Katherine entered the Burlesque house a little wide eyed . She had never been in a place like this. The men walking around were quite drunk, and stumbling around talking with women wearing little more than their underwear.
"I can see why Thomas was assigned to this..."
He was quite the playboy of the office. Making crude jokes and inappropriate gestures at times. He flirted with Katherine sometimes but always knew where to draw the line so Katherine wasn't uncomfortable.
Suddenly drunk man stumbled over to Katherine. He grabbed her shoulder for balance.
"Hey there pretty lady…"
His voice slurring as he spoke. His breath smelled so strongly of alcohol that she could have gotten drunk from just inhaling it. Katherine tensed up. Her memory was jolted back to that night in the park. His breath smelled just like Oscar's. She push the man away and started to walk back towards the door. She couldn't do this. Not in a place like this with men who could….No, she didn't want to think about it.
"What kind of performance would be going on here?" Katherine thought.
She was almost to the door when she a woman's voice. The pitch floated over the deep voices of the men around her.
"Now what is a nice little thing like you doing in my Burlesque theatre?"
Katherine turned around and was face to face with an elaborately dressed woman with qutie a bit of make up painting her face.
"Ohh I'm...er….I'm Katherine Plumber. I'm here to cover the performance for The New York Sun."
The woman looked Katherine over from head to toe. Katherine tried to keep her composure, but was feeling like this woman could see right through her.
"Interesting...The boys over at the Sun haven't ever sent a lady to cover our shows."
Katherine was a little angry at this statement.
"Not that I don't approve of you reviewing my show, but normally women don't feel awfully comfortable here."
Katherine's anger subsided.
"I'll put you up in my private box, sometimes these boys get a little carried away when we get going on that stage."
The woman walked away and Katherine followed.
"I'm Ms. Metta Larkin, and this is my business. I'm happy to see a young woman trying to make it as a reporter. How long have you been working for the Sun, Honey?"
"Actually I'm not a reporter, just a secretary. All the reporters had gone home and Mr. Dana needed this story covered."
Metta stopped turned around to face Katherine.
"Honey are you reporting a story?"
Katherine nodded, she was quite intimidated by this woman.
"Then you are a reporter! Don't sell yourself short. Charles gave you this opportunity so you better run with it."
Finally they came to the bottom of a staircase.
"Well here's my private box. No one should bother you in there. I can see this place makes you a bit nervous, and if I was a pretty young thing like you I would be too. Those boys are harmless. Just you wait and see how I make them sweat and drool."
Metta winked at Katherine then turned and continued down the hallway.
"Let me know if you need anything, Honey! And enjoy the show!" She said without even looking back.
As Katherine ascended the staircase her thoughts were drawn to the woman she had just met. The way Metta Larkin walked was pure confidence and power. Katherine wish she had that ability. Being as small as she was, people often saw her as weak and pushed her around. She didn't feel confidant about anything. Let alone her writing, but Ms. Larkin was right, she better run with opportunity.
She entered the box which held a few seats. She took one towards the front of the box, grabbed her notebook and started to settle in for the show. The lights slowly went down and the curtain went up.
Bryan, Jack, Davey and Les walked farther into the theatre. Davey and Les walked around shocked by what they saw around them.
"What kinda place is this?"
"A place of class, talent, and well...ladies."
As the boys walked around they were backstage surrounded by scantily clad women.
"Les...what are you staring at? You know that's not polite!"
"But Davey, she doesn't have any clothes on!"
The older boys laughed. Jack took Davy around the arms and spoke to Les.
"Ehhh let him get an education. Les, yous can look around all ya want, but be sure to be nice to these ladies!"
The younger boy ran across the room to check the place out.
The three other boys started to walk around looking for a good place to hang out.
"Who is that? You can't be back here! No Kids allowed in the theater!...Shoo! Shooo!"
The two older boys turned and smiled at the woman approaching them.
"You gonna shoo us out Ms. Metta?"
"Bryan Denton! Jack Kelly! Where have you been?"
The two boys hugged the woman. Metta Larkin had been somewhat a surrogate mother to them. She took care of the boys when they needed it, and they payed her back by helping out around the theater when she needed it.
"Now I hear that you started a new job this week Bryan?"
Bryan smiled
"Ahh it's nothing….I'm still just helpin' out. But I hope to grab a great picture that's in the papes soon."
Metta turned towards Jack.
"And you Jack? How are you kid? If you get a free moment I'd love for you to make some more of these backdrops. I even have the money to pay you this time."
Bryan and Davey looked in awe
"You painted these? Now that's quite impressive Cowboy! Yous come a long way since sketching in that little journal of yours!"
"Ahh it's nothin' just something to pass the time in between hawkin papes."
"Ms. Metta would you mind if we hang out a bit. Snyder was on our asses, and we need to wait for him to pass."
"You know you boys are welcome here anytime. Now go grab some dinner and settle in for the show."
Jack and Davey ran to grab some food. Bryan took a deep breath. He was a little worried about Crutchie, hoping he was hiding out somewhere safe. He needed a place to collect his thoughts. He made his way to Ms. Metta's private box. He spent many a nights up there watching the show and getting lost in his own thoughts. It was the closest thing he had to a "room" of his own.
As he ascended the staircase he heard the show starting up. Ms. Metta was starting off with one of her favorite numbers. She had a great voice and in a way it reminded him of his mother. She used to sing to him every night before bed. Her voice was forever stuck in his memory.
As he got to the top he almost jumped off the balcony. Surprised to see someone sitting in this box. The girl who sitting there nearly leaped out of her seat as well.
Katherine nearly jumped out of her seat when she heard someone enter the box. Frightened as she remembered Metta's comment about the men getting a little rowdy. She put on her defensive demeanor, making sure whoever it was kept their distance.
"What are you doing in here? This is a private box!"
"Sorry I's thought this was empty. Ms. Metta doesn't normally have anyone up here."
Katherine looked the young man over, or what she could see of him in the the dim light. He looked disheveled, and his hair a little wild.
"But she allows a hoodlum like you to sneak up here?"
Bryan looked over the girl. She was dressed somewhat nice. Like she had been working in a nice place like an office or something. "Probably a secretary." he thought. She did seem to be trying to look older than she was. Hair up, blouse buttoned all the way to the top, letting no extra skin exposed that didn't have to be. But with her young looking face he knew she couldn't be older than he was.
"I could say the same about you. What are you doing up here?"
"I'm reviewing the show for The New York Sun."
"You's a reporter ain't you a bit...young?...and you's…"
"If you finish that sentence with 'you're a girl'...you'd better be prepared for one swollen eye!"
Bryan was knocked back by her bite. And a little offended that she would assume he would think that way. He put a little bit of bite into his words as well
"I was gonna say...you's must be a pretty smart girl then!"
The girl seem to soften her demeanor towards him slightly. So he saw it as an ok to continue the conversation. He didn't have much experience talking with 'smart girls'. Most of the girls he met he just had to say a few simple things to keep conversing. This girl made him nervous. Like he had to work to impress her enough to keep the conversation moving.
"Well we've got somethin' in common...I work for The World!"
Katherine tried to pull her attention back to the show, but the man obviously wasn't getting the hint to leave her alone!
"Aww well somewhere out there someone cares...why don't you got tell them."
He smiled. That sounded like something Jack, or Romeo would say. But he wasn't going to let her off this easily. There was something about her that just made him want to keep talking, and get to know her. So he decided to play the game a little. He pretended to be offended by her.
"You know you's bein' awfully rude to a man you just met. Alls I want to do is sit up here and enjoy the show, same as you."
Katherine rolled her eyes, she didn't really have any control over the situation to make him leave. But she could control her reactions to him. He was baiting her into a flirtatious fight, and she just didn't have time for this. This was her big chance to show she could be a reporter, and this young man would not ruin it for her!
"Fine! Do what you want. But if you won't go away would you just PLEASE be quiet."
Bryan looked at her, put his hand over his mouth and sat in the chair farthest away from her. He could be such a smart ass at times.
As the show went on he kept sneaking glances at this young woman. This girl must be pretty smart to be a reporter, and she didn't take his crap or just agree because he was a man and she was a woman. She seemed very independent...and beautiful...DAMN! He just met her and he was gawking at this girl! But as he snuck glances he wished he had his camera. Even though he couldn't see her face very well in the dimly lit box, the way the shadows and lights were hitting her made her look like one of those girls in paintings. She was so focused on the show, he could see the wheels turning creating the story as she watched. He wished he could capture this moment. To show how "creativity was born". She was truly a work of art! The girl must have sensed his stare because she turned her head towards him.
"What are you doing?"
Katherine said this louder than she meant to, and several audience members looked up and shushhed her.
"You got in for free Ms. Plumber, the least you can do is pay attention."
The boy leaned over the rail and whispered down.
"It's my fault...Sorry Ms. Metta."
Katherine looked mortified. She brought her focus back to the show and her notebook. Her first reporting job and she was already blowing it. This boy was not making things easy! He kept staring at her...She didn't quite know how to tell him politely how rude he was being.
The boy looked over at her with a cheeky smile.
"So Plumber huh? Abouts how long you been reportin' "
"Please go away! I'm working and I really need to pay attention."
Bryan didn't go away but sat back down and brought his focus back to the show. His gaze kept wandering back to her. He couldn't place it but he felt like he'd met this girl before.
"Plumber….Plumber…." He mentally went through the list of ladies he knew, he was well acquainted with qutie a few, but none with the last name Plumber. And honestly he'd remember a girl like this.
Katherine could feel this man's eyes on her. She tried to stay focused on the show. As man drew his attention back on the show. Finally! She couldn't help herself from looking over at him. She couldn't see much of his facial features due to the low light, but the way the light and shadows were hitting him were just enough for her to take in his features. She had to admit the man was handsome. Her inner voice reprimanded her: "Katherine Pulitzer are you sitting here GAWKING at a man you just met? Not just a man a cheeky, plain spoken, know nothing, cocky...UGH! What would your mother say!"
She blushed a little. She was doing the same thing she just scolded him for doing. He must have felt her staring at him now, because his focus shifted back to her. Katherine, embarrassed of being caught looking at him quickly turned away.
Bryan smiled at her, now she was sneaking glances over at him. He still couldn't stop wishing he had his camera to capture this moment, but he could feel her frustration that he was still distracting her. He'd better leave her to do her job.
"You's gettin awfully distracted huh?"
This was it! Katherine had hit her limit with him. She turned to him with a scowl.
"You are the most distracting...impossible…boy…"
Bryan brought a finger to his lips and pointed down to the stage. The way he did it made her smile and laugh slightly "DAMN Him!" She was trying to tell him off!
"EVER!" She whispered.
"I apologize for disturbin' your work. I better leaves ya alone to write your review."
As he was exiting into the stairwell he turned back to give her a slute and a smile. As he did his face came fully into the light. Katherine's memory jolted, she new that boy...she just couldn't remember where from.