2019-05-15 - A Night in the Pourhouse

When Alexander enters the bar, he squelches. It's hard to say just how long the man was walking in the steady rain, but it was more than enough time to soak him to the skin. His hair is plastered flat to his skin, and the overlarge sweater he's wearing is basically a dripping sack hanging from his shoulders. Mud covers his work boots and reaches half way up to his knees. He stops to wipe the bottom of his boots just inside the door, but he still leaves wet marks as he makes his way to the bar. Locals may have the urge to groan and try not to catch his eyes, but he just sits and tries to catch Mariah's eye to order a beer.

Sometimes you need a place to work that comes with alcohol instead of caffeine. Kevin has a spray of papers and notebooks scattered across the table of one booth, all surrounding a battered laptop that seems kept afloat by the sea of paper. Popping up out of his seat in a loose long-sleeved gray t-shirt under a black t-shirt with block letters that read, 'EAT THE RICH,' he heads over toward the bar himself. The Gortex coat hanging outside the booth is long-since dry, showing how long he's been sitting there. "Hey, real serious writer's block. How about a boilermaker to take the edge off?" He glances aside to Alexander, then adjusts his glasses, commenting, "I always write better with a couple in me."

It's sooo muddy out and with these boots she's wearing, Erin is taking no chances. Almost inside the building, she's parked so close in her sports car, the Maserati with the top closed, parked smack in the middle of a handicap slot. The umbrella she closes as soon as she's inside the bar drips water off but she deftly avoids getting any on herself, propping the thing nearby the door. Then it's towards the bar she walks, all assuming her own welcome as she approaches, fingers unfastening her pricey overcoat to expose her similarly priced clothing beneath. "It's so cold out, I think a hot toddy sounds perfect." Several familiar faces, all the locals, and she gives a vague smile before sliding ontp a booth seat that's unoccupied.

Felicity makes her way into the bar and takes a look around before making her way up to the bar. She ran in quickly from her car so she's only slightly damp. She smooths her skirt as she takes a stool and looks around, trying to decide what to order.

Geoff pushes his way into the Pourhouse and strolls for the bar with a steady, confident gait and grabs a stool. Upnoddng Mariah as she passes by behind the bar he poses his order to her "Hey, I'm thinking I'll go with whatever's best on tap and a burger." Glancing down the way he eyes Alexander, not exactly being discrete but certainly not jumping to draw the odd man's attention

Mariah gives a look up when she hears a soggy Alexander. There's a bit of a wince and she gets up from her perch, "What can I get you? Besides a towel." she points out with a smile. "But seriously if you need a towel I've got one you could use." she tells him. Then there's a look to Kevin and there's a nod, "Sure thing. Boilermaker coming right up." she smiles to that. Then there's more orders and she looks to the clock on the wall, she really needed an extra tender today. "Hot toddy coming up. Just be a second." she smiles to Erin. Then she's starting to make drinks. She gives a wave to Felicity, "Be right with you." she tells her. Then there's Geoff again, "Hey, I'll get that burger put down in just a second. Pint coming right up when I'm done with these." she smiles to him.

Then it's time to 'MAKE ALL THE DRINKS!'

"A towel would be appreciated," Alexander says, glancing down at himself. He's leaving a little ring of drippings around the bar stool. "And a beer. And pretzels. Cheese sauce?" He reaches under the sweater for his jean pocket, and pulls out a couple of bills - they're surprisingly not completely sodden, thanks to the sweater taking the worst of the damp. Kevin is given a sidelong look in return, and Geoff receives a jerk of his chin that might be an acknowledgement of his presence, but Alexander doesn't go out of his way to bug him. He seems content, at the moment, to watch the various people entering with a flat and creepy sort of interest rather than actively bothering them.

Kevin glances over his shoulder as people troop in, waving a little bit dismissively at Mariah's response to his order, "No rush. I didn't know it was beer-toddy-burger-everything-thirty. Totally get them first." Blinking a little, he looks toward the nearest blacked-out window, "Oh, it's still cold? Rats. I was hoping it would warm up." It's an innocuous sort of prattle, just words flowing out of the man's mouth.

While the drinks are being made, Erin seems to be in no rush if her relaxed body language is any indication. Along with the, "Take your time," she offers to Mariah. Felicity's approach doesn't go unnoticed, nor do the others, a brief smile offered to Geoff before she focuses more on Felicity for a moment. "Cousin," she greets airily, narrowing it down to just that simple relation rather than all the twice removed nonsense. Slipping her coat off, she allows it to lay over the back of her barstool before crossing one leg over the other, her boot propped on the bar rail along the bottom of the bar. "How are you of late?" Directing the question towards Felicity even as she assesses the others in the room. Those she's acquainted with and those she isn't.

While the drinks are being made, Erin seems to be in no rush if her relaxed body language is any indication. Along with the, "Take your time," she offers to Mariah. The new arrival's approach doesn't go unnoticed, a brief smile offered to Geoff before she focuses more on slipping her coat off. Allowing it to lay over the back of her barstool, she crosses one leg over the other, her boot propped on the bar rail along the bottom of the bar. "Coming here is becoming a habit. I wonder if aging is making me so predictable." This is more addressed between Geoff and Mariah, but she keeps herself open to conversation between anyone who would like to offer it.

Geoff flashes Erin an amused grin at that "It's not that you're becoming predictable, it's simply that you're gracing those of us who don't run in high society with a taste of what drinking with you is like." With mischievous expression he asks Mariah the next time she passes near "So when are you going to let me tattoo you? You get the discount of being my favorite bartender."

"Habits make you easier to track," Alexander says to Erin. "Not that most of our lives aren't recorded in the modern era anyway, but it is particularly easy when one knows when and where to point the camera." He doesn't really look at her as he talks. His gaze instead remains fixed on the top of the bar. "I would say be unpredictable as a personal protection method, but sometimes unpredictability is just as expected. For you, Miss Addington, perhaps habit is a better camouflage." Enough of a townie to recognize an Addington when he sees one.

"Hey Claire, could you be a love and grab one of the clean towels? Thanks." Mariah states as she's making drinks. Alexander's drink gets delivered, as does Kevin's. She settles a beer down in front of Geoff before she's turning to get the hot toddy all made up. The towel gets tossed to her and she lays it over the bar in front of Alexander, "Don't want you to catch a cold." she tells him. Then Erin's drink is done and she delivers it over to the woman, "I won't tell anyone you were here." she chuckles to that. Then there's a look to Geoff, "A tattoo? Probably when I find something I like enough to get it permanently inked into my skin." she admits. "No names of boyfriends. That's a silly thing." she adds.

Kevin opens his mouth to say something more, and then looks over to Alexander with a bit of surprise at the advice coming from the older man. Looking over to Erin, he adds, "He's not wrong. There are cameras everywhere. At some point, you kind of just have to accept it, pretend that no one's watching." He gathers up the shot and the pint, hefting up the former and dropping it in the latter, "Thank you thank you." He nods to Mariah as well, "It's hard to think of 'permanent' sometimes, isn't it? I mean, I like the Fast and the Furious movies, but if I got an 'F&F' tattoo, and then they came out with a super-crappy sequel? I'd be totally ashamed."

"Obviously, no boyfriends, no food, no catchy sayings." Geoff retorts with amusement "I've yet to see someone get inked with a motto that didn't end up looking a bit trashy. Tramp stamps are better then sayings." After a pause he adds "I also don't copy photographs, sure I could do a decent job but it's never going to look as good as what people want."

"I guess I'm fairly simply to track. I have a cell phone, a car that's noticeable and I suppose other points that draw attention, the least not being money and a last name of merit." Erin, calling it like she sees it since 1993. Preening a little when he seems to recognize her, she even flashes him a smile. "Then I think I will take it as a compliment that you think my habit would be better suited to me and I'll try and continue it." Accepting the drink, she gives Mariah a grateful smile before she wraps both hands around it and breathes in. "Warmth. The very definition. And I appreciate that, as long as it doesn't get back to my Grandmother." Not really her grandmother, but she calls her that. Lifting her eyes to Kevin she gives him a wry look. "What if I just consider cameras another way for exposure? I don't mind the watching now and again, as long as it's when I'm out in public. In my home though, that's where I tape up the camera on the laptop. Just in case." A grin offered over. "I've seen too many movies."

Alexander takes the beer, then the towel, with a twitchy little jerk of his head. The towel is used first, to at least keep his hair from dripping down the back of his neck, then he lays it on his leg so he can take a drink of the beer. Kevin is given a considering look in return. "I don't know you," he tells the man. "And a movie tattoo would be ridiculous. I suggest the All-Seeing Eye." Erin's smile is considered impassively for a long moment, until Alexander tries to return it, the gesture looking like some sort of invisible fingers are tugging hard at the corners of his mouth, then letting the edges fall down again.

Mariah gives a look to Kevin and there's a smile, "Yeah, that would suck." she tells him about Fast and the Furious. Then there's a scrunching of her face, "Tramp stamps. No thanks." she tells Geoff. "I've had a long running idea for one. I'll just have to find the right knotwork to have it done." she admits. "And you actually need to have a boyfriend to get that bad tattoo done." she muses. Then there's a smile to Erin, "It's no problem. Let me know if you want another." she tells her. Then there's a look to Alexander, "Do you have the all seeing eye as a tattoo?" she asks him curiously.

Geoff chimes over to Erin "You know between the two of us I'm not entirely sure who has the least amount of freedom here. Your grandma sounds like a rough parole officer. If you dropped you had to take drug tests I wouldn't be surprised." Gesturing over to Alexander he tells Mariah "You know someday I'm expecting him to walk in with a henna tattoo on his forehead." before his gaze turns more fully to Mariah and he offers a rather dismissive 'pfft' sound "I find it hard to believe you don't have a boyfriend."

The door opens. The door opens fairly fast, actually, and closes again behind the culprit with a not-quite-slam that has him briefly flinching, a tiny hitch in the movement of closing his umbrella (clear plastic, with a pattern of pink flamingos and a pink stripe around the rim). "Sorry," Aidan says sheepishly, glancing around, "Uh-- restroom?" A guy at a table near the door eyes the new arrival askance, but gestures in the appropriate direction, and gets a quick, bright, but somewhat anxious grin in return. "Thanks," and Aidan hesitates, then adds, "Um, if anyone happens to ask, I'm not here, please?" before heading that way quickly. Curly hair, biker jacket, fleece polar bear hoodie, bright red jeans, and somewhat muddy Docs all disappear behind the relatively appropriate door.

Kevin nods at Erin's wry words, "Real good idea. Not just the movies, I mean, I had a Kinect a while back, and I threw a towel over it, but man, somehow that was still creepy, knowing something was listening the whole time. You might do something about the mic too." Alexander's suggestion causes him to laugh, "Ooooh... National Treasure. Yes, yes. Good one. I mean, I could do without Nic Cage, but he wasn't bad in that. Some good methodology." Looking back to Mariah, he flashes a broad smile, "Well, tramp stamp's got, like... a serious message behind it. If you want that message, it's a great way to get it across." He takes a sip of his drink, drawing in a hiss of a breath. Aidan's request gets a glance, and the raise of his brows in question.

Alexander stares at Mariah. "I don't have any tattoos. That I am aware of." He takes another sip of beer. "Interestingly, there are those who suggest that mandatory tattoos in the form of barcodes will eventually be required of all citizens in order to buy and sell, as a prelude to the apocalypse foretold in the Book of Revelations. The theory goes that all barcodes were designed by a global conspiracy to usher in the rule of Satan, and contain an encoded '666', which I'm sure we all know is the Number of the Beast for certain subcultures. Arguments ensue over whether simply purchasing anything which contains a barcode is sufficient to mark one as hellbound, or if only those who take the Mark onto their physical bodies will be consumed by Hell's everlasting fires." The gesture towards him draws his attention to Geoff. "Why?" he asks, head cocked to one side in what appears to be genuine curiosity. But not as much curiosity as Aidan's entrance garners, potentially saving Geoff from having to answer as his gaze shifts in that direction. "But you are here," he points out. As if Aidan might not realize it.

An A for effort, as far as Erin is concerned it seems, when Alexander attempts the return smile. All drowned looking and everything, she finds herself responding with an amused smile of her own. "I will let you know, thank you." The drink finally lifted after thanking Mariah, she sips and sighs, feeling the warmth start the slow burn through her, starting with her throat. A brow arches as Mariah asks Alexander about the all seeing eye and she glances towards him, curious as to the answer as well. That is until Geoff's comment. There's outright laughter. "She signs my paychecks. I'd do anything she wanted to keep myself in the manner to which I've become accustomed. Don't you know who controls the Addington purse strings around here?" All that wealth and riches, controlled by one lady. "Besides all that, I just can't stand to see that disappointment in her eyes when I mess up." The scuttling around the door has her glancing over and she just gives a light shake of her head and goes in for another drink. "The mic?" Not something she had considered, Erin gives Kevin a considering look. "I think I'll do that."

Mariah gives Geoff a look, squinting her green eyes at him, "What is so hard to believe about that and why would I lie when I have a very public job and the people in this town live for gossip?" she laughs. "Think the guy I last dated was...seven or so months ago. Nice guy, but was just here for the summer apparently." she shrugs. Then there's a look to Aidan who flutters in and starts asking for people not to mention he's here, "Huh. See weird things everyday." she muses. Then there's a look to Kevin, "No tramp stamps for me. Thanks. I like to make sure my ass is not hanging out with a sign on it." she laughs. Then she leans behind the bar a few feet from Alexander and she stares at him, "I was just asking as you were giving out suggestions." she smiles to him. Then he's going into weirdness and she gives a soft shake of her head.

Geoff looks like he is judging how to respond to Alexander when Aidan provides that blessed relief from actually having to answer. With a chuckle he listens to Erin's reply "That's fair, if I were in your situation I'd probably be doing much the same." picking his glass up he takes a deep gulp from the delicious beer before using it to gesture to Mariah "You know that's fair...The tinder scene in this area is a bit sketch. I mean I got bad date stories for days from it, which definitely a plus when trying to one up people with nightmare date stories."

Kevin scoffs at Alexander's suggestions, "Hellbourne? Really?" He shakes his head and takes another sip of his boilermaker, "You really go in for that? I just figure it'll be electromagnetic ink that lets the government -- or corporations -- or both -- track you without worrying about phones or anything." He taps his fingers against his pint glass, thinking a moment, "But really? The Hellbourne nonsense?" Oh, right, he's not on a message board. He blinks behind his glasses, looking around and clearing his throat before he gives Mariah and chuckling nod, and Erin a more serious one, "I mean, sure, it can't see you, but it can hear whatever you're saying. Your phone too. How do you think Siri works?" Geoff's complaints cause him to chuckle again, "Man, tinder and all those things are so totally just big data getting everything they can from you."

Alexander straightens from his slouch and looks at Kevin with renewed interest. "Nanotech microtrackers. I'd be ten on it. Electromagnetics are too easily disrupted by low level EMP. Nanotrackers can bury themselves deeper in the body once introduced, replicate in the blood stream. And no, the Hellbourne theory /is/ nonsense, predicated on a misreading of typical barcode patterns, not to mention a rather ridiculous misunderstanding of the Book of Revelations in total." He gestures with his free hand, looking animated, although he ends with a gesture at Geoff. "You should ask Mister Turner. He has people REQUESTING to be chipped. We need no overlords for our inevitable subjugation. Put a cat meme on it, and people will be lining up to become cogs in the machine."

"It's much easier to be the token single woman at all of the parties and just dance with whoever and go home with none. Then you don't have to donate to the terror date stories that this town collects like bad juju and recycles like slime in the streets." Erin's nose crinkles and she laughs outright. "I watched that old Ghostbusters movie lately. Don't mind me." Giving a dismissive handwave for her own words. Kevin's words she takes more seriously than Alexandsrs and even her own. "I don't think Siri works well at all. She told me I was sad that I had no friends." Pulling her Apple cell out of her back pocket, she asks Siri what is zero divided by zero. Siri tells the response: 'Imagine that you have zero cookies and you split them evenly among zero friends. How many cookies does each person get? See, it doesn't make sense. And Cookie Monster is sad that there are no cookies. And you are sad that you have no friends.' She shows it around and smirks. "Bitch."

"PleasepretendI'mnot!" is mostly understandable as the bathroom door closes behind Aidan, as if Alexander's point were-- well, exactly as logical as it technically is. And then it's quiet over there.

It's somewhere between half a minute and an entire one before the bar's door opens again and admits another entry, a solidly built and well-soaked guy with a generally unpleasant sort of aura. And a hint of that glimmer. He looks around the place with narrowed eyes before talking relatively quietly to the people nearest the door, making an 'about yea high' gesture at about Aidan's height in the process. More or less seems like he's trying not to draw much attention to himself, and would probably be doing pretty well at it if there hadn't already been some attention-drawing in that general area.

The door opens once again and Easton rolls in. He's dressed in a motorcycle jacket, dirty tan ball cap and jeans, all of which are thoroughly soaked. He stands just inside the closed door and drips for a moment while he takes a look around the place. A slow smile creeps across his face as he begins nodding to himself, as if pleased with what he sees. At least until he sees two patrons from last night, which he mentally tries to recall their names through his brain fog. He shakes off the jacket and places it on a coat rack before sidling up to the bar.

He lifts a finger in Mariah's direction and asks, "Your biggest lager please. Bucket sized if you have it."

At being asked if there's anyone here of a particular description, Easton says easily and very confidently "Nope. No one here like that at all." This despite the fact that he just arrived and didn't even look around to see. But he's very sure of his reply.

"Oh come on Erin I know you have your own share of horror date stories, even if they go back to highschool." Geoff replies with a wicked glimmer in his eye and a playully teasing tone "I seem to remember a story involving a hardees and the school mascot." Whether or not this happened is up for debate but Geoff definitely remembers it being one of the popular girls. Commenting to Kevin and Alexander he clarifies "It wasn't chipping just an rfid tag inserted beneath a business card tattoo so people could scan him with their cell phones."

"Eww, Tinder? Really?" Mariah looks a bit grossed out. "Never Tinder. Why can't people go out and meet people?" she chuckles. "I mean, if that's your thing, no offense. Just not mine." she shakes her head. Then there's a look at Alexander when he starts in on his chipping and overlords tangent. "You're soberish, right?" she asks him. Then she notices Easton and gives a look past him to the man that's on his way up. Her face falls into full glare mode. She might be small, but she will give the evil eye to anyone mucking around in her place, "No one here that matches that description." she tells him.

Kevin's eyebrows shoot up at Alexander's response, and he nods sharply, pointing at the soggy man, "Yeeeeees. Yes! One of us, one of us!" He laughs easily, taking another slug of his drink and glancing over at his booth full of laptop and papers just to make sure it's still there. Looking back to Erin, he nods, "Yeah, but Siri's always listening. Just because the software that lets her talk back to you sucks doesn't mean that she can't hear everything you're saying. Or that she doesn't upload everything you're saying to a database somewhere in Nevada." He points to Alexander without even looking, "Not Area 51. Totally different place." The two folks coming in get a glance, but then he's looking back to Geoff and Mariah, "Tinder's not so bad some place like Seattle. Here it's just not so useful, I think. Same with Vancouver. There are better ways. And RFID tags are way just as bad. And you're really worried about him being sober? You don't think that they want us chipped?"

Alexander looks back at Mariah. "I haven't had enough beer to be drunk," he confirms. But he gives it a good go, by draining half of the rest of his mug in a couple of gulps. A skeptical look is thrown towards Geoff, before that fellow asking around draws his attention back. "Why are you looking?" he asks, apparently undecided on whether Aidan exists at the moment or not. Kevin's enthusiastic response makes him twitch a bit warily, as if expecting to be mocked in the next breath.

Erin hurriedly lifts a finger as if to place it over Geoff's lips. Instead, she stops short, amusement dancing in her eyes. "Those shall never again be spoken of. There's no future in the past." Leaning back again, she lowers her finger to trace it along her glass. Eyeing Kevin, she looks aghast at that very idea. "That's terrible to think of. Is that why, when I mention something to someone about ordering it, I suddenly and miraculously have advertisements about it on my search engine?" It made awful sense but she does allow herself to be distracted by the new arrivals. "No idea who you are speaking of." Not one to give away others secrets unless it benefited her personally. Easton gets a glance and a nod though, he seemed somewhat agreeable.

"Hey Tinder isn't really my thing, but had to try it when I heard that it was a thing. At least until it became clear it was a nightmare." Geoff replies easily enough "Now my best bet is hitting up bars and looking pretty damn good when I ride my bike through town." As Easton sits down he offers his fist over to the man for a brofist because that is what you do in these sort of situations. Winking to Erin he mimics "No future, no past, got it."

Mariah just gives a look to Alexander, "It's early." she tells him. Then there's a smile given to Easton, "What can I get you?" she asks him. He's not a familiar face, but he's not asking questions after people either. She gives a look to Geoff and there's a chuckle, "Just don't do it while it's raining, Geoff." she teases him.

Glowery Guy looks less than wholly convinced by the assertion coming from the guy who showed up about the same time he did, for some reason; the other 'nope's seem to be a bit more effective, though Alexander gets some sharper focus when he goes for 'why' instead of 'no'. Unfortunately for GG, it means he's looking right toward Mariah when she gives him that glare, and he actually blinks before pulling the mask of full composure back down again. "Sorry to bother you, ma'am," he says, inclining his head to her, but there's still a suspicious look that travels over the place before something seems to convince him it's not worth further effort, and he turns to leave the place again.

It's a fairly clear ten-count before the door to the restroom opens again, and Aidan takes a quick peek, then emerges, sighing as he heads toward the bar. The assembled as a whole get a smile that qualifies as both grateful and sheepish. "Thanks," he says, "...sorry about that," and more directly toward Mariah, "Can I get... some kinda craft beer? And maybe a burger?" He ends up near Kevin, glancing at the guy's chest, and grins. "Good shirt." His own is a faded black one that reads 'Anarchy Burger - Hold the Government' in a parody of the In-N-Out sign.

Alexander drains the rest of his beer. "Then I suppose I will have another," he says, and reaches for his wallet to fish out another worn bill to push over to Mariah. The suspicious look from Glowery Guy gets an impassive stare in return, although he does look vaguely displeased when the guy leaves without answering his question. But, hey, Aidan returns, and that means he might still get one. "Why was he looking for you? Did you guess the wrong word?"

The bro-fist is easily returned and alongside it a quick glance is directed towards Erin. Mentally Easton unwittingly pushed something to Geoff. It's funny how non-verbal communication in this town can suddenly slip into a Glimmer based communique without much effort at all. The fact that it happens though causes a brief worried look to pass over Easton's face. \
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Mariah asking him for his order causes him to snap out of it though. "A lager. Something local. And preferably in the largest glass and or bucket you serve here."

Kevin isn't mocking Alexander, he's exhulting. But there's Erin, who clearly isn't in on things, and so he gives her a sad little nod, "Yeeeeah... Big Data's how the corporations know how to tell you what you want to buy. Did you know that Big Data can figure out when someone's pregnant sooner than a pregnancy test? It's the bread part of the bread and circuses that keeps everyone from noticing what's going on." He flashes a grin, "Amazon's totally the worst for that." He watches the glowery guy turn around in the face of Mariah's stare and gives a low whistle. Aidan's appreciation of his shirt draws a proud smile, "Hey! Nice one yourself. I like it. Stick it to the man by using their marketing." Heaving a sigh, he shakes his head, "I should get going. Deadlines and stuff." Hoisting up the last of his boilermaker to Mariah, he makes a signing gesture, "I'll cash out. Thanks much."

"I think you very deliberately misunderstand me. But I equally think it's challenging so I'll hold off complaining about it for now." Erin lifts her drink and takes a sip from the glass, finishing off the Hot Toddy for the most part. The glass is slid back onto the bar as she considers her next drink now that she'd warmed up. With everything happening, Glowery leaving, Aiden coming out of hiding and Easton approaching, the Addington just watches with a hooded expression, listening to much of what is being said. Kevin, though, easily draws her attention back towards him. "And yet here we all are with cell phones. How do you keep yourself protected from all of that? Muting mics and covering cameras? What else can be done?"

"It's no problem. Have a lovely night and stay dry." Mariah smiles brightly to GG. It's like she said 'please go die in a fire' with such love. She then looks to Aidan and there's a much more sincere smile, "I'll get that for you." she tells him. But whatever Easton does, it distracts her completely and the woman is left staring at him for a moment. Because he did that thing. "Uhh...sure. Beer and a burger. Seems popular tonight." she shakes herself and then goes to put in orders. And get Geoff's burger for him!

Alexander blinks a couple of times as Kevin signals his intention to cash out. He actually stands up, and moves close enough to the man to stick out a hand. It's slightly damp, and cold from the rain and the beer glass. "Alexander Clayton. I don't know your name." And he seems to intend to correct that before Kevin leaves, his stare intense.

Geoff 's eyes dance with that same mischief as he replies to Mariah "I can't make any promises about not riding in the rain, but I will say it is something I avoid at all costs. Nothing ruins a nice day quite like a surprise shower and being a good half hour from home." leaning against the bar he tilts back his beer and finishes off what's left with several gulps, his query now turned towards Easton "So what's good with you my man? You seem to be in decent if thirsty spirits."

Watching Mariah oh so politely tell the GG to stuff it brings a wry smirk to Easton's face, but catching her also stop and look at him after his little slip causes him to give an involuntary shrug, of 'oops'? It's still entirely bizarre to him that there are suddenly so many people in this town that have that ... thing. He is about to try to say something to her, though exactly what is not clear, his brain has not caught up to his already open mouth. But thankfully Geoff steps in to save him from stuttering out something nonsensical.

"Me? Yea. I'm in great spirits. Got a day off, about to get shitfaced. I have very terrible plans for the night ahead and I couldn't be happier."

"Nope, you don't," Kevin grins at Alexander, but he only holds off for a heartbeat before he takes the other man's hand, "Kevin Walters." There's a moment's dismay, and then he adds in, "Gray Harbor Gazette." He digs into his back pocket for the flip phone he carries there, "Well, this helps. Especially if you do a little surgery on it. But then you can't get onto any of the fancy social media sites -- or tinder." He considers a moment, signing over a fair tip, then looks back to Erin, "But you can't do everything. Not without going full faraday cage and all that. I mean, if you're really interested, I can totally sit down some time and tell you about the steps you can take if you want to minimize your footprint, but as long as you're on the grid, you're on the grid." He gestures back to Alexander, "Like I said, Kevin Walters."

"I heard some teenage girl got sent coupons for pregnancy things a few years back way before she'd told her folks," Aidan says, nodding agreement to Kevin's remarks on Big Data, and he gives the guy a brighter grin for the counter-shirt-appreciation. He slides onto the stool, with a very sincere, "Thank you!" to Mariah, and the brighter edge stays as he says, "Well, you can get a burner pay as you go phone, for one thing, and don't pay with credit and stuff 'cause they definitely track that kind of thing. There's programs you can find to disable some stuff, and you can turn off the GPS and all, but they can turn that back on, and in any case there's the whole thing about being closest to which towers, so-- really the best option's don't have a cell phone. But then everyone around you has one anyway, so you're still kinda screwed. Maybe they're not hearing it from you, but they're hearing it from Joe's phone over there. But at least that's not, like, in your name, so..."

He trails off, glancing toward the door a bit uneasily, and setting his umbrella to lean against the edge of the bar, beside him. "I dunno. I mean, no, I didn't get his word wrong, that part I know. I wasn't working." he answers Alexander.

Mariah just gives Easton and wink and then she's heading off to settle Aidan's beer down in front of him. They have one craft beer on tap thank the Gods! She then goes to get the burgers that are up for those who ordered them!

It's a damp, brief shake that Alexander exchanges with Kevin. "Kevin Walters. Gray Harbor Gazette. I'll remember that." He steps back, breaking contact with a speed that suggests he deeply regrets having initiated it, then slinks back to his stool. His eyes dart this way and that, before settling on Aidan. "Then...why?" he persists.

Erin looks up from where she'd been asking Kevin things and turns her gaze towards Mariah. slipping her the cost of the drink she had along with a healthy tip. That being done, she turns more to listen to Kevin as she considers being off and on the grid. "I'm not sure how much I can do and still be accessible to my family as they need me, but I may be by. The Gazette you say? I may stop in at some point, just for the advice." Then Aidan adds to it. "Is it actually so terrible to be on the grid? Is there anything really harmful they can do with the information?"

"I'll drink to that." Geoff informs Easton and goes to his glass only to find that he has in fact already finished it off. As his burger is set before him he winks to Mariah "Any chance I could get another beer, and if I'm buying can you have a drink with us? Or do you not drink on the job?" picking up a fry from his plate he tosses it into his mouth and chews, swallowing before offering to no one in particular "Being on the grid isn't worst thing."

"My strategy for dealing with the government listening in on my devices and watching through my phone? " Easton asks, as if anyone has actually involved him in this conversation, which is not exactly true. He looks over at Mariah to try and catch her eye before continuing, a touch too loud. "I just strip off naked and dance for 'em, give them a good show. And usually spend at least a couple nights a month just talking to my phone about anything, my hopes, my fears, my rapidly changing body. You know, Dead God, It's Me Margaret style. I mean I figure if they're listening and watching you might as well give them some damn good content."

He points to Erin and nods, as if she's making his point. "Yea, see? I figure if I'm going to be watched it should at least be on my terms." Which is not really what she's saying, but that doesn't seem to phase Easton.

When Geoff asks Mariah about drinking with them, he points to him now, apparently not really up on the it's rude to point bit and says, "Now that is a /very/ important question. I will say, some, unnamed and very handsome bartenders are okay with that, but I am curious about the house rules here."

"Being on the grid means that your opinions, preferences, and weaknesses are known. It's not just selling you things you want, but knowing what you hate, or what you aspire to be, and executing a strategy to manipulate you to embrace the aims of the powerful," Alexander mutters towards Erin. "Big Data has not quite solved the problem of LaPlace's Demon, but as modeling techniques get ever more sophisticated, and more data is acquired, the invisible hand weighs more heavily on you, curating your world to match the pre-conceptions They want you to have." He looks over towards Easton as the man's voice rises. His lips twitch upwards into something like a real smile, before the expression is smothered.

"I don't drink on the job, but if the bartenders don't get shitfaced I don't mind if people buy them a drink. It's sometimes nice. I will drink something after my shift is over though." Mariah admits to that with a smile. Then there's a look to Erin and a nod to her, "Thank you. You want anything else?" she asks her as money goes into the till. Then she gives a look to Easton and there's a laugh, "And you would be that unamed and very handsome bartender that works at Two If By Sea?" she asks him. Ooooh. She had scoped out the competition!

What possible better place would there be to met others in this glorious town than a pub? Wait. Bar. Either way, Baylee comes in like she's been walking into bars for the better part of twenty years, that confidence in the fact that there are things all bars have. Tables, an actual bar, people, and most importantly...alcohol. Which is what she's come for, judging by the fact she's heading towards the bar itself with a single minded focus on the prize at the end of the tunnel.

"So on Tuesday nights when Beef Wellington is being served at the mansion and I'm craving an In and Out burger instead. Big Brother are the ones that make that ad suddenly pop up on my phone and have me excusing myself from a family dinner and driving off into the night to satisfy that craving." Taking all of it and crumpling it into one easily understood lesson and living with it. "I like my phone too much to let it go, so I guess the government is stuck listening to me singing in the shower and dancing around with my towel on." Triumphant in effectively ending her part of the matter, she asks for another drink as well. "Whatever is on tap but in a frosted glass, please," she asks Mariah. A look to Easton. "A bartender as well?"

Kevin snap-points at Aidan's description of the teenage mother's plight, nodding to Erin, "Sounds great. I'll look forward to it." He chuckles at Easton's input, nodding, "Yuuuup." And then he's off to gather up his stuff, pull on his jacket, and head out the door, crouching over his laptop bag to protect it from the rain. He has to dodge around Baylee on the way out, giving her a flash of a grin, but then he's gone.

"Well that settles it, I'll have to wait for your shift to be over to buy you a drink." Geoff decides on in regards to Mariah, his hands settling about his burger as he brings it up for a bite from it. Chewing he listens to the conversation going on around him and chimes in when Erin asks about Easton "Don't get this guy started, he's a rival bartender and given what I saw the other night I'm pretty he'll both drink on the job and take his shirt of for five bucks. It's like coyote ugly only with a dude."

"So you're Mariah, the owner?" It would appear that Mariah is not the only person who's been doing some scoping of competition since Easton is able to suss out that she's the one making rules for the other bartenders. Granted it's a little unfair in that Two if by Sea is apparently owned by some faceless LLC, and asking around would only point to a general manager, but no owner. He gives a half-shrug of 'you got me' when she brings up his bar.

/Beef Wellington at mansion.../ Easton's side-eye towards Erin, but is distracted by Geoff.

He nods seriously and agrees, "Yes. Moderate drinking now, getting shit-faced then. That sounds like a plan." At the description of him being willing to take off his shirt for five-bucks and being accused of being a male Coyote Ugly he puts his hands out as if offended for a moment before clarifying, "That is the nicest thing anyone's said about me in a long time."

Alexander's eyes flick back and forth among the conversation, observing it intensely. But, after a moment, he puts the rest of his tab, and a tip, on the bar with cash, and slides off the bench. He uses the towel Mariah'd given him earlier to clean up the wet stool, even the floor around it, then folds the towel in a neat little square on the bar. Aside from that, there's no parting words - he just slouches his way out into the wet evening.

"Me too," Erin offers after Kevin and accompanies it with a smile. Settling back in the bar stool, she leans in just enough to rest her forearms on the bar and to listen to the conversation around her. The newly arriving Baylee is given a glance along with a nod of welcome, but for the moment her attention goes to Geoff, amusement returning to her expression. "Nothing wrong with a man taking his shirt off for five bucks. What would it cost me for you to? If I claimed it was to see your ink?" Totally teasing him, she laughs softly and slides Mariah more money for her frosted glass tap beer.

"I don't know! Maybe he didn't like my shoes," Aidan says, glancing down at the part of his outfit possibly least likely to strike anyone as notable, and he gives Alexander a helpless shrug. "I was just checking out what sort of stores and stuff were down here. Then he was following me. And looking like he was pretty sure I picked his pocket, which, just for the record, I did not." Don't want anyone getting the wrong idea here. Another glance toward the door, as if the guy might come back -- which, to be fair, he theoretically might. He pauses, and then there's a bit of a Something that some people might or might not pick up on, one never knows.

Easton's solution for dealing with Them spying gets a grin, though, and the arrival of Baylee an even brighter one, directed her way; Kevin gets a wave of farewell, and Alexander another, and then he just sighs, rubbing his temples briefly, and turns back to check out the state of beer and burger.

Mariah gets Erin a frosted glass and then pours something from the tap before sitting it down in front of her. She gives her a smile then and goes back to looking to the others at the bar. Baylee gets a wave, "What can we get you?" she asks. Then there's a look to Geoff, "If you want to buy me a drink sure." she tells him. Then there's a look to Easton, "Yeah, I'm Mariah." she tells him. "And I don't mind people having a good time. I just need to be a bit more professional since I own the place." she admits. Then she waves to Alexander on his way out.

There is a slight wave towards the exiting Alexander, then Baylee turns her attention towards Mariah, "Whiskey and coke." She requests, reaching into a pocket to pull out a credit card, holding it towards her, "Open a tab, and none of that well shit." Yes. She's British. Yes. It's a posh British accent. And yes, sound and look doesn't exactly match. She glances towards the others, the ones that didn't run away yet, offering them quick smiles before her attention turns towards Aidan, "Fancy running into you in a place like this."

Geoff clicks his tongue as he muses over Erin's question "Well when it comes to my ink I'm a bit of an exhibitionist, tells the story of my life and I got nothing to hide." winking he adds "You could even touch if you wanted to. I've run into a number of people who don't have tats that want to touch them." looking back to Mariah he says "Definitely want to buy you a drink sometime and chat when you're off the clock." Spottng Baylee he offers her a dip of his head.

"Heavy is the head that wears the crown." Yea being king and owning a bar are not exactly the same thing, but some of the principles apply.

At Aidan's announcement that he most definitely did NOT pick pocket that man, Easton gives him a look of 'really?' not bothering to hide the fact that he doesn't believe him. He also doesn't seem overly concerned with the morality involved in said pick-pocketing, so much as the 'he doth protest too much' announcement.

At Baylee's order, Easton nods in something like approval. It's hard to tell if it's form the accent, or the drink order though until he calls out to Mariah, "I'll have a whiskey 'n coke next too, thanks." After all if he's going to be waiting around with Geoff to buy her a drink after her shift he might as well go for something to sip on versus just chug beers, which actually was his previous plan. He nods at her again, this time a little more clear that he was agreeing with her beverage of choice tonight.

"Oh yea, I for one would also like to rub my hands all over your tats." He casually agrees with Geoff about people wanting to touch his ink. "And join you for the drink and chat if I'm not imposing." He looks meaningfully at Geoff for just a second longer, this time trying to send something mentally.

Mariah gives a grin to Baylee, "Coming right up." she tells her as she starts putting the drink together. She does give a look between Geoff and Easton though as there's talk of tattoo rubbing and all that. "Ummm, I'll leave the tattoo rubbing to someone else." she comments quietly. Then she finishes Baylee's drink and settles it down in front of her. Then she looks back to Easton, "I don't mind if you join us. Since it's just drinking and talking I believe." she looks to Geoff then. Seeing what he says.

"Sounds like a crowd, I'm good without touching the tats." Erin takes the drink Mariah gave over and smiles her thanks to the bartender. After a few sips, she glances back towards the door. "I wonder if the weather has let up any and the rain has at least lightened," she muses.

Geoff snorts softly "Sounds like only men are interested in touching my tats." placing a hand to his heart he lets out a sigh of faux pain "Once had to lay a guy out for touching without asking. Kind of had to because if you don't stop it there they'll take a mile." dipping his head to Mariah and Easton he confirms "Just talking since I've never caught you when you weren't on shift."

Aidan returns Easton a look of 'really!', which probably translates mostly into a kind of wounded innocence. He picks up his beer, taking a sip that seems approving, and gives Baylee a smaller smile. "Seems like a nice enough place," he says, "Wasn't planning on being here originally but this beer's pretty good and the burger smells nice too. Also, hi." The others get listened to more quietly for now, and though there's a look that suggests some interest in this display of Geoff's tattoos (with or without rubbing), he doesn't actually request an invite. Then again, maybe it'll happen right here!

Mariah gives a soft chuckle, "I'm off shift at ten." she tells them. "I just...don't get really touchy with people unless I know them or date them. I'm not going to manhandle some guy like he's fresh meat if he's not single or unknown." she muses. "Speaking of things. I should go start the shift change so my assistant can close out tonight." she smiles to that. "If anyone needs anything just poke Claire." she adds. Then the woman is disappearing into the back!

Erin looks over at the hems of Geoff's clothing for hints of the tats beneath. "Maybe it would be worthwhile, touching the tattoos." Eyes cut over to Easton though before coming back. "But I think your datebook is full for the night." Lifting her glass, she takes a drink but doesn't finish her drink yet. A wave is offered to Mariah as she disappears to the back, but she makes no moves to get up and leave yet, herself.

At the mention of touching and rubbing peoples tats there is a glance down at her own exposed ink, then Baylee gives Easton, her brows lifting upwards before she laughs, "I have that exact same problem, usually." This is tossed carelessly towards Geoff at the connect that only men are wanting to rub on his tattoos. She drops herself into a place next to Aidan, reaching for her drink to pull it in towards herself, "A man's gotta eat, right? Can't be too mad about a good burger."

At Mariah's comment about not touching people she doesn't know, he shrugs. "I have the opposite problem, I grope random strange men and ignore my girlfriends. It's kind of an issue. I'm working on it."

Easton chooses to ignore the look back of Aidan and instead turns back to focus on his conversation with Geoff. He smirks and says, "For real though, you started talking a bit about your ink. I didn't mean to cut you off... She was probably genuinely interested and I'm just being the loud asshole." He drains his beer and is pleased when the replacement bartender shows up with a jack and coke. He lifts his glass towards Baylee, not quite close enough to start a conversation that involves more than gestures and near shouts down the bar.

He plans to drink quietly, or atleast as quiet as his loud mouth lets him until Mariah gets off her shift.

Geoff tells Mariah with a hint of a gruff amusement "Well then I'll see you when you get off shift." turning his attention to Easton he claps the man on the shoulder "Admitting you have a problem is the first step towards combating it. Before long you'll be able to keep healthy boundaries unless invited." dipping his head to Erin he comments "Swing by the shop someday and I'll show you what I'm rocking and let you go through my portfolio. I got a couple pieces I'm especially proud of that I have framed up there."