Josie's Bar

"I used to love coming here... with you and Matt. Josie's actually felt like home."
"A home with... very sticky floors and belligerent drunks, nightly."

―Karen Page and Foggy Nelson^[src]

Josie's Bar is a small bar owned by Josie in New York City. It was the main retreat for Matt Murdock, Foggy Nelson, and Karen Page.

History[]

Drawing the Future[]

and talking about their future as lawyers — Foggy Nelson and Matt Murdock talking about their future as lawyers

Foggy Nelson and Matt Murdock met at Josie's Bar to discuss what to do with their careers, as they recently quit Landman and Zack to create their own law firm. Nelson noticed that Murdock had some bruises on his face, and tried to ask about them. Murdock simply said that he was fine, but Josie, the owner, pointed out that he did not look fine.

Nelson said that even Josie was worried about him, though she claimed that she did not go that far. Nelson told him that he should be more careful, because he believed Murdock's lie that he fell to the floor while taking out the trash. Nelson then finished a drawing in a napkin, and asked Murdock to check it with his fingers. Murdock only noticed a napkin, and as he claimed it was the future, he had to clarify that it was the drawing of a sign for their law firm "Nelson and Murdock, Attorneys at Law".

Murdock asked Nelson if he was sure about it, and though he claimed he was not, he trusted Murdock, so he would support him if Murdock really thought that was what they should be doing. Murdock said that Nelson sounded as if they were getting married, but he believed that business partnership was more important than a simple civil union, as they would be sharing everything with each other: thoughts, dreams, bills, and debt. Murdock then said that there was no one else he would rather do that than Nelson, a feeling they both shared, so Nelson asked Murdock to raise his glass, as he was going to clink it for Nelson and Murdock, Attorneys at Law.^[1]

Hell's Kitchen Locale[]

and sharing a drink — Foggy Nelson and Karen Page sharing a drink

"You saved the best for last, huh?"
"Oh, yeah, this place is a shithole. But it's our shithole."

―Karen Page and Foggy Nelson^[src]

Foggy Nelson took Karen Page to Josie's Bar, a bar in Hell's Kitchen he usually visited with Matt Murdock. Nelson even called Murdock to tell him that he was taking Page there, believing he would be with a woman, and asking Murdock to leave her and go to the bar.

Page sarcastically told Nelson that he saved the best place for last, and Nelson agreed, acknowledging that the bar was a shithole, but at least it was "their" shithole. Nelson explained how despite the city had tried to shut the bar down at least six times, he had helped its owner, Josie with the liens, and as a result, they got to drink for free.

Josie served a drink to Nelson, while making sure that he was not drinking for free. Nelson jokingly answered Josie to agree to disagree. Believing they were on a date, Josie told Page she could get a better man than Nelson, but he clarified that Page was his employee and that was not a date. However, Nelson asked out loud if that was actually a date, but Page reassured that it was not a date.

Nelson continued to joke saying that he was starting to worry that maybe Page was in love with him, as she was always around his office. Page attributed it to being Nelson's secretary, but when Nelson insisted that she was always there, refusing to leave, Page clarified that she was a good secretary. Nelson then teased her, saying that Page lovingly stared at him when he was not looking, making Page laugh, and Nelson then said that it was a possibility, but he could not be sure as it was done when he was not looking.

Page then looked at the bottle they were drinking from, and realized there was something inside. Nelson examined it, and said he believed it was an eel, but they would need to reach the bottom of the bottle to find it out.

As they kept drinking, Nelson finally addressed the reason why Page was staying at their office until late, but Page asked him at first to leave it alone, but as Nelson insisted, Page explained how she had been unable to remove Daniel Fisher's blood from the carpet in her apartment, and the wall still have a dent where her head was bashed into by the man trying to kill her, and if it had not been for the man in the mask, she would be dead.

Nelson offered to call his cousin to repair the apartment, but Page said that she did not see the city, only its dark corners, only threats, even inside the bar. Trying to calm her down, Nelson introduced many of the customers that were hanging out at Josie's Bar, such as Tom Belkin, the Road Captain of the Kitchen Hellions who organized the food drive in Thanksgiving; Rob Donohue, whose wife Mira worked at a dry cleaner around the corner from the Nelson and Murdock Law Office, or Clint Peterson, a criminal that had spent time in prison for larceny and distribution but who was trying to make amends.

Nelson then offered to be with her all night in case she did not want to return to her apartment, to which Page simply smiled before drinking another glass of alcohol with Nelson.^[2]

Wake of Elena Cardenas[]

This section needs a rewrite

Mourning Elena Cardenas[]

Nelson mourning at Josie's — Nelson mourning Elena Cardenas at Josie's

Foggy Nelson, Matt Murdock and Karen Page went to Josie's Bar to mourn the death of Elena Cardenas, who had been brutally killed that same day. Josie, the bar owner, gave them a bottle of alcohol, and assured them she would bring more if they needed it.

Nelson reflected upon the fact that, when they accepted Cardenas' tenancy case, he and Page went to Landman and Zack, and Marci Stahl informed them there was a criminal element in the building, and workmen left without finishing repairs at the apartment because they feared for their safety, something that seemingly turned out to be true.

Murdock pointed that maybe it was a lie, as he did not think it had any logic, and it was hard to believe that there was a coincidence that Cardenas was killed just when she decided to stay in her apartment and fight for it, rallying the few neighbors she had left.

Murdock listening to 's interview — Murdock listening to Wilson Fisk's interview

Page asked if he believed Wilson Fisk had something to do Cardenas' death, but they were interrupted when Fisk appeared on WHiH World News to speak about the murder. Murdock asked Josie to turn the volume up, and they heard an appearance where Fisk was asked by reporters about the event. On television, Fisk explained that he did not meet Cardenas, given that he took possession of the building the day before, but he was aware of the reports that explained the tenement was unsafe, so he offered a substantial sum of money to Cardenas and her neighbors to help them relocate.

Fisk began giving a speech about how Cardenas' death was a symptom of the disease of fear that the city was suffering, fear of bombings, policemen being shot and a masked psychopath. Fisk began to covertly provoke the man in the mask, daring him to step out of shadows, and twisting the masked man's own words by saying the man would fail because people could make a difference together.

Page pointed that Fisk almost sounded like he meant his own words, but Murdock, knowing Fisk's true purpose with them, assured Page that Fisk actually meant them. Page, disgusted with the way Fisk used Cardenas' death for his own benefit, hoped that the murder would be traced up to Fisk, though Murdock was sure Fisk would expose himself in that way, and probably half of the New York City Police Department had been bribed.

Page hoped the masked man would deal with Fisk, though Murdock, wanting to know her true opinion, asked if she was religious. Page explained that her parents were, being that probably the reason she was not. Murdock then revealed he was a Catholic, though it did not help with things like Cardenas' death in days such as that.

Wanting to deal with Fisk as soon as possible, Murdock made up the excuse he had enough alcohol, and asked Page to inform Nelson, who had received a call from the funeral home, that they would meet again in the morning. Before he left, Page reminded Murdock that, if there was a God who cared about manking, Fisk would get what he deserved. Murdock told her that he indeed believed it.^[3]

Culprits Must Pay[]

Foggy Nelson and Karen Page continued drinking at Josie's Bar to overcome the pain of losing Elena Cardenas. Nelson was heavily drunk, and asked Josie for another bottle, though Page told her not to do it. Page, who was also very drunk, acknowledged that she had drunk enough alcohol, and Nelson had drunk even more, but Nelson justified that they were at a wake and drinking was what people usually did, because the true reason behind a wake sucked.

Nelson asked what would be a good toast in Spanish for the people that should still be alive, but broke in tears before even finishing the sentence. Nelson was extremely hurt, blaming himself for what happened to Cardenas, as he asked her to keep fighting, instead of taking the money like Matt Murdock said. Page asked Nelson not to do that, as it was not his fault. Nelson then explained how Hell's Kitchen was a shithole when he grew up, but it had a heart, so he and Murdock studied law to help their neighbors and the people they grew up with, so they could have the same opportunities as powerful people like Wilson Fisk. However, now he considered it to be lies they told themselves to go on living another day.

Page told him that she did not and could not believe that, but Nelson asked what were they were supposed to do against somebody who owned everything and everyone, and was able to do something like killing an old woman for his own benefit. Page told him to do the only thing they could, make them pay.^[3]

Drinking Alone[]

"Uh, Matt, it's Karen. I just saw Foggy at Josie's."

―Karen Page to Matt Murdock^[src]

Karen Page went to Josie's Bar hoping to find Foggy Nelson there, and she indeed found him, drinking alcohol alone. As soon as she entered, Page grabbed Nelson's bottle and a glass and told Nelson he was a dick for ignoring her calls all day. He justified himself saying he was busy, but at least he heard the messages. Nelson believed that the only thing Page had was a story from an old lady saying that Wilson Fisk killed his father with a hammer more than 40 years ago. Page told him that seemingly nobody realized that Fisk's mother was supposed to be dead, so it was a proof that Fisk had been lying.

Nelson warned that, dealing with someone like Fisk, that would not be enough. Page noted that Nelson sounded just like Matt Murdock, and when Nelson asked if she had talked to him, Page said that he even asked the same thing. Page explained that she visited Murdock at his apartment, and she asked Nelson what happened, given that she did not believed the story that Murdock had been in a car accident.

Nelson prompted Page to ask Murdock, but she revealed that she did, and the only thing Murdock told her was that it had been his fault, something that Nelson agreed with. Page asked what was happening between them, and why Nelson had not been at the office.

Nelson admitted that he and Murdock were going through a rough patch, and when she said that she had found the sign for Nelson and Murdock in the trash, Nelson admitted that it was a "very" rough patch. Page offered herself in case Nelson wanted to talk about it, and while he admitted he wanted to, he also said that he could not talk about it.

Page asked the reason, but just when Nelson was about to tell her, she said that if Nelson used the same justification that Murdock used, that it was complicated, she would punch him in the face. Angrily, Nelson slammed his fist on the bar, and said that it was personal. Page tried to calm him down, saying that she understood what he meant, but Nelson assured her that she did not.

Page then also informed Nelson that they had started demolishing the building where Elena Cardenas resided, reminding him that Fisk was still there and it would be nice if both Nelson and Murdock helped to do something about it before there was nothing left of Hell's Kitchen, leaving the bar without waiting for any reply.^[4]

Requesting Marci Stahl's Help[]

Discreet Meeting[]

"What I want is to not be in this petri dish a second longer than I have to. Why are we meeting here?"

―Marci Stahl to Foggy Nelson^[src]

Marci Stahl went to Josie's Bar for a meeting with Foggy Nelson. While she was waiting, Stahl asked Josie to make her a vodka martini, but Josie refused and gave her a plain vodka.

Nelson arrived and apologized for his lateness, as he could not flag a cab, but the first thing Stahl did was to complain about what happened with her drink. Nelson told her that she should ask nice, but Stahl believed that paying nice should be enough. Nelson offered to get her a martini if she wanted, but what Stahl actually wanted was not to stay in the bar longer than she had to.

Nelson requesting for Stahl's help at Josie's

Nelson asked for Stahl's help, but the first thing she said upon hearing that was that she was disappointed because she had thought it was a booty call. Nelson asked her if she remembered the tenement case which made him visit the Landman and Zack Building, and Stahl remembered Elena Cardenas, not misspelling her last name again after having read what happened to her.

Nelson said that Cardenas' tenement was just one of the buildings that was targeted and there many more, maybe even hundreds across Hell's Kitchen. Stahl asked who was targeting them, and upon hearing that it was Wilson Fisk, she wanted to leave, given that Landman and Zack represented Fisk and she could not talk about him.

Nelson then asked her for five minutes just to read some documents, and she agreed, saying it was because Nelson had been very good the last night they spent together.^[5]

Legal Meeting[]

Marci Stahl read the documents that Foggy Nelson gave her, until she got distracted when he commented that it took her longer than the five minutes she agreed to spend. Stahl asked where did they obtained all those documents, and he explained that they found some of them while working with Matt Murdock on Elena Cardenas' tenement case, but they obtained the rest of it from The Devil of Hell's Kitchen.

Stahl was shocked that Nelson was working with that man who blew up half the city, but Nelson reminded that having read what was in those documents, the man in the mask was not responsible for it, it was Wilson Fisk.

Stahl told him that Fisk had appeared many times over the news trying to help this city, but Nelson asked if there was anything at Landman and Zack that did not feel right with Fisk. Stahl explained that Fisk was probably their most billable clients, along with Leland Owlsley at Silver & Brent, so she could lose her job just for sitting there with Nelson, and even get disbarred.

Nelson reminded her of something he told Stahl when he went to the Landman and Zack Building to discuss the tenement case, that she used to have a soul, and pointed that it was not just a jab, but a reminder of how much she cared about the law and what was right before gaining her new status at Landman and Zack.

Stahl believed that what Nelson was asking her would end in career suicide, but he simply asked her to trust him. Nelson believed that Fisk, Owlsley, and anyone else connected with them were going to end up paying for what they had done and that Landman and Zack would be questioned about how much they knew about it and when they knew it, so Nelson offered it as a chance for Stahl to get out of that and take her soul back in the process.^[5]