16868/Accidental Encounters or Kismet

Accidental Encounters or Kismet
Date of Scene:	10 January 2024
Location:	Carmine's Italian Restaurant
Synopsis:	Lois and Alex dining alone, knew one another from a past life, said, hello, and then caught up.
Cast of Characters:	Alex Summers, Lois Lane

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Alex Summers has posed:
Carmine's Italian Restaurant - Upper West Side, Manhattan

The main dining room has beige walls, wood paneling, and high ceiling mounted antique-style brass chandeliers. A blood-red leather banquette and large white cloth covered tables accommodate large, rollicking parties. Or even smaller tables off to the side with short glass topped walls around it which are designed for a more intimate connection. Numerous black-and-white photos of Italian-Americans are joined by larger-than-life paintings of Fiorello LaGuardia, Enrico Caruso, and even Jimmy Durante. Low music can be heard playing some of the most iconic of Italian influenced sonatas, jazz, Tony Dorsey big band, and operas intermixed with vocals from Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, or Tony Bennett. One wall is adorned with mirrored shelves and serves as a walk-up bar for patrons as well as the serving staff. Large windows in the front of the store allow for views into the Upper West Side of Manhattan and Central Park right across the street; where passerbys can look in enviously into the fantastic restaurant. The staff are always upbeat, cordial, and there are many 'OPAs!' (stolen from the Greek), 'Cin cins!', or 'Salutes!' cheered throughout the day. This high-spirited atmosphere is a roaring success. Every day and into the night the place is booked solid. The portions are mammoth; they demand to be shared. The uncomplicated Southern Italian cooking delights the palate and fills the belly. Best, Carmine's cooking is primal and adept. Shrimp scampi is a veritable school of plump crustaceans dusted with bread crumbs and broiled with scads of butter, garlic, and clam juice. Ravioli are formidable rectangular pasta pillows puffed up with reamy ricotta cheese and doused with ragu. This place could remind you that red sauce, garlic, aand good times will never go out of style.

https://www.carminesnyc.com/locations/upper-west-side

Lois Lane has posed:
Finding dates as a woman in your 30s is hard, oh so very hard. So when she was setup by the friend of a friend with their second cousin once removed, Lois decided to give it a go. It's not like she was getting anywhere with certain Supermen at the moment anyway.

So naturally, she was dressed to the nines; a dark red velvet dress that kept her warm, a pair of long knee high boots, that allowed the reporter a chance to show off her curves. She was dressed for the kill.

And then she waited. And waited. And waited.

Having gone through half a bottle of red wine, she sighs, sitting alone at her table with her legs crossed before looking towards her waiter who checks in on her every now and then.

"I'll just have the shrimp scampi. Who cares if it has a lot of garlic at this point?"

Alex Summers has posed:
Perhaps he was here when Lois arrived or it was after the fact. Either way, Alex was also sitting in the restaurant waiting for someone or something to transpire. And he waited, and waited, and waited. He went through a few glasses of water, a soda, and then beer. On top of the occasional bread stuff.

As with any guy, it's way easier to dress up without having to do much. He's simply wearing black leather shoes, black slacks, a turtle neck of dark maroon, and a black suit jacket to match the pants. His belt easily matches the shoes. He kept his coat and it was laid over the chair adjacent from him. He kept his back to the restaurant and was poised looking at the door.

His ears sharp, he hears a very distinctive voice that calls to him from his long forgotten past. She was pronounced then, and is quite pronounced now. He tilts his head, then shifts to turn in his chair. He spots Lois across the room and then he remembers. He smiles to himself then decides that he should go and say hello. So he stands.

Walking over to Lois' table, he stands across the table from her and queries in an informal tone, "What's up, Lane?"

Lois Lane has posed:
She was going to just sit there wallowing at the fact she wasn't living a Sex and the City sort of life. Bah, she never wanted to be Carrie Bradshaw anyway.

So when Alex wanders on over, she quirks a brow glancing up to meet the somewhat familiar face. Clearly, he knew her, but she... didn't recognize him completely. Lois peers up at him, letting her gaze wash over him before she blinks, "Um, sorry, do I know you?"

Alex Summers has posed:
"Santa Monica pier. Maybe 20 years ago... jeez, long time. I'm Alex Summers. But it was Alex Masters back then." He says as he looks down at her and then the table she's sitting at, alone. No second plate or setup. Then back to her. "I totally get it if you don't remember. I was a skinny kid back then."

Lois Lane has posed:
Trying to remember things, there's a gasp as she lets out a soft chuckle. Her cheeks flush a bright tinge of red from embarassment at not remembering. "Well, you definitely filled out quite nicely." Lois says with a flash of her pearly whites.

"And it's all good. My date stood me up too, so feel free to have a seat. Might as well enjoy my shrimp scampi with someone." And it's more fun with no pressure.

Alex Summers has posed:
He turns and grabs a passing waitperson, "Hey, I was over there.." indicating his previous table then notes, "I'll be joining her. Bring me out a Salmon Oreganata - NO tomatoes. Unless you want to call 911. With some fried mushrooms on the side and bring me a glass of whatever she's having." The waiter gives a nod and will be off.

Then turning back to the table, he'll slide in to the chair opposite her and then note. "So you're like a really big thing down in Metropolis. I've read some of your work. Pretty amazing stuff."

Lois Lane has posed:
"I'd hardly call myself a big thing." Lois says, clearly amused that one would think that. "I think my most notable accomplishment as of late is how many times I've had to be saved by Superman." That's said in a somewhat selfdepricating manner before chuckling some more.

"But you know what I've been up to, so what have you been doing all these years?"

Alex Summers has posed:
"Mostly school with lots of distractions and rabbit trails. I'm inches away from getting my PhD in Geophysics. Been working with the USGS and hiring out with various archeologists as geological assist. Mainly telling them where not to dig and if a site is unstable or stable. Been living up here with my brother up in Westchester. By the way, if you didn't remember, I was adopted by the Master's family. I was only found by Scott, my brother, a few years back and moved out with him. We both teach and live in this school. So, it's been pretty eventful. But, not as eventful as being saved by Superman. I mean... I can hear it in your voice that you don't seem to like that you're having to be saved. But your line of work... it really puts you in hot spots to get the real story. So surely you find yourself in trouble. Or in over your head."

A glass of water is put down in front of him as well as a glass of wine to match her own. He takes the water, drinks a bit.

Lois Lane has posed:
Hearing about the latest going on has her somewhat dumbfounded. "Oh wow. Your brother found you?!?" Lois asks, blinking for a few moments. "That would actually be a nice piece, you know, one of those feel good stories. And a doctorate? I knew you were smart, so I'm not surprised." she says with a sly grin curling onto her lips.

"I don't mind being saved by Superman, I mean, you know..." and she glances around furtively before letting out another laugh. "But I shouldn't be making a habit of it."

Alex Summers has posed:
"Sometimes we all need saving.", he says trying to offer some semblance of understanding with a tag line, "But you were always so tough. The army... or being an army brat really made you a strong woman who simply shouldn't need saving. Or at least have a reputation for it. Then again, you ever thought that Superman was stalking you? Maybe he's got the hots for you and swoops in to save you from something you already had handled." Alex grins; thinking of how the plot can be twisted.

Lois Lane has posed:
"Being an army brat made me self sufficient. I don't know about the not needing saving." Lois says with a bit of a wry grin on her features. "And if he has the hots for me, he certainly doesnt show it." At least not as Clark. Le sigh. "Besides, I don't know how it would work out being the girlfriend of a superhero. It sounds dangerous."

Alex Summers has posed:
"Oh it's totally dangerous if not handled properly. I mean, if the villains know that the hero has a girlfriend, and they know who it is... she's always going to be a target. But wow... are we actually talking about you being Superman's girlfriend?" Alex asks seeing how bridges are being made by tying her words together and making it a possible scenario with her becoming Superman's girlfriend and he finds that an entertaining series of thoughts.

Alex Summers has posed:
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm<* Lois Lane has posed *>mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

The mention of her being Supes' girlfriend causes her to let out a hearty laugh. "Only in an alternate universe, definitely not this one." Lois clarifies, as much as part of her wishes it were true.

"But if you must know, I'm quite single, hence me going on dating apps and then getting stood up by said date." There's another laugh afterwards. "I guess I'm just meant to focus on winning a Pulitzer. Or maybe write a book and win a Nobel Prize." She has always been the ambitious type.

"So, since this place is depressing, wanna get out of here? Change the venue a bit?"
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm< End of Lois Lane's pose >mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm<* Alex Summers has posed *>mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

As entertained as Alex is with the conversation and the prospect of food; he's thrilled to change the venue too. He's been here before, with the other woman that is no longer in his life. So, he moves on. And by moving on, he stands up with a new attitude and says, "Let's rock."

He pulls money from his pocket, tosses it down on the table, turns and is handed his coat from the other table by the waiter bringing the drinks. Alex says, "Thanks, but we're gonna jet." Then he looks back to Lois and will walk with her to exit stage left.

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm< End of Alex Summers's pose >mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm