Chapter 1

I love Montreal. It’s a mix of cultures, ethnicities, and languages. A unique blend of new and old melded together.

In summer, there is an area on one of the major streets, which is made off limits to vehicles. This is the ‘Quartier Des Spectacles’, Montreal’s entertainment area. It is here that are held events such as the ‘Just For Laughs Festival’, the ‘Montreal Jazz Fest’ and other such events throughout the summer months.

It abuts what was once ‘The Main’, Montreal’s red-light district. Many years ago, a political decision was made to change the character of the area and the ‘Quartier Des Spectacles’ is what has replaced the Maine. Gone are the hot sheet hotels, the peep shows, strip clubs and bars, which populated the area. However, some of those establishments remained and still fight to maintain a presence.

The ‘Cleopatra’ is still in business offering a live transsexual show nightly, which is reminiscent of the movie ‘La Cage Aux Folles’. There is one peep show still doing its trade. Some street walkers still work the area. However, the crown jewel of the street is The Montreal Pool Room. It has been a landmark since the 1920s. Apart from the billiards tables, it also serves two Montreal food specialties at a stand-up counter. The first is what is called a ‘steamie’. A steamed hot dog in a plain steamed hot dog bun topped with mustard, raw onion, and shredded cabbage, which costs a dollar. The second specialty is called ‘poutine’. Fries topped with gravy and cheese curd, not a meal for those who have a weak stomach or those on a diet.

After taking in one of the free concerts featuring Wyclef Jean, I decide to go and get a couple of steamies. It’s been years since I have been there. The zinc countertop and the unshaved cook in a dirty apron are still present. Looking around, however, I note that the patrons are no longer the Italian goombas of the past. They have been replaced by a younger crowd of men wearing motorcycle jackets and boots. Each seems to have a young slut attached to him.

Grabbing my ‘steamies’ and a soft drink I go out to eat at a table on the sidewalk. The show is excellent strutting she males, assorted pimps, pushers, bikers, whores still abound. My meal finished I stroll down the sidewalk to go to the next concert. I hear a timid voice behind me say, “Vingt dollars monsieur.”

Turning to see who is offering me her services for twenty dollars. I am confronted with the sight of a grimy young woman. Her face is filthy she is wearing clothes that are mud and grease spattered and her hair is bound in a dirty bandana. To complete this lovely image she is sporting a black eye. There is no way to determine her age or her figure as she seems to be wearing all the clothes she owns in multiple layers.

However, I am intrigued. “Why twenty dollars? That seems to be very little for what I think you are suggesting.”

“I’m hungry. I have not eaten since I got here.”

“What! How long has that been?”

“Two days, too long miserable days.”

I see tears streaming down her face leaving streaks in the accumulated filth.

What the hell is going on here?

“Come on let’s go.”

“Where? There’s a hotel around the corner that is cheap, I think.”

“No, not there. What’s your name honey?”

“Cassandra, people call me Cass.”

“Okay, Cass I won’t give you twenty dollars to have sex. I’ll buy you a meal. Is that okay with you?”

“Yes but why? Don’t you like me?”

“Cass, I don’t buy sex. I have a daughter who is probably your age, and if she was in trouble, I would want someone to buy her a meal. So come on.”

Down the street, there’s a Subway restaurant. When we get to the counter I tell her to order what she wants. She asks me if a six-inch steak and cheese sub would be too expensive. That stuns me. She is trying to save me money. I tell the server to give her a twelve-inch steak and cheese, a bowl of soup, a soft drink, and a cookie.

“But that’s almost as much as I asked you for out on the street.”

“Yes, it is.”

“But why?”

“Well consider it a gift. Now come on sit down and eat.”

She asks if she can go and wash her hands and face first. Sitting there waiting I think that we live in a shitty world. How can someone that young get in such a bind?

When she comes out the bulk of the grime is gone. She smiles at me and thanks me. The food is wolfed down at an amazing speed except for half the sandwich.

“Aren’t you going to finish that?”

“If it’s okay can I take it for breakfast tomorrow?”

“Eat it all, you can worry about breakfast in the morning.”

“What do I call you, what’s your name?”

“Chris.”

She smiles and says, “Thank you so much, Chris.”

“Cass tell me about yourself. Why are you here instead of at home? Why aren’t you in school?”

Without the grime and in the light I can see that she is about sixteen or seventeen years old.

“I left home because my brothers were not being very nice to me. My mom and dad died in an accident about a year ago and the only family I have left is my brothers.”

“What did they do to you?”

She blushes, “After mom and dad were gone they started to have sex with me. At first, I liked it. I thought they liked me. Later they started to beat me up and treated me like their slave. I had to do all the housework then they would fuck me all night.”

“Was there no one you could tell?”

“No, they would not let me out of the house, not even to go to school. That’s why I ran away.”

“You ran away without anything.”

“Well I had a knapsack with my clothes and things in it, but it got stolen yesterday by another girl. When I got here a young guy started to talk to me. He seemed nice and told me he would show me around. The next thing that happened is that he came to me with an older man. He said that if I gave this guy a blowjob I would get twenty dollars. Because all my things were stolen I agreed. After I had done it this idiot came back and wanted me to give him the twenty. When I said no he hit me and threw me on the ground. So I ended up with this black eye and not even the money.”

“So what are you going to do now?”

“Monday I’ll go to the government office and they will give me some money till I can get a job.”

“So what will you do until Monday? Where will you sleep, what will you eat?’

“I’ll sleep where I slept last night. There is a church up the street and I found a space under the porch I can crawl into. What I ate tonight will do until Monday. Then when I have money I will look for a job and an apartment.”

This child has guts. How can she be so cheerful and optimistic under the circumstances? She seems honest. How can I help her? Do I take a risk?

“No, you’re not going to stay out on the street. If you do you’ll get hurt. Come with me.”

“Where are we going?”

“My place at least until Monday.”

“Are you going to fuck me?”

“No, I am not going to fuck you. You can stay until you get your money on Monday.”

I hailed a cab as I did not want to be seen with her on the street. Once we got to my building we got on the elevator and went up. This was a first for her, she had never been in one before. I think she could have gone up and down several times just for the novelty of the experience. She giggled all the way.