A Bushel And A Peck [Dinah]

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Rooster was standing behind the bar while Bobby was running auditions.   As another random stranger mangled another song she didn't really care for Bobby nodded to the young woman as she finished up.

"Thank you, much, ma'am.  We'll let you know.  Have a nice day."

The young woman smiled and walked out.  After she was gone Bobby turned to Rooster.  Rooster took a bottle of beer and threw it across the room.  The glass shattered and beer burst allover the edge of the stage.  Bobby didn't have to dodge, it, it came nowhere close to him, but he watched the bottle fly across the room.

"So I'm going to take that as a no..." stated Bobby as he turned back to the table he was sitting at piled with resumes, headshots, and sheet music.  On stage was George, the giant bar back who was an excellent musician himself.  He was a at a keyboard.  He took the sheet music from the last audition and set it aside.

"Let the next one in Floyd," Bobby commanded.  He turned back to Rooster.

"I think this is the last one.  You better start getting less picky or we'll be doing this all week."

Rooster folded her arms and narrowed her eyes at Bobby.

"I'm not picky.  I just have standards, Bobby."

Bobby waited until he turned back to the table and his notes before he rolled his eyes.  Once the next auditioner began walking on he put on a smile and looked to her as she walked over.

"Howdy,  I'm Bobby, you here for an audition, Miss....-" he had to look down at the list he had, "Lance?"


Rooster watched them both closely from behind the bar.  She had a bottle of bourbon on the bar top along with a shot glass.   Her eyes were hidden under the shadow of her hat, but her body language didn't make her seem very welcoming.  She had been getting more and more irate throughout the day.


She poured herself a shot of bourbon and leaned against the bar, watching the newcomer, expectant, waiting for her to fail and suck just like the others.

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Dinah had spent most of her morning staring at herself in the mirror coaching herself into what she was about to do. She had never sang publicly before so she was trying to get rid of her stage fright.

Funny right?
Girl wears a leather one piece, fishnets and a jacket, fighting crime and she was afraid to get in front of strangers and sing.
It wasn't so funny to Dinah.

As she shook Bobby's hand she smiled at him. "Yeah. You can call me Dinah," she said sweetly. She was wearing a dark blue blouse with black slacks and heels.

She took in a breath and glanced to Rooster and gave the woman a smile. "I'm ready if you are," she said kind of rushing to the hard part as was her nature. She didn't know if the man was going to have more questions for her or what but she was nervous, this was her first audition.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I'm really nervous."

[Deleted]

"It's fine. Just give your sheet music to George over there and he'll play you on."

Bobby was a gentleman, very sweet, very polite, very charming.

Rooster picked up her bourbon and shot it. She leaned back against the back of the bar and folded her arms waiting for the young woman to get going and started.

George would take the sheet music when it was handed to him. He was massive, at full height he was at least 6'5" and remarkably handsome for the young hage of twenty four. He offered her a smile and thanks for her sheet music.

"Just let me know when you're ready." George said. He then lowered his voice to a whisper for the young woman.

"Don't sweat it. No reason to be nervous here."

[Deleted]

Dinah smiled at him and nodded her acknowledgement and understanding. It helped a little. The men were very nice despite the generally angry vibe that she was getting from the woman in the back.

Taking one last breath and the microphone she nodded at the man. "I'm as ready as I'll get," she said to him.

It was a few seconds later that the music started up and she closed her eyes momentarily as she listened for the part that she jumped in at. As the part came she opened her eyes and started to sing. She ignored the woman and concentrated on her voice as she had to be careful when she spoke.

As the song ended she smiled and nodded. "I can sing practically anything. I just need the music for a day or two," she explained in case the song was not to their liking. She had never sang to anyone before so she didn't know that her canary cry made her voice sound almost ethereal and very beautiful when she sang.

Video: m.youtube.com/watch?v=fUYaosyR4bE

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George was an excellent accompanist. He had taken a moment to set the keyboard with the right tempo. Once he began he did his best to provide her everything she needed and did not fail.

Bobby kept a neutral expression in the beginning but after a moment he was tapping his own booted toe and bobbing his head with that lush crown of thick and neatly combed hair atop it.

About halfway through the song he looked back to Rooster but raised a brow when he did not spot her behind the bar. He turned his head the other way when he caught her in the edge of his vision. She had come forward and was standing next to Bobby in front of the table. She still had her arms folded and she was looking down at her resume and headshot. She was bobbing her head over so slightly.

Bobby caught Rooster's eye. She narrowed her good eye in a way at him that he seemed to know the meaning of. He looked back down at his notes and wrote something next to Dinah's name. Rooster watched him write it and she finally looked up to the young woman from where she stood.

As the song eventually rounded to the end Rooster reached up and adjusted that bolero hat of hers with the silver and turquoise concho band around it. Once the girl finished and began speaking Rooster actually raised her chin enough. The shadow that her hat cast over her eyes was no more. Her single green eye peered out to her while the black eye patch covered the other.

"Thank you, Miss Lance, " said Bobby with a smile. He looked to Rooster once again and she gave him and nod. He looked back to Dinah again.

"Our club operates strictly in the evenings. We generally open between six and seven int eh evening, though we have bar staff and other essential individuals come in usually about two hours ahead of opening."

Rooster wandered back to the bar while Bobby continued.

"Most week nights business remains a little slow until about eight to nine pm and our busiest time period is between ten and midnight. On weekends we get busiest from eleven to one in the morning, but remain open until four am, though we close early if its slow enough or we have bigger fish to fry the next day. Sundays we are open all day starting at eleven am. We are not a restaurant, but Sundays we do sort of a barbecue brunch thing all day."

Bobby made a few notes and dug out some paperwork. Rooster returned with her bottle of whiskey and more than simply one shot glass.

She began pouring five shots as Bobby found the paper he was looking for.

"We are willing to offer you the position, Miss Dinah. We ask that you be available to us at least three weeknights, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, out of five from eight in the evening to midnight. On Saturday's we ask that you be available from eight pm until one to two in the morning. You will find our rate of pay very competitive. On Sundays you may come in when available, but we will not ask you to actually work on a Sunday unless you want to."

Bobby beckoned Dinah to take a seat or stand before him at the table. He showed Rooster what he wrote down on the paper. She gave him a motion with her thumb, jerking it up twice. He nodded and marked out what he first wrote and wrote something new down. She looked at it and nodded. Bobby slid the paper forward to Dinah. Inside a number was written down.

"We will offer salary. We pay our employees every week on Tuesday. The number written down on this piece of paper is what we are willing to pay you each and every week. This does not include what we pay for benefits and healthcare. Should you choose to take our offer consider yourself fully covered for health, dental, and optical. Don't rush into this, either. We expect you will need at least a day or two to think this over."

Bobby pulled a card from a case he had sitting nearby and slid that forward as well.

"There is everything you need to get in touch with us when you have made your decision."

[Deleted]

Dinah watched as the pair kept giving each other looks which made her question what they were thinking about, or communicating rather. She sort of wished that she could read minds at that very moment but was pretty sure she would not like that power in the least.

Putting the microphone back into it's cradle she hopped off the stage rather gracefully despite the height and the heels and took a seat in front of Bobby folding her hands in front of her on the table and listening intently.

Benefits, which was helpful considering her other endeavors. This was like a dream come true. As she sat pulled the card closer she looked from the card up to Bobby and shook her head. "I don't need any time to think about. I have my decision already. Is love to work here," she said eagerly. "I know the things I want and I go after them and this is the perfect opportunity to so that. Wasting your time and mine isn't something I'm keen on doing."

Dinah looked up to Rooster and smiled before she looked back to Bobby, "When do you want me to start?"

[Deleted]

Finally Rooster spoke after finishing up pouring the liquor in the shot glasses.

"This week, if at all possible, next week if that dont work for you."

Rooster slid a glass over to the young woman. She honestly didn't care if she was or was not old enough to drink.

"George, get over here."

George walked over.

"This is George, he goes between barbacking and performing. You and him can work out what you wish to perform together. I act as the master of ceremonies, and I often perform here myself. My work load has gotten big enough that I am not available to perform as often. You will be taking up the slack for me. If you are old enough to drink you are welcome to free drinks on and even off shift, but I do not tolerate drunken musicians. Also, I find some cola and Rumpelmintz is very soothing on the voice and something good to sip at between songs."

Rooster lifted took her glass and finally offered her hand to the young lady.

"Rooster Stone, I own this and six other nightclubs back in Texas."

Rooster eventually drew her hand back to herself. She looked the young woman over.

"Come in tomorrow morning, if you're available and I will have my tailor get your measurements and assemble your uniforms. If you would like I am sure he would enjoy your company as he shops for your work clothing tomorrow afternoon. That way you may have some say on the matter."

Rooster lifted her shot glass. Bobby, George and the doorman Floyd raised their's as well.

"Welcome aboard, Mizz Lance."

All four native Texans downed their shots and followed it by throwing the glasses on the ground, glass shattering at their feet.

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Dinah smiled at George as she took the shot. One wouldn't kill her before she turned 21. Besides, when in Rome you do what the Romans did. She smiled at the older woman and the three men.

She took the woman's hand and shook it, probably more firmly then her bubbly and nature implied that she could.

"Nice to meet you Miss Stone," she responded with a genuine smile as their hands broke apart and returned to their sides.

The woman continued to offer her to come in tomorrow to get her measurements taken for her outfits and the simple response was, "Yeah, I can do that," she advised. She wasn't starting on the police force until the next week and that was a day job and so tomorrow would be fine. She was just excited to get started.

As the Texans lifted their shot glasses so did Dinah, she looked around to her new coworkers and bosses giving them all a smile. This would be good. She could patrol after her shift and on her days off.

This was good.
This was amazing.

She nodded to Rooster as she welcomed her to the crew and as the rest took their shot she downed hers as well. It burned her throat as it went down and made her cough. She watched as they all smashed their shot glasses down.

Like she thought before, when in Rome!

Smashing her own glass on the floor she felt decently accomplished and already well accepted. "Do you want help cleaning those up?" she asked a little sheepishly.

Yeah it was a dumb question but she immediately felt a little bad for shattering her glass even if it was what everyone else did. She was trying to be polite but she also didn't want them to think that she wasn't willing to clean up her own messes.

The question made all of them laugh and she turned a little red in the process. "I'm guessing that's a no then?"

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They all did snicker a little at her question. Rooster shook her head.

"Don't worry about it."

Rooster picked the bottle back up to return it to the bar.

"Mizz Lance, I will warn you, there may be an occasional drunk and out of line patron. Are you any good at fending for yourself. Can you throw a half way decent right hook?"

Rooster set the bottle back in it's place and returned to them. She took her hat off for a moment, all her long blonde hair cascading down on her shoulders. She replaced the hat now with her wild hair out and about.

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Dinah nodded and tried to think of things that would stave off the burning feeling on her cheeks. At least she knew she didn't have to help clean up the mess at the moment. She was okay to help regardless but now she didn't feel so bad to step over it and generally ignore it.

As Rooster asked if she was okay to take care of a rowdy patron and how good her right hook was she was internally laughing a little. Outwardly she gave the woman an innocent 'I don't know' look. "I'm pretty sure I've got a good one. My dad was a cop and he taught me how to defend myself," and subsequently she was taught by a Wild Cat how to do just about everything else. "I'm confident I can take care of myself Miss Stone," she advised with an assured nod.

Needless to say that it would be an interesting to see what they thought when she did have to lay that right hook on some unruly patron. She hoped she wouldn't have to. "Is there any special things I should know? Like, any tricks, other then the cola and Rumpelmintz? Which I think I may start using at home when I'm practicing now. Thanks for the advice," she advised the other woman.

Dinah was in a happy place at the moment. She felt like there was a zen here, something she needed and it was an outlet that she needed to do and being paid for it just made it that much better.

Now she just hoped she wouldn't come in with a black eye and have to explain it.

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Rooster gave a nod. But then she mentioned her father was once a police officer. This caught Rooster's interest. Bobby looked from Dinah to Rooster at the mention of Dinah's father being a cop.

"Is that so. I used to be a lawman myself. I rode with the Texas Rangers for a few years after my time as an officer and detective with Dallas PD. You'll have to have him come by sometime, drinks are always on the house for officers in my clubs."

Rooster, of course, didn't know the poor girl had lost her folks. She finally began to smirk, though not a full smile. She took her wallet out and unfolded it, showing off her Ranger and Detective badges.

"I am still a member of the Rangers, I am just inactive. Occasionally I return to Texas to help when I am needed, but they tend to not bother me too much."

I am quite busy, after all.

Rooster had a little empire of her own in the works here in Gotham. She was the anti-gangster. Any crimes she committed were in the name of the people, not her own greed, though she was quite eloquent at ensuring she would not be detected so easily when she was up to something.

"My father was once a Dallas PD officer and detective and also a Ranger. My mother, well her on goings are generally classified. My brother is the Captain of the Dallas Homicide unit."

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Dinah bit her bottom lip as the woman explained some of her history. Scrunching her nose a little as she now felt a little bad. "I don't think my dad will be coming in any time soon," she advised but didn't quite elaborate. "I think it's amazing your a Ranger! You're quickly moving up the ranks to rival my mother for my biggest role model," being that she took her mother's costume it was doubtful Rooster would ever surpass her mother but being up there meant a lot, at least to Dinah.

"Have any good stories you're willing to share with me someday?" she was talking any good stories of anything but knowing where the woman was from may help her in her future endeavors. It was a bit of a ploy to get some knowledge that she didn't quite have yet. Exciting as it was she wanted nothing more then to get the information that she may be able to use for a night patrolling the city in order to keep it safe.

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Rooster looked a little disappointed, but it did make her wonder a little. What cop didn't drink? Dead ones. She wasn't going to assume that was so, but it wouldn't have surprised her one bit. It was an unfortunate thing to assume.

She smirked at her comment about her mother.

"Well, your mother must be an excellent woman, however I am not motherly thing, myself."

Rooster quirked a brow at her next question and rubbed her chin.

"Hmm, maybe another time. I have a conference call to take in a few minutes and my stories are far too long and drawn out with such little alcohol and such little time available. Bobby, take care of her."

Rooster gave a bow of her head.

"Welcome aboard, once again. I'll be seeing you soon, Mizz Lance."

And with that Rooster turned and headed off to another part of the club to access her elevator. She would make it to her office and take that call she needed to take. Bobby and the other were still around.

"Well, that's all said and done. Be here tomorrow ready to fill out some paperwork and dresses, Miss Dinah. By the way, I've never heard that name before. Do you know where it comes from?"

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Dinah nodded her appreciation as she watched the woman go. It just meant that they would have a conversation another night, which was fine by her. If you told all of your stories in one go then what was the point of having a story.

She appreciated Rooster's candor. Moving forward she just hoped that the relationship would stay much of the same. Honest and interesting.

As Bobby asked her about her name she turned to look at him, her smile brightening a little. "It was my mother's name and a family name," she advised him. "I'm pretty sure it's been in the Drake family for ages," she explained. "I like it because it's original. Short of being made fun of because it's a little bit like diner or dinner. I'm pretty sure the kids in school were just trying to show off how creative they are, not that it's saying much."

Looking after where Rooster disappeared too. "I guess I'm done unless you wanted to talk George? About what I should sing? Any suggestions?"

[Deleted]

Bobby gave a nod and George stepped froward as bobby began gathering all his things. He was going to have to be making a lot of calls to a lot of people later in the week to let them know the position had been filled and they didn't get it.

George smiled and handed her his own card.

"Just email me and I'll send you a list tonight. If not I'll just put it together for you tomorrow when you get up here. We work in the shop out back most of the day time, take an extended dinner break at midday and then come in for the evening when it's time. I also don't live far from here. By the way, everyone is off on Mondays just in case you try to come by on a Monday and can't find anyone. The boss lady likes to keep an entertainment schedule. I don't she even gets out of bed for less than thrity thousand each day."

George shrugged. He quite liked his boss and took her eccentricities in stride, but even he couldn't quite get a handle on dealing with her just yet. He was always trying to figure out what her deal was.

"So yeah, anything you need just let me know. I am sure I can make something happen. If not Bobby can. He's sort of second in command around here."

Bobby was standing with his notes and other things tucked under his arm.

"I'm the underboss."