Economics of the oldest profession

October 30, 2008
By Larry Haverkamp
The Electric New Paper (Singapore)

EACH Saturday morning, Mrs Money and I take our two daughters, aged 10 and 13, to wushu classes on Waterloo Street. Wushu is like tai chi, but more dangerous. They use swords. Our girls love it and are getting good at it.

Last week, Mrs Money attended a seminar, so I took them myself. I waited at a nearby hawker centre.

I bought a drink and sat down with my newspapers.

Within 60 seconds, a rather attractive woman sat at my table with a big plate of rice.

There were empty tables all around. Why sit at my small table? But, as we say in Singapore, 'Never mind.'

I started reading my newspapers.

Every now and then, I glanced up at my uninvited table guest. She always gave me a big smile.

I finally said: 'Hello, my name is Larry.'

She said: 'My name Sally. I from Cambodia.'

I replied: 'Cambodia is a beautiful country. You seem to understand and speak English very well.'

She said: 'Yes, I learn from customers.'

I asked: 'Where? Where are your customers?'

She said: 'Customers in hotel.'

'Ah,' I said. 'Hotel is good business. Singapore will have close to 10 million tourists this year, even with the economic downturn. Which hotel do you work at?'

Sally said: 'I work many, many hotel. Every hotel.'

I couldn't figure that one out. How can someone work at many hotels?

I asked: 'What work you do at the hotels?'

She said: 'I make love with customer in hotel.'

I thought: 'Oooooh. Big trouble.'

I checked my watch to see if my daughters were about to return from wushu class. I was safe. Still 30 minutes to go.

I said to Sally: 'I write newspaper stories. You tell me about make-love business and I will write it in the newspaper. Okay?'

She said: 'Okay'.

For my first question, I inquired about pricing strategy: 'How much do you charge to make love?'

Sally said: '$300.'

Flexi-price

I asked, 'Is it a fixed price or do you charge different prices for different customers?'

She said: 'I think you very handsome when you were young. For you, only $200.'

'No, no. This is for newspaper story only. I am a married man,' I said, showing her my wedding ring.

Sally replied, 'No problem. All my customers married.'

'No, no, no. I am not customer. Newspaper story only! Back to price. What is your usual price?'

'$100 usual price,' she said. 'Sometime I get lucky. Last night, Englishman pay me $300 for one hour. Make Sally very happy.'

'How about other girls? Do they also charge $100?'

Sally seemed to know the market well and said: 'China girl, Thai girl - some charge $50. Very bad. Make difficult for other girl to charge more.'

I asked, 'Do you work in Geylang?'

'No. Many girl in Geylang. I go Orchard Tower. Better man in Orchard Tower.'

'Last question.' I asked, 'Isn't prostitution illegal? Will you be arrested?'

On this point, Sally showed a good understanding of the law. She said, 'I ask you make love - not legal. You ask me - legal.'

End of interview. I said goodbye to Sally, who is 30, and wished her the best. In eight years of Doc Money articles, it was my most unusual interview.