2020-06-03 - Day Drinking

It was mid afternoon so Firefly wasn't exactly 'hopping' yet. The club had just opened up for the day recently so a couple regulars had trickled in to day drink but primarily the focus was getting set up for later on. Dahlia was behind the bar, working on putting up some new bottles and occasionally flirting with the patrons sitting at the bar because friendly flirting generally equated to better tips. Her long black hair was pulled back into a ponytail and with the warming weather she's wearing a pair of frayed denim shorts and a faded blue halter top.

Wandering around town is thirsty work, especially when you're dressed in your best to impress people. Which Jefferson certainly is, even though his stuff is all off the rack. He's managed to find his way into the Firefly, studying the interior of the establishment before making his way towards the bar. As he approaches he gives the bartender an upnod and moves to settle onto one of the stools. His gaze travels to the rows of liquor bottles and a look of consideration appears upon his face. There is a lot to look at, at least for the middle aged ex-con. While checking out the available drinks he says the bartender, glancing back at her and saying in a friendly tone of voice, "How's it going?"

Dahlia spared a glance when she heard the door open and then finished up what she was doing. Turning around to face Jefferson once he was seated, Dahlia flashed him an easy grin. "Afternoon, ain't seen you in here before." She mused. And she was at least half his age so the chances of them crossing paths before was probably slim. " My name's Dahlia." A little pluck towards the name tag she wore on her shirt. "What'll you be drinking today?"

"Nice to meet you, Dahlia. I'm Jeff," the middle aged man replies to the young woman with a friendly smile, glancing momentarily down at her name tag when it's indicated. "Can I get a water and a glass of beer, please? I've been walking around all day and it is thirsty work." There's a faint chuckle at that, though he does look around again before leaning over to rest his forearms on the edge of he bar, keeping them close in towards his body so as to take up a minimum amount of space. It's probably a habit, judging by the way he did it seemingly without thought.

"Water and beer. Can do." Dahlia makes quick order of getting him that water and beer. Both nice and cold. "Nice day to be walkin' around too." She offered up as she set the glasses in front of him. She maintained a casual lean against her side of the bar. Easy to talk and keep an eye on the other patrons. "Were you walking with a purpose or just enjoying our pretty small town weather?"

"Thanks," says Jefferson when the drinks are brought over to him, taking a long drink from the water first before sipping the beer. Gotta make the good stuff last. "Both. I used to be from here, now I'm back and looking for a job. Figured the best way to see about something in town was to go around and look, maybe ask some folks if they had any ideas." He chuckles a bit, "Hopefully today I'm meeting with someone about work landscaping. I think it would be nice to work with plants. I'm working on a vegetable garden out in front of my trailer, too."

"You just let me know if you want anything else." Dahlia offered, glancing him over briefly when he mentioned he was from around town. "Oh no shit," that he's at the trailer park. "I grew up in Huckleberry. Lot 28." Or maybe 27. Her player isn't able to look easily but definitely one of those.

"This place could always do with dome beautifying. I'll cross my fingers for ya and hope you get that job. What sort of vegetables are you growing?"

"Will do, thanks," Jeff replies to the offer of additional drinks, nodding his head at the bartender. "Huh. Small town, right? I'm in Lot 20. Just started putting together the planters for my garden. Not even sure what I'm doing to put in it, I like the idea of tomatoes if they'll grow around here, though. Maybe cucumber, too." There's a deep sigh from him at the thought of those veggies. "I miss fresh vegetables, let me tell you. The shit I've been eating has been out of cans or frozen." His eyes grow distant for a moment, lost in thought, but he shakes it off and goes for another drink of his beer. "Anyway, thanks for wishing me luck. I'll take whatever help I can get."

Dahlia raised an eyebrow as she considered Jefferson again. "Dare I even ask where you been that you haven't had any fresh veggies?" She could take a few wild guesses but wasn't going to presume. "Fresh vegetables are always better. Just something satisfying about the taste. I'll agree with you there." Shifting a bit to focus on him a bit more. "I don't know a thing about gardening but the selection sounds good. Maybe some lettuce and carrots too. Though, that might attract the rabbits and deer..."

With a little bit of a wince Jefferson tilts his head to the side. Then he speaks, "Prison, as a matter of fact. Got busted with a kilo and got nailed for possession with intent to distribute. I spent most of it in minimum security, luckily enough. I figured out early on how to keep my head down and stay out of trouble." At her vegetable suggestions the man nods, "Those sound really good, too. I'll probably plant them as well. A lot depends on what can grow up here, but at least I don't need to worry about watering them all the time thanks to all the rain."

Dahlia nodded a little, not looking entirely surprised. "Sounds sucky." Giving him a wry little grin. "Prison's one place I ain't been yet. Hopefully it stays that way." She mused. "Glad you're out though. Sounds like you're off to a good start or somethin'." Not that she really knew one way or the other. But it sounded like he was looking to make some good choices? "Oh you know what. You should talk to August. Though...that may be who you're going to be talking to about landscaping..." She chuckled. "But he owns a tree service? Knows a lot. Prolly could tell you about what'll grow best!"

"Yeah, prison sucks. I mean, it could be worse, could've gotten killed," Jefferson shrugs his shoulders. "Smuggling can be a dangerous profession, after all." He'll nod then, "Do your best to stay out, though. I don't ever want to lay eyes on a prison again as I long as I live."

With a chuckle he says, "Everybody tells me to look up August. I met him last night, we're supposed to meet at some point today. I need to pick up more stuff for my garden anyway and if he has a job I'm not going to turn it down. I hear landscapers and gardeners make okay money."

"That's true. Being killed would be the ultimate suck. I mean, we're all gonna die right? But no one wants to die in prison I imagine." Dahlia nodded. "When my time comes I'd rather go out with a bang than go quietly." She admitted with a chuckle. "I keep a low profile myself. Not sayin I break the law or nothing. But I try to stay off the radar in general." She mused and gave him another grin. "I haven't really had much interaction with him myself. I just know he's the go-to tree and plant guy. Hopefully he's got an opening! Or at least can point you in a good direction. Lotta people pay top dollar to make sure their stuff is the prettiest. At least. I think."

"Yeah. I want to die in about thirty years in my bed," Jefferson says before laughing, shaking his head somewhat. "Who knows, though?" Then he upnods at the woman, "If you do break the law make sure you don't deal with anybody who hasn't been vetted and that you have a good alibi. Oh, and if you get in a fight stop swinging after the dude goes down or they'll get you for murder three or involuntary manslaughter."

"That's what I'm counting on," the ex-con tells the woman with a smile. "If I don't get a job working outside it's not the end of the world. Usually restaurants, especially chains like Cracker Barrel, will hire ex-cons as cooks or kitchen staff. I'm not a great cook, but I can follow a recipe pretty well."

"Guess that's part of the mystery huh? We never know the when and wear." Dahlia agreed, pulling out a bottle of water from under her side of the bar to take a drink out of. She looks a bit amused as he gives her the suggestions on not getting caught. "I'll keep those close to my chest." She says sincerely. "Sounds like you've been around the block a time or two." Her head tilted ever so slightly. "Pretty sure the bars around here will hire to you too. Or the diner. So long as you don't try any funny stuff. If it came down to it."

"I'm a pretty honest guy, for a crook," Jefferson comments with a grin at his new acquaintance. "I used to have a pretty good rep, back in the day. Never ratted on anybody, never skimmed off the top or lied to the guys in my crew. I figure that sort of ethic will turn into me working hard and being straight with whoever hires me." His head nods a few times, "I might like to work in a bar, but not a lot of guys are willing to hire ex-cons if they're going to be dealing with money. I suppose I could try my hand at bouncing, maybe, but I'm kind of old for that. Not that big, either, so guys might decide to pick fights with me when they shouldn't." The older fellow gets quieter, "I don't like hurting folks I don't have to, you know?"

Dahlia listens attentively to Jefferson, a little curious, a little intrigued. Sure, she had dealings with a handful of the criminals in town but she hadn't had a real in-depth kind of conversation with many of them. Let alone one that seemed to have as much experience as this one. "I agree, you sound pretty stand up." Dahlia flashed the older man a smile. "Yeah depends on what's being done I guess but never hurts to try either. Worst they can say is no, right?" Her brow quirked upward briefly.

"I think that's a good thing. Not wantin' to hurt people unless it's absolutely necessary. Lot of violence and all, in various forms. Especially in this town. Good not to want to add to it wantonly."

"Thanks," Jefferson replies when told he sounds 'stand up', the compliment causing his chest to swell slightly. "I appreciate it." He smiles back at her before returning his attention to his drinks, having some more of his beer. "That's right. I figure it might take a lot of looking, but I'm pretty determined to find some legal work." Then he slowly nods a few times, "Yeah. Violence looks cool from the outside, and play fighting and boxing are fun, but the repercussions of something as simple as a punch can't always be figured out ahead of time." With an upnod he asks, "Is Gray Harbor pretty rough? They just opened that casino, I figured that would give a lot of people honest work."

Dahlia cast her gaze briefly around the bar before those emerald eyes settled on Jefferson again. "This town is all kinds of fucked up. I dunno how long you been away but. Stick around long enough and I'm sure you'll start to see what I mean." She assured him. "The casino opening was fun. I debating maybe trying to work as a waitress at the bar and restaurant that's opened on it. But I'm already spread sort of thin." She chuckled. "So probably best I don't. I'll just go there for recreation only." A slight shrug of her shoulders. "I'm sure the increase in available jobs is helpful though."

"I was hoping the town would have cleaned up a little since I was gone, but some things never change," Jefferson says with a sigh, frowning. "I should be good at staying out of trouble now, though. I used to find it easily enough." As Dahlia chuckles Jefferson joins in with her, "Might be for the best. I was at the opening of their new restaurant last night, real fancy place. No idea how I got in, but I got to meet some new people and that was nice."

"Ain't that the truth." Dahlia agreed about some things never changing. "I left outta here when I was 18. Had to come back for family reasons about a year or so ago now...barely anything's changed. Which, you know I'm sure...is both good and bad." She mused. "Oh yeah? Glad it went well. I'll have to check it out next day I'm off. Fancy can be fun now and then. Though probably expensive? So like, maybe a special occasion thing."

Jefferson nods, finishing off his beer, "What brought you back? Most of the people I know tend to stay gone when they leave here." There's a brief pause, "Not that I ever really felt the need to leave. As bad as it can get sometimes Gray Harbor is my home. I'll probably end up dying here, not to get morbid on you." When she speaks of the casino again the guy nods, "It's expensive there, but it was nice. If I ever start dating again I know where to go to impress somebody. The restaurant and piano bar there are super nice. Good food, from what I could snag."

"Get you another?" Dahlia asked after he set down the empty beer glass. There's a little shrug again as she debated on how to answer. "My mom got sick and my brothers had cleared out of town once she'd gotten better the first time. So when she got sick again it was my turn basically." There's a bit of a frown. "She passed away not too long after I got up here. But I ended up staying." She smiled again. "I found some better reasons to stick around."

Dahlia made a thoughtful noise at the description of the restaurant. "Nice. Maybe I'll have to drag my guy there one of these days then. Dunno that we have anything too specific coming up but, hey. Nothing wrong with celebrating just to celebrate yeah?"

"No thanks, I do need to get back to looking for work and I don't want to smell like beer," Jefferson replies after considering the question for a moment. "I'm sorry about your mom, but I'm glad you've got something good going for you. Hopefully life treats you well." His water glass still has some liquid in it so he switches over to that, drinking slowly. "Celebrate your new buddy Jeff getting out of prison, if you need an excuse." The older guy gives a friendly smile and a wink. "But no, sometimes you should just celebrate being alive. Do something good for yourself and the person you care about and make your life richer."

Dahlia punched in a few things on the register to do up his bill and set the receipt down near him. "Whenever you're ready." She smiles and then leans against the bar again, giving a little nod. "Yeah, me too." Being sorry about her mom. "But I like to think she's doing better where ever she is nowadays than she was here." Dahlia smiled a bit again and then chuckled. "Just might. Freedom's a good thing to celebrate." The wink was returned easily enough. "I like that. Celebrating being alive. Kinda like those sayings about how it's important to make memories because that's what'll matter in the end. "

Fishing a roll of bills from his pocket, not a small amount of cash for someone fresh out of the joint to have, Jefferson drops a ten spot on the bar after checking the receipt to make sure it'll cover the drink with a couple of bucks for a tip. "Yeah. Fill your life up with the best memories you can make. Sometimes I regret never settling down and starting a family, but I can't say I didn't enjoy the hell out of myself along the way. When I wasn't locked up, that is. It's hard to enjoy yourself on the inside. Only so much working out in the yard you can do and the COs only let you work in the gardens for a little while every day." He shakes his head to dismiss those memories, "Anyway, you're young and you look healthy. Take advantage of it. Fall in love or break some hearts, drink too much from time to time, don't let the assholes you gotta deal with get you down. And if you've got good friends tell them you care about them, they'll appreciate it." The older fellow seems full of wisdom.