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Baron Samedi ☠ Nate Simmons ([info]baronsamedi) wrote in [info]paxletalelogs,
@ 2011-09-04 14:53:00

Previous Entry  Add to memories!  Tell a Friend!  Next Entry
Entry tags:baron samedi, ereshkigal

Meet Me At The Cross Roads
Who: Julian & Fiona
What: Job interview
Where: CASKET
When: 7 pm, sharp
Warnings: TBA

There was an ebb and a flow to every day and night at CASKET - usually the weekends were the busier times, to be expected, while nights during the week were slow. Maybe there was some faux pas about drinking on a Sunday (Julian wouldn't know, he'd never been an especially religious man), but things were running a little slower than usual. He took the time appreciatively, though, in order to get a few things in line. A shipment of vodka had come in as mineral water instead, a mistake that amazed and infuriated Julian to no end; there was no way he was the one responsible for such an error, and an hour long phone conversation to a particular someone had left him in a rare rage that had all of his employees skirting around him for a few hours. He'd gone and holed up in his office, going through paperwork again and making phone calls, only to emerge with a smile and to quickly soothe any fears.

The band onstage leapt into their own version of Rob Dougan's Born Yesterday, which turned Julian's smile sour until the beat made him tap his toes and forget about the transgression for a little while. It was one thing, one little thing and every other event, order, person, and thing inside of his club was running like clockwork. Grabbing a rum and coke from Ysolde, the current bar tender (and yes, perhaps he did tend to hire more female drink slingers, but there was a damn good reason for that) just before moving around to mingle with a few regulars and new comers that decided to patronize the club that evening. By the time seven o'clock rolled around, though, he was behind the bar himself and doing an inventory just to calm his own mind regarding any other mishaps.

He had not, however, forgotten the appointment he'd made with a certain young lady who also resided at his apartment building. First the contacts Luc was providing proved astounding, so safe to say was that he had nothing but high expectations for this next potential recruit to CASKET - Julian never wanted anything but the best for his baby, so it was with some anticipation that he awaited Fiona's arrival.



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[info]baronsamedi
2011-09-07 12:54 am UTC (link)
Julian's head swiveled toward the sound of the confident voice - his eyes appraisingly slid down her body, less in the manner of an older man checking out a younger woman and more so in someone taking the stock of a potential asset. He smiled, a professional curve of his lips that said he didn't quite know what to make of who was standing in front of him, but he was going to be perfectly polite regardless, even if it was only to entertain himself in seeing what might come of this situation.

He turned completely around and took Fiona's hand in a firm grip; rather than give it a brief kiss in a lingering fashion that usually swept women off their feet, he kept it short, sweet and very business like.

"You don't look old enough to be in here, let alone slinging drinks. Is this To Catch A Predator?" His tone was joking, and he put down the clipboard and pen combination he'd been using to inventory the bar. Ysolde glanced at him from the opposite end of the bar; she'd been informed of the interview, but Julian had said he wanted to handle it himself. His hands spread out comfortably on the counter top as he slightly leaned forward.

"If memory serves, you said you were licensed and had tended bar in New York. That's a good start - why don't you have a seat, I've got a few questions. You want a Shirley Temple or something?" He grinned a little wider at that, and moved to walk around the end of the counter in order to join Fiona on the bar stools. Usually he took candidates into the back room, but it was slow and the band was taking a break between sets, thus fairly quiet. The bar itself would be a good of a place as any to conduct an interview, especially one he was now taking half seriously.

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[info]ladyofaralu
2011-09-08 03:51 am UTC (link)
The age jokes were nothing new, but these ones, at least, were witty, and she gave him a grin and a little salute as she took a seat at the bar. Crossing her legs, she took a look at what they had in stock; everything worth having, it seemed. The place in general felt just her style; she liked the vibe. Something a little gritty, a little sexy, but with a kind of warmth she could appreciate.

In answer to his question, she smirked.

"I didn't drink Shirley Temples when I was underage; I'm not gonna start now," she said cheekily. "I'm good. I am licensed, I did tend bar in New York, and I'm pretty damn good. More importantly, I'm not sloppy, I flirt with customers but don't forget I'm at work, and I actually like tending bar."

Then she grinned.

"I also like to talk. Fire away, chief."

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[info]baronsamedi
2011-09-09 02:40 am UTC (link)
The grin remained, showing a clear enjoyment of her attitude. It was something he could respect - someone who was used to people underestimating her, but rather than be downtrodden about the prospect, she continually rose to the challenge. He took a stool one over from the younger woman, his legs spread just a little for comfort. One elbow rested on the counter, his arm reaching up to support his head on his hand.

"All right, what are the signs someone is drunk?" Though he kept the cheerful demeanor on his expression, his eyes subtly narrowed as he watched her face, looking for tell-tale signs of lying, exaggeration, or anything else that might send up a red flag. CASKET was by no means lacking for employees, but if this girl continued to be as much of a fire brand as she was proving to be at the moment, hiring her on for kicks would certainly help to liven his already live-wired club up even more. And if anything, Julian was always looking for ways to shock new life into his beloved club.

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[info]ladyofaralu
2011-09-09 07:19 pm UTC (link)
Without hesitation, Fee immediately started ticking off symptoms on her fingers.

"Well, the easy ones are loss of coordination, slurred or irregular speech, violent or difficult behavior, and disorientation." It was as though she'd memorized them from a textbook -- which, actually, she had. Fiona had really enjoyed bartending school, and had paid close attention to what she'd learned there. And of course, a lot of this stuff she hadn't actually learned in a classroom -- the classroom had just given her the formal words for what she'd already had plenty of experience observing.

"You know, general sloppiness, as a rule. Sometimes assholery. Inability to focus their eyes without a lot of effort. But you can also tell when they start acting against type. If I see a guy in a suit dancing on a table, I'm probably gonna flag him, unless you're paying him to do it."

She gave him a grin.

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[info]baronsamedi
2011-09-12 01:43 am UTC (link)
The smile that had tempered flared up again, and he almost laughed. This girl was certainly something else, and Julian didn't begrudge the feeling of fondness that was already growing inside of his mind. But aside from the bright grin that he rewarded her cheeky attitude and correct answer with, he kept everything else in check. Instead he gave a quick, precise nod and continued with his line of questioning.

"And what do you do with said customers, whether they're dancing on tables or not?"

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[info]ladyofaralu
2011-09-17 12:05 am UTC (link)
"Well, depends on them. Because I like keeping jobs and keeping places I work in business, I don't serve people who are clearly smashed or acting like assholes. I start out by flagging them, short and sweet, offer them water and a cab if they want it. Most of the time, they go quietly; sometimes they sulk or get huffy and leave. If they're causing a ruckus, I ask them to leave; if they won't leave, I get the bouncer."

She grinned at him. "I'm not messin' up this pretty face for some drunk who wants another round.

"If they're happy, it's usually not that hard to keep them happy even as you get 'em out the door. If they're mad, well."

She winked.

"You've got bouncers, right?" Then she grinned again. "Not that I wouldn't take care of it myself, but like I said, I like keeping jobs."

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[info]baronsamedi
2011-09-17 05:17 am UTC (link)
Julian had to pass his hand over his face, scratching from cheek to chin to suppress the grin. This girl had spunk, and he liked that. Her answers were more than satisfactory, not to mention sounded experienced. Sure, some kids thought they could glean the details of bar tending from watching daytime television, that it didn't take much to serve people drinks, but he'd rather get experienced tenders in order to properly use the alcohol he paid good money for. His hand came to rest against his face, fore and middle fingers tapping lightly on his cheek bone as though in thought. The smile that previously didn't reach his eyes had started seeping into his gaze, showing his warmth toward this Fiona.

"We sure do have bouncers, and I know I'd appreciate them doing their jobs instead of you having to mess up your nails," he responded, though whether his voice had a joking tone or not was up for debate. He continued the line of questioning, regardless.

"How about other staff members? If I took references from you and asked if you had problems being a team member, what am I going to hear?"

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[info]ladyofaralu
2011-09-18 03:19 am UTC (link)
"Hey, hey, hey. For the record," she said, crossing her arms on her thigh, prominently displaying her unpainted fingernails, "I'm not afraid to mess up my nails. And I'll tell you what, there's not a jury in the world that would convict a scared little 5'4" girl for taking a bottle to the head of some meathead who was threatening her."

She grinned.

"But those kinds of shenanigans just don't look good for a place, and besides, if we've got bouncers, I can sit there and look cute and not scare off tips by showing them I can kick most of their asses."

She winked, then gave a little grin. "As far as references are concerned, they'd probably say I was a pain in the ass, but a good kid, a surprisingly hard worker, and a kickass bartender."

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[info]baronsamedi
2011-09-18 07:13 pm UTC (link)
He couldn't really hold it in any longer; Julian gave a low chuckle, laughing with Fiona at her descriptions and not at her. This girl was much too amusing, and since his mind had been turned around on a dime throughout the course of their conversation, he saw no reason to continue his pretense.

"And I think I'd be inclined to believe them, if your attitude continues the way it has. Look, here's what we'll do - trial run for a week barback, and if you don't screw that up and feel like you have a feel for the place, I'll let you start serving the customers. Ysolde," and his eyes flicked to the woman still at the other end of the bar, who'd been carefully watching the interview with a cool gaze, "will be keeping tabs on you, and if she says you're good to go, then I'll make you a permanent fixture.

"Sound fair to you?" Whether or not it sounded fair, he wasn't open to negotiations - Julian was definitely quite firm in his terms for anything, regardless if it sounded like he was asking for an opinion.

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[info]ladyofaralu
2011-09-19 02:10 am UTC (link)
Fee grinned, glad to have gotten a laugh from the smooth club owner. It was good; he was genuine, that much seemed obvious, and chill - which was important. Some guys who owned shit acted like it was an extension of their obviously undersized johnsons. But this guy, Julian - he was all right. She could see working for him.

"Sounds like a plan, boss." She turned to Ysolde, offering the poker-faced lady a smile. "I'm gonna do so good, you're gonna miss me when I'm working the bar for real." Then she winked and turned back to Julian.

"Is there a dress code for staff here, or do you trust my impeccable fashion sense?"

She grinned.

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[info]baronsamedi
2011-09-19 01:23 pm UTC (link)
The hand on his face scritched at his cheek, then lowered to rub a bottom lip before falling into his lap entirely.

"Just keep it professional looking, and I'd prefer everyone kept to the color theme, you know, just to keep things appropriate - so basically what you've got on works fine."

He straightened on his bar stool, a feline smile on his face and feeling pleased with himself in the selection of what looked to be another fine addition to the CASKET family; only time would tell.

"Any other questions?"

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[info]ladyofaralu
2011-09-21 01:19 am UTC (link)
His smile was easy to return; she liked this guy. Something about him felt familiar, but not; right, maybe. Like maybe they were kindred spirits. Or maybe she would have thought that, if Fiona thought in terms of things like "kindred spirits" - but at the end of the day, she couldn't deny that she had a good feeling about this guy and this place.

Her kinda people. Her kinda place.

"Trust me, boss, I don't have the rack to get too unprofessional." She grinned at him. "Just kidding. I know how to keep things respectable. Mostly."

Then, the thought just having struck her, she asked,

"So when do I start?"

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[info]baronsamedi
2011-09-21 01:22 pm UTC (link)
Julian laughed once more - it was pretty much the last question to ask.

"Tonight, you can just hang out, enjoy the atmosphere. Be here at five o'clock tomorrow and Ysolde will start you with some restocking," he replied easily, glancing at the woman once more and giving her a nod. She returned the gesture, giving no sign of whether or not she approved of the new acquisition, though Julian required no such approval. It was his club, his decisions.

Eyes trailing back to the younger woman sitting in front of him, they narrowed a piece as his hands fell back into his lap. Part of him was itching to check his phone in the back, another to double check the set up for the band because one of the instruments sounded a little off, and yet a third part wanted to interrogate Fiona further because not only did he like knowing his staff on a personal basis, but something about her seemed vaguely...familiar. Julian wasn't one to forget a face easily.

"So from New York to California - that's a pretty huge move."

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[info]ladyofaralu
2011-09-23 02:05 am UTC (link)
"Sounds good to me, chief," she said, crossing her legs and casting a glance and a wink at Ysolde, who seemed impervious to her charms. Shaking her head, Fee grinned and said,

"Tough crowd."

Her attention turned back to Julian soon enough before he even spoke; when his body language indicated he had something to say, he gained her attention. It was more than just the fact that he was her boss now, and she needed to pay him mind -- this affinity she felt made her want to know what he was going to say, made her want to see what this connection was. Briefly, she considered the fact that he was definitely hot as hell, and in the particular way Fee generally tended to prefer -- but if there was one thing Fee had learned in her years working, it was not to shit where she ate.

She made a note to keep his number if she ever stopped working there.

That thought, in turn, made her grin. But she answered his question.

"It is a huge move," she nodded, propping her elbow up on the bar. "It was time for a change, you know?" Then she grinned.

"I had a shitty boyfriend."

She shrugged.

"My sister had just moved out here, and I'd never been to the West Coast, and I just wanted to get away from New York and be near family, you know?"

She nodded toward him.

"What about you? Are you from here originally?"

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[info]baronsamedi
2011-09-24 03:55 am UTC (link)
"Born and raised, in Oakland, at least. Not too far from here," he replied easily, all too welcome to any sort of attention. Besides, tit for tat, and speaking with a lovely young woman always suited his tastes more than other particular aspects of running his business.

Even with the lure of a pretty face in front of him, an attractive lure with what seemed to be more than half a brain behind it, there was definitely something more to what he seemed to be recognizing in her. It wasn't necessarily that they had met before...but perhaps had something in common, a key similarity that somehow gave a parallel to their natures. Julian internally shook his head, amused by his own attempted deep thinking.

"Family important to you?" The words were spoken nonchalantly, like asking someone what their favorite drink was. Whatever was important to his staff became important to Julian - and, if things went south, became more than ample ammunition in any potential firefight. In the past he hadn't had to resort to dirty measures, just a few well placed words and hints of what could potentially happen to a prized possession or beloved relationship. Nothing had truly come to pass, and Julian would like to keep it that way; but that wasn't to say he didn't like not having options.

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[info]ladyofaralu
2011-09-27 03:09 am UTC (link)
Fee arched a brow, canting her head to one side. There was a grin, though - a grin with something sharp behind it. It might have been just intuition, but she got the distinct sense that this dude was cool, but not someone you wanted to cross. Which was fine, really.

Fee didn't consider herself someone people should cross either.

But it didn't bother her to share details. If it came down to it, Fee would take a bat to anyone who fucked with Karin, and those were just facts. And she didn't figure Julian would start off trying to fuck with her sister, anyway.

"Yeah, family's important," she said candidly. "My sisters, for sure."

She looked at him then,.

"So Oakland, huh? How long you been in the club business?"

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[info]baronsamedi
2011-09-28 03:54 pm UTC (link)
"Fifteen years," he replied, the number rolling off of his tongue easily.

"And that's good that family is important, good quality. I consider all of this," he spread a hand toward the bar, implying both the brick and mortar building they were in and the people who were working within, "a sort of family. Just treat the place like that and you'll do just fine."

He glanced at Ysolde, raising a hand to wave her over. As the tall redhead made her way down the bar, stopping to answer questions as was necessary of her, he turned back to Fiona.

"Well this has certainly been a pleasure, but unfortunately, somebody's gotta run this place. You two should get to know each other, and Ysolde," he glanced at the woman as she appeared, a smile flickering over her features, "will get you whatever you'd like. On the house for tonight, but after that you'll be representing the place. All right? We'll have to chat again, eventually, but it's not like we won't be seeing each other, is it?" He grinned widely, rising from his seat.

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[info]ladyofaralu
2011-09-29 05:04 pm UTC (link)
Fee nodded with a half-smile. She liked this guy. That's what she'd decided -- she liked this guy, and this place. At the end of the day, she liked the idea of working someplace where people were actually invested in where they were, instead of just using it as a stepping stone to get ahead -- which was how most of the rest of SoCal seemed to operate.

"You've got it, boss." She returned his smile. "See you around."

And with that, as Ysolde approached, Fee turned to her and said,

"Listen, you're kinda hard to read, but it's OK if you make me work my ass off to prove myself to you. For now, though, I want some fancy kind of drink with like, lychees or Tahitian mangoes or some crazy kind of infusion in it."

Then she laughed.

"Or you know, just bourbon's good, too."

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