"Hi, my name is Ivy Hart and I'd like to get a job please!" No, that sounded too soft. "Hi! My name is Ivy Hart, give me a job!" I tried again with more urgency. But this time, I sounded too forward. Okay, I can do this—third time the charm, "Hi, my name is Ivy Hart! I need some money."

Walking through the bustling streets of Los Angeles, others continued in passing while staring at me strangely like I had a huge slit on my hosiery. I couldn't have. 

I hadn't done anything out of the ordinary all day except help around at home. And though these were the cheap pair, they were still brand spanking new—straight from the drugstore when I realized the only ones I did own were all ripped.

It was required of me to look as spiffy as possible, in the most formal la garçonne I owned before job hunting today, after being turned down from over twenty different establishments for the past two weeks.

So per my Mama's request, I had to ensure I didn't come back without telling her I finally did it.

Soon racing past me, there were a group of flappers laughing and enjoying their youthful lives in style while folks were driving comfortably in their Model-T cars, breezers, and bikes— admiring them afar.

God, I wished I could've done the same.

Well, aside from the whole flapper thing. That kind of lifestyle was never fit for me. I had a lot of other priorities, responsibilities, and a lot of folks were counting on me to get this at least right.

But I'd be a fool to say I did want to have a little fun every now and then in my young years too.

Preferably on a single spotlighted stage. I'd be all dazzled up. A mic in my hand and my cares and worries are off the grid for a moment, and my mind and heart is delightfully wrapped into a song. A quintessential mirage.

Brushing all other thoughts away however, I was back on my mission and determined to take at this point, whatever wanted to be available. Soon enough, I began to blaze through another strip of shops praying for someone soon to have a HELP WANTED on their windows and help a gal out.

But yet, I kept having no luck.

Crossing the crowded street with my eye on the officer directing the traffic of Sunset Blvd, my vision instead then peered at a soda shop on the other side. Yes. Right there in the window was the only sign that could turn this process all around.

Pacing over to it before my brain could catch up with my legs, cars began honking their horns and yelling at me to get out the way as I soon made it over and went inside.

Observing around, it was a soda shop alright—but no one was here?

"Hello?!" I tried to call out. No answer.

It was quite odd that for such a busy street, not a single soul was lingering around this place. 

More importantly, where were even the owners or employees? I could've easily stolen anything and be about my way—if I wanted to of course. Though I had a feeling a dark-skinned gal like me wouldn't be fit for jail either.

"Hello? Is anyone here?!" I let out again. Still, no one. Now I was really beginning to worry.

Though in an instant, I suddenly heard various giggles and voices coming from a back room door of the shop that had a few stairs nearby leading down to it. 

It was two young Caucasian women in flashy outfits, stumbling up to where I was with their hair in the usual cut and curled bobs—wearing their bedazzled headpieces. Visibly from their flushed red cheeks and wobbly knees, they appeared to be truly happy...and truly fried.

"Did ya see that bartender Miriam?! He's sure a looker! Don't ya think so too?!" One of them happily professed.

"Why didn't ya ask for his number then?!" The other one now questioned.

"Oh please! The fella is taken! I can tell just by the way he's always so closed off to any woman that even tries to come near him." The first woman explained.

Bartender? Drunk? In a soda shop?

Though studying closer around me, I peered behind the counter to see that the spouts of the milkshake machines didn't have anything inside of them.

So before they could leave, I already knew what I had to do.

"Excuse me, ladies?" I reeled them in as they both faced me suspiciously. I still graced them with a soft smile. "I've been hankering for a little buzz. Where can I find the nearest Juice Joint at?" I confidently let out with my hand on my hip, pretending to have gum in my mouth—just to solidify the part.

If I seemed less sure about myself when asking that kind of question so out in the open, folks would go out their way to make sure I got nowhere in finding my answer. Possibly thinking I was a cop trying to route their little special spot out.

Eying me closely as I tried my best to remain in character, they eventually smirked. "Try 'The Hollywood Lounge'. Their ambience may be a flat tire compared to other joints, but they still manage to help get ya fix in. Just say 'blind tiger' and keep hush about it."

I gratefully nodded as they let out a smug grin, leaving quickly out the door without gesturing to the direction—knowing it was best not to, just in case they still weren't entirely sure of who I really was. 

But it was fine. I didn't need any subtle hints to distinguish where to head off next. 

From visiting my father when he was one of the best jazz singers back in New York where I initially grew up before my family moved here, I'd already known where to go first. The smell of moonshine and cigarette smoke that followed them were a clear giveaway.

Inching closer to where they'd came from, I began to hear more faint voices entering my ears—but definitely enough to understand.

"You're incompetent! You disagree with everything I say, you left the dirty dishes on the floor, and you smell like sandwiches—like all the time!" A scornful woman yelled.

Uh oh. Looks like someone was having a rough day.

"So...is that a no to the raise?" Another woman replied. Then, it became quiet.

"That's it! Give me your uniform, you're fired! Ever heard of the word?! Now beat it before I take your dignity away too!" The enraged woman got louder.

The other woman grunted as I heard a pair of heels coming to the door before I fully got there myself, slamming it open and angrily stomping away. The murmurs of a crowd from inside poured out. Noticing the second woman myself now, she was such a young thing. But she was probably much older than I am. Girls my age didn't usually come to these kinds of places.

"That no good, treacherous son of a b-" She muttered, but the rest of her sentence was masked by a thunder of laughter from behind.

I quickly hid off to the side as she passed, not even acknowledging my existence. Though once she was out of sight and I moved closer down, I continued to listen to the conversation that was clearly not over yet to whoever was still talking. But to whom now was the question.

"Can't even get one girl to do this job, when their only task is to do their job! No one will ever compare to Victoria." The first woman complained.

But for the person who answered now, it wasn't a woman at all again. 

This time, it sounded like a young man.

"That was three years ago. What did ya expect? The girl wanted to be an actress. That's why she came to Hollywood. It's why anyone comes here in this day and age! It's the peak of the century. Couldn't help it if she was good at it." 

"Oh, don't give me that crap! Hurry up with that double for me though. I'll be in my office if anyone needs to be graced with my beauty. But try to handle the situation on your own...if you can!" She exclaimed distressed.

"Why ya yelling at me for?! I'm not that broad!"

"I don't care who ya are, just handle it!"

He grunted annoyed, but didn't reply any further. Better yet shortly after all that, it was nothing but a cold silence as I approached the rigid oakwood door—knocking on it at first shyly.

With no answer, I knew I had better do it again. I could obviously see there were folks in there. But probably judging by the music I could also hear very loudly, maybe they really couldn't.

So...I tried once more.

All of a sudden, a rectangular shaped top opening on the door pulled out. with a pair of dark brown eyes staring me down cautiously. "Go chase yourself! We're closed!" A male voice—way deeper from the one I had previously heard barked out.

Ha, sure they were. "Uh, hello! I'm very sorry for interrupting your day, but I just want to see if I can take a load off here for a while."

"Didn't you hear me?! I said beat it, kid! Find somewhere else to go!" He started to become annoyed. 

Oh not so fast. "That's funny, because they told me to come here."

He soon eyed me down, intrigued. "Who's they? What do you really want?"

I smirked, appearing to be confident again for show. "A blind tiger."

With that, he didn't utter another word as he rushed to close the opening fast and began fumbling with the sound of keys and locks. I guess that passcode was wrong after all. 

Sighing to myself, I began to turn back around to leave. It was worth a try.

Yet before I knew it I promptly made out a creek of the door opening slow but surely, as I quickly spun back around.

"Welcome to The Hollywood Lounge." The man gestured for me to come inside in a more cheerful tone this time. 

I closely peered out into what was really being kept hidden behind. Smiling to myself proudly, I did as instructed. Though my thoughts of what this place was exactly, were soon proven correct and my world immediately became whisked away and indulged into what felt like a dream.

From the familiar wild and flamboyant glitz and glamour decor, the aroma of hard liquor mixed with fruity cocktails that danced in the air and through the room, the folks dressed in their finest dresses and suits, and the warm and cozy atmosphere that was starting to sooth my soul.

'The Hollywood Lounge' was a place of business alright.

It was a wondrous, grand, and dazzling underground speakeasy.

🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶

And here's my first author's note! I am so happy to be sharing this piece of work to the world, and I hope this first chapter is off to a good start!

What do you think so far? 

And if you don't wanna answer that, please let me know if you're a fan of the 'Roaring 20s' era, what do you like most about it? For me, it's definitely the fun flapper fashion!

See ya next time! ;)