But they asked me to do something else. What a nice case it is! I just encountered an incorporated strength of the giants about whom I wanted to tell the world into a shape of the network on which I depend and which is in some way or the other is another dominion of another international multi-conglomerate.
The film I was told to make is supposed to be about prostitution. That is quite a hot topic our days with all of this disputed state legalization and the human smuggling from Eastern Europe. That is such a big world embracing many levels from the bottom of bordellos to the top luxury of pro escort ladies providing their services to the rich people from privileged society. Yes, the topic is not bad for a doc. But that was quite irritating to be forced to do what I did not intend to. And why me? There is such a variety of TV people who can do it. It is true that some of my investigating documentaries connected in their issue to politics and crime achieved some modest success, but that won’t help much in the matter.
When beginning a new thing ordered by the network, I would go through some usual dull ritual. I would call to one person representing them just to check out whether there are requirements about which I don’t know. But usually, I always know about all the requirements. And the truth is that in this way I just report to them that their order is received and will be executed.
So, I picked up the instrument and dialed the number to connect to someone whom I know and about whom I had never cared and who knows me and who had never cared about me too.
So, what things exactly do you want me to discuss in the film? I asked somewhere in the middle of a dull talk. There should be something interesting. Find and show it. Show it in diversity. I mean in different kinds of it, from a low side of it to the top of it where the big money flow. That was the answer I received. Go and get it from down to up, from left to right.
Oct, 29. Morning. from Dictaphone Record. by Martin
The day when I was going to meet Mr. Shadow. At morning it was misty. Indeed, a mist covered an area for many blocks ahead from my place. As it was agreed, I was supposed to meet a stranger on the spot. Time and place set. I went to a corner where there were a few small shops and some cafe. There were a few people around. And in the fog like this, it even seemed that there were no people at all. I waited and then… I waited a little more. At some point, I began to think that I misunderstood the address or time. Or I thought it was some stupid joke indeed. And someone is cruelly laughing. Like I am still some insecure schoolboy. Actually, I felt quite nervous.
I tried to knock at the cafe window. No one seemed to be there too. I got no answer. But after several minutes more, I tried again. And that time, a person appeared. I mean a guy from a cafe. I tried to order some coffee. He tried to persuade me that they don’t serve anything until they open. Rules, you know. I argued a little. And after some few attempts, I achieved success. The cafe guy managed to bring me some coffee in a plastic mug.
I decided it was enough. I finish the coffee, I go home, and the joke is over. I finished but hesitated. Maybe the coffee was really good, and I asked for one more cup. It took some time. I drank this second one. And at that moment I was positive about going back home to have some nap.
I went in the direction to a bus stop. And then when I turned to another street and started walking in another direction, I suddenly recognized something strange with a corner of my eye. I turned back. And I saw that there was a strangely dressed person. It wasn’t an absolutely strange suit, but… He wore the gray coat and gray hat. The hat covered most of his face with a shadow.
I made a few unsure steps toward him. I stood there and almost tried to talk. I waited that he would talk first, probably. But instead… He just produced a wrap from under his coat. He held the folder in his hand for a while. I hesitated and then slowly I took the wrap from him. In all this mist he looked really like… Mr. Shadow. Like a guy from the comics strip who could be both the good and the evil. He didn’t say anything. He just made a silence gesture. He crossed a lower part of his face with his index finger. And I didn’t see his face. Just a sign of silence.
And in a mist, he was swept away by his quick sportsman-like stride. Now I am thinking about all this, and I don’t know what it really means to me.
It’s time to unwrap the mystery.
Oct, 30. Private Audio Diary of Elise. by Elise
Last night I had a strange dream. There was nothing strange about the images I received in it, but there was something strange about a feeling I had in it. And when I woke up, I felt uneasy for a while. I stood in the endless field of strawberries. Sun was high, the sky was blue, and there was nothing as the eye could see but strawberries. I felt I wanted to taste them. I reached out for the strawberries and took one. And then put it into my mouth. But that berry was tasteless. Disappointed, I took another one, but it also had no sweetness and no taste at all. Then suddenly, I understood that I was standing there in this endless field of strawberries being nude. I had no clothes on me and didn’t feel shame. And for an instant, I felt like I wanted it. And then the dream was over.
When I woke up, I wondered what my subconsciousness wanted to tell me. And is there any message to be read or it’s just another strange dream? My first thought was to take a morning shower. That had to be refreshing. I took my pajamas and my underwear off. Then I wondered why I did it in the bedroom, but not in the bathroom. For a couple of seconds or so, I stood undressed there, feeling myself like when meditating and then directed to the bathroom’s door. And the shower was refreshing and nice indeed. I felt like I entirely woke up after that.
Last evening Martin called me and told me he would be off the studio, said he would work in the field probably. And so, I arrived at the studio when it was past eleven o’clock. I spent some time sorting some useful files containing some useful information from folder to folder and ate another sandwich. After one and a half hour work, I decided that I would give myself a day vacation and maybe while walking through the city I would find a couple of new ideas for a new doc project nesting in my mind.
I went to a cinema to watch some rather mediocre but rather bearable Hollywood’s blockbuster. And also I entertained myself with a walk through the park and made some little shopping, as little money in my possession does not permit me more. That was not so freaking great, but that was not the worst day of my life. At home, I spent my day’s rest usually. A little of TV, some food, and some book. Right now I almost forgot to put my pajamas on. I wish myself the nice dreams.
Night, October 30. Going to bed, end of a line.
Oct, 30. from Dictaphone Record. by Martin
As I woke up this day, I tried to prolong my late morning activities as much as possible. Maybe it was subconscious. Because as soon as I finished my breakfast and tooth brushing, I was supposed to face the dangerous wrap containing I did not know what. What if inside there was some bomb mechanism hidden? And there was indeed a bomb of some kind. And there is not a thing in the world that can stop a modern journalist from being curious. Or better say sensational. In my view, a modern journalist is always a greedy person. It is just a kind of greed that differs. A dishonest journalist is greedy for money, and honest is greedy for information. Maybe, being honest means choosing priorities and holding back some of your desires, most of all.
When the time comes to do it, all you can is to do it. I took the wrap. Opened it. Inside there was no bomb. Indeed there was one. But it was made of data explosive.
Inside it, there was a big envelope with a word Instructions printed on it in big letters in its center. And below it, in little letters, there was a recommendation. You better follow this. I took the envelope and saw that it was lying on the top of many other envelopes of smaller size. I tore the instructions envelope and inside I found a couple of pages with what indeed happened to be instructions on how I should receive the information. And it also said what can happen to me if I don’t do it in a recommended way. I don’t want to say what it was supposed to happen to me if I do it deliberately and without following the instructions, but the rest of it, in general, consisted of the order in which I should open an envelope after an envelope. And it actually said that I should not go to the next stage until I am not done completely with the current information from a current envelope. So, each envelope bore the number and sometimes a title too. I found one with the digit one printed on it. I tore it and inside I found nothing but the USB flash drive. I tapped some other envelopes, and it looked like inside there was also nothing but the similar flash drive sticks.
Well, that should be a little container for big secrets. What was there? I thought maybe there was some unbeatable computer virus which would kill my laptop’s digital sanity in a second as soon as I only launch the flash drive, no matter how strong my protection is. But the real virus of my life is not a digital one, but the virus of journalist’s curiosity. What am I in this game? Am I a cat or a mouse in it? And do you remember what killed the cat actually?
As I plugged a dangerous flash drive in, I was sitting and gazing at the window on my monitor like being paralyzed for a minute or so. In total there were two files. One was the text file and one – a video. The text file consisted of instructions about what I should do first. And one of the first things was about an interview with some girl. Her full contact information and address were listed in the file. And if to talk about the video file, I think that is such a thing about which it would be completely true to say that seeing is believing, because that is the thing which is hard to describe in plain words. Well, in general, I would say the video consisted of some sort of secretly made records that were full of… well… They were full of sex.
Some Notes on the Subject of Prostitution. from Dictaphone Record. by Martin
Prostitution is a kind of human activity that is historically coined as the oldest profession in the world. But it is also true that many people still consider this activity to be absolutely unsuitable for the normal society. Many consider that thing should be out of decent society. They would prefer this profession to be in the shadow of the gray sector’s economy. To be a dark part of social life. This opinion survives our days, when in many European countries – and around the world too – the prostitution gained legal status. And at the same time when almost no one is concerned about existence and global flourishing of the commercial porn industry. That is possible to note that in between the porn production and the prostitution there is a huge difference. At least that is what many people do believe. But is it really so? At least is it such a big difference across the entire range of comparison? What I mean… I mean that we may say that a porn actress may choose more. She can choose not to participate in a porn movie. She can choose it if she thinks there is something she does not want to do and if there is someone with whom she does not want to do this. Or there are both these obstacles together. Also, it is true that hardly many porn stars list too many requirements from their side. Actually, it seems that a modern pornography feature – or something like a short video – is done in the very obscure frameworks, bearing not a lot of limitations, if it has any at all. So, most of the porn stars seem quite ready to perform everything they may be asked to perform. For a porn star, a video audience is the final consumer of a product. For a prostitute, it is a certain person with certain wishes. Well… at least, in theory. The difference between the real sex and the video is that a video should present as much as possible to make a person kinky and excited. When in reality all of that may be not needed that much. Though, of course, it varies. So, that is why a porn star may do everything for money, just to stay in business. If she asks for requirements, she may find herself to be not that much wanted for this specific kind of job. And also, at least, the VIP escort girls charge more than a regular porn star for one hour. I mean the porn stars do not always earn more cash.
To expand this idea – I had heard from one of my acquaintances, who is definitely more informed about the matter than me, that there are the escort girls who won’t do absolutely anything you ask. They do have the requirements. And they may simply inform you on that before you start to do anything. And most probably, that will be noted in the advertisement. In some part that can be called, uh, resume. That is how I suppose everything except the photos in the ad can be called. And also if a girl receives the clients privately at her place, she may theoretically choose people to whom she opens the private door. In this case, she may note in her advertisement that she has some face control. There is nothing to talk about forced prostitution, or about that kind of it that just comes from the severe poverty. It is an evident evil, but it is different when one chooses it consciously like when someone starts participating the porn production also without an external pressure but just having both the opportunity and the wish. Or at least having no reasons against this way of earning money.
Laws against prostitution are based on some moral code probably in bigger extent than on anything else. The stealing is immoral, but is there a law against it only because of its moral quality? Laws in the modern rational world are actually a system of governmental rule, but indeed they are part of economic one, because the economy, better say money, is what everyone including govt people is worried about. On the economic side, stealing is not good because when someone steals, he gets benefits not giving to society. It is a bad thing because it is not a fair exchange and there is nothing to do with morals. And a fair exchange is the principal element and also the symbol of contemporary democracy. Ten Commandments are not important that much anymore. Instead, we have one major one – Thou Shalt Exchange Fairly. And do it as much as possible. And that is why the stealing is not good. One should not take when he gives nothing. That is the very principal rule of capitalism. But prostitution is not stealing, it is an exchange, and in a legal mode, it is not a forced activity.
And is it true that prostitution should not be legal only due to some specific moral code of society that allows so many other things to happen, but cannot tolerate one item more? Or maybe it is just a question of official position. The government doesn’t want to lose the support of the conservative part of society. When on the other side, they also won’t issue laws that will be very severe to prostitutes. And frankly speaking, I almost sure that almost in any parliament there are enough of men – and possibly women too – who did not avoid an option provided by the elite escort call girls. And also there is a known case that explains the conventionality of the thing. It was in California. One nimble entrepreneur benefited from the porn studio where clients paid to be filmed. There were the rooms and the girls in the rooms who were contracted as actresses. And if some guy paid money, he could spend an hour in the room with a girl while it all was filmed on a camera placed in there. After that, a guy received a private copy for himself. So actually, it was nothing but another bordello, just with a particular option of filming the process. So, is it just a matter of calling the things with the names? Is it so important for authorities to have a legal but unjust reason to say that they don’t support and promote such things?