Ophelia "Lia" Lewis

First I'll be needin' yer full name, honey. It's for my confidential records. Lord knows none o' the goils actually uses 'em.

Ophelia Louise Lewis. My mother thought she was being clever, naming me after a character in a play, except that she'd never seen the play, she just thought the name was nice.

So what do people actually call ya? An' why?

Lia. Better than Ophelia, anyway. *laughs*

Age an' birthday? Just estimate if ya ain't sure, hon.

October 10th. I'll be 18 this year. Getting old for this, I know.

Now you's gonna give me a physical description. Height, build, hair, eyes, the clothes ya wears--everythin' down to the last freckle, ya hear? *gives you a sober look* If one o' my goils goes missin'...well, it pays to be prepared, I always say.

I'm not tiny, really. I try to watch what I eat, I do, and really, no one seems to be complaining, so...Anyway! Long brown hair, brown eyes, light skin. I'm pretty recognizable.

I know you'll be sellin' papes, but are ya doin' any odder kinda work? If so, I gotta know about it. *gives you a sharp look* Yes, even that.

Not really. I sketch sometimes, but only when there's paper and coal around. It's not anything serious. Not the kind of thing I could sell, or anything.

What's yer personality like, dearie? Sweet, grumpy, shy, outgoin', overly fond o' the boys? *smiles* It's all perfectly fine here in Greenwich Village.

Outgoing, I guess. Friendly. I'm told I'm sweet. Maybe a bit too trusting, I'm working on that! *gullible, quick to smile, and a little bit mothering, as well*

Now, most o' the Village is real keen on the arts. Got any special talents I should know about? If ya sing, dance, act, draw, paint, write, or sweep a stage, I guarantee the goils'll find ya some extra work. *winks* You can tell me about any non-artistic talents while you's at it.

Like I said, I sketch sometimes. And sing sometimes, not very well. Mostly the kind of songs my mother would have had a heart attack about hearing. *laughs* That's it, really. Oh, I do make up stories, sometimes. I like telling stories to the little ones.

Any ghosts hauntin' ya that I should know about? I don't mean the kind that supposedly haunts the attic--I mean the bad things that follow ya from yer past, or the bad habits ya just can't seem to shake.

Nothing in my past, no. I'm actually a pretty ghost-free girl.

Who d'ya know in the area, hon? Friend or foe, I wanna hear about it. An' have ya got any fam'ly left?

No one, really. I didn't grow up around here. It's fun here, though! I like it, it's colorful and a little loud.

Seein' anyone special, dear? *smiles slyly*

Not yet. *grins* But I wouldn't mind a beau of my own.

Now, last of all, baby, I need ya to tell me why you's here. Where'd ya come from, an' what kinda life did ya have before?

I grew up uptown a bit. My mother worked as a maid on one of the big hotels. Before I was born, though, she worked in a couple different big houses. If it hadn't been for me, she would eventually have gotten a position as a ladies maid. But she ended up pregnant, and got let go, and ended up just cleaning rooms in a hotel. She never told me who my father was, and I guess it doesn't matter. Anyway, she started getting sick a few years ago, and kept getting sicker. She passed about four months ago, and I didn't really have anyplace to go. I know she has a sister, out in California, but...I didn't really want to go to California. And I'd been working at the hotel, but I didn't want to do that, either, so...I just kind of wandered off. Ended up here. That's really the long and the short of it.