Quagmire: Day 12

Word Count: 72,025

Summary of Events:

Jesse got into an argument with Rose when she discovered that he'd been fighting. He then went and watched the police raid of the speakeasy — keeping hidden so no one would recognise him and ruin his charade. He took his article about the raid — which was unsuccessful — to the Tribune and was then heading away when an Italian gangster waylaid him for no reason; he managed to escape, but found out he'd just gotten on the wrong side of the wrong man. Jesse then went to the speakeasy again, where the waitress brought him a drink he hadn't ordered and Robbie got angry to the point of shooting at the waitress when she disobeyed his order to take the drink away . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

"Surging to his feet, Jesse seized Robbie's shirtfront and threw him against the wall.

"What do you think you're doing?" Jesse demanded.

"Getting her over here to take that drink away like she was told," Robbie replied, his eyes blazing.

"And what makes you think it's acceptable to shoot a woman?" Jesse demanded.

"She's not listening to me!" Robbie snapped. "She's getting too cocky and needs to be put into her place!"

"That's not how you do it," Jesse said firmly.

"Then how do you do it?" Robbie challenged.

Jesse released Robbie and strode calmly over to the other end of the bar, where the waitress was standing. She turned her back on him when she laid eyes on him.

Going around behind the counter Jesse grabbed her jaw firmly and forced her to look at him.

"You were told to do something, and it's up to you to do it whether you want to or not," Jesse said. "Now go over there and do it."

"No," she replied.

Jesse exhaled heavily.

"I know you like me," Jesse said. "And if you want me to like you in return you need to do what you're told. I don't like people who are disobedient, be they a man or woman."

He could tell his words had struck a chord.

"Now I know I didn't ask you to do it," Jesse said. "But I also didn't ask you to bring me a drink. You ended up behaving rather presumptuously, and I don't like that either. What you should do is come and ask me if I'd like a drink, and then bring me the drink if I say so, and don't if I don't. Now, being as I didn't want a drink, go take that drink, like Robbie told you, and do with it whatever you're supposed to do to it. That will earn you more favour from me than anything else you could ever do."

He let go of her and she started off.

Jesse stepped out from behind the bar as she reached the other end and took the glass away. Jesse walked back over to his seat and sat down beside Robbie, who still looked to be seething.

"How did you do that?" Robbie demanded.

"She likes me, so I told her if she wanted me to like her she needed to do what she's told," Jesse replied. "It's much more effective than shooting at people."

Robbie swore.

"Simply a measure of respect," Jesse said. "Just because you have a gun doesn't mean you need to go brandishing it all the time or shooting at people to intimidate them. A few well-placed words can do far more than brandishing a weapon ever will.""