Ann and I answered an advertisement for showgirls for a current show. We were both hired and expected to start work that evening, at The Sahara Hotel, joining a dance troupe from Argentina.
The girls in the show had never been to the United States and bombarded us with questions. One unforgettable one was, “Where can I buy mice to feed Zin, my snake?” She used a Boa Constrictor in her act.
Jade, a tall dancer with long black flowing hair, asked, “Do you know a doctor where I can get a Gold Butterfly?”
I answered,” A friend of mine just had one put in by Dr. Jeff. His office is one block from here. “ Jade called his office and got his first appointment the following morning.
I was sound asleep the next day when I got a call from my dentist, Dr. Jeff, at 8 am. He called to explain what had happened with Jade. He started by thanking me for referring Jade to him.
He advised that when he started to examine her teeth, she grabbed his hand and put it between her legs, shouting, “‘No, no. I want the gold butterfly put down here! I am a working girl and I am losing money!
“She was expecting me to put in a contraceptive device. She’s upset with both of us.”.
I reminded him that he had put a gold butterfly behind Pam’s two front teeth to keep them from separating. That is what I thought Jade wanted to have done.
Dr. Jeff said, “Jade is from Argentina. Many foreign countries have different names for contraceptives. In addition to being a dancer, she is also a striking prostitute.”
I apologized for my misunderstanding. I had never heard of a gold butterfly contraceptive.
I thanked him for calling to explain the situation. He said, “The incident made my day.”
I made several calls explaining the circumstances. After the last show that evening, one of the girls sent a physician to see Jade. I was relieved the situation was resolved.
I swear I heard Jade humming, “Hi, Ho It’s off to work we go!”
