The old barkeep got out far more often than some might assume. As the proprietor of his own establishment, Shenn enjoyed being the face of his little organization. He was a person that returning patrons recognized; a familiar smile that offered the memory of the comfort gained from visiting the Blue Flame. Or perhaps Shenn was the helping hand in connecting business partners, or long lost lovers and family members. Maybe he just liked the attention, being surrounded by a crowd of conversation, one that helped to drown out the decades of loneliness.
Whether his reasons were selfish or selfless, people who knew Shenn knew the man for being present at the Blue Flame. They didn't really know him for being someone who went out on the town. And yet, Shenn did frequently. He didn't attempt to mask his movements. There was no need to spend time incognito. Few people paid attention to an old man, save to pick his pocket. Those that might have recognized him probably thought the fossil so out of place outside of his natural habitat that the thought of Shenn being anywhere but at his bar would make him nigh unrecognizable, even to a friend's eye.
But getting out was important for the old man every now and then. Even an ever-changing atmosphere of a bar could grow stale. Shenn had yet a long life ahead of him, and while Blue Flame might be a casualty of his whimsy, the proprietor hoped to be inspired for his spot for years to come. So what better way to refresh his passion for his own establishment than to pay a visit to a few others. Size up the competition. Take inspiration. See new perspectives.
Those were the sentiments swirling behind the ever-pleasant countenance of the grey-bearded man as he stepped into The Midnight, a late-night club and lounge. This was definitely not Shenn's typical cup of tea. Sure, he owned a late-night spot too. But his spot was aimed at an older crowd, even a more professional one. The Midnight was all about the fun of the moment, living for the night and nothing further. How youthful to have so much future ahead of oneself and to react by only living in the present with no care for what tomorrow would bring. Shenn had never been to the Midnight before. But he'd seen it advertised as an up and coming late-night joint in the Seven Corners and that meant it was worth Shenn walking over and taking a look around.
Despite being out of place, he strode casually and without any self-consciousness for his presence. Few eyes turned to him. Youths danced about without a care, drinks sloshing in goblets and tall glasses as they swayed to and fro. Had the old man not already been smiling, he would have. To be young again, to not have a care in the galaxy as these people did. He did not regret his past. But sometimes, he wondered what his life would have been like had he not gone down the path he had chosen for himself. Shenn would content himself by living vicariously through the youngsters whose paths crossed his own.
As he followed the winding path through the crowd, one table caught his eye. Inhabited by a lone woman, she too seemed to stand out from the rest. Something about the woman tickled the back of the information broker's memory, but he couldn't quite place the thought.
Only one way to tug at that strand, he thought, and he made for the table.
"May I join you, Miss... ?"
