Be prepared....

Six weeks I have been freelancing and not a sniff of a new story. Until yesterday that is.
It went something like this….

Creative guy: Are you here next week?
Me: No.
Creative guy: What are you doing?
Me: My own work.
Creative guy: What’s that then?

I explain what I do with the rest of my life.

Him: Uh, really? God, you should hear the story about how my kid brother despatched his virginity…
Me: Oh yeah, how’s that then?
Creative guy: He went on a scout trip to Holland and lost his virginity to a prostitute.

Me: Er, excuse me?

Creative guy: Yeah, he was thirteen and he lost his virginity to a prostitute on a scout camp trip.

Sweet mother of god, do you know how long I have been searching for this story? When it arrives, it belongs to a thirteen year old Boy Scout. You could not make this stuff up. People think I do, but I don’t. I don’t need to.

A man who lost his virginity to a prostitute. It’s an angle. It may not be everybody’s angle, but it is an angle nonetheless. Unsurprisingly, no one wants to talk about it. Perhaps they fear I will judge them, (not a chance); maybe they think I will be embarrassed, (ditto the above). Either way, I have asked friends, interviewees and relatives. I have asked friends, interviewees and relatives to ask their friends. I have emailed prostitutes and hung around in chat rooms. I have searched long and hard for this holy grail of stories, all to no avail. Until now.

Me: (trying to contain excitement), so do you think your brother would be prepared to spill the beans? I would be very discreet, names changed, places changed and all that?

Creative guy: Yeah, quite possibly.

Me: where does he live?

Creative guy: San Francisco.

Me: oh.

Bum.

Comments

[Billy]

Phone call? Skype? E-Mail? Chat?

Get it done!

[Kate Monro]

I have often toyed with the idea of doing phone interviews - believe me, it would have been easier many times, I have been all over the shop to get stories. But I still think that nothing beats a face to face. I don't think its possible to really 'get' a person, unless they are sitting in front of you - so much is communicated through facial expression alone. But thanks for the thought. And as the line at the top of this page says, 'theres a first time for everything'! Either that or a flight to the US.
How are you doing anyway Billy?

[stm]

You know...Virgin America just started service in the States. You can find (relatively) cheap fares from London to San Francisco.

You can find roundtrip fares in November and December for 350 pounds (including taxes). If you were looking for a vacation destination, you can combine the two.

Plus, the airline name is incredibly fitting.

[Kate Monro]

Ha ha, good thinking Batman!

[Anon.]

I have, I think 3 friends who've lost their virginity to prostitutes. Granted they were all 19 and in Thailand, but it still seems a strange thing to do to me...

[Kate Monro]

Well perhaps it is one way of getting a big moment in one's life out of the way. Perhaps it takes the pressure off a little bit - in more than one way I imagine?