Chương 22: Chapter 22: Paper Plane
With the advent of new month of May, it brought another weekend rush to Hulk Mansion, with customer traffic stabilizing and the striping team actively recruiting new members.
Martin chose not to join the striping team, despite having the skills to do so. He believed in balancing his efforts with the rewards he received. A hundred dollars for a dance song? That wouldn't match the earnings he could make as a bartender in a single night.
On a Saturday night, Martin patiently awaited someone he had been wanting to meet.
Kelly Gray had been watching a performance near the ring stage, generously tossing tips, and finally made her way to the bar.
Martin, busy crafting drinks, took a moment to acknowledge her presence with a wave before returning to his work.
After serving a pair of female customers and collecting their tips in the cardboard box at his feet, Martin signaled to Bruce and walked over to Kelly Gray.
She sat on a high barstool, tapping her fingers on the bar counter while gazing at Martin.
With her short, flaxen hair and stylish attire, Kelly Gray appeared a few years younger than her age. She had just watched a striper performance and felt that Martin Davis would be better suited for the ring stage.
Curiously, she asked, "Are you a bartender?"
Martin grinned and replied, "I'm the manager and bartender. We've had a lot of customers lately, and it keeps me busy."
Kelly Gray noted, "This place reminds me of Los Angeles."
Martin shared her sentiment, saying, "That's exactly what we're aiming for here, the atmosphere we like."
Kelly Gray agreed, "Yes, isn't it?"
Martin seized the opportunity and offered, "Can I get you a drink?"
Kelly Gray replied, "I'm up for something new."
Martin, his hands freshly cleaned, retrieved a new shaker and began preparing a cocktail she couldn't find in Atlanta.
He added ice cubes, lemon juice, Aperol, Amaro Nonino, and finally bourbon. After shaking the shaker vigorously for ten seconds, he poured the mixture into a chilled wine glass. To finish, he added a delicate paper airplane as a garnish.
The vibrant orange liquid resembled a work of art.
With a gesture of invitation, Martin presented the drink. "Paper airplane, please enjoy."
Kelly Gray raised the glass, tasted it thoughtfully, and after a moment, she commented, "I'm pretty sure I've never had anything like this before."
Martin inquired, "Have you sampled many cocktails before?"
Kelly Gray shared, "I spent a few years in Los Angeles and had a good friend who was quite the alcoholic. I tried a wide variety of drinks with her."
She raised her glass slightly toward Martin. "It's quite good. I appreciate unique cocktails."
Martin nodded, responding with a courteous, "It's an honor."
A female patron approached and inquired, "Aren't you a dancer? Don't you perform on stage?"
"Sorry, I'm not," Martin replied courteously.
Martin turned to find Kelly Gray couldn't help but chuckle. He shrugged and remarked, "Well, there are always people who misinterpret and have their fantasies every night."
Kelly Gray asked, "Have they ever tried to drag you onto the stage?"
"Yes," Martin replied with a hint of helplessness. "I suppose I was born with favorable looks, which can easily lead to misconceptions. Just because I look the part doesn't mean I want to be a dancer. It's unfair to judge based on appearances."
Kelly Gray, who had been in a good mood recently, was now in even higher spirits. She raised an eyebrow and playfully said, "You are quite good-looking. If you were a dancer, I'd invite you for a dance."
Martin playfully quipped, "I might have to charge for dances."
Kelly Gray took another sip of her bright orange cocktail and surveyed the club. "Your club is nice," she commented.
Martin replied honestly, "I'm just the manager here; the owner is someone else."
Curious, Kelly Gray asked, "Are there no male customers here? How do you know Andrew?"
She looked directly at Martin, who calmly responded, "I'm an actor as well."
Kelly Gray smiled, remarking, "You have quite a few identities."
Martin, unwilling to fabricate lies, admitted, "I'm a bit of a jack-of-all-trades, juggling multiple jobs and income sources. I'm a member of the Marietta Community Theater Company. We were working on a plantation play, and Andrew, who happened to be a casting assistant, cast me as a corpse. We struck up a conversation, and he mentioned the woman association, suggesting we keep an eye on it. If anything came up, he told us to contact him, and we did."
Kelly Gray, who had already heard this from Ella, nodded in agreement. She revealed, "I'm actually the one who packaged and invested in that play."
Martin was intrigued. "You invested in it? Can I be honest, Ms. Gray?"
"Please, go ahead."
"The play isn't great," Martin admitted. "As a bartender and actor playing a corpse, I try to make an impression, but the moment the hero and heroine confess their love in front of two corpses, it's not exactly the pinnacle of storytelling."
Kelly Gray laughed heartily. "If I had to guess, you were one of the corpses?"
Martin replied humorously, "The most handsome and tragically dead corpse in history. I lay there, eyes wide open."
Kelly Gray chuckled. "You're quite a character. It's been a while since someone talked to me like this."
She placed $10 on the bar counter. "Consider this payment for the paper airplane and a tip."
Martin acknowledged, "This drink is worth $10."
Kelly Gray added with a smile, "And the enjoyable conversation."
After a brief chat, Kelly Gray shifted the conversation. "Tomorrow, contact my assistant and arrange to meet our lawyer. On Monday, the Woman Association is holding a press conference, and the Hilk Mansion Club will be part of it. You'll represent the Hulk Mansion family in filing a lawsuit against the Methodist Association."
Having secured Vincent's agreement earlier, Martin assured her, "No problem."
Kelly Gray stood up. "The club has done well."
Once she left the club and settled into the back seat of her BMW, Kelly Gray dialed a number in Los Angeles. "Good evening, Louise, the alcoholic. It's Kelly. Today, I stumbled upon a cocktail I've never heard of before called 'Paper Plane.' Haven't you ever tried it? Aren't you planning to visit Atlanta with the crew soon? I'll take you to taste it."
Behind the club's bar, the bartender, finally relieved from the busy night, approached Martin. "Man, no wonder Hart wants to call you 'daddy.'"
Martin quickly denied, "Don't spread rumors; I don't have a son."
On Sunday morning, Martin represented the club during a meeting with a lawyer from the Liberty Association, preparing for the upcoming press conference on Monday.
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