12th Street Rita
by Shirley Sandy
Category: Biography & Autobiography

In the late 60's and early 70's I was a well-known prostitute in Kansas City, Missouri. But this isn't the story of the Mayflower Madam or Hollywood's Heidi Fleiss. This is not about the rich and powerful. It is a true story about an everyday prostitute. I've titled the story '12th Street Rita' because Rita was my 'street name' and 12th Street was where I worked. I have written the story in three parts. Part I, 'Journey to 12th Street' begins at age 11 when my parents died and my brother, sister and I were sent to live with abusive relatives. Part II, 'The Life' is about prostitution in Kansas City in the 60's and 70's. Part III, 'The Awakening' is just that, coming out of a dream world and facing reality. The story ends at age 26. Over the years, I'd thought about writing this story, but didn't have time. I was a single mother trying to make ends meet after my prostitution career ended. As the years went by, I married and acquired in-laws I worried about. I didn't want them to know about my past. Then the grandchildren came and I said I'd never write the story. Almost three years ago I had open-heart surgery. I almost died several times, but I survived when everyone had given up hope. At that time, I realized I wanted to tell my story, because it too is a story of survival. The book contains profanity, but I couldn't be true to the story without it. This is a fast-paced, hard-hitting story, not for children, and not for those offended by adult language or sex.