's tough. The apartment is more important than the car. Can you do something there?
Dayna: I agree, so I talked to the finance company and they said they can take it back and sell it but if they cannot recover the amount owing, I still have to pay the outstanding amount. I will also end up with no car. There are other options, like me selling it, but I'd still not make up what I owe. I want the car anyway. 

Ron sighs: What will you do?
Dayna: I spoke to the boss at the club, and he said I can step up to being a hostess for clients. He would initially steer me toward some of the better clients to help out. He's always been on to me to do hostess work, but I don't want what goes with it.
Ron: What exactly goes with it?

Dayna: Over familiar clients with a poor attitude towards women.

Ron: That's tough. So what will you do?
Dayna: I'm not sure. I really love my apartment and my car. I lapped up the fancy life too fast, didn't I?
Ron: In hindsight, yes. You are between a rock and a hard place. 
Dayna: You're right. I think I'll have to take the hostess job for a while. I hope it will go well. 
Ron: You have an idea of what's expected.
Dayna: I've heard from the other girls when they talk, so yeah, I have an idea. The boss just said "You'll do what it takes to make the guests happy."
Ron: Oh, so lose the car and still be in debt, or take the role and please the clients.
Dayna: That's the choice.
Ron: How hard will that job be for you? I guess you get desensitised to undue attention.
Dayna: I'm a bit scared, to be honest. I've always been the "good girl" in the group. But the things I've bought mean everything to me.
Ron: So?

Dayna: I've decided. I'm taking the job. I'll just be professional about it.
Ron: It's a hard choice. I think you get used to it quite quickly. You might even stay on hostessing after the debt is under control again?
Dayna: I hope not. But who knows? Anyway, I've got to go get ready for the shift. I'm actually nervous. At least I have a good wardrobe to choose from. 
Ron: Good luck. 

Dayna gets ready and almost immediately goes into a private room with a well paying client.
Client: You're the new girl. Dayna, right?
Dayna: Yes. It's a pleasure to meet you.
Client: I usually see you serving drinks behind the bar.
Dayna: A change of role. I'm now here, entertaining clients and to make sure you have a good time.
Client: Now, tell me. Why the change in the job?
Dayna: I have a very expensive apartment and a car that won't pay for itself.
Client laughs: Ah, the consumer lifestyle. Well, if you make me happy, I'll make sure that apartment stays yours.
Dayna turns her eyes and looks at him: I'm here to make sure you have a pleasant evening. 
Client: You'll be fine.  Now, how about some drinks?

Dayna proves to be an excellent hostess. 

Client: You did great. Here. He hands her an envelope. That should help with your situation..

Dayna: Thank you so much.
Client: Don't mention it. I'll come see you again next week.
Dayna: I'll be here and look forward to it. 

When the client leases, Dayna checks the envelope and is very pleasantly surprised. In addition, she is relieved as it was better than she thought. He was sympathetic about her first time nerves and doing her job well. The boss may have had a word with him beforehand, she wonders.  

She has other clients that evening with a similar but not quite as lucrative outcome, but still very generous and well behaved. She realises not all evenings will be like this. She knows some customers will test her but she will let them know the boundaries, she reasons. 

Dayna walks out of the club and breathes in the night air.

Ron is waiting outside for her: How did it go?

Dayna smiles: Better than I thought. The boss steered me toward some nice clients to ease my transition. I earned more in a single night than I'd normally earn in weeks working at home doing accounts! Enough to keep my possessions.
Ron: It will get addictive Dayna! Expensive habits, luxury goods, and high end living will become the norm. This makes it incredibly difficult to leave the hostess role.
Dayna laughs: Maybe, but for now, it's a relief.
Ron: But beware that self worth can become based on how much clients spend on you, not on who you are as a person.
Dayna: I don't mind. I'll just move to a better apartment to fuel my self worth.
Ron: So you'll work somewhat longer as a hostess?
Dayna winks: I'll have to. I might even continue until I'm debt free.
Ron teasing her: Then update the car?
Dayna giggles: I love my car. But a new one wouldn't hurt. 
Ron: That's what I mean when I said the returns are addictive. 

Dayna: I'll have to watch that.

Ron: Oh, and at the risk of sounding like your dad, be aware that behaviour you may be exposed to, which was viewed as unacceptable yesterday, will become completely normalized.

Dayna: Stop it Ron. Smiles. You're just jealous that you can't afford a fancy car.
Ron: I'm content with my old one. I'm just pointing out the reality. Try to keep things real.
Dayna: You're boring. Then she adds, but you're a good friend. Do you want a ride home?
Ron: Why not? Better than the public transport I used to get here. My old car is at the mechanics getting fixed.

Dayna: You need a new car. How about you buy this when I upgrade?

Ron: I'm not into muscle cars, but I could be tempted. 

As they ride home, Ron thinks about Dayna. They had dated briefly before becoming just good friends. Her free spirit was in contrast to his cautious nature. He regrets it didn’t work out and wonders if she feels the same.

She's a good sort and a hard working woman but got into a debt trap that had costly options, either way. He wished it had been different for her, but the focus is clearly on securing her future financially. At what cost, though? The borrower is the servant of the lender.