>> thisisyour [welcoming party]

[>> Christian [Winchester]]

Well actually, it’s a random bar you visited where nobody knows your name...

New York, New York. What a city it was. And at night it was particularly spectacular. Modern buildings towered, scraping the midnight sky, illuminated their window lights. Nestled between these buildings of metal architecture humbly sit historical monuments, built of stone and elegant arches. The streets are a light show all on their own, headlights and blinkers illuminate white and red, accompanied by the red, yellow, and green of numerous traffic lights. Amongst the sights and lights, there is a symphony of honking horns, running engines, shouting voices, the humming of chatter, and the clacking of hundreds of footsteps. And all this commotion, all the lights, sights, and sounds, you can find them all in just one block of New York City, just like the hundreds of other blocks in New York City.

And during ones first night in New York, you‘d expect that newcomer to be wandering the streets ‘sight seeing‘. Walking around aimlessly as they gawk at all that New York City had to offer in its beautiful and lit up glory. Maybe Christian hadn‘t gotten the ‘memo‘, because he sure wasn‘t that compelled to go for a late night stroll around the city. Or maybe he didn‘t really care at that moment.

The clocks scattered around ’the Bar’ struck 11:19 ^pm. Some people might consider 11:19 ^pm to be late, but in a place like this it was merely the beginning of the night. The air was heavily musty in ’the Bar’, oddly moist and reeking of cigarette smoke, and from the more ‘sophisticated’ [although, who the hell sophisticated comes to a joint like this] cigar smoke was present. ‘The Bar‘ hummed with drunken chatter, the hoots and hollers of those entertained by the erotic dancers, and the clicking noises of pools balls colliding with each other.

Christian hadn‘t been in ‘the Bar’ long, no more than ten minutes if that. A cigarette hung loosely from the right of his mouth, its end only slightly charred. Specifically it was a Marlboro cigarette, he‘d never touch any other brand. In his hand, of course a glass of whiskey and ice, nothing else added though, nothing to interrupt the taste and effects of the hard liquor. The saying is quite true…old habits die hard.

Unlike the majority of those who were present in ‘the Bar‘, he wasn‘t over by the bird cages drooling over women shaking their assets and bucking their hips. Instead, Christian found himself meandering over to the pool tables. Approaching one six pocket billiard table, it‘s table top a traditional green fabric, surrounded by a frame of dark wood and ball pockets. At this particular table a lone stranger was setting up a game of pool for anyone willing to play.

Christian halted himself before the table, quietly he drew the cigarette from his mouth, and took a quick swig from his glass of whiskey, before placing it on the wooden frame of the table. Letting the amber fluid slowly slide down his throat and settle in his stomach, he took a short hit from the cigarette, and returned it to its traditional position between his pale lips tilted to the right. The stranger intently was placing the fifteen pool balls and cue ball in their traditional triangle format until they finally glanced up. Christian spoke up to the stranger who now was starring at him, his voice held a slight rasp, “Care for company and a little competition?” He wasn‘t particularly a talented pool player, but he always would give people a good game.

Through someone else’s eyes Christian looked rather peculiar. A plain white button up shirt, and black tie gave off an idea that he was a business man. Though the white shirt was partially unbuttoned, and the tie had been loosened so much that it dangled seven inches away from its proper home [the collar]. Add a weathered brown leather jacket, and plain old blue jeans to the mix, and suddenly you‘re getting mixed messages. His hair, brushed back how it always is, a modern ode to James Dean maybe? And Christian‘s dark brown eyes, slightly bloodshot, but his other features presented themselves perfectly awake and aware. Shoulders broad and stature straight.

[[[OOC: open post for anyone who‘d want to play the pool playing stranger, or introduce their own character in a different way…]]]