Live the same

So Johnny was living his best life, the girls were doing the models’ makeup, and I was “taking photos.” Some people were coming and going, and most of the conversations were in Spanish. But I still had no idea what exactly was going on — what kind of beauty pageant this was, or how it was supposed to work. Not that it bothered me much, since we were just extras anyway.

As I learned, the “beauty pageant” was somehow connected to a big poker tournament. Although I was told that I wasn’t obligated to take photos, the “models” saw me with a camera and started asking if I could take their photos. However, none of them asked how they were going to get the photos afterwards. Which, frankly, is a good thing they didn’t — because the treacherous Dominican rum and the scorching sun had already done their job, making it nearly impossible to get any decent photos, hahaha 😅

Preparations were in full swing, some "models" were getting their makeup done, and there were errands to run to stores for swimsuits. I was sent out too, though I had no idea why—after all, all the models were from Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and Venezuela, and I didn’t speak Spanish or Portuguese. Besides, what do I know about swimsuits, hahahaha...

When everything was ready, it was time for the show. I expected a large hall, judges, or something like how beauty pageants are shown in movies (that’s the only place I’ve seen them). But everything took place in a very large hotel room—a presidential suite or something like that. There were no judges, just the "models," the staff, Johnny, me, and about 15 men of various ages, most of whom looked like your typical gambling addicts from a casino. And I had already seen most of these men—they had been coming into the room where the "models" were getting ready.