pic: Benjamin Page is not a Hustler
This is special edition of my blog that is dedicated to the hard working men and woman of Budapest.
I didn't come to Budapest to meet hustlers, nor was I interested in talking to them but for some strange reasons I find them fascinating!
If you have read my earlier blog you know that I had encountered a male hustler while walking on the bank of the Danube. He had some interesting conversations about his life and why he is doing this for work. (see day 13). I never saw him again.
This is the second time Andreas and I went to the the river for the spectacular sunset and the city light that will follow the dramatic sunset. We sat quietly for about 30 mins and young man come over to us and started a conversation. He is 20 and well dressed and nothing strange came to mind but as soon as he told us he is an escort things changed. His name is Steve and he is savvy, boyish and good looking hustler. He asked us for 100 euros each for sex and we refused and it was discounted for 2 of us together for 100 euros. We laughed and told him we just do not do this. He than tried to con us to buy him a beer and said no. We talked a bit more and he went away to look for other possible clients. At 20 he was slick and worldly and his innocence was long lost.
The next evening I had an unexpected trip to Deak Frenec area and just a 2 blocks from the Danube and I said why not. I went for another sunset at my favorite spot of the corso. I meditated and did some yoga and Steve appeared. This time he was more pleasant and less pushy, we had a long conversation about his life in the orphanage and how he got sucked into this business of hustling. He is not gay nor bisexual and just doing this for the money. He told me he had met a 17 year old girl walking her dog just a few mins before he saw me and they are going on a date tomorrow.
He than started to ask me about my life but I didn't feel like revealing myself very much. He than ask me if I would ever have sex with a girl and I told him no. He was shocked and didn't understand why I would say that... He than said what if someone has a gun on your head, would you than? I said maybe than I will think about it!
Our conversation covered many aspects of our lives and He compartmented on the quality of my clothes and ask me if he can have some. He wanted to us to go to the hotel and pick them up immediately. I said no because I needed them....but for a moment I did feel bad enough to want to help out. A few moments later he brought up hiring him for another discounted price of 50 USD my sympathy dissipated once again.
Like the night wind sweeping the river he got up arbropetly and disappeared into the night, I thought maybe he saw another possible client.
I watched the lights for another 30 mins and decided to go check out a club he had mentioned just 4 blocks away. Half way there he emerged from the darkness once more...
He said he saw a really beautiful woman so he ran over to talk to her and he had just walk her home. I was amazed how he he can maximized his time working as a male hustler and finding dates with women at the same.
I told him he can come with me to the club and I offered to buy him 2 drinks in exchanged for the time we spent together. We really had a good time together!
I didn't come to Budapest to write about hustlers and I have never encountered people like this in the States. Budapest forced people of all classes together, tourist or not; the hustlers exist quietly under the shadow of the Danube and the international tourist that came to the river for it's beautiful sunset. On the other hand American hustlers live parallel lives on the Internet and erotic services ads on the back pages of the weekly paper.
I hope Steve's date with the girl went well today and he will finally find happiness.
