Not a sad tale, not a sexy tale, a tale that is in my heart and in my head and looking for a forum.  I've been actively engaged in the "hobby," as it has so cleverly been come to be known, since approximately the fall of 1990.  I was working full-time  in a very demanding job.  I was a successful young man,  but I was still a virgin in many ways.  Realizing my limitations, following one particular late, lonely Saturday night in the King of Prussia area, I drove into Center City Philadelphia to take my chances at the only place I suspected I might be able to change my "luck," Doc Johnson's Leisure Time Products at the corner of 12th and Arch.  There I wandered in, saw the performing spaces in the back, paid my upfront fee, sat down, and started chatting with a pleasant enough girl in a booth who had a nice smile.  Talking back and forth, she realized what I was after, and arranged for me to meet her in a private booth in the back.  Only there did I realize that she didn't have hands, more or less a thalidomide child working as best as she could.  She got on top of me, I got inside her, she rode me hard, I think I came, the seal had been broken, I wandered off a little sweatier, a little dizzier, and a little...disappointed.  The next morning, a Sunday, my body felt like I had fallen off a cliff.  Stiff muscles in legs, arms, back, neck.  Took several days for that feeling to fade, at which point I had to  dive back into my work.  Then I started thinking about other ways,  other methods.  Which led me to the late,  lamented newsprint world of Philly Action, City Paper, and Philadelphia Weekly.

in my life at that place.  The place and 20th and market was pretty good too.  I see it's still there.

Good memories! Never tried the place you mention -- maybe someday!

I honestly tried to find the type of love and marriage my parents had, alas twas not meant to be.  For the most part, I dated mostly beautiful women who were out of my league.... and then, on a trip home, I discovered the world of strip joints...  and loved going to them.  As we know, the strippers are adept at removing money with their promises of more.... and as I was in my 30s... well, it was easy to find someone (a civie) to pair up with and have sex... but not love.

in my late 30s though I discovered "massage parlors"  where for a few dollars you would get a massage, and the gals would then leave the room - "going on Break!" and the hostess would come in and have you sign a sheet of paper stating that you only received a massage.... then your masseuse would come back into the room and tell you her "shift was over' and she was lookin for some fun... well, she would also suggest that you "tip" her for the said massage - and you haggle a bit, and then the fun would begin..... ahhhhhh the old days... then I learned how to approach strippers and began dating them.... about that time I took a vacation to an exotic place.... and met Ms. Superdude... was married for about 10 years... and for 5 or so of them had no sex... We divorced.... (2 kids later)  - and there I was with a job downtown and lots of time....  

I have  used services, back of the philly paper rags... I remember Steam! the asian massage parlor on Callowhill which was famous for the decadance...  I have recruited providers from the ranks of strippers only tohave one drug me, steal from me and leave.. all is chronicled on the pages of TER.  I have recruited a number of strippers as excorts, been to Joys, fallen for escorts, had them fall for me, become friends with some, and had one or two break my heart... I have photographed some, one made dinner for me on my birthday (something the ex never did) sent photos in to playboy and had one get a contract that way... you name it - I done it!  

know what - its all good.

I can't remember the name of the places now except one.

There was Hana's, south of Market Street. Was it around 16th & Chestnut/Walnut? A walk-up AMP.

The one I frequented the most was across from the old Inquirer building on Callowhill. Another AMP walk-up. Decent facilities, a half dozen ladies to choose from. Nice table shower and nice service for the rate. Those girls really road Cowgirl well.

There was another place near 2nd and Market in Old City. A thin blond ran the place.

And there was a FBSM place that ended in a HJ that was on Rdige Pike near Butler Pike.

Back in the day I used to head up to NYC a lot to the houses in midtown that seemed to congregate around 1st or 2nd and 32nd-34th streets. You go in and sit amongst 4-6 women as you waited for one of the 3-4 rooms to open up. They then said it was your turn, and you selected a lady to go with. Very nice selection of ladies across the spectrum.

Those were the days...

I wonder if we had the same girl? I had one at the place next to the theatre on Market, near 22nd (since then, torn down).  I asked her to unbutton my shirt and that's when I realized she had misformed hands.  We managed .  I, too, remember STEAM, the old Joy's (haven't been to her place in 20 years), FairyTales in Old City, a few other places I've now forgotten.  Didn't have reviews, but also didn't have to plan days in advance to get an appointment.  Sittin' here online tonight because no one was free at last minute.