Play@YSDC

Lenny's Bar, South Street - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
6:45 PM - Wednesday, July 16, 1969
Kathleen Scott sat in a booth in Lenny's Bar across from her fellow graduate student and girlfriend Maxine Grey. Maxine was in her early forties, somewhat tall and with short black hair. Her looks had not begun to fade yet, but she still wasn't as pretty as Kathleen. Lenny's Bar had long catered to the counterculture crowd, and it had originally been a hangout for beatniks back in the late fifties. The owner and bartender, Lenny Kramer, was a black man in his thirties who stood behind the bar, where a radio was playing "Let It Be" by the Beatles. It was still early evening, and because it was early summer it would remain light outside for some time. The women also had less to do for their assistantships at the University of Pennsylvania in the summer session, but they knew they'd be busy again once the fall semester started.

A small crowd had already gathered. Most of them Kathleen didn't know by name, but there was a handsome young man named Harry with long brown hair who had started hanging out here in the last week or so in a booth by himself that she recognized. He had tried to pick her up once or twice. There was a small cluster of hippies in another booth, but she had never associated with them before. Their nonviolent philosophy was at odds with her own.

Maxine reached across the table and held Kathleen's hand as they talked while they waited for their dinner, though their drinks had already been served. "So anyway, Kathy, I saw this flyer on the bulletin board in Logan Hall," she said. "Some sort of psych experiment involving sleep and dream studies. It's an overnight thing, a few nights in a row starting tomorrow. They're offering fifty bucks for student volunteers to participate. It sounds good, but I don't know. It seems too good to be true, so it probably is."

Kathy moved one hand slowly into her purse and fingered her pistol as she looked around the room. She smiled at Harry flirting with him over Maxine's shoulders. She then looked at Maxine and said, "$50 bucks is a lot of money especially now that Dad is saying he will cut me off from my inheritance cause I came out last week to him. Maybe I should not have but it just feels so good to be with you. How bout I go in and see about it and maybe after the first night if it works we both can go. Would that be ok baby?" She grabbed Maxine's hand and kissed it.

Harry returned Kathleen's smile and added a wink.

"I think you have to go to all three nights as part of the study," said Maxine. "It's scheduled for this weekend, starting Friday night at eight. The flyer I saw said to contact Dr. Gregory Anderson. He's a professor with the Psychiatry Department, in the School of Medicine. It's too late to do that tonight, but we can talk to him tomorrow morning. We'll both do this together. If you're going, I want to go too. You're right, fifty bucks is a lot of money. Besides, it might be fun, kind of like a slumber party." She took a sip of her drink. "The flyer said we'll get snacks in the evening and breakfast in the morning too. Speaking of food, I wonder when our dinner's going to get here."

"In a few minutes, ladies," called Lenny from behind the bar. "The cook's working as fast as he can, but there's a limit to how quickly you can heat up food, and you wouldn't want it underdone." He then spoke in a mock Scottish accent. "I cannae change the laws of physics, Captain."

Harry chuckled. "I bet on Star Trek they have some doohickey where you can just pop in your food and it'll be done in a minute," he said. "I still can't believe they canceled that show."

"Food in a minute?" Lenny shook his head. "Impossible!"

"Who needs Star Trek when we've got reality?" said Maxine. "Apollo 11 just lifted off this morning. In a few days they'll actually be walking on the moon! Is that trippy or what?"

Kathleen sipped her beer slowly and then said, "Well sure we can go tommorow to see Dr. Anderson together. Maybe we can get a room together and alone and you know honey. I need to go to the restroom. Be right back dear."

Kathleen got up. On the way to the restroom she pretended to drop her compact case on the floor next to Harry. She turned away from him to pick it up letting him see her cute little ass. Standing up she said, "ya like what you see? Maxine and I are always looking for a third partner at night." She smiled and walked into the restroom.

"Yeah?" said Harry, grinning as he watched Kathleen walk away. She went down the hall at the back that led to the bathrooms. A payphone rested against the left wall, waiting for someone's dime. There was a back door at the rear of the narrow hallway, which was closed. On the right were two doors with newly painted signs, one that said "Ladies" and one that said "Gentlemen." Kathleen went into the ladies' room.

"Did you see the last episode?" asked Lenny. "That was something else."

"Body-swapping, yeah," said Harry. "That was so freaky. I can't imagine what it must have felt like for Kirk to be a chick."

"Captain Kirk is a typical male chauvinist pig," said Maxine. "Maybe it did him good to see how the other half lives. It's too bad she didn't win. I was rooting for her the whole time."

"A girl in command of a spaceship? That'll be the day!"

Kathleen found that the ladies room was clean, at least compared to the rest of the bar. A mirror on the right-hand wall stood above a row of sinks. On the left side of the bathroom was a row of six open toilet stalls. Nobody else was in the ladies' room.

Kathleen washed her hands in the bathroom sink and redid her makeup. She then took her red hair and put it back into a ponytail. Kathleen then exited the bathroom and paused at the phone. She sighed and put a dime into the phone calling her parents.

Kathleen picked up the receiver, slid the dime into the coin slot, and dialed her parents' number. After three rings, someone picked up and a familiar female voice answered: "Hello?" Kathleen recognized her as her mother, Wanda Scott.

Kathleen said, "Mom I miss you. How are you and Dad doing?"

As Kathleen was making her phone call, the radio behind the bar began to play the new song called "Space Oddity" that had been released just last week because of the impending Apollo 11 mission:

Ground Control to Major Tom
Ground Control to Major Tom
Take your protein pills and put your helmet on

Ground Control to Major Tom
Commencing countdown,
engines on
Check ignition
and may God's love be with you.

A soft voice counted down from ten during the song. After "One" it said "Liftoff."

"Oh, Kathy!" said Wanda, her voice full of concern. "We're all right, considering, but your father isn't taking this well. Neither am I, for that matter, but I know this is just a phase you're going through. Once you give up this foolishness everything will be all right again. I do still love you, Kathy. So does Anthony, in spite of everything. How are you doing?"

The song continued:

This is Ground Control
to Major Tom
You've really made the grade
And the papers want to know whose shirts you wear
Now it's time to leave the capsule
if you dare

John occupied a corner booth at Lenny's, trying to keep to himself as was usual these days. Since he'd been out of 'the can' he'd not really found a decent bar he could get comfortable with yet, he just tended to drift from place to place, maybe staying in one area for a week or so the moving onto another drinking establishment. This was his first time in 'Lenny's' and so far he didn't care too much for the music.

John ordered another whiskey from the waitress who looked him up and down rather distastefully, 'She's not much of a looker herself' thought John. His own hair and beard were long and unkempt, the old black leather jacket he wore had seen better days and the left side of his face was dominated by a heavy scar, which had obviously been with him for many years. Something also didn't seem quite right about one of his eyes, the waitress making it quite obvious she'd just noticed as much. As she waked away with John's finger in the air behind her he did manage to catch sight of a pretty young thing leaving the bathroom, but his attention was soon diverted again as his drink arrived and he fell back into his own little world.

Kathleen said, "I am fine mother but it is not just a phase I am going through. I love Maxine and she loves me. This is like I felt with William only better. Its freedom or something. The world is changing and you need to see that. I will always be your little girl but I am an adult now as well. Anyway i just wanted to hear your voice. I will try to call again soon." She hung up the phone and went back to the booth where she buried her face into her hands and quietly sobbed.

The strains of the song continued coming from the radio as Kathleen returned to her seat:

This is Major Tom to Ground Control
I'm stepping through the door
And I'm floating
in a most peculiar way
And the stars look very different today

Maxine reached across the table and held Kathleen's hand. "It's okay, darling," she said. "I'm here. So's our dinner, by the way. The food came while you were in the john. Eat something, it'll make you feel better. Do you want to talk about it?"

For here
Am I sitting in a tin can
Far above the world
Planet Earth is blue
And there's nothing I can do

Once the waitress served John Hawkes, she steadfastly ignored him, as did most of the people in the bar. Maybe they were afraid of him, or they may simply have wanted nothing to do with him. The front door swung open, and a young man walked in. He was tall with blond hair, wearing a brown jacket, and he carried himself with an air of confidence. "Hey, Candyman," said Lenny.

"Good to see you," said the man. "I'll have a beer for starters. Miller."

"Coming right up." The music continued while Lenny filled a glass, expertly holding it under the tap at a 45 degree angle so that the foam would run off.

Though I'm past
one hundred thousand miles
I'm feeling very still
And I think my spaceship knows which way to go
Tell my wife I love her very much
she knows

When the glass was full, Lenny slid it down the bar and the young man caught it. "Anyone want any candy?" he asked. "Melts in your brain, not in your mouth."

"Junkie f*ck." muttered John, without looking up from his glass. Rather too loudly if truth be told, even for the 'pop crap' that was playing in the bar.

Kathleen quietly sobbed a bit more and then said, "Its just my mom thinks that you are a phase and my dad won't talk to me and i love them and wish they could understand what you mean to me!" She grabbed her fork and began eating her meal which was bean and vegitable soup. As she did so she asked Lenny, "Is there a way you can change the music? I think maybe not all our patrons like the music here. Maybe put on some Elvis or even better Beatles?" She then turned to look around the bar staring at John as well as the Candyman. While she did so her hand went into her purse fingering her pistol once more.

"What have you got?" Harry asked the Candyman.

The young man slid into the booth across from him, taking off his backpack. "I've got whatever you want," he said. "A little Mary Jane, some Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds...or maybe something new that'll blow your mind like you wouldn't believe. It's called Morpheus, and it's very rare and expensive - but well worth the price of admission."

"Sick of that song already?" asked Lenny. "They have been playing it a lot the last few days. I could switch to another station, but it's just about over anyway. Maybe the next song will be more to your tastes."

"My parents are even worse," said Maxine. "They're even older and more set in their ways. They act as if I don't even exist. It's harder to change one person than it is to change the world sometimes. But the world is changing, I can feel it."

The music from the radio continued while they spoke:
Ground Control to Major Tom
Your circuit's dead,
there's something wrong
Can you hear me, Major Tom?
Can you hear me, Major Tom?
Can you hear me, Major Tom?

Kathleen looked at Maxine and said, "My parents have not had the best of marriages but it has been an ok marriage I think. I want to be happy and you make me happy..well you and the things we do together make me happy at least. Speaking of which I kind of told that guy Harry over there who has been flirting with me that maybe we could do a threesome sometime. If you agree we can maybe get him high and then take some money from him for the continuning enlightment of America of course. What do you think?" Kathleen ate some more of her soup. She then said, "What were your plans tonight? Think we could go gamble somewhere?"

An older man in his late fifties, wearing a tweed jacket with leather patches, emerged from the men's room and walked back into the main area of the bar as the song playing on the radio concluded:

Can you...

Here am I floating
round my tin can
Far above the Moon
Planet Earth is blue
And there's nothing I can do.

"Maybe," said Maxine to Kathleen. She peered at Harry over the top of her sunglasses. "He sure is a looker."

Harry nodded and smiled at her and her friend, but he didn't appear to have heard what she said. He then turned his attention to the backpack. "Let's see Lucy," he said.

Candyman nodded and withdrew a small tinfoil packet from the backpack. He placed it on the table and unwrapped it to reveal several blotters.

"You're a man who knows what he wants," he said. "I like that."

"That's the real deal all right."

"And it can be yours at a very reasonable price. How much do you want?"

At that moment, two men in suits and ties barged in through the front door. "How about five to ten?" said the taller of the two, an imposing figure of a man in his mid-forties with receding black hair. He and the other man, a strong brown-haired man in his thirties with a mustache, whipped out leather wallets and flashed their badges. A uniformed policeman followed them inside and took up a post blocking the front door.

"Police!" said the mustachioed man.

His partner, the balding man, placed a firm hand on Candyman's shoulder. "You," he said, poking a finger at his face, "are under arrest!"

"Don't you point your finger at me!" he growled. "I don't like that!"

Kathleeen watched this carefully. She had done drugs in the past and did not see what the big problem was with drugs on occassion but did not like them all the time. She kept her purse beside her with her pistol inside ready to pull it if needed. However she did not want to call attention to herself so she kept her hands in the open and ate her soup.

The old man who had come out of the bathroom stared around the bar in wonder. His gaze focused on Candyman, and he suddenly pointed at him and said "Officer, that man has just tried to kill me."

"I love it when these things just drop in our laps, Lou," said the cop with the mustache.

The other cop grinned wide. "This day just keeps getting better and better, Charlie." he said.

The radio behind the bar started playing "Jailhouse Rock," sung by Elvis Presley:
The warden threw a party in the county jail.
The prison band was there and they began to wail.

Candyman stared back at his accuser in shock. "Who the hell are you?" he snarled. "I've never seen you before in my life!" Cogs seemed to turn inside his head. "You're the one that narced on me! This whole thing is a setup!" He looked back at the cops. "You'll never make this stick! I'll be out of jail so fast your heads will spin! Don't you know who my father is?"

"No, but I'll be sure to ask your mother the next time I'm doing her," said the tall cop.

The band was jumpin' and the joint began to swing.
You should've heard those knocked out jailbirds sing.

"Why, you-" Candyman took a swing at him, his fist on a collision course with the cop's nose. But he was ready for it and blocked the punch effortlessly. Then he seized him and pinned his arms behind his back, thwarting his feeble efforts to break free. Charlie took a swing at Candyman, but his fist punched only air.

The music continued from the radio during the fight:
Let's rock, everybody let's rock.
Everybody in the whole cell block
was dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock.

Kathleen watched the fight with a smile on her face. She so hoped that a cop would get hit. As she saw the fight go from bad to worse however she got worried and picked up her purse putting it on the floor under the table. She then moved her legs in and moving her back to the wall kind of half lay on the bench. Turning to Maxine she muttered, "See the revolution will not come to pass as long as we have narcs spread in our ranks like pepper flakes in pure salt."

The old man put a hand on Charlie's arm. "Officer, you have this man under arrest," he said. "There's no need for any further problems, is there?"

"Just play it cool," said Maxine, nodding.

"That's entirely up to him, isn't it?" said the cop with the receding hairline. He held Candyman tight, and the prisoner was unable to move. "Cuffs!"

"It's Sergeant, actually," said Charlie. "The guy just tried to kill you. I'd have thought you'd want to get in a few good licks yourself."

The uniformed cop at the door moved in and hancuffed Candyman's hands behind his back while "Jailhouse Rock" kept playing on the radio. The young man glowered at all four of them, but was powerless to do anything.

"Brian Anderson, you're under arrest for attempted murder, possession and sale of illegal drugs, assaulting a police officer, resisting arrest, and generally being a complete dick. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford one, one will be appointed for you by the court."

"That was one smooth collar, Lou," said Charlie.

"Yeah, it's just too bad he didn't keep resisting. Let's take him in. Grab the goods, Charlie."

"Right, boss." Charlie wrapped the blotters back up in the foil and put the packet in the backpack, zipped it up, and slung it on his back. "Come on, pal," he said to Harry, hauling him to his feet.

The other cop turned to the old man and extended his hand. "Lieutenant John Yeager," he said. "This is Sergeant Charlie Rawlings." He indicated his partner to him. "We'll need you to come back to headquarters with us to make a statement."

Kathleen quietly put her head down and scooped up the last of her soup. She then took a pack of cards out and offered them to Maxine, "Think we can get a game of draw poker going in here?"

John tried to keep a low profile during the arrest, the last thing he wanted was to get dragged into that mess. 'The kid was lucky that the cops didn't give him a real beating' thought John as his sipped his drink, though to tell the truth he didn't really care either way. As soon as the police left, dragging this 'Candyman' with them, John decided he probably wouldn't frequent this establishment anymore, however he couldn't quite bring himself to get up from the table without 'Just another quick one'.

The old man muttered something to himself before peering at his reflection in the mirror. "What the hell have I got on?" he said, looking down at his clothes. "Lieutenant Yeager? I think you'd better add theft to the list of charges. Somehow, Brian here has stolen my suit and left me looking like a refugee from a 70's night."

"Not as long as the fuzz is here," Maxine answered Kathleen.

"A what night?" said Yeager, confused.

"What the hell are you talking about, old man?" said Brian. "You're crazy! Or high..."

Rawlings made a fist and glared, and Brian stopped talking. "Boy, when it rains, it pours," he said. "By the time you get out of jail, you'll be an old man."

"Okay, let's get this show on the road and let these pinkos enjoy their drink-os," said Yeager. He nodded to Bill. "We'll sort this all out back at HQ. You can ride with us in the Mustang. Officer Stevens, give the scene a good going over and see if you can find this man's suit."

"Sure thing, sir," said the uniformed cop. He turned to the old man. "Can you please describe your suit, sir?"

OOC,[b]Kathleen[/b] and [b]John[/b], roll Listen to overhear what the old man was muttering.

Kathleen tried to hear the old man but the jukebox and the talking of others in the bar made it too hard to hear him. She looked at Maxine and said in a whisper, "Maybe my parents are right. If you are too coward by the fuzz maybe your not the person who i am meant to be with. Now pass out the cards bitch or when we get home I will take out the S&M equipment and use it on your ass. Do you want that instead?"

John was pretty much oblivious to the old man at first, hardly realising he'd said anything at all. Assuming the man was just another drunk looking for some attention, and maybe a free suit, John paid him little attention, instead taking out a cigarette to smoke. He wanted to leave but knew now would probably not be the best time with all these cops around, left with no other options he tried to wave at the waitress to bring him another drink.

"It's just a plain grey two-piece I picked up from George at Walmart - you know that English designer they've got working for them?" replied the old man. "Good value at eighty dollars. It wasn't expensive but I'd like it back."

Lieutenant Yeager pulled Brian Anderson out through the front door, and the old man followed him outside. Sergeant Rawlings took Harry by the arm and went out the door after them.

"Mind if I have a look around?" asked Officer Stevens.

"Be my guest," said Lenny. "I got nothing to hide. Can I get you something to drink?"

"I really shouldn't, but..." Stevens glanced over at the booth where Brian and Harry had been sitting, noticing the abandoned beer on the table. "Can't let good beer go to waste." He picked it up and took a swallow. Then he began looking around the room for a suit or any containers that could hold it.

Maxine rolled her eyes at Kathleen and stifled a giggle. "Kathy, you are the living end!" she said quietly. "You sounded so serious when you said that. I'm no coward, but I'm not stoned like those hippies over there either. He'll be gone in a minute, and then we'll play." She took out the cards and began to shuffle them.

Kathleen smiled and said, "Thought you would see things my way sweetie pie." She gathered up the dishes and got up taking them to the bar. She then looked at the officer and said, "Sir I have been in here for a hour or more and I can tell you that the old man unless he was in the bathroom for more then that time did not come in during my time here and that druggie just came in the door." Kathleen saw that the pig was not going to buy her story so she went back to the table and got on the side of the booth with Maxine whom she kissed fully on the mouth.

Officer Stevens gaped as he watched Kathleen and Maxine kiss, gulping down the rest of the beer without even looking at it. Then he put the empty glass down on the table. "The bathroom, huh?" he said. "Think I'll check that out next. I don't see any suits in here." He walked into the back hall and entered the men's room.

"Finally!" said Maxine. "Thought he'd never leave. Let's use that round table in the middle. A booth makes it too easy for people to see each other's cards." She moved to the empty table and sat down, placing the shuffled deck on the table. "Who wants to be dealt in? Someone cut the cards."

The waitress brought John Hawkes his drink at last. She had been in no hurry to serve him, but things were starting to slow down now that the excitement was over and she had no more reasons to delay.

Kathleen smiled as the pig walked away. "I love doing that!" She turned to Lenny and said, "Can we get a couple pieces of apple pie over here?" She then grabbed her purse and moved to the center table. She turned to the patrons in the bar including the biker dude and said, "Come on who wants to play? Maybe later on you men will get lucky and I will change the rules to strip poker." She walked up to the biker and said, "Come on guy. Lets play." She then walked to the hippies and said, "You believe in free love right? Well take a look at this and tell me what you think." She flashed the hippies by pulling up her shirt showing she was not wearing a bra.

Shit... John thought, I ain't got nothin' better to do.. Picking up his drink he walked over and took a seat with the two girls. "What's the game?" rumbled John.

"The game is five card draw," said Maxine. "Ante is two bits. No limit, and no sissy wild cards. I'll deal first. Everyone who wants to play, have a seat." She put her own quarter in the middle of the table. Kathleen was sitting to her left, and John Hawkes was to the left of her. Two of the hippies came over to join the game, both with long blond hair. One was a young man with tinted sunglasses, who sat down to the left of John. "I'm Moonchild," he said, "and this is Daisy." He indicated the young woman with him, who sat down between him and Maxine. She had long, flowing white clothes and a daisy in her hair. "This will be good after all that negative energy earlier. My chakras really need cleansing." They both put their ante in the middle.

Once everyone had paid their ante, Maxine began to deal the cards, starting with Kathleen and proceeding clockwise around the table until she had dealt out five cards to everyone. "Kathy, you betting anything more?"

OOC,Everyone at the table, first roll Psychology and Spot Hidden. Place your rolls in a spoiler button tag with your own character's name on it. No other players are permitted to read spoiler buttons with someone else's character's name unless I specifically grant permission for a particular button. You will only be able to see your own cards. If you want to try to cheat by peeking at someone else's cards, let me know in the spoiler button. You can only attempt to peek at the cards of someone sitting next to you, and they may see you doing it if they pass their Spot Hidden rolls. Your own Spot Hidden roll will determine what if anything you see, as well as allowing you to detect if someone is looking at your cards. Your cards are shown in the spoiler button with your character's name in it. You cannot look at another player's, even if you pass the Spot Hidden roll. You may only see one or a few of the cards, and you won't know how much money your opponents have. I'll also tell you there how much cash you have on your person. [b]Kathleen[/b] may choose to either increase the bet by whatever amount she wishes or pass to the next player, [b]John[/b]. Before deciding, you should await the results of your rolls if you succeed at either of them.

Kathleen Scott,You had $75.00 in cash on your person initially. After what you've spent on food and drinks, as well as the ante you paid, you have $72.75 remaining. Your cards are: Ace of hearts, 7 of hearts, 3 of clubs, 4 of spades, Ace of spades. That gives you a pair of aces to start with. After the first round of betting, you'll have a chance to exchange some of your cards for newly drawn ones.

John Hawkes,You had $15.00 in cash on your person initially. After what you've spent on drinks, as well as the ante you paid, you have $14.25 remaining. Your cards are: 6 of hearts, 5 of clubs, 3 of hearts, King of diamonds, King of spades. That gives you a pair of kings to start with. After the first round of betting, you'll have a chance to exchange some of your cards for newly drawn ones.

Kathy Scott,[url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2043887/]phych passed but spot hidden not passed[/url]

Kathy said, "Hello Moonchild and Daisy it is nice to get to know you." She knocked on the table and said, "Check"

Kathleen Scott,[b]Moonchild[/b] seems very outgoing and the sort who is willing to take risks and try new things. [b]Daisy[/b], in contrast, seems shy and somewhat cautious. [b]Maxine[/b] she knows very well, and she is wild and unpredictable, as well as being tough and aggressive. The biker sitting next to her is hard to read, but he's been through a lot and is smarter than he looks. You'll get more insights into the other players as the poker game progresses and you get to know them better. That was a critical success on your Psychology roll, so you'll get a lot more information than you would on a normal success.

OOC,[b]John[/b], it's your turn to either bet or pass (after you make your rolls).

John Hawkes,John missed both rolles , [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2043998/]Phsycology[/url],[url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2043999/]Spot Hidden[/url]

Drawing deeply on a cigarette John pushes another 10 cents into the centre. "Raise."

Moonchild slid another quarter into the middle without hesitation. "I see your 10, and raise you another 15," he said. "You're up, Daisy." He nodded to Kathleen. "It's real groovy to meet you too."

"I, uh..." said Daisy. She scrunched up her face for a moment of indecisiveness before putting another quarter into the kitty. "I'll call." She gave Kathleen a shy smile, but didn't say anything more.

"Me too," said Maxine, contributing her own quarter. "Your turn, Kathy."

OOC,[b]Kathleen[/b], you'll have to add another quarter if you want to stay in this hand. If you wish, you can also raise it higher by however much you want, or you can fold. After that, [b]John[/b] will need to put in another fifteen cents to stay in (or more if she reraises). The pot now contains $2.10.

Kathleen Scott,[b]Moonchild[/b] is fairly confident, but you can't tell if that's because he has something or because he's bluffing. [b]Daisy[/b] seemed reluctant to put her money in, but she did it in the end. She probably wouldn't have done that if she didn't have something. [b]John Hawkes[/b] seemed quick to raise, but you can't tell if he has good cards or not. He does look rather poor, and he only raised by a dime. He probably wouldn't risk even that small an amount lightly. As for [b]Maxine[/b], who can say? She's as enigmatic as she always is.

John Hawkes,You have $14.15 remaining.

Kathleen smiled and put in a 25 cents

"Call" Said John, sliding in his money.

The kitty now contained $2.50, and the first round of betting was complete. Maxine turned to Kathleen. "How many cards do you want, hon?" she asked.

OOC,First [b]Kathleen[/b] and then [b]John[/b] may exchange none, some, or all of their cards for new ones drawn from the deck. Let me know in a spoiler button with your character's name either which cards you're keeping or which ones you're trading. In your post (outside the spoiler button) you'll have to say how many cards you want, but the old cards are placed face down, so nobody else can see which ones they are. You may keep all of your cards, you may trade in all five for five new ones, or you may trade in any one, two, or three of your cards. You may only exchange four cards if the one you keep is an ace.

John lent back in his chair, ash from his cigarette falling onto his beard as he sighed, "3 cards."

John Hawkes,I'll keep the two kings and change the rest.

Kathy stared briefly at the biker and then said, "I would like 3 cards as well."

Kathy Scott,I am keeping the two aces. The rest are discarded

Maxine dealt three cards to Kathleen and then three to John.

"Me three," said Moonchild with a grin. He slid three of his cards face down across the table. Maxine dealt him his replacement cards.

"Uh, I'd like three too," said Daisy. She turned in her three cards and got three back.

"And dealer takes three," said Maxine, discarding three of her cards and dealing herself three more.

OOC,Now it's time for the final round of betting. [b]Kathleen[/b], you go first. You may either pass or raise by whatever amount you choose.

Kathleen Scott,[b]Kathleen[/b] is dealt the Ace of clubs, 10 of hearts, and 2 of diamonds. This gives her three aces. [b]Moonchild[/b] seems pleased with his new cards. [b]Daisy[/b] looks disappointed. [b]Maxine[/b] does not appear to show emotion and doesn't seem to care.

John Hawkes,[b]John[/b] is dealt the 10 of clubs, 8 of clubs, and 7 of clubs. His hand is not improved from the pair of kings.

Kathleen frowned but said, "I bet 50 cents."

Taking one last, hard look at his cards John pushed in a couple of quarters, motioning that he calls.

Moonchild considered for a moment. "I see your fifty and raise you another fifty," he said, taking out a dollar bill and putting it in the middle.

"I fold," said Daisy, this time without hesitation. She put her cards face down on the table and leaned back.

"I'm out too," said Maxine, placing her cards down on the table as well.

OOC,[b]Kathleen[/b], it's your turn now. You have to put in another 50 cents if you want to stay in, you can reraise even higher if you wish, or you can fold. [b]John[/b], your turn will come after that. You'll need to pay another 50 cents to stay in, or more if [b]Kathleen[/b] raises again. There is currently $4.50 in the kitty.

Kathleen Scott,You have $72.00 in cash remaining. [b]Moonchild[/b] seems confident. Either he has something good, or he's a good bluffer.

John Hawkes,You have $13.50 in cash remaining.

Kathy said, "I see your 50 cents and I put in another $1."

"Shit! You girls don't mess around. Too heavy for me" said John as threw his cards into the middle.

Kathy smiled and said, "Well if you want to I can mess around with you tonight and show you things you never dreamed of. Maxine and I are always looking for another partner. That offer extends to you Moonchild and Dasiy as well. I have been told I am an animal in bed and i can handle more then one at a time. I am also a very very bad girl who needs some good discipline. Is that not right Maxine?"

Handy,This character is so fun to play!

"Whhhoooowwww there missy" said John, swinging back on his chair, chuckling to himself. "I'm and old man and you're obviously one crazy lady! Let's just stick to cards for the time being eh?" Crushing his cigarette into the ash tray John leaned forward, closer into the group. "What's with that crazy guy and his jacket anyway?" he whispered.

"And I see your buck and raise you another buck," said Moonchild confidently. He peeled off another two dollar bills and put them in the middle. The kitty was growing large, and was now at eight dollars total. He smiled at Kathleen. "Sounds far out. I'm all for free love, baby."

Daisy looked at him uncertainly. "I don't know, Moonchild..." she said.

"Come on, it'll do you good to try new things."

"Well...I'l think about it."

Moonchild then turned to John. "Yeah, that old guy was trippin', man. He looked like a professor of some kind. I don't know what he was on, but I wouldn't mind scoring some of it myself. Maybe it was that stuff Candyman was trying to sell. Morpheus, he called it. Too bad the fuzz took him away. I wanted to try it. Although...if we could find out where he got it from..."

OOC,[b]Kathleen[/b], it's your turn to bet. It's another dollar to call, more if you want to raise further. It's between you and [b]Moonchild[/b] now. Either of you may roll Psychology about the old man you saw. You may also roll History to see what you know about the name Morpheus.

Kathleen Scott,You have $70.50 in cash remaining. [b]Moonchild[/b] is determined to stay in, and seems to have money to burn. [b]Daisy[/b] is not only shy, she's also a bit jealous about sharing [b]Moonchild[/b] with anyone else. She wants him all to herself.

Kathleen smiled back and said, "I call the dollar and raise you 50 cents." She thought for a bit and said, "I think I know what was wrong with that old geezer." She was quiet for a few seconds and then said, " Even though I have spent a lot of my time studying history i do not remember anything about Morphius." She then smiled a bit and said, "However I have some old history books at home so if you want to come to my place after the game we can 'study' together."

Lighting another cigarette John continued to watch the other bar patrons play cards, he knew something was odd about the old man and his jacket but couldn't quite put his finger on it. Whilst his mind was wondering John wracked his brain about the name Morpheus but it didn't mean anything to him.

Moonchild smiled enigmatically. Then he put a Kennedy half dollar and two ones in the middle. "I'll see that and raise you two bucks," he said. The jackpot was now up to twelve dollars.

"I've heard of Morpheus before," said Maxine. "He's from Greek mythology. The god of dreams. Maybe this drug affects dreams somehow."

"Far out."

OOC,[b]Kathleen[/b], it's your bet. It'll cost $2.00 to call, more if you want to raise again. Also, roll Idea.

Kathleen Scott,You have $69.00 in cash left. [b]Moonchild[/b] apparently sensed weakness on your part when you raised by a smaller amount this time. The old man did not seem to be drunk or on drugs, but it's possible that he's mentally ill. He acted like he thought he knew where he was, but at the same time he seemed lost and confused, and he used some odd turns of phrase. You have no idea what a 'seventies night' is.

John Hawkes,The old man did not seem to be drunk or on drugs. You can't be sure if he was mentally ill or not, but he seemed lost and confused.

Kathy said, "You want to really play Moonchild? I see your $2 and I put down another $2. Show me your cards." She thought for a minute and then said, "The old geezer did not seem to be drunk or high. He could be mentally ill. But then again he acted like he has been here before yet lost and confused at the same time. Anyone know what a 'Seventies night' is?" She thought for a bit more and said, "I have an idea"

"I've never heard of a 'seventies night' before," said Maxine. Daisy and Moonchild just shrugged.

"You just raised, so I gotta call first before you see my cards," said Moonchild with a grin. "I wanna see what you've got too." He slid in another two dollars, for a total of sixteen. "I think you're bluffing. I have two pair, nines over fives." He flipped his cards upright and spread them out, revealing the nine of spades, nine of hearts, five of hearts, five of diamonds, and jack of clubs. "I showed you mine, now you show me yours."

John Hawkes,[b]John[/b] doesn't know what a 'seventies night' is either.

Kathleen Scott,You have $67.00 in cash. Since you won this hand, that gives you a total of $83.00 after you claim the prize. [b]Maxine[/b] mentioned earlier that the psychological experiment this weekend involves sleep and dreams. You also remember that she said the man in charge of it is a [b]Dr. Gregory Anderson[/b]. Maybe he's related to [b]Brian[/b].

Kathy smiled and said, "Oh how I would love to see yours. You think Dasiey will mind if we go back to the bathroom where I can see yours? She can come too. I may be able to show her a thing or two." She then showed that she had three aces and raked in the money. Kathy then said, "Maxine you said eariler that there was some sort of experiement this weekend on sleep and dreams. You said a Dr. Anderson was in charge of it. Maybe he is related to Brian?"

Daisy blushed furiously.

"Hey, that's right," said Maxine. "I'd forgotten about that. Curiouser and curiouser..."

Moonchild shook his head in disbelief as Kathleen showed her cards and raked in the cash. "You are one lucky lady," he said. "I may take you up on that offer later. You gonna give me a chance to win some of that back?"

"Your deal, Kathy," said Maxine, sliding the cards over to her. "It is possible that Brian is related to this Dr. Gregory Anderson. It would make sense. Maybe this Morpheus stuff is involved in the experiment. Now we'll definitely have to check it out."

OOC,[b]Kathleen[/b], if you want to play another hand, go ahead and declare that you're shuffling and dealing the cards. I'll tell each of you which cards you've got. Remember that the ante is a quarter if you're playing the next hand.

"I'm not into all this drug sh*t" grumbled John. "I never touch that crap, it's no good if you ask me." Tossing another quarter into the centre of the table John downed his drink and started to roll yet another cigarette. "Who's this Anderson guy anyhow? And whats all this talk of experiments?"

Kathy shuffled the cards and said, "The game is 5 card draw just as before. Nothing wild. Anti is a quarter." She threw a quarter into the middle.

Everyone else put a quarter in the middle, and Kathleen dealt out the cards.

"Dr. Gregory Anderson is a professor at Penn's School of Medicine," said Maxine. "I don't really know anything about him, other than that he's running the experiment. You know, Brian did say that his father was a big shot. Maybe the guy's his father."

OOC,[b]John[/b], it's your turn first to decide whether to bet anything more or not. [b]Kathleen[/b] will bet last, after the NPCs have gone.

Kathleen Scott,Your cards are: Jack of hearts, 7 of hearts, Jack of clubs, 8 of diamonds, 5 of hearts. This gives you a pair of jacks to start. You have $82.75 in cash. None of the other players seem terribly happy with their cards.

John Hawkes,Your cards are: 2 of hearts, Queen of hearts, Jack of diamonds, 4 of clubs, 7 of spades. You have $13.25 in cash left.

"F*ck it, I call." Said John. "What sort of experiment?" Is he into all this hippie mumbo jumbo or something?

"I call," said Moonchild. "Yeah, what kind of experiment?"

"Me too," said Daisy.

"Call," said Maxine. "It's a psych experiment involving sleep and dreams. I saw a flyer up on a bulletin board on campus advertising it. They're paying students fifty bucks to participate in it this weekend. They apparently ran it before a couple of weeks ago. We have to stay overnight in the lab all three nights. Your turn, Kathy."

OOC,[b]Kathleen[/b], you may either call or raise. If you call, [b]John[/b] can then go ahead and exchange cards. If you raise, he can fold, call, or reraise. After that, the NPCs will have their turn.

Kathy frowned and said, "I call"

"Okay," said Maxine. She looked at John. "How many cards do you want?"

The policeman returned from the restrooms. "Find anything, Officer?" asked Lenny.

"Nope," he said. "No sign of a suit. I checked both restrooms and out the back door. Nothing. Well, good night. I've got to report in."

"Good night. Stop by for a drink any time." Lenny waved as Officer Stevens left. He did not appear to even notice the card game, or maybe he just didn't care.

OOC,[b]John Hawkes[/b], it's your turn to decide which cards to keep and which ones to trade in.

"Jesus, I thought that cop was never gonna leave." Said John, momentarily forgetting the card game. "I'll take 3 cards hon." He said, tossing 3 cards into the middle. "Anyway, 50 bucks for sleeping? Sounds like easy money to me, what kind of wacko would pay someone to sleep!"

John Hawks,I'll swap the Jack, 4 and seven. Keep the two hearts please.

"I don't know, but I'm curious to find out," said Maxine, while Kathleen dealt three replacement cards to John. "This Dr. Anderson sounds like some sort of mad scientist. Then there's this Morpheus stuff that may be related."

"Three for me," said Moonchild, trading his cards in.

Daisy slid her entire hand across the table. "I need a fresh set of cards," she said.

"And I'll just take one," said Maxine, turning in a single card.

OOC,[b]Kathleen[/b] and [b]John[/b], roll Idea. It's now [b]Kathleen[/b]'s turn to trade in cards. After she does that, [b]John[/b] gets to open the second round of betting.

Kathleen Scott,Moonchild seems happy with his new cards. [b]Daisy[/b] isn't any happier with hers. [b]Maxine[/b] seems somewhat disappointed, but not enitrely so.

John Hawkes,Your new cards are the 3 of spades, the 9 of spades, and the 7 of diamonds. This leaves you with just the queen as your high card.

Kathleen thought and said, "Well I have an idea." She then said, "I take 3 cards."

Kathleen Scott,I am keeping the two jacks

OOC,[b]John[/b], it's your turn to bet. You may either pass and let [b]Moonchild[/b] have his turn, or you may raise.

Kathleen Scott,Your new cards are the 9 of hearts, Queen of clubs, and Ace of diamonds, so you still have a pair of jacks. It occurs to [b]Kathleen[/b] that [b]Dr. Anderson[/b] may be using students as guinea pigs to test the effects of this Morpheus substance.

With a puzzled look, John knocked on the table, signaling that he checks. "Well that bum selling the 'Morpheus' crap is down in county round about know so I guess we don't need to worry about him."

"Those guys were city cops, not with the Sheriff's office," said Maxine. "They'd have taken him to police headquarters."

"I raise a quarter," said Moonchild, adding his money to the kitty. "Yeah, that's a place I'd rather not visit. Too many bad vibes."

"I fold," said Daisy, putting her cards face down on the table.

"Call," said Maxine, putting in another quarter. "You're up, Kathy. Maybe we don't have to worry about Brian. He's going away for a long, long time. I'm sure he didn't make the Morpheus himself, though. The source is still out there, and it may very well be his old man."

Kathleen said, "Well drugs to get you high are one thing. Sometimes if the person is ugly enough I do drugs just to get through the sex but I am not sure about doing morpheus. Anyway I see your quarter and raise you a dime."

"I don't have a problem with anyone who wants to take drugs," said Maxine, "and I won't knock Morpheus till I've tried it. Still, something seems off about this whole thing. I just can't put my finger on it."

OOC,[b]John[/b], it's your turn to bet. You'll need to put in at least 35 cents to stay in the hand.

"Fold!" Said John in disgust. "Why the hell would anyone put that sh*t in their bodies any how. Blow, horse, coke... morpheus, it's all bad news sister."

"Only a dime?" said Moonchild. "I'll see that and raise you fifty cents." He confidently put sixty cents in the middle of the table, which now had $2.70.

Maxine thought for a second, then put her cards down. "I'm out," she said. "I don't indulge myself much, and even then it's only weed. I just have a problem with the government telling us what we can and can't do with our own bodies."

"You know, I just thought of something. What if this Dr. Anderson is using this experiment to test this Morpheus stuff on unsuspecting students? Fifty bucks is awfully tempting for someone who has to scrape by just to pay for college."

"Now that would be low. If someone wants to take Morpheus that's one thing, but I draw the line at exploiting the poor - except when it comes to beating them at poker. Ah, well, maybe the next hand will be better for me."

OOC,[b]Kathleen[/b], it's your turn to bet. It'll cost at least 50 cents to stay in.

Kathleen Scott,[b]Moonchild[/b] acts as though he has a good hand, and he again considers it weakness that you've raised by a small amount. While he must suspect that you've got a better hand than he does, he also seems to think you won't be as lucky two times in a row. You have $82.40 in cash left.

"Moonchild, won't you ever learn? I see your 50 cents."

Moonchild grinned when Kathleen called. "I know for a fact you don't have three aces this time," he said, turning up his cards, "because I've got two of them." In addition to the Ace of hearts and Ace of spades, he also had the King of clubs, Queen of spades, and 10 of diamonds. "Let's see your cards."

Kathleen scowled and turned over her two jacks.

Moonchild smiled as he raked in the cash. "Well, that was a good start," he said. "Let's play some more. I'm feeling lucky."

"Your turn to deal, if you're still in," said Maxine to John.

"Yeah... I'm in." Said John as he started to shuffle the cards. "That's some leap anyway hon, this doctor some evil genius or something? What makes you think he's messin' with these kids?"

"I agree, mate! Drugs really fuck you up! Just stay away from all that stuff!"

These words of warning, spoken in a distinctive British accent, come from a pallid, somewhat emaciated figure in a smart suit and foppish, satin shirt who is standing over the table.
The others may have noticed him sat in one of the booths earlier, scribbling in a notebook and sipping at a soda.

"I couldn't help overhearing your conversation. I'm Barney, by the way. Mind if I join you?"

Without waiting for a formal invitation, the youngish man sits down at the table, "Deal me in, won't you? Yeah," he continues with hardly a pause, "heavy stuff, messing around with psychedelics if you don't know what you're doing. I'd advise against it and, believe me, I speak from experience.
Stay away from that dream experiment lark!
Of course, if you were thinking of shutting it down, I would concur wholeheartedly.
Anyway ... you're playing poker, eh? Well, I must admit, I've never played before - so be gentle with me!
I hope no one's armed here, hate to see a wild west shoot out over a card game!

He stops a moment to reflect, "Although that's not strictly true; I just wouldn't want to be involved in one, I guess."

Pausing briefly in his quickfire, babbling monologue, the man looks around the table with a wide grin, "Well, this is America, right?" He makes a poor attempt at a drawling, southern accent, "Why, yew cheatin' dawg! Draw, stranger!" and pulls out a pointed finger, jabbing it around the table, "Bam! Bam! Bam!"
Blowing imaginary smoke from his fingers, the grin suddenly fades as it dawns on him that he may have made some sort of faux-pas.

"Er, well; deal me in, if you don't mind," he finishes somewhat lamely.

John delt the newcoming into the game. "So, you ain't from round here then fella, what brings you to this dive?" Said John as he rather clumsily tossed the cards across the table to the various players. "And I don't know squat about this dream stuff, all sounds like a lot o' crazy talk to me. Some doctor paying way over the odds to to kids to do some wacky sh*t sounds like it's worth checkin' out. I could sure use me 50 bucks by the way this games going anyway!"

"It was Moonchild who thought of it, not me," said Maxine, putting her quarter in the middle. "I don't know anything about this Dr. Anderson guy, but finding out more about him is a good idea."

Moonchild nodded and also anted up. "I did say 'what if.' I don't know what's going on either, but yeah, I'm curious too."

"I'll sit this hand out," said Daisy, rising from the table and yielding her seat to Barney. "I'm no good at this game." She returned to the booth where the other hippies were sitting.

"There are a few angles we could pursue," said Maxine. "There's taking part in the experiment itself, though only students are allowed to participate. That's me and Kathy, unless you guys are enrolled at Penn. We'd have to apply tomorrow, as it starts the night after. There's probably limited space anyway, so the sooner we get our foot in the door, the better. We can also investigate Anderson's background, find out whatever we can about him - and then there's Brian. If we can get close to him, he could be a good source of information. Problem is, he's in jail right now, but I'd think his dad will bail him out first chance he gets." She glanced over at Kathleen. "You in this hand, sweetheart?"

OOC,Once [b]Kathleen[/b] says whether she's in or out (and puts her ante in if she's in), I'll tell all of you what cards you've got.

Barney Brainstorm,You had a total of $75.00 in cash on your person at the moment. Ante is a quarter, so that leaves you with $74.75. I'll also need a Psychology roll and a Spot Hidden roll. Put both rolls in a spoiler button like this with your character's name so that the other players don't know what you got.

Barney throws a quarter into the pool, "Here's my 25 cents' worth," he puns badly.

Poker face,passed Psych, failed Spot [url]http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2065333/[/url]

Kathleen sighed and said, "Here is my anti as well. Hey Moonchild now that we have scared Dasiy away you want to come over tonight and you can teach me how to 'bluff'?"

Moonchild chuckled. "Maybe," he said with a twinkle in his eye. "Maybe there we can play strip poker, and I can teach you a thing or two."

John finished dealing out the cards all around the table. Moonchild looked at his cards. "I raise a quarter," he said, sliding another coin into the pot.

OOC,It is [b]Barney[/b]'s turn to bet. It costs 25 cents to call and stay in. You may re-raise by adding in more if you like.

Kathleen Scott,Your cards are Ace of clubs, King of hearts, 3 of hearts, King of diamonds, 5 of diamonds. This gives you a pair of kings to start. Everyone at the table seems somewhat pleased with their cards, particualrly [b]John[/b] and [b]Barney[/b].

John Hawkes,Your cards are Ace of spades, Jack of diamonds, 4 of clubs, Jack of clubs, Jack of spades. This gives you three jacks to start!

Barney Brainstorm,Your cards are Queen of spades, 10 of clubs, 2 of diamonds, 2 of clubs, Queen of hearts. This gives you two pairs to start, queens over twos. You get the sense that everyone else is at least somewhat pleased with their cards. [b]Moonchild[/b] has an air of confidence about him, and seems like the sort to take risks. [b]Maxine[/b] is hard to read. [b]John[/b] seems to be on the poor side, so he probably doesn't have a whole lot of money. [b]Kathleen[/b] seems fairly wealthy, and from watching her play you can tell she's pretty good.

"I'll raise a quarter," says Barney, tossing 50 cents into the pot.

"I call," said Maxine, adding fifty cents to the kitty.

OOC,[b]Kathleen[/b], it's your turn to bet next. It will cost at least 50 cents to stay in. Then it's [b]John[/b]'s turn to bet.

Kathleen grinned and said, "I will see your 50 cents and raise you another 50 cents. Oh and Moonchild why wait till I get home to play strip poker. I may strip right now." She raised her shirt a bit.

John fished around in his pockets for another dollar and grumpily slid it into the pot "Call" he said through his thick beard. "Well to tell the truth I'm kinda at a loose end lately, so if you guys are determined to look into this mess then I'm game. Makes sense to me if you little ladies get enrolled in this experiment whilst I go and pay our 'friend' Brian a visit. Much more my style than trawling through city hall for information on this Anderson guy. Anyone know where he can be found once his old man bails him out of the lockup?"

ta, mate!

"I don't know much about Brian," said Moonchild, "but the guy comes in here every now and then to sell various drugs. First time he's ever mentioned Morpheus. Everyone calls him Candyman. Might be a good idea to find out what we can about him as well as his dad. I call." He added another 75 cents.

OOC,Caporegime, thanks for posting the poker rules. Even if [b]Barney[/b] hadn't known how to play, I'm sure the others would have been glad to have him stay at the table. :lol: [b]Barney[/b], it's your turn to bet. You can either fold (in which case you sit out the rest of this hand), call (by adding another 50 cents to the middle of the table), or raise (by adding more than that).

"I'm in," says Barney, throwing 50 cts into the pot and examining his cards with a somewhat puzzled look.

ooc,so I can only buy new cards from the next round onwards, right?

"Call," said Maxine, putting in half a dollar.

"I'll take three," said Moonchild, trading in his cards and looking at his new ones.

OOC,This round is your only chance to exchange cards. You don't buy them, you simply give up some of your cards by putting them face down on the table, and the dealer gives you same number of new cards back from the top of the deck. Each of you gets one chance to do this, starting with [b]Moonchild[/b], since [b]John[/b] is the dealer and [b]Moonchild[/b] is to his left. Now it's [b]Barney[/b]'s turn. You may either keep all of your cards, or you may trade in one, two, or three cards. You are also allowed to trade in four cards if the one you keep is an ace, or you may trade in all five of your cards for five new ones.

Kathleen Scott,[b]Moonchild[/b] is disappointed with his new cards.

Barney Brainstorm,[b]Moonchild[/b] doesn't seem all that thrilled with his new cards.

"I'll take one,"says Barney, depositing a card on the table.

ooc,[b]Barney[/b] ditches the 10 and, if it's betting time, raises a dollar (feel free to edit Post)

"One for me." Said John.

John Hawkes,John swaps the 4 of clubs

Kathleen said, "I will take three"

Kathleen Scott,She keeps her two kings

Maxine took three cards, then Kathleen and John traded in and took new cards. The second round of betting started, and Moonchild checked, passing to Barney, who raised by a dollar.

Maxine thought for a moment. "I fold," she said, dropping her cards.

OOC,It is now [b]Kathleen[/b]'s turn to bet. She owes a dollar to the pot. The second round of betting didn't start until everyone had a chance to exchange cards, but since everyone else has gone I was able to process [b]Barney[/b]'s bet at the proper point in time. [b]Kathleen[/b] got to draw before [b]John[/b] did.

Kathleen Scott,Your replacement cards are the Queen of diamonds, the Ace of hearts, and the 8 of hearts, so you still have a pair of kings. You have $80.65 in cash left. Nobody looks pleased with their new cards.

John Hawkes,Your replacement card is the 9 of hearts, so you still have three jacks. You have $11.75 in cash left.

Barney Brainstorm,Your replacement card is the 9 of spades, so you still have two pairs. You have $72.75 in cash left. Nobody seems especially happy with their new cards.

"So the bet is on me hmm? I bet 50 cents." Kathleen said and smiled.

(occ-opps)
Kathleen put in the $1 as a call.

John thought long and hard, eventually putting in 3 dollars, raising the bet by $2.00

"Woah!" said Moonchild, throwing down his cards. "I'm out of this one." He looked over at Barney. "Your turn."

OOC,[b]Barney[/b], you'll need to contribute at least two dollars to stay in.

"In for a penny, in for a pound!" said Barney.
"I'll see your two dollars and raise three."

He threw a five-dollar note into the pot.

"I'm glad I'm sitting this one out," said Maxine.

OOC,[b]Kathleen[/b], it's your bet. You'll need at least 5 dollars to stay in the hand.

"Fuck that. I am out of the hand." She threw her cards face down on the table

"Call." States John, reluctantly throwing another $3.00 into the pot.

Now that everyone had either folded or called, John and Barney revealed their cards. Barney had two pairs, a pair of queens and a pair of deuces, but John won the hand with three jacks. He claimed the $18.25 that had been in the pot.

Moonchild collected the cards, put a quarter in the middle, and began to shuffle. "Who's in for another hand?" he asked.

"I'm still game," said Maxine, contributing her own ante.

Kathleen Scott,You now have $79.65 left in cash.

John Hawkes,You now have $24.00 in cash.

Barney Brainstorm,You now have $66.75 left in cash.

Kathleen sighed, "Its getting late, and I am getting horney but I will play another hand." She threw a quarter into the middle of the table.

Grinning, John tossed in his ante. "Last one for me too."

Kathleen sighed, "Who is going to deal the cards cause I am getting tired of waiting?"

"I dealt last time, so it's not me." Sighed John.

"It's my deal for the last hand," said Moonchild as he finished shuffling the cards. He looked to his left, where Barney sat. "You in or out?"

OOC,Just waiting for a post for [b]Barney[/b] so I know if he's playing this hand. If Mikc doesn't post within the next couple of days, I'll go ahead and deal the cards and assume he's sitting out the hand.

Kathleen sighed and said, "Well Barney seems to have fallen asleep. I am tired and do not wish to wait anymore. I am out of here. Maxine the door will be unlocked and that goes for you to Moonchild. We live only 2 blocks from campus just past the football field. Umm I love a man in tights!" Kathleen left her anti on the table and got up. She finished her drink and walked outside.

"Shit." said John, "This chick don't waste no time. The way I see it if you guys want to look into this 'Morpheus' crap and this doctor we need a plan. And a plan we ain't got! I figure I should try and work out whats with this young punk whilst you look into this dream experiment stuff." With that John downed his drink and approached the bartender, ready to ask about this 'Candyman'. John had it in his head that he'd try and act all coy, pretending he was trying to get some hands on some 'candy', despite his earlier outbursts.

"Yeah, Candyman comes in here all the time," said Lenny to John, scrubbing the bar. "The cat's real name is Brian Anderson. He's got a girl too, a real fine-looking chick named Mary, but I don't think she knows what he does on the side. He often comes in here around 7:30 in the evening to sell his stuff, then she shows up at eight to meet him and they hang out for a few hours." He looked at the clock, which read 7:50. "She should be here in about ten minutes, in fact. Now that the fuzz has nabbed him I wouldn't expect to see him back here any time soon, but someone else will be sure to fill in the void. Supply and demand, you know. If you want to score some grass - or maybe something a little harder - I know a guy who can fix you up."

"Excuse me, I'll go catch up with Kathy," said Maxine, getting up from the table. "I'll be back in a minute." She hurried outside, where Kathleen was heading for her cobalt blue 1968 Volkswagen Beetle. "Hey, wait up, darling! You'll never guess what the bartender just said. Brian's got a girlfriend, and she'll probably show up in like ten minutes. And apparently she's hot, too! Maybe we should stick around a little longer so we can meet her."

sorry,am subscribed but got no notifications. And I've been ill ):

Barney, who had been lost in thought with a faraway look in his eyes, snaps back to the table, "Uh, what? Dream experiments? Yeah, that sounds cool. I get some really crazy ones sometimes ... probably all the acid I took ..."

OOC,That's okay. The notification sometimes doesn't work. I've never used it myself, but several players in my games have had the same problem of not being notified. It pays to check the board manually.

"I've had some trippy dreams too," said Moonchild. "If this Morpheus actually lets you control your dreams, that would really be far out! You could do anything you want then. So, you in this hand? Ante's a quarter."

"Yeah, sure, whatever," says Barney, somewhat distractedly throwing a quarter into the pot.

Kathy sighed, "Look I am tired. I am not the type to hang around bars and pick up chicks or guys. I want to go home. You can stay if you wish. The bar is not that far from home and I am sure someone will escort you home honey I am just wanting to chill out you dig?"

"Thanks man" John replied to the bartender. "But I'm pass on the offer for the time being. What you can do for me though if give me the nod when this chick shows up?" John took out some of his winnings and ordered another drink, leaving a dollar tip for Lenny.

"Yeah, I dig," Maxine told Kathleen. "I don't just want to pick up Mary. Maybe she knows something that can help us get to the bottom of this mystery about the Morpheus and the experiment. And that biker dude is right, we need a plan. I'll swing by your place later if you still want to go back, but I'll stick around for now and see what I can find out." She gave Kathleen a kiss. "Later, hon." She then returned inside, leaving Kathleen at her car.

Lenny smiled, the money vanishing into his pocket. "You got it, man," he said to John. Even after paying the bartender, the biker was still well ahead thanks to his win at the last hand.

Maxine resumed her seat at the table. "Okay, go ahead and deal, Moonchild. Say, you got a ride? Maybe you can swing us back to our apartment after we're done here. It's right next to Franklin Field."

"Yeah, we can take the Lovemobile," said Moonchild. He dealt out the cards to the four remaining players. "That's what I call our VW minibus." He nodded to Barney. "Your bet."

OOC,[b]Barney[/b] leads off the first round of betting. Then it's [b]Maxine[/b], [b]John[/b], and [b]Moonchild[/b].

John Hawkes,Your cards are: Queen of spades, King of hearts, Jack of diamonds, 9 of diamonds, 6 of spades. You have $22.75 left after buying the drink and leaving the tip.

Barney Brainstorm,Your cards are: 8 of hearts, 5 of hearts, 8 of clubs, 4 of diamonds, 7 of hearts. This gives you a pair of 8s to start. You have $66.75 in cash left. The other players seem at least somewhat pleased with their cards, except possibly [b]John[/b].

Barney throws a quarter into the pot, "Here we go, then."

John got ready to put in his quarter after Maxine.

Kathleen got in her car and began to drive back to her house.

OOC,I'm sorry I don't have time to start the new thread tonight, but I should have time tomorrow night.

Maxine called and put in a quarter, followed by John and then Moonchild. "How many cards?" Moonchild asked Barney.

OOC,I'm still waiting for [b]Barney[/b]. [b]Kathleen[/b], you are moving to the following thread. Please stop reading the current thread at this point. Everyone else remains in the current thread.

Oh You Pretty Things

"What the heck, I'll take three," says Barney, throwing three cards onto the table.

Handy,discarding the 4, 5 and 7

Moonchild dealt out three cards to Barney.

"Three for me," said Maxine, trading in her cards and getting new ones from the dealer.

OOC,[b]John[/b], it's your turn to trade in cards.

Barney Braintstorm,Your new cards are the 5 of diamonds, 9 of clubs, and Queen of hearts. You stll have just a pair of eights. [b]Maxine[/b] looked happy when she saw her new cards.

OOC,At this point I'll take over [b]John Hawkes[/b] as an NPC until and unless Caporegime returns.

"Three," grunted John, putting down his cards and picking up the three new ones Moonchild dealt him.

"And dealer takes three," said Moonchild, dealing himself three new cards after discarding three from his old hand. He glanced at Barney. "It's your bet."

Barney Brainstorm,Neither [b]John[/b] nor [b]Moonchild[/b] seemed too happy with their new cards, though [b]John[/b] wasn't entirely disappointed. You have $66.50 left in cash.

John Hawkes,I had you keep the king and queen. Your new cards are 2 of diamonds, 2 od hearts, and 4 of spades, giving you a pair of deuces.

Mr. Handy wrote:"And dealer takes three," said Moonchild, dealing himself three new cards after discarding three from his old hand. He glanced at Barney. "It's your bet."

"I'll check for now, mate." says Barney

"I'll bet a quarter," said Maxine, tossing another coin in the middle.

"Fold," said John, dropping his hand face down on the table. "I'll quit while I'm ahead on this one."

"I'll see your quarter and raise you another," said Moonchild, adding two more quarters to the kitty.

OOC,At this point, it's [b]Barney[/b]'s bet again. It would cost him at least fifty cents to stay in.

"I'm out," says Barney, I ain't got nowt!"

He throws his cards down and looks around the bar.

"I'll see that and raise you two bucks," said Maxine, adding two dollars and twenty-five cents to the growing jackpot.

"You want me to think you're bluffing, so I'll put more money in," said Moonchild. "Luckily I know when to quit." He dropped his cards, and Maxine raked in the cash.

"It's still not quite eight," she said, glancing at the clock behind the bar, collecting all of the cards, and putting the deck away. "I'll give this back to Kathy later tonight. This Mary chick should be here soon."

Barney looked around the bar, but nothing had really changed. Things had settled down since the police had left. The hippies were relaxing and mellowing out in their booth. A coupe of them had lit up joints and were lazily puffing on them. Lenny filled drinks and kept the bar clean. Nobody had come in for the last several minutes.

OOC,This thread may need to wait for some of the other PCs whose threads take place earlier in the day to catch up with you. [b]Mary[/b] is an NPC, but she's been talking to some of the other PCs and will be doing so again soon. I can't have her arrive until I know how that conversation goes and if anyone is going to arrive with her, but in the meantime you can talk to the NPCs with you (and [b]John Hawkes[/b], who is temporarily an NPC until and unless Caporegime returns). If you want, you can ask to play another hand while you wait. They'll go along with that.

John Hawkes grunted and stood up, pushing back his chair. "Well, I can't stick around any longer. I've got things to do. Maybe I'll see you around later...maybe I won't. I can't stay in any one place for too long." Without waiting for a reply, he turned and walked out the door.

OOC,I'm sorry for the delay. The other thread I'm waiting for is almost caught up, so it shouldn't be much longer. In the meantime, feel free to talk to the NPCs present or ask to play another hand. [b]John Hawkes[/b]'s player has been absent for a long time now. If Caporegime does not return, [b]Hawkes[/b] is simply written out of the story at this point. If not, I'll reintroduce him, but he should stop reading this thread at this point.

Barney looks around the bar, a little bored. Something seems differnt, but he can't quite put his finger on it. http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2177954/

Maxine didn't notice anything either as she waited for 8:00, and Moonchild was completely oblivious. Daisy returned to the table and sat next to him now that the card game was over, but she wasn't paying much attention. Both of the hippies were probably a little stoned as well, judging from their glazed eyes.

"Shouldn't be long now," said Maxine, glancing at the clock.

OOC,[b]Barney[/b] is moving to the following thread.

All the Young Dudes