ArchivedLogs:Moving

Moving
Dramatis Personae Nicoleta, Joe	2013-12-15 Joe makes a move, and a new contact
Location <NYC> Sunrise Apartments - Lobby - Clinton
The lobby of this apartment building is shabby, to say the least. The tiling has not been replaced in quite some time, chipped and coming up in many places; there is a faint smell of mildew coming from somewhere by the stairwell. The exterior door has a large crack in it of questionable origin, and the paint is peeling on the interior walls. The elevator is often slow to arrive, though at least the thing /runs/ alright. For now. It's cold enough to snow in New York today, though none is falling. In fact, the clear blue skies seem to make the day all the more cold for their icy appearance. Joe is in the lobby here, overseeing his movers trying to finagle his couch out of the elevator and through the front door. For his part, Joe is in a gray suit and black shirt but no tie, with a gray trench-length pea coat. He's also wearing gloves, a scarf, and is holding a coffee cup while he watches the movers work. He glances at his watch briefly, but doesn't comment on his opinion of the movers yet. He just clears his throat and sips at his coffee. Entering the lobby, cigarette in hand, is Nicoleta Lupei, dressed in a tanktop and a pair of jeans. Her eyes are covered in black, gothic mascara, her left arm unbandaged, showing the tremendous amount of scars going down her entire arm. She pulls out a lighter, lighting the cigarette, before putting it in her mouth, commenting towards Joe's direction. "Heh. Atleast someone has the nerve to get the fuck out of here. Good for you, scrawny.". "Yeah, well, I feel for everyone stuck here," Joe says with a nod. He backs up briefly to get completely out of the way while his couch finally makes it through the front doors, letting a gust of freezing wind into the already cold lobby. "Shit," he says, looking impressed at Lupei. "Aren't you cold? It's fucking freezing out..." He crosses to where she's standing, switches his coffee to his left hand and offers his right hand to her. "I know it's kinda late now, but I'm Joe." "I don't give a fuck about the cold. My heater's broken anyways, so it can't be too bad out there compared what it's like cramped in that apartment.". Nicoleta shrugs, shaking his head, sizing him up with her eyes. "Nicoleta.". She places her hand in her pocket, sighing. "Everyone has it tough nowadays, since all those fucking walkers came out.". Joe nods, and moves to let the movers back in, but doesn't join them when they go up in the elevator. He just leans back against the wall to maintain his conversation with Nicoleta. "You're not wrong. That was some Old Testament apocalypse shit. Although, for the enterprising among us... opportunities turn up all over the place." Joe sips from his coffee and asks, apparently out of the blue, "You got a regular guy for weed? Or you shop around?" "I don't pay much attention to religion, so I have absolutely no fucking idea what happens in the Old Testament.". Nicoleta says plainly, before getting an angry face when he asks about drugs. "Why do you think I have weed? Am I just that type of stereotype, a foreign pot junkie?". She places her other hand in her other pocket, holding the cigarette between her lips, clenching her bag of weed tightly to make sure it's still there, before grabbing the cigarette again. "Whoa, no offense lady," Joe holds up his hands, even if one still holds the coffee cup. He takes a step back, but not in full retreat. "I'm a stage magician. I make a living off noticing things, like that baggy in your pocket. Besides, there's no difference to me between sparking up, or cracking open a beer." Joe shrugs. "Just wondering if you /want/ a regular guy. Because I got sources. That's all I meant." Nicoleta smirks, Joe having caught her, but doesn't let up yet. "If you are so sure there's a baggie in my pocket, what's in the other?". Inside the other pocket is her lighter, her switchblade, and a few loose coins. her stretching hands to brush her hair back. "There's a lot in there, I doubt you can guess just based on weight tricks. I know how you scam artists work.". Joe makes a show of stroking his chin, and studying Nicoleta. "Well," he says thoughtfully, in presentation mode now. "You're right-handed, so there's gotta be a lighter in there. And a knife, but uh..." Joe taps his chin and adds, "I can't decide if you'd prefer a folding knife or a switchblade-" Joe pauses and nods to himself, apparently reading something in her expression. "The switchblade, huh? I'm impressed. That's hardcore." He seems genuinely impressed, as well, no bullshit sales routine here. Nicoleta is generally stunned, but plays it cool. "Well, I did light a cigarette, so that one is easy. I'll take the knife as a guess.". She stretches, before speaking again. "I have a few guys, but I could always use a regular. How well's yours?". She takes a drag of the cigarette, before placing it back in her mouth. "Better not be one of those expensive guys who advertises 'super organic' shit or something, there's like, no difference.". "It's all about seeing the details," Joe says when Nicoleta reasons through his guesses. "Yeah, couldn't agree more. I mean, beer's more my thing, but I enjoy a nice toke once in a while too, and I just don't get all the fuss over that organic bullshit. I mean, what's the point, right?" Joe shakes his head and then nods when his movers come out of the elevator with two furniture dollies piled with boxes. He switches the topic to something more benign with them present. "So what kinda work you do, Nicoleta?" "Heh. Magic's still bull.". Nicoleta grins, taking another drag, watching the movers come out. "I do what comes to me. Legal work..is difficult to obtain, so, pretty much, if someone has cash, I'll do it. But I'm not talking about whoring, don't even fucking think about it.". She pulls her left arm up, showing the scars. "Self-inflicted. Why I have the switchblade. Helps me..with stuff, if you get what I mean.". Joe makes a 'pft' noise, nodding along with Nicoleta. "It's /total/ bullshit, but it pays the bills, you know?" When the movers are fully outside with their current load he adds, "So yeah, I've got a decent line on weed if you need it. I think he can get other stuff too." He shakes his head to ensure she knows he never thought she was a whore. "But you know, if it's /work/ you want... I dunno, sometimes I need security staff. You ever do that kinda thing before?" "Amazing. Yeah, I'll take the line." Nicoleta nods, taking another drag, before pulling out her switchblade and flicking the blade up and down. "I've beaten people up twice as large as me, so, I doubt I'm bad at it. What type of security? I'll just let you know, I'm a bit of a freak.". She points to the scars with her blade, before grinning. "Blood's my thing.". "Hey, let your freak-flag fly," Joe says, shrugging, and raising his cup in a kind of salute. He sips at it while the movers come back in and go back up the elevator. When they're gone again, he says, "But my gigs have to be low-key. If shit goes down, can't be in public, you know?" Joe thinks for a moment, and then with a flourish, he flips his left hand and produces a business card. "I got an off-broadway stage show right now. I'll comp you a couple tickets. Come check it out and see what you think. Maybe we'll talk more after?" Nicoleta takes the business card, pocketing it in her left pocket. She grins. "Alright then, magic-man. Work's work, after all.". She approaches the stairwell, putting out her cigarette. "Sounds good. If you need a place to send the tickets, apartment 207. But I'm not signing for shit.". Joe gets ready to head back upstairs himself, waiting for the elevator now, probably to oversee the last of his things coming out. "I'll just put your name in at will-call. 'Two tickets for Nicoleta'." Joe nods, lifts his coffee to her when the elevator dings, and steps inside. "See you soon."