The driving rain punished the windows on Candy’s RV. Her dad had called it The Monster. It was clunky and brown, and it had been decades old when he bought it. But it was still running now, three years after his death. Candy had finally paid it off in April, working doubles at The Duece and taking on full-service clients when it didn’t feel shady. She knew she could make more money if she promoted herself, but she hated spending time on social media, so she just took whatever lap dance clients were sober enough to hustle without feeling like a creep out to the pump shed. It was weirdly located on the far edge of the courtyard they shared with the art taxidermists whose names she could never remember.

Anyways, Hal had paid for a private show, and he looked impatient as she pulled The Monster up to the shed. Is this your house, he asked. Yes, she said. It is my house. Why can’t we do it here? Because, dude, it’s my house. This, she said, pointing at the shed, is my office. But there’s literally a bed right here, he said. She stared at him and pulled her jacket over her head. She jumped out of The Monster, not looking to see if he would follow. He would.

Once they were in the shed, she put on her favorite playlist and started a slow striptease. Make it slow when they’re paying by the hour, she heard her man’s voice in her head. There’s a lot of Lana Del Rey on this playlist, Hal said. Candy ignored him. She was so glad she’d done a bump when he wasn’t looking.

The funny thing is he didn’t seem to be looking at her now. He was definitely ogling, but no part of her felt seen. Who am I if no one is watching, she thought. She thus realized the true nature of herself and was enlightened. She started to put her clothes back on.

Hey, what are you doing, Hal asked.

I’ve just been enlightened, she said. I love doing sex work, but right now I’d like to enjoy my bodhisattvahood without your presence.

I’m not going to pay you, Hal yelled.

Bodhisattva Candy shrugged. Money is fake, she said.

Money is fake, he asked.

Yes, she said. It only works if everyone agrees to it.

Really, he said. Is the same true for all of reality?

Yes, Bodhisattva Candy said.

Wow, said Hal. And with that, he was enlightened. Bodhisattva Candy was delighted!

Here she was, having just become enlightened, and already she was leading folks out of Samsara. She smiled to herself as she and Hal walked out of the shed. The rain had stopped and now it was a beautiful day, especially since she had become a bodhisattva!