1963-08-23 - Ladies Night
Summary: What the mostly-idle and occasionally heroic rich and famous do on a weeknight…
Related: None
Theme Song: None
trish danny tony 


New York may be the city that never sleeps, but it definitely has a life cycle. This time of night, after eleven, is when the responsible people who have to be at work in the morning and the service people who keep the city running are either in their beds or hard at work. The only people who are out now are those with the disposable income to weather their hangovers.

Which is why this particular bar is hopping right now.

Just off Central Park, the bar is caught between old world class and new world style, with glass, silver, and bright lights that cast dark shadows into private booths. The bar itself is full and crowded, people'd by sparking dresses and loud laughter as the young, the rich, and the beautiful people of New York cut loose and have a little bit of fun.

Danielle Rand arrived with one trust fund suit, traded him in for another, and now is apparently more interested in the bartender, stirring a straw through her Manhattan as he shakes up the next round of drinks. In a short, sparkly green number with a high neck, she's watching the room from one corner of the bar.

*

There are many swanky bars in New York City and Tony Stark knows pretty much all of them. He probably has patronized all of them at one time or another. This time, he's chosen to visit this particular bar for his pre-nightcap nightcap. Of course, as he walks in he recognizes the bar for what it is and rolls his eyes. "Dammit, I thought this was the Blue Bunny." Well, he's here and there's a bar. Might as well put it to good use. A drink is ordered before he sits down at a table.

Now, there might already be someone at that table, but it's never bothered him before and it doesn't bother him now. "Hey," he gestures for one of the servers, "A little bread, huh?" He then looks to those already at the table, "I thought the service here was better. They've really gone downhill."

*

Dressed for a night on the town in her shiny new dress, Trish Walker, known best for the titular role of Patsy in the television series 'It's Patsy!', has been seen chatting with a number of people already. Noticing her drink is low, she shakes her head and struts to the bar, waving down the bartender, instead of waiting for a server. "Another Tom Collins." She announces over the din.

As soon as her drink is received and payed for, Trish takes a sip as she gazes about the room. It's been a good evening so far, but will it get better? She hopes so. The distraction is definitely needed. She'll take all the drinking and chatting she can get right now!

*

"It's a bar," Danny calls back to Tony's complaints, turning around in her stool with a smirk. "If you want good service, Stark, then you've got to put on a shorter skirt." She drops her straw, winking over her shoulder to the bartender as she picks up the whole glass instead and hops down from her stool.

"See?" she points as the bartender passes a drink to Trish. "Short skirts." Raising the glass in her hand. "Drinks. Incontrovertible proof."

*

"Except, I will point out, that the bartender is behind the bar," Tony offers, stealing some bread that was set down in front of the folks already at the table, "And therefore cannot see any skirts, short or otherwise. I think he would be looking more at someone's 'decolletage' rather than their legs since he'd have to jump over the bar for that." He glances over at the bartender and gives a shrug, "Maybe he does. He looks a little apeish."

He takes a drink from one of the server's trays…not one that he ordered, but it'll do.

*

"I thought it was my winning smile that got his attention, not the way I'm dressed!" Trish feigns shock and bewilderment. She looks from Danny to Tony, a light smirk crossing her face. "You just gotta know how to catch the attention of the person serving you. Isn't that right…um…Boris?" She glances back to the bartender, whose name she hopes she remembered.

"But who am I to talk?" Trish glances at her dress. "I am sort of dressed to catch the attention of those around me. As we all are, really." She grins. "But we deserve to look pretty and handsome."

*

"That one's Chuck," Danny asides to Trish, flashing a grin. "Boris is on weekends." Stepping toward the other woman, she offers out a hand with a friendly smile. "Danny Rand. Nice to see I'm not the only one who shows up here without an escort." Maybe not technically true, so much as she's discarded a few of them, but close enough. "Room at that table for anyone else, Stark?" she invites them both with a look over her shoulder.

*

This is why Tony didn't want to come to this bar. He isn't sure how his feet even let him in here. He downs his drink and grabs another piece of bread before getting back to his feet, "You girls are cute." He might be both serious and sarcastic. There's a pause before Trish, "You…I know you, don't I?" Does he watch television? Who knows? He looks to Danielle, "Probably, but you might want to ask the folks sitting there. Might need more bread if you join them though."

He doesn't look to be staying, however. "If you girls are interested in chatting in a less…loud setting, give me a call." A card is flicked onto the bar for later reference should they choose.

*

"Chuck! Right. I'm sorry, Chuck! I'll do better next time." Trish gives him a sympathetic smile. Looking to Danny, she wiggles her nose slightly. "Pleasure to meet you." She reaches out her own hand and shakes Danny's. "Trish Walker." She laughs and shakes her head. "Didn't feel the need to be escorted about. Not tonight. Too much of a hassle!"

She raises an eyebrow inquisitively to Tony. "You might recognize me. For any number of reasons. But possibly for um, for the show 'It's Patsy!'?" She shrugs a little. There's a glance to the card. "You never know. We'll think about it. Maybe."

*

"It's Patsy?" Danny quirks a brow, shaking her head. "Doesn't ring any bells." Then again, the Rands were all missing and presumed dead for ten out of the last fifteen years, so that would explain the gap. As Tony takes off, she gives the card a look, shaking her head with a rueful smile. "If I need to talk to Stark, I'll make an appointment," she snorts softly.

*

"It's Patsy. And I was Patsy." Trish explains. "Or…well, I am Patsy. It was a show that" She corrects herself. "It was…fun while it lasted, but I've moved on to bigger and better things." She says happily. "Sounds like me and my director 'friends'." She notes in regard to the appointment comment. "If ever I want to talk to them, or see them, I'll make an appointment. I don't usually just go meet with them willy nilly."

*

"Stark's still working on diversifying," Danny shrugs, taking a sip from her drink. "Weapons company that's moving out of weapons, which is great, but…" She trails off, nudging the card aside. "Don't actually have any business with the guy. So, television, huh? Which you've moved on from, so not the right topic," she grins. "What're you doing now?"

*

"Diversifying? Sounds…" Trish thinks for a moment to try to find the right word. "Sounds interesting?" The fact that she has to question its interest shows just how much she knows, or doesn't know, about the business world. "Television is interesting, but I've moved on to movies." She explains. "It's going from one screen to another, though there are differences." She shrugs. "What do you do, if you don't mind me asking?"

*

"Mostly it's boring," Danny winks back at Trish, heading back toward the bar to reclaim her earlier seat and pushing another stool out for the other woman. "I've got ownership in Rand-Meachum Enterprises, but I pretty much just stick my nose into things at random and make sure no one's pulling one over on me. Pick up a pet project every now and then. Like I've been looking into some real estate in Hells Kitchen lately. Trish is way better than Patsy," she adds belatedly.

*

"Well, it's good to have projects, at least!" Trish nods, following the other woman and sitting next to her. "Hells Kitchen. Yes. That's certainly an area that could use a bit of a cleaning up." She takes a long sip of her drink, thinking on the woman's words. "I'm not a fan of Hells Kitchen, but if there's a chance to make it nicer…although, I suppose I don't know what your plan is for real estate there." She chuckles.

She smiles at mention of her name. "Thank you. I prefer Trish as well. 'Patsy' was never my idea. If I'd had a choice, 'It's Patsy' would never have been the name of the show, and I never would have become known as Patsy."

*

"Making it better's pretty much the idea," Danny nods, smile crooked. "Tenement building's on the market. If I'm being honest, the place probably ought to be condemned, but there are…way too many people living there, and I've got a feeling they've got nowhere else to go, either. So. I figure maybe a little bit of revitalization could be good for everyone all around, you know? What's the point of having money if you can't do anything useful with it."

*

"I couldn't agree more! Money isn't worth it's weight if you can't use it to do something to help people every now and then!" Trish raises her glass in a mock 'cheers' position and smiles. "I've put some of mine into charities. And I like to help out at soup kitchens when I can. Show that the rich and famous do, in fact, care, you know? We're not just pretty faces to put on billboards."

*

"Amen to that," Danny agrees, tapping her glass against Trish's. "That and charity projects are one of the things the board doesn't get all up in arms about," she snickers. "I try to make a business decision, they're all convinced it's going to end in doom. But I dress it up like a charity project and now apparently that's what women do so that's completely acceptable. It's cute. By which I mean it's obnoxious, but I pick my battles. And since I want to do it anyhow, it works for everyone. One of these days," she says, setting down her glass, "I'm going to make their heads explode and open up a dojo."

*

"Men are just ridiculous. It's silly to be threatened by a woman having an amazing idea. We get amazing ideas all the time!" Trish nods firmly. "But, as you say, it's about picking your battles. There are some that you're just certain to lose." She sighs and shakes her head. "I think it's the same in any industry." There's a shrug. "But, if you can convince them of your ideas, and help people, all the better!" That is definitely a thought which brings a smile back to her face. "Ooo. A dojo! I'd definitely go to a female run dojo. I've learnt how to…defend myself. I can hold my own, but I'd love to learn even more!" That idea really gets her thought process going. "If you need a silent partner in that, I'd be willing to put some money into it!"

*

"Yeah?" Danny grins, tapping a finger on the edge of her glass. "I kind of feel like the world'd be a better place if more people had a little bit of…I mean, martial arts aren't just about being able to defend yourself. It's about confidence and discipline, too. Self-control. Respect for yourself and for your opponent. Seems like a lot of people could benefit from spending more time thinking about that. What style've you been studying?" she asks, sounding more serious than she has about anything else.

*

"Respect for others is very important." Trish agrees, nodding. "I haven't learned any specific martial arts, personally. I've learned more…just fighting and defence." She explains. "But, well, I've done gymnastics since I was young, as well, which I feel has really helped." She shrugs. "I think maybe I have a bit of discipline and self-control from that. Maybe not to the extent that uh…that some martial arts experts have, mind you. But it serves me well." She offers. "I'd be interested to learn some serious martial arts, though."

*

Danny idly stirs her straw through her drink, considering. "Well, if you were interested in learning some, I've got my own setup at home," she offers. "And I wouldn't mind sharing. Might help me decide if this whole dojo thing is a good idea," she adds, grin flashing. "Or if I'd just be making myself crazy."

*

Eyes widening a bit, Trish nods. "That would be amazing!" She grins, practically from ear to ear. "Hopefully I don't disappoint. I'm pretty dedicated, once I set my mind to something, though." She tilts her head. "And hey, if I pick it up well enough, I can teach the extremely new students if they start to drive you to distraction!" She gives the woman a sly grin.

*

Danny laughs, lifting her glass for another drink. "Fair enough." Popping open her purse, she pulls out a business card to slide it across the bar. "Give me a call some time, we'll meet up. I'll promise not to hit you in the face if you've got to film, if you promise not to cop a feel. I'm telling you, I lose more sparring partners that way," she shakes her head, only half-joking.

*

"No face when filming works for me. For every other time, there's makeup." Trish offers, nodding her agreement. Sliding the card closer to her and lifting it up, she nods, opening up her own purse and placing the card in there. "I'll be sure to give you a call. And I promise, I never cop a feel on other women…not on the first sparring session, anyway." She's completely joking, and it's evident in her tone and chuckle.

*

"You are a true gentlelady," Danny replies with mock sincerity, holding a hand over her heart and bowing her head. "So what was it that got you interested in the defense part of things?" she asks, going back to her drink. "In my experience, most times when someone like us gets started with it, it's because there was a good reason for it."

*

"It was the fans…mostly." Which is true, though not the whole truth. Trish finishes her own drink, and calls out for another. "I just felt safer knowing that if a fan got a little too invested, and I wasn't up to their standard, I could defend myself. Some of them can be over the top and a little clingy. No." She pauses. "Clingy isn't the right word. Well, it is but it isn't. I was worried, to say the least."

*

"Ah, like that," Danny nods. "Yeah. People always talk about how you can hire security, but that's not the same thing. Besides, no matter how well you vet the people you hire, there's always the chance things start to get weird with them, and then you're in an even worse place. Good for you for being willing to take a step for yourself," she nods, approving.

*

"Exactly. Studios will hire security, I can even hire my own. But it's as you say, you can't always know for certain." Trish's new drink arrives and she takes a long sip. "I had some help along the way, but I figured it was time to help myself a little more." She wrinkles her nose a little. "Life is curious that way. Teaching us what we need to know, and all."

*

"And just like that, you go out for a drink and run into someone who knows a thing or two about putting up a fight," Danny grins, taking a look around the bar. "Although I think I'm about done with fights for tonight. Harry's done for and Jack got a little bit miffed that I showed up with Harry, but if I know Tom…" Finishing off her drink, she waggles her brows playfully. "I'm going to go try my chances. Nice meeting you, Trish. I look forward to hearing from you soon."

*

"Ha! Well, have fun." Trish smirks, shaking her head at Danny. "It was nice meeting you as well!" She nods and smile, lifting her purse slightly, as if to indicate the card inside. "I'll give you a call soon!"

*

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