The unusually hot summer has taken its toll on the prostitutes in Philadelphia. On average, these women pull in $100-$200 a night. This summer, they're lucky if they make $50. "It's hot as hell out this b***h", remarked Sherry, a 45 year old veteran of the corner, last Thursday. "Dudes ain't comin' out in the heat. I got eleven kids to feed. Something gotta change or I'm gonna have to find a new job. "
Lucky for Sherry and her colleagues August 2 was National Night Out(NNO), the night when local town watches spend the entire night combing the streets, and well, watching the town. The only night of the year desperate married men are not only excused but encouraged to roam the seedier areas of town the entire night. Sherry, and others in her line of duty, took advantage of all NNO groups making their presence felt in local neighborhoods. Early reports on this year's National Night Out indicate that the average working girl made at least $400.
"Oh yeah, They was real freaky too, three at one time tried to get up on this." said an anonymous street-walker, "It's always like this on NNO though. NNO is to ho's , what Valentine's Day is to those flower seller people." (we assume she meant florists)
But isn't the point of NNO to stop this type of behavior? Many of the guys who solicited helpĀ from these girls, didn't think they were being counter-productive.
"I was stopping crime all night and it was on my fifteen minute break that I helped out the local economy as well ", said a town watch leader who pleaded with us to keep him anonymous, "One of the aspects of the night is to meet your neighbors. And I did. In fact, I met two neighbors that night."
All the men involved in the event believe National Night Out was a huge success. And I for one plan to participate next year.
Reported and Written by Special Guest Reporter Sheen Dimsdale
