Belly Up and Bottoms Down (Open)

Savage City > Dee's Crying Shame > Belly Up and Bottoms Down (Open)
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Trusted Mistake Jeremiah Kingsly · Pick Pocket/Bartender Posts: 21 (4/10/06 9:44 am) Reply	Belly Up and Bottoms Down (Open) Thick smoke already clung into the atmosphere in the bar. Smoke that many people had been working on killing everyone else second hand. Jeremiah was used to the smoking, his own brother almost always had a cancer stick in his mouth, and Jer was very much impartial to the whole thing. He liked to keep his lungs in tacked, but he already knew they weren’t going to survive as well as someone who worked a nine to five job. But that was boring. The smoke was a small price to pay to work at a bar. Jeremiah loved this stuff. It was an unusually slow night. Those that had come in had already bellied up to the bar and started on accumulating as many beer bottles as they possibly could. Some of them would get feisty if Jer even tried to clean up the bar a bit and throw away the bottles. He never liked pissing off the drunks, it made a fuss and that’s just unnecessary. So he let them be, and knew that Dee would either come and talk to them in his own way, or wait for them to stumble out of the bar having no more money, or with an Old Town girl on his arm. Money just passed from one person to another. While Jeremiah was sad at the fact that there weren’t too many people in the bar, he only had to look at the clock and see how early it was. Nine at night was way early. Men started having arguments with their wives about now, and in the moment of anger came strolling into the bar with a wad of bills that mad Jer all too happy. They usually bought the hard stuff, the more expensive stuff, and lots of it. In the end, he made more money in tips. That would take some time though. At the moment he waited for a waitress to come up and get an order, or one of the guys up at the bar to ask for another. He made himself simply look busy by compulsively rearranging the bottles of alcohol so all the labels faced one way. That’s what boredom does. While it didn’t take that many neurons to shift the bottles around, his eyes scanned the small crowd through the thick fog. Thinking to himself that if he even heard one country song tonight played by any lame drunk, he couldn’t possibly stand that music. He could never understand why when someone was so drunk; his music taste plummeted. For now, he just begged that someone wouldn’t be that cruel.
OoJackInTheBoxoO Jacqueline Gregory · Old Town Posts: 21 (4/10/06 12:17 pm) Reply	Re: Belly Up and Bottoms Down (Open) She wasn't stupid, oh no. Jack knew if she walked out her apartment dressed like she was, she'd only make it out her door before she'd be accosted. Her ivory colored corsetted dress only reached to mid-thigh and gave her ample amounts of cleavage. Her client had cancelled on her, something that occasionally happened when wives returned early. No matter, she still had to make money, and so she was off to Dee's. She'd started there as a waitress when she was 15, and then as a stripper as she got older and wiser. Now she was a full on prostitute with a small but wealthy client list. She couldn't tell if she was moving up in the world or lower on the morality scale. So she was smart, she put her arms into a beige overcoat, checking herself quickly in a mirror before strapping red heels to her feet and heading out. The streets were quiet, most citizens already at home with their families in bed. The people that were out this late where the ones that had to be watched carefully. She kept her head down, her posture straight and her feet moving. Dee's wasn't far, but it was far enough. She heard a woman cry out down one alley and contemplated stopping until she heard a loud gutteral cry of a man getting his what-for. She smiled to herself as she opened the familiar door to Dee's, standing in the doorway a moment and taking in the smoky atmosphere. She stepped in, looking at the few men at the bar counter and turning to take her coat off, the bones and muscles in her back flowing under her golden skin as the coat dropped and she hung it on the hooks provided, taking a cigarette from the pocket first. She shook out her long wavy hair, shapely legs bringing her across the old floor to the bar counter, the far end. She lifted her behind into a seat and leaned with her elbows on the worn surface as she looked to the bartender. She'd seen him before, a good looking kid, golden haired and blue eyed like herself, and a damn good drink maker if she remembered right. A smile curled her lips as her fingers twirled the cigarette. That's right, his name was Jeremiah. Her smile broadened, beckoning him with her warm smile. That was the thing about her, she didn't act like the other girl's. She was seductive but in a warm and friendly way, a teasing and comfortable way. "Jeremiah...baby, start a tab for me...oh and if you could whip me up one of those yummy mohito's you do so well, I'd be obliged." She said, smiling and leaning back a moment to look over the small crowd again. "Early aren't I..." She said in her soft and low voice, baby blues turning back to Jeremiah.
Trusted Mistake Jeremiah Kingsly · Pick Pocket/Bartender Posts: 29 (4/10/06 3:12 pm) Reply	Re: Belly Up and Bottoms Down (Open) Jeremiah was standing behind the bar, twirling the slightly damp towel in such a way, that whoever decided to come out of the back was going to have to have armor or they would feel the sting of Jer snapping them with the towel. He had been practicing on an empty crate that had been sitting helplessly a few feet away. How had he gone from reorganizing the bottles so their label showed all the same way to snapping stationary objects or moving targets otherwise known as his co-workers? It’s pretty simple really. He finally got to clean up after one of the customers because he got up to relieve himself, and in that time Jeremiah straightened up that area. He had to pick up the shells of peanuts, and then four beer bottles that the customer had been nursing. By the time the guy came back, he had forgotten how many bottles were even there, or just too drunk to notice, and kept drinking. Towel in hand, he was a dangerous man. He could… CLEAN! Or he could just be a nuisance to people. As long as Dee didn’t care so much, Jer kept doing it. When a waitress would walk by, he’d lean over and get them gently on their thigh. When they’d turn around, he’d give an innocent look whistle absentmindedly and head in another direction. He wasn’t in the mood to hurt someone. A few of the customers even thought it was slightly funny. It was all fun and games though, something to do with the time. Then after a few minutes, he started getting more customers. The door to Dee’s started opening with patrons, that Jer folded up his weapon and went to get their orders. Dee, because he was busy with this cleaning of shot glasses, let Jeremiah do all the work. Jer didn’t mind much, it was just a few extra people. No one even wanted any fun drinks to make. They were almost substandard. It was all “gimmie a shot of whiskey would you?” or “I want a beer” Sure that was fine, but he could do that while balancing something on his nose if he had to. He wanted to do something more fun than that. That’s when Jack walked in, and the murmur slowly died down to hushed whispers. Yeah a girl just walked through a bar filled with smoke and men with little to do but drink and stare. She was playing it up though, as she was only wearing a corset that gave little to imagination. Per usual, some of the men and the bar followed her with their eyes as she walked, almost trying to decide who was going to talk to her with the silent angry looks they gave each other. Jeremiah slowly made his way down to where she was sitting, putting certain things away as he moved behind the bar. Jer had served her a few times, and recognized her. He was very good at not forgetting anyone. "Jeremiah...baby, start a tab for me...oh and if you could whip me up one of those yummy mohito's you do so well, I'd be obliged." She said over the counter as Jeremiah reached her area. Before he went off to make her drink, he held up a lighter and offered it for her cigarette. Jer smiled politely before he put down the lighter on the counter and went to make a fun drink. “Jack you definitely made my night walkin’ in here and all. Everyone only wants beer tonight. Know how boring it is to hear that all night long? Where’s the fun in that?” Jer said as he started making her drink. He had a good memory to remember the recipes that he needed. Most people just wanted standard things. She always wanted something fun; he liked that. He started mixing the lime and the mint, while he started getting a glass to put it in. “Well anyways, how’s your night going doll?” He said while he put that into a tumbler and kept talking even while he filled up the glass with ice. “It’s been slow here, I don’t know why. Is it slow night for you too?” Then finally he put it all together, even added a cute little piece of mint for her drink, and put it in front her with a napkin under it. “There you go. One mohito.” Then he started cleaning up as absentmindedly while he still payed attention to her. It wasn't long before he was back to his wet towel, cleaning the few things he had just used.
OoJackInTheBoxoO Jacqueline Gregory · Old Town Posts: 27 (4/12/06 9:18 am) Reply	Re: Belly Up and Bottoms Down (Open) The flame danced in front of her eyes as she pulled air in through the cigarette, the end flaring to life as she smirked. "Aren't you just a gentleman?" She asked, settling back to watch him make her drink with a careful eye. His hands moved fast, his mind knowing every step and ingredient like some sort of dance behind the bar. “Jack you definitely made my night walkin’ in here and all. Everyone only wants beer tonight. Know how boring it is to hear that all night long? Where’s the fun in that? Well anyways, how’s your night going doll? It’s been slow here, I don’t know why. Is it slow night for you too?” He was talkative tonight, and Jack smiled, canting her head and brushing hair back as she took a small sip, licking her lips. It was as great as always. Some bartenders didn't know how to put that special flair in it, but he did. Blue eyes flicked up and she gave him a big smile, sitting back a moment to puff on the cigarette, flicking it with long fingers. "My client cancelled on me, and I'm still trying to decide if I want to work tonight, or play."She said, drinking her drink and flicking her cigarette, looking over at the men. "But the prospects aren't terribly interesting, if you catch me." She said, lowering her eyes and frowning as a tangy song started and she lifted her head, smiling a smile that looked more like an angry grimace. She looked at Jer with pain in her face. A country song. A fucking country song. She swiveled the chair to find the culprit looking for another country song on the jukebox. Her heels hit the floor and she walked towards the man, obviously drunken as he tried to sway off-beat with the music. She placed herself at his side, looking him up and down, he turned to her, surprise registering on his face. "Hey baby...you know what song I really like?" She asked, smiling and smoking her cigarette. He shook his head and she looked at the jukebox, bending down to find the reset button and pressing it, she straightened. "Anything but that song..." Brushing her arm against him, she reached across and pressed two keys, starting a much better and more low key song for this early. He just stared at her and she smiled at him again. "I'll buy you a drink later if you don't touch the jukebox ever again..."She said, a dangerous threatening edge to her voice as she brushed past him and his addled and slow brain, walking back to her seat, she smiled at Jer. "Thought I might die there...so, should I work tonight or play? What do you think?" She asked, leaning forward as if to seem in deep conversation so the jukebox man would leave her be and wait patiently for his drink. Edited by: OoJackInTheBoxoO at: 4/12/06 9:22 am
Trusted Mistake Jeremiah Kingsly · Pick Pocket/Bartender Posts: 35 (4/13/06 10:27 am) Reply	Re: Belly Up and Bottoms Down (Open) Jer didn’t expect much out of people when he made them their drinks. Sometimes, if he knew them well enough, he would talk to them, and others usually asked for the drink in the meanest tone in the first place that he didn’t want to talk to him. The guys at the other end of the bar were giving drunken jealous and angry eyes over at Jer because he was talking to Jack. It was a perk, being able to talk to attractive women such as Jack. Though the best part was when she seemed to enjoy her drink. More cigarette smoke added into the already foggy air. It seemed that when they saw her light up, more mean began flicking open their Zippos to create even more added smoke into the already oxygen deprived air. Jeremiah knew he would smell like smoke even after he showered three times. That’s just the bad part about this job, everyone smoked and he couldn’t say anything about it. He didn’t smoke, he used to when his brother started, but grew out of the habit because he would put a huge dent into his pocket money. Jack, as Jer’s brother, continued on puffing away one cancer stick at a time. "My client cancelled on me, and I'm still trying to decide if I want to work tonight, or play." Jer nodded along as she spoke. He guessed it was slightly aggravating for one in her area of work to get canceled on. He was sad if he get called in sick for work, usually because he was terribly sick he didn’t believe in hooky when he had all of the day to have fun. Her job was highly different. She didn’t get paid by the hour. Or wait, maybe she charged by the hour. He didn’t know. He watched as she gave a glance at the other men, who straightened themselves up to look slightly better than what they were. Some of them were so drunk, that he was sure drool was going to slip from their mouths. "But the prospects aren't terribly interesting, if you catch me." Jer nodded again, and winced noticeably as a hated country song came on the jukebox. He almost had the nerve to walk all over the bar and hit the moron in the head, but before he could even move Jack was already up and taking care of the situation. Jer locked his jaw, already annoyed with the country song, and ready to bust something, but he figured that Jack could handle this a lot easier than he could. Jer went to work some, cleaning up after some of the guys, giving them more drinks and taking their money. He went back to Jack’s side of the bar, when she came back. "Thought I might die there...so, should I work tonight or play? What do you think?" “Oh yeah, I was ready to kill. I think it depends on who you want to play with, otherwise it’d be just work wouldn’t it?” Jer said, making himself busy behind the counter. Jer put on a small pose, the kind that most men do when they’re talking to some chick or another. The guy who put on the country song, looked jealously at Jer, but was shot down with the death look Jer gave him. Ultimately, the guy turned and went with the rest of the men at the bar. One held up a hand, and Jer went to help him. He looked at the guy, red eyes, barely able to talk, stand or walk, paid (too much mind you) for the drink, and fell off his stool. Jeremiah just called for a taxi, while putting the guy into a booth so he couldn’t harm himself. “Some people don’t know how to pace themselves.” He muttered standing back at the bar waiting for the drunk’s taxi.
OoJackInTheBoxoO Jacqueline Gregory · Old Town Posts: 28 (4/14/06 1:50 pm) Reply	Re: Belly Up and Bottoms Down (Open) “Oh yeah, I was ready to kill. I think it depends on who you want to play with, otherwise it’d be just work wouldn’t it?” Jack smiled brightly. He was right. Her client’s tended to be the older, mature, and lonely type, the guy who either never married or gets no love from his wife. She wasn’t the hooker who sold sex on the corner, she was a peddler of love, or at least the pretense of it. The men she had on her list didn’t just want cheap and dirty sex, they wanted a companion, someone to hold and keep them happy. She was more than welcome to do so after hard years of working the street for dimes. Turning tricks was easy, turning heads was hard. She watched the drunk fall from his seat with a stifled giggle, the men all giving her looks again as she demurely finished her mohito and set the glass down, tossing honey locks over her shoulder and looking towards the newly opened door. A group of five or six younger people clambered in, a few females she recognized as Old Town Girl’s, taken to turning tricks at Dee’s. Most did. Even she did. It was nearly ten, and soon the dancers would come out to tease the older drunker men. One of the men in the group looked her up and down and she merely frowned at him, glowering as if to say ‘what are you looking at’ and then he smiled. Figures. She turned back in her seat, watching Jer with ocean blue eyes. She watched the way he walked, that tough-guy swagger, big arms, strong face. Jack had connections, she considered herself well-protected, some of her clients had even bailed her out of jail once or twice for various reasons. She made those connections because of her fear. She was scared that she, like so many other girls, would just fade away, eaten by the city. Jer seemed like he could beat his way out a scrap, and most likely come out the victor. Maybe that was why she wanted him closer to her end as the man from the large group approached her, sitting in the stool next to her. “Hello, dollface.” He said, looking her up and down and she turned her head to look him up and down in the same way he was looking at her. Giving him a dose of his own medicine, she frowned at him again. “I’m not working tonight…so unless you want something else, bug off.” She said, voice low and sultry even as she threatened. She tapped the bar to get Jer’s attention, blue eyes worried about the dark-haired man at her side. She nearly jumped out of her seat as she felt his hand run up her exposed arm, and shrugged him off, looking at him with vehemence. He merely smirked and flashed a badge at her face. “Honey, I’m sure you’re working tonight, right?” He asked, a dangerous edge to his voice. Damn. A cop. She hated cops. Old Town was allowed to exist because of the treaty, and because they were allowed whatever they wanted whenever. Jack hated cops even more because they rough, and liked inflicting pain and degradation. Her insides trembled as she cast a look to the other girl’s they’d come in with. “I’m not what you want sweetheart…those girl’s are more likely to be to your tastes…I’m sure. Jer, babe, a vodka shot please.” She was going to need it. Her heart jumped enthusiastically as the music for the dancer’s started, the bar getting darker and the stage lights strobing. The cop’s friends called out to him, urging him to come back and enjoy the show. She’d never been more happy to hear that dance music pumping than she was there. The cop leaned down to her ear. “I’ll be back later, don’t you go runnin’ off, honey.” He said against her hair and she turned her face away from him. “Go to hell…” She growled softly and he laughed as he moved away. She looked up at Jer, a sadness on her face. “Make that two shots…”