Actually, the next morning I just went straight to work without bothering to stop by Mark's. I gave him a call on the way, just to make sure the tape was running, and kept the conversation short. He hadn't learned any more about Lori since the previous evening, so that was all I needed to know.
When I got to the casino, I got into my uniform and prepared for the start of my shift. Beth came in after I was dressed. "Hi, Ashley," she greeted. "How are you liking it here so far?"
"Well, I have to tell you, I'm getting used to it," I told her. "You were absolutely right on that score. Being small still makes me nervous, but not nearly so much any more."
"Anyone grab your ass yet?" she asked bluntly.
I laughed. "Not yet, thank God."
"Good. Well, I have to tell you, Ashley, you're adapting to the job a lot faster than most girls do. So much so, in fact, that we're moving you up to the main floor on Friday."
I was surprised. "Really?" I asked doubtfully. "I didn't think I was doing all that well."
"A lot of girls have real trouble getting used to 33," she told me. "Some of them never master the art of carrying the drink trays, especially with multiple glasses."
"It doesn't seem all that hard," I replied, trying not to sound too proud of myself. Actually, hauling the drinks seemed about the easiest part. Of course, I like to think of myself as well coordinated, which was obviously a plus in this job.
Beth nodded, as though what I'd said was intuitively obvious. "Well, for some people it isn't. Some girls never master it, and we have to let them go. All the girls have to be able to work at any of the stations, because we rotate you around. We don't hire for specific positions, you know."
I nodded, remembering that they did it that way for some technical reason or other. Something to do with the unions, I think.
"I do have some things I need you to work on, though," Beth went on. "First of all, when you move out to the main floor, you don't get to just wander around. You have a route you have to follow."
"I know," I replied. "I was talking to Heather about it yesterday, and she explained the whole thing."
"Good," she replied, obviously glad to not have to describe it all to me, something she'd probably done hundreds of times. "Here are some floor plans. Get familiar with them before Friday night. You'll want to go walk around, especially this route, which will be yours." She pointed at a specific area, marked with a blue line that took about a half dozen twists and turns around tables and slot machines.
"Doesn't look too hard," I said.
"You wouldn't think so, but remember, it's a lot bigger than you think, looking at this piece of paper. Besides, this is the easiest route in the casino. Check out some of these others."
I did, and some of them got pretty convoluted. "Wow, I'd hate to have to do that one," I said, pointing at a particularly jagged-looking line marked in red.
"That one's only for experts," she replied. "See these six zones? These are set up in order of difficulty. The blue one is the rookie area, which you're familiar with. Red, which is mostly craps, is toughest. There are more people there, they move around a lot, and they're always thirsty. Below that is roulette, wheel of fortune, and pyramid, where the players stand and do a lot of reaching. As you can see, the card games like paigow and blackjack are easiest, because the customer is always sitting down and usually stays put once he picks a good table."
I nodded. "What about the slot machines?"
"Well, they're everywhere," said Beth, "and every route takes you around and between them at least some of the time. The hardest paths go in and out the most, and through high traffic areas and busy intersections." She indicated some spots where people on their way through the casino or towards a bar or restaurant were most likely to pass. Fortunately, my Friday night route went nowhere near any of those places.
"Okay," Beth went on, "now that I've got you all worried about Friday, I need to tell you some things about today. First off, I need you to get started practicing on triples. Don't worry about mastering them right away, though. Friday, you'll be the extra girl on your shift, and only for five hours, so if you aren't able to keep up, it won't really hurt anything. We don't expect you to be perfect the first time, you know."
"Well, I'll try my best," I replied, figuring this was really just her way of trying to motivate me. Nor was I mistaken.
"Now, another thing, a little constructive criticism. Don't take this the wrong way, I'm just trying to make you a better employee."
"Don't worry, I can take it," I said casually. Well, here comes the bad news, I thought. It's a good thing I wasn't doing everything right, or I might have wound up with a swelled head.
"See that uniform?" she asked, pointing at the skintight costume that still made me feel uncomfortable, even on my third day. "Have you ever stopped to think about why you're wearing it?"
"Not really," I answered, resisting the urge to look down at it and give Mark a close-up view of my cleavage. "I figured it's just here to make me look sexy."
"Of course it is," Beth laughed. "But why is it important that you look sexy? Don't worry, this isn't a quiz. I'll tell you straight up. It's supposed to associate, in the mind of the gambler, that the Sidewinder is just as attractive and desirable as you are. That way they'll come back, hopefully often, not only to look at you and others like you, but to spend their money at our gambling tables."
"Makes sense," I agreed. "Sex sells, after all."
"Yep. And here at the Sidewinder, it's not just sex, it's size. We make you small so you look even more interesting and attractive. You'd be amazed at how many men get turned on just by the size thing alone. It makes them feel more powerful, and powerful men like to take risks and spend money. And that's the idea, right?"
"I suppose so," I agreed, wondering just where she was going with this.
"Let me get to the point, then," she continued. "Being attractive isn't just a matter of good looks, a scanty outfit, and a reduction in size. It's also about attitude. You have to be friendly, cheerful and outgoing--the kind of woman a man feels comfortable talking to. Remember, the idea here is to make the customer feel good about being here. So, what I'm saying is this: when someone looks at you, smile, and when they give you a tip, thank them and act like you really appreciate it."
"I see what you mean," I told her honestly. She was right, of course, on all counts. I'm just not that friendly, and I'll be the first one to admit it. "I suppose I'm still just nervous and not used to the shrinking thing," I went on. "Giant people still intimidate the hell out of me. When they look down at me, I don't feel much like smiling. It's more like an urge to run and hide."
She laughed. "You'll always feel that way, at least a little bit. I still do and it's been a year since I first went down. Just try to put it out of your mind and remember to be happy. Fake it if you have to, but look cheerful, and treat the customers like real people instead of dangerous giants."
"I'll try," I agreed, but for me, I knew that was going to be the hardest thing to get used to. Cheerful doesn't come easy to me, and I knew that having to look happy while only two feet tall would be extremely difficult.
"That's all I can ask," she told me. "Just consider it practice for later on. In a week or so, we'll give you a try on the roulette wheel, and you're going to have to be in a real good mood for that."
She laughed again, but inwardly I felt a real stab of fear. Roulette would mean a 15, so I'd be only ten inches high, and I'd have to wear those stupid stiletto heels. Plus, I'd be directly interacting with people who'd be right in my face all night long.
How was I supposed to get used to that?