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Julie is sitting at one of the high barstool tables, watching a band on stage, and sipping from a clear fizzy drink in a tall glass. SHe has a look about her like she's been circulating and is taking a break, or perhaps hold the little table.
It's mostly curiosity that brings Tessa Valentine into Club Atomic. It's when she spies Julie that she decides to stick around. She meanders in Julie's direction, dodging aroundt he various other patrons before she sits down. "How's the band?" she asks. Nice hello there, Tessa. She fals quiet, both to hear for herself and hear the answer. Thankfully she's not the sort to compare it to the music she was used to experiencing in Britain.
Julie smiles, and gives a wave, "Hey, there. They ain't bad, some of the local kids been working on their act, I guess." she raises a glass. "Doug's kinda giving them a chance, even."
"Hard work deserves a reward," Tessa says. She orders a drink. Something a little on the tame side. But she's in public. "And they're in for a difficult climb. Show business is a hard thing to get into." Or so she's been told. When her order is delivered, she offers a raised glass back to Julie. "They have talent," she admits.
Julie nods, and gives a bit of a smile. "Mutant Town's got a lot, it seems, nice to see them get their shot at doing something with it. Here, at least."
Sage nods slightly. "I have to admit I never had the desire to come into Mutant Town." Not, obviously, for mutant-hating reasons. "It seemed I would stand out a great deal."
Julie hrms, "What, with the accent?" She smirks. "Well, everyone in the neighborhood ain't a mutant, even, some are with family, some just never left when a lot of us moved in, and, well, not everyone's obvious or anything." Some of the kids in the band, even, are obvious mutants, it may be noticed. "I mean, it's the only place some folks can live, that way."
Sage hadn't really meant her accent, though Julie's suggestion makes her nod slightly. "There are… associations Americans have with the manner in which I speak." It is Received Pronunciation, after all. "But… that isn't what I meant." And to Tessa, every mutant is obvious. But reaing DNA is part of her weird power set. "The community seems… much more lively than anything similar we might have back home."
Julie hrms, and tilts her head. "You know, I hadn't really thought what your mutant neighborhoods might be like over there. But, I guess I'm not really seeing too much of a problem. I mean, this is probably the first place you could call kinda classy around here for, well, who knows how long.
"I suppose it could be much worse," Tessa concedes, nodding her head. "But the one I did see was a little rough… though to be fair, it did start as a rough neighbourhood of other origins." She considers a moment, listening to a line of verse in the song performed on stage. "What was this area before it became Mutant Town?"
Julie ahs, "Well, used to be mostly workers on the shipyards and factories that was on the East River, before those kinda closed down after the war. Some of my family here, even, before a lot of us moved to Brooklyn. Uncle' Sal's ain't too far over the line, though. Anyway, basically people moved in from wherever else they couldn't be, and that meant a lotta families with mutant kids that couldn't rent anythign elsewhere."
"Reminds me of Whitechapel," Tessa says. "It is near where the docks used to be, so a lot of working class lived there. When the docks were moved, those families moved too. Whitechapel houses a lot of mutants and mutant families now."
Julie nods, "That's kinda the idea. Ships changed, and, well, I guess times changed, too. Mostly it's all going to bigger ports now, and I guess bigger ships. And then they put the highway in, kinda cut off neighborhoods like these from a lotta what's left."
"And in turn forced people to leave smaller towns for bigger cities?" Makes sense. She doesn't approve, but it makes sense. "I think we lose something, even as we gain something, with everyone adding their thoughts and lives to a big city. I can't say about America, but back home, small towns have a… charm about them. Losing that would be a shame."
Julie shrugs, "Or parts of town with docks deeper than the East River, I guess. New York's… been around a long time, maybe getting a bit full for that kinda big industry, I dunno. Bit of room for salvage, though, suchlike. Maybe folks around here can get creative, I been thinking."
"My history professor used to say 'Americans think nearly 200 years is a long time. We think 100 miles is a long distance." Sage doesn't quite smile, but she's clearly fond of this particular quotation from her professor. "But I understand what you mean."
Julie laughs, a bit. "Yeah, but New York's been a port twice as long as there's been a USA, yaknow. But you're probably right, all in all."
Sage eyes her drink for a moment. THe band has changed their tune and shifted towards another song. Something more experimental this time. "Do you know how to play an instrument?" she asks suddenly. "And I don't mean the monkey wrench and the engine Uncle Sal has you working on."
Julie smirks. "Well, not like this. I've played around on a guitar, had some piano lessons, …they say I sing all right, I guess, but that kinda goes with the family." she shrugs.
Music again is one of those things she did not get into. Tessa finishes her drink and for a moment thinks on it… and then decides better of it. "I never learned any of that. Never too late of course, but there's so much on my plate as it is." Which she learn quickly, no doubt. "But.." She stands, straightening her clothes. "Care to join me for a proper meal?"
Julie gives it a thought, then nods, "Oh, ah, sure. I kinda skipped dinner so far. Got some place in mind?"
"There's a place nearby that had a long line up outside the door. I take that as a good sign. And my curiosity enjoys being sated." Tessa pays for the drink and gestures. "Shall we?"
Julie smiles, slipping down from the stool. "Awright, let's go check this place out. Hopefully they got room in there."