Participants:
Scene Title | To Old New York |
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Synopsis | A causal drink turns into a casual date. This is Eve's first date in years. |
Date | March 15, 2011 |
It's been a relatively quiet night at the Orchid Lounge. Not as many people as usual, which is totally fine with Eve Mas. She's a little out of it anyway, or has been the whole day. There she sits, on a barstool brought up to her as she fingerpicks chords and sings the ending of her set. Eyes closed and that powerful voice echoing throughout the place as she ends with,
And the wind never blew, through my house again.
The chains never rattled at my door.
But in the end of all of this.
I can say.. I miss you.. my..
Friend.
A final strum of the guitar as her voice holds the note for a few seconds before she stops and opens her eyes to look out at the crowd. The few that are there tonight, do indeed clap and one or two people cheer. The people that regularly come to hear Eve sing. "Thank you," is said into the mic as the spotlight dims and the woman with the long, raven dark hair exits the stage. Beginning her walk to the bar tonight, not to her regular booth she always occupies.
Tonight, she wears a very dark green dress that hugs her figure but blows out at the knees, her heels a deep golden. Light makeup and jewelry. Eve always wears her long dresses when she performs. Sliding onto a bar stool, she raises her hand and the bartender gives her the regular fruity drink she likes. Light grey eyes close as she takes the first sip and smiles softly to herself.
Ah, so good.
Business meetings are often boring. Business dinners are usually the same.
When a wonderful contract showed up on the horizon - maintenance of a small private school's computer network for a not insignificant fee - Dax, being the businessman that he was, pulled out all the stops. Thoughtful bid on high-quality paper, calls daily to ensure he was giving them exactly what was requested or more for the same amount of money, whether or not they were happy and the like. It was so close that he could almost see the money entering his bank account when, sadly, another company undercut his bid by thousands and offered exactly what they were wanting, even though his product was better. The victory dinner he had planned at the Orchid has turned into something more of a sad little affair.
Dressed in a well-tailored pinstriped suit that fits him perfectly, the jacket thrown over the chair he'd claimed, the collar of his shirt unbuttoned, red striped tie loosened, Dax is currently sipping on a scotch on the rocks - one of the higher end ones, since the cheap scotches normally leave a taste like an old tire on the roof of his mouth. He had discovered this place a bit after arriving in New York so many years ago but didn't show up often enough to be considered a regular. Perhaps six times a year or so, if that. The singers were often good and the food, when he did eat, was tasty, if a little on the pricey side.
Dax is one of the ones who claps, though. A good song does make him feel better, and when the package producing said song is lovely, so much the better. The barstool shifts slightly as he turns, raising his glass to the singer. "A wonderful song, miss. You've got a gift, there, for certain." His voice soft, with a hint of a french-cajun accent.
As she takes another sip of her fruity drink, Eve nods with a nice smile towards Dax. "Thanks, I've been singing my whole life." She comments briefly, people always compliment her singing and songs, at first it was pretty damn hard to get used now, but now.. she's pretty good at taking compliments and not shooting herself down.
"You're not a regular are you?" Eve tilts her head, she knows almost every regular face in this place. "Just curious," she adds with a light grin. Her ears prick at the slight sound of his accent. She wonders if she began speaking in French, would he understand.
A hand goes briefly to run through some of the tangled bits that are known as Eve's Mane. Shaking the rest out, she regards Dax with a curious stare. He's cute, definitely. But Eve hardly ever gets through one meeting with a guy without showing a little bit of her crazy.
Dax's drink is about half-full; scotch is not something you guzzle or shoot to get a buzz - you drink scotch for the smoky flavors, the essence, what the distiller put into it. Setting it down on the sandstone coaster supplied by the bar, he shakes his head in the affirmative. "Yes'm, that's correct. I don't come here very often - usually only to celebrate or when I need to unwind. Today, unwinding is most definitely required." Dax lifts his drink and takes a small sip, setting it down again before turning to face the lounge singer more fully. "I might make this a regular spot someday, though."
Dax doesn't show any nervousness or discomfort at talking to Eve - almost a familiarity. It's the attitude that's paid off in business many, many times and often gets people to open up a bit more. Does wonders for conversation, too. Wiping his hand on the cloth napkin provided at the bar, Dax offers it to Eve for a shake. "Daniel Jackson Arcenaux, at your service, miss. Dax for short." With a grin, he switches to french - "«It's a pleasure to meet you. »"
"This is a good place to come for any occasion." Eve comments lightly before taking a gulp of her drink and wiping her on own hand before taking Dax's hand in a light handshake, "Eve Kendra Mas." She says softly, eyes staring into his. "«Likewise, Dax.»" she replies in French and then she's releasing his hand with a soft smile. Then comes the moving over from one bar stool to another that's closer to him. Eve doesn't really know how to act around guys.. cute guys.. and picking people up at bars. She's as experienced in that as she is with babies.
"So, you have to unwind tonight? What was the thing that had you all worked up?" she tilts her head, a curious expression on her face, tendrils of her hair fall into her face every once in a while and she knocks them away with a finger.
It's not that Dax is inexperienced at picking up people in bars - it's just that he really doesn't go out and try to do it. Sure, he occasionally has a bit of a fling, but it's after conversation, a few laughs and the like, but specifically going to a club to pick up women? Lines and the like? Doesn't fit his personality or style.
"I do love the atmosphere. It reminds me a little of a little club in New Orleans I used to go to just off of Bourbon street. Very cozy, very personable, and not anything like what you think of when you hear 'club in New Orleans." Dax chuckles softly, gazing back into her eyes with his own baby blue ones, not looking away or challenging, but just being friendly and direct. "A business deal that went sour, sadly. Ah well." He takes another drink, letting out a breath as he does. "«You know,»" He switches to french again. "«It's not often I get to converse in French with someone as lovely as you.»" His french is good, but it's a little tinged - probably due to that New Orleans he mentioned.
"«Ha! My mother was a second generation immigrant and my father was an Italian man, the only one from his family that moved out here.»" She replies with a sweet smile. She's not getting the pick me up vibe from this guy, which gives her the sigh of relief. She doesn't know how to handle situations like that. "«Oh, a business deal gone wrong, yes? Hmm there's always other ones out there and just think, the next one might be better then this one.»" A bit of positive energy never hurt anyone, right?
"«You're from New Orleans? I've never been.. it has to be way more fun there right now. Then here.»" she teases with a chuckle. She's sure New Orleans isn't under martial law.. and doesn't have a huge ruin in the middle of it's city and curfews?!
She's been feeling more and more like a rebellious teenager then a adult in this city. "«I wonder how long it'll take for the government to realize that they've messed up beyond repair.»" A sad thing for her to admit, but New York City is lost. It will probably never find it's way back.
The Bartender probably gives the pair a look as they jabber on in French, but it's part of the allure of being from New Orleans - you can do that sort of thing and people find it exotic instead of annoying. "«Originally, yes. My parents were immigrants from Canada - they came down with the Creole exodus and settled just outside of New Orleans and I…well…ended up here.»" Dax smiles, taking another sip of his drink, crossing one leg over the other. "«That's the way I look at it - still, it's a little frustrating to put in all the work and see none of the benefit. If all goes well, I'll have my name out there for the next one. Such is life, yes?»"
The comment about the curfews and how the government has screwed things up - that elicits a nod from the man, a serious expression appearing for a moment. "«Too long, I think. With registration, martial law, and everything involved, it's not really a good place anymore. >"
Raising her glass she agrees, "«Such is life.»" Before tipping it back and drinking down more. Her eyes flick from the bartender back then back to Dax. New Orleans has always fascinated her. "«If I wasn't born and raised here, I would just up and leave. Go back to Italy or something.»" Though she realizes that as she says this, there isn't anybody really here for Eve. Not that would miss her, why does she stick around?
"«There was a time when this city was really fun.»" She laughs, but not anymore. "«So, what do you do Dax?" Obviously a business man, but what kind? Drug dealer.. arms dealer.. art dealer.. Any kind of dealer?
"«I think a lot of us feel the same way. It's alluring, thinking of just packing up and going somewhere else, where things are better.»" Better meaning no martial law, no curfew, no nothing. "«I could probably go to France - my french is passable, but I still have a little trouble writing it.»" Dax leans back in his barstool slightly, the wood creaking a little as he does.
"«Too true, too true. You could go see a show, go to a club, go to the park and not worry about anything other than the occasional vagrant.»" He lifts his glass. "«To old New York…may you be a beacon of freedom again, someday.>""
Lowering his glass, Dax chuckles at her question. "«Nothing too interesting, to tell the truth. I run a small shop that builds and repairs computers. Nothing glamourous, but it pays the bills rather well and gives me a chance to come to places like this.»"
Agreeing with him, Eve toasts with the man, "«To Old New York.»" Another sip before she places the drink on the bartop, licking her lips she nods to Dax's comments. "«I tried to have a regular 9-5 job.. it didn't work out. So I took the lazy way out.»" with a chuckle she gestures to the Lounge, "«Artist and musician. I mean, I haven't gotten international success but I do alright here in the city.»" That's when she remembers why she sticks around. People like to hear her here, she has an actual fan base. Albeit small right now, she couldn't just leave and try to start somewhere else from scratch.
A quick glance goes out and around the Lounge, to see if she notices anyone that she knows personally here tonight, nope not tonight. She hums sweetly as she finishes off her drink and smiles towards Dax.
"«It's a rare person who can support themselves singing and playing music on a guitar. A very difficult job, most certainly - dependent on the whims of the crowds and the gratitude they show you.»" Dax sounds wistful, as if he could do something like that, instead of working on computers. "«That is the advantage of running your own business - you set your own hours.»"
Dax notices that glance and chuckles once that smile is returned, her attention back on him. "«This may be rather forward, Eve, but would you care to have a bite to eat with me, or do you have another show this evening»"
"«I love being my own boss of sorts and I do okay, heh.»" She replies and takes a deep breath as Dax asks her that question, she's been pretty sane up to this point. So she nods her head and looks up at Dax with a wide smile. "«I'd love to grab something to eat. I'm done for the night.»" Eve's light grey eyes catch the light as she sits with her back straighter.
Is this a date? She hasn't been on a date in.. jesus.. years. Not that she's gonna share that information with the man in front of her. Instead she tries to keep her composure.
Well then, that's settled. Dax slips off of his barstool and leaves a $20 to tip the bartender - his tab already held by a credit card that will assuredly be charged for the one scotch he had already. But going out with the headliner? That might be an interesting evening to say the least. He offers a hand, very gentlemanly, to help her from her stool. "Do you need to change out of your dress, or shall we go somewhere that this kind of dress is appropriate?" It seems Dax is offering Eve her choice in where to go out to eat.
And, is this a date? Dax just kind of asked this without really even thinking about it….
"I'll.. I just need to run back and get a jacket. Meet me outside?" she asks with a tilt of her head. The bartender just puts the drink on her tab, she always pays the next night she's there. The songstress slowly begins to back away from the man as she retreats to get her coat. "Holy shit.." she says as she turns around and hurries into the back.
She wishes Gillian or Elisabeth were here, they could give her pointers or something! Leaning in to the mirror in her dressing room, Eve checks to make sure that her makeup is intact and she applies a little more lipgloss before fluffing her hair a bit and giving herself.. a sultry look in the mirror? "Oh no no, that's not going to work." The artist says softly to herself before she throws her hands up and grabs her coat. She'll go out the side and meet him in the front.
"Of course, of course. I'll see you in a bit." Dax smiles and watches her leave before standing. It takes a moment for him to extract himself from the bar - saying goodbye to the other person he talked to besides the bartender, getting his coat, and finally, making his way to the front where it's a bit above freezing and dark - darn nights. Still, it will make cuddling a little easier, all things considered.
If it comes to that.
If Elisabeth were here, chances are she'd suggest exactly what Dax is hoping - to simply act natural, to be yourself, to not worry about things and just let the evening happen. Planning responses or trying to do what the other person expects can only lead to disappointment, and frankly, Dax is pleased enough to be going out with a raven-haired beauty, that any more might surprise him.
He's waiting out front next to a foreign car that's running, pulled up to the curb, hands in his pockets.
Coming around from the side door, Eve walks in her heels towards the man with the hands in his pockets. The coat she's wearing over the dress is a simple long black wool one that covers her arms and shoulder nicely. Her grey eyes widen at the sight of the car. "Hmm, you drive foreign cars." She nods her head in thought as she gets closer, Eve's father was a mechanic. She knows more then a little about cars.
A gentle smile crosses her lips as she comes to stand right in front of Dax, "Shall we?" she asks. The nerves in her stomach, making her feel as if she's even more hungry then she actually is.
"Well, this is the one I drive for business. The other one still needs a lot of work and time that I haven't had a chance to put into it yet." Dax is wearing a long dark overcoat in a muted brown color and, of all things, a fedora, bringing to mind an old detective movie. He opens the passenger door, revealing a very clean interior with leather seats and soft music playing on the radio. Nothing overpowering - just perfect underscoring for their conversation. "Yes, lets. Have you decided where you'd like to go to eat?"
"In the mood for some pizza?" She laughs as she slides into the car, "I know we're overdressed but.. how could you ever go wrong with pizza here right?" A snort as she runs a hand over the dashboard and breathes in the scent of the car. "I could help you fix up the car, the one you need working on.. I live at a garage my dad owned right now." Eve says this as she places her feet in the car and pulls her seat belt on.
It's not a fine muscle car like hers, but it'll do. She'll enjoy riding along in this, "Unless you have another idea." She calls as the door is closed.
Dax moves around to the driver's side and hops in, buckling his seat belt and starting the car with a soft rumble. "Pizza's always good. They'll probably think we're coming from prom, or something." He signals, checks his mirrors, and moves out into traffic, heading east. "I know a pretty nice place fairly closeby. It's family owned and has been running since the 1890's. Lots of pastas and the like, but the pizza…it's to die for, let me tell you."
Slowing for a light, he glances over at her sitting primly in the passenger seat. "You sing and work on cars too? I don't know…this one needs a lot of work." There's a bit of rummaging in his wallet and out comes a picture of a car, faded and folded. "This is what it should look like when it's done, but right now, it's just in primer and on blocks." http://www.collectorcarbuff.com/collector/pontiac_GTO.jpg
"I'm multi talented. My dad wanted to make sure I was a well rounded person." Which is why he taught her how to fire a gun and hit objects falling out of the sky. Eve nods her head at his wanting to go to some pizza place nearby. While reaching for the picture, she whistles, "This one could be really nice." She says in a soft tone per usual. "I can definitely help. Not with everything, but with a lot of it." Eve says with a nod of her head and passing the picture back. "I think I'm the one being forward now, planning our second date." She chuckles softly to herself as she let's the man next to her steer them.
"I have to add.. your potential clients should be so impressed by this car that they hire you on the spot." She would that is.
"That's the perfect thing to do. Only being able to do one thing well is sentencing yourself to obsolescence. Being able to do many things well - that's the trick." Dax steers carefully and slowly, driving through the heavy late-night new-york traffic to the small pizza place, Carino's, located just off of the main drag. With no signs, you'd be hard pressed to find it, but the small checkered tables out front and the smell of baking that fills the car, even through the closed windows, leaves no doubt that this is the place.
Dax pulls in to a nearby parking space and shuts off the car, looking over at Eve with a smile. "Let's see how this first date ends up before we plan our second, but up until now, I could see it happening fairly easily." With that said he slips out of the car and walks around to open the door for Eve, helping her out.
Laughing, Eve nods and let's Dax help her out. "Yes, I could agree on that." She looks around and smiles at the place. "I've been here a few times, it was actually one of my mom's favorite places." She grins as she head inside of the place, slipping her coat off and holding it on her arm as she looks for a place to sit.
"You get more cool points for knowing a good place like this." Not everyone knows where the great places to get pizza in the city are.
Cool points too? Awesome! Dax sets the car alarm with a chirp and follows her into the cozy restaurant, mostly deserted save for the hostess, a waiter, and three small booths. The hostess leads them to one of the more secluded ones after Dax hangs his coat and hat on the hooks by the door, waiting for them to be seated before placing the menu, a single sheet of photocopied paper, in front of them and vanishing to bring crusty bread and water for both.
"Well, when you don't cook much, finding the good places to eat moves a bit higher on the list. I can cook, but I find it much easier to let others do it for me." Dax scans the menu, lingering on pasta, calamari, bruschetta….ah, pizza. "Any preferences on pizza…actually…" Dax smiles, putting his menu aside. "I'll leave it to you. Anything you order, I'll eat."
"Sometimes I'm just a plain girl, so.. cheese only." She smiles at Dax, she hasn't been able to stop smiling since they've met. Good sign right? She places her menu down on the table and waits for the waiter to come back to take their order. "Okay, all time favorite musicians." she takes a moment to brush her long dark hair over her shoulder, staring at the man.
Music is a big thing for her, she's always interested to see what people's taste and favorites are. "And I won't judge you, promise promise." A hand held up in a solemn swear.
"Any particular genre or….?" Dax chuckles at the swearing and leans forward slightly, the conversation getting almost intimate. "Musicians….well, if you count singers, I really enjoy Frank Sinatra, Pavarotti, Iván Ferreiro from Spain, and even modern things like Daft Punk, Whitney Houston before the drugs, and Freddie Mercury." Dax's musical tastes are all over the map!
"Any genre yes, hmmm." She considers his taste and nods her head. "Frank will always have a place in my heart. For me, Nina Simone, Donny Hathaway and Aretha Franklin, Whitney too. People can't touch her old songs, my god." She grins, "I love all the recent singer-songwriters out there too. Adele and Alanis Moriesste."
A hand is run through her hair, she doesn't want to do all the talking so she lapses into silence, though a comfortable one as she leans forward as well to talk to him more as well.
The waiter comes back and takes their order for an artisan cheese pizza, made with the homemade mozzarella and Romano cheeses that they keep for the regular customers, leaving Dax and Eve alone in blessed silence. For a time, all that they do is look across the table, smiling, glancing down and away - almost flirting without saying a word, and it is only Dax, after a few moments of that, who speaks. "And you….if you were put on a desert island and given five things to take with you, what would you take and why?"
"Guitar, because I need to write songs. Or I'd go crazy." She holds up on finger, "Whiskey, because that's so very important to me." Two fingers, a laugh after that. "Um.. nail clipper. I'd hate to snag my fingers on the guitar. And iPod because I have to have it. And.. someone that could keep me good company." The last is said with a slight wink towards Dax but Eve blushes soon after that.
"What about you?"
"Well, avoiding the obvious things like a book titled 'how to get off a desert island' or a fully-fueled boat…first, someone to keep me company." One finger extended, that blush noticed and returned. "Ahem…second, an assortment of books - how to things, sure, but fiction too, like Tolkien. Third, and I'm not stealing this from you, an iPod full of music with a charger that ran off the sun so it would never run out. Fourth, some paper and paints, so I could paint the scenery, and fifth…" He trails off, thinking. "I guess a first aid kit…it would have lots of stuff I'd need."
"Your ideas were more practical. Mine more dreamy like. I guess I wouldn't survive long on an island with my things.. unless someone good was there with me. I tend to get myself into trouble every now and then." Not a lie, just not the total truth. She gets into tons of trouble while dreaming the future. Would you expect anything less?"
"But I do know how to survive, or so I've been told by my grandmother. No matter how much she dislikes me." A light smile after that statement, no love loss for Eve on that subject.
Well, if we ever end up on a desert island, you should ask for me and I'll ask for you. We'll luxuriate in the sun, you playing songs, me painting pictures of you and the surrounding area, until rescue comes." Or not. Dax chuckles softly and takes a sip of his water, the 'date' proceeding remarkably well, in his opinion.
"Sounds like a romantic drama, I like it." She chuckles as she takes a sip of her water as well. She looks down at her hands, with a wide smile. This date is going wonderfully and it was spontaneous and free feeling. She hasn't felt this way in a long time. Comfortable.
"Here's to a nice date." She doesn't want to add an emphasis on the word 'first'.
The pizza arrives, steaming from the oven, and is placed between the pair. Dax raises his glass of water - not much of a toast, but he'll take what he can get - and smiles. "Here's to a good friendship just beginning."