The man from the street, this Alex Fawn, took a seat next to her at the bar and ordered. Carl gave Elsie a look of worry and mild concern, not certain as to what had possessed her to suddenly take this wild man for company. Elsie counted herself lucky to have people like Carl who were worried about her, and so quickly too. She had not been in the country very long, and already she had acquaintances who seemed set on watching out for her. It was a nice feeling. New York was a lot more 'fend for yourself.'
She gave Carl a reassuring smile and a nod, and the bartender hurried down the bar to go tell the kitchen their order and begin preparing their drinks. Elsie stared forward for a moment, lost in the thoughts of her abandoned city. She missed New York, but not nearly as much as her best friend. That whole Fend-For-Yourself scene just exhausted her.
She looked at him as he spoke and she let out a smile. "No, not usually. That's my friend, Claire. She's the thoughtful one. I'm just trying to fix my karma. It's not so hot right now." Her American accent was undeniable through her comfortable slang.