"The Awful Truth" by Constance B. Mooreston
Playboy Bruce Wayne Can't Stop Partying

He parties. He womanizes. He drinks. He's rebuilding the monorail system devastated by the Narrows Attack. And he drinks some more.

When Wayne Enterprises announced it was repairing damaged portions of the Gotham Light Rail system at cost, it was a rare moment of good publicity for Gotham's richest scamp. But a series of photos showing Wayne drinking with a succession of tarts seems to have stifled any pro-Wayne sentiment in the city.

"It's almost like Nero fiddling while Rome burns," said PR guru Max Morganthau. "You have this incredible wave of crime, fear, and terror, and here's 'Little Orphan Brucie' partying the night away."

Bruce Wayne has always suffered in comparison to his beloved father, wealthy city philanthropist and medical doctor Thomas Wayne. Some say that Bruce is still rebelling against a dad he simply can't live up to.

"Bruce just doesn't want to grow up," said author and psychologist Lynda Fishman. "He's still in this kind of eternal adolescence, and he's got the money to do it."

Insiders have revealed to The Times that Bruce's partying may be getting in the way of his business responsibilities.

"Look, running Wayne Enterprises is a job for serious people," said one high-level executive. "Good looks and charm may get Bruce the girls, but you can't manage a multi-national on a wink and a refill."

So, if Gotham's poor little rich boy isn't behind the company's light rail redo, who is? Many point to "Wayne's Brain" - turnaround artist and long-time friend Lucius Fox.

"Fox is calling the tune while Wayne is paying for the drinks," said business analyst John Lavender.

Meanwhile, what looked like an easy public relations coup is turning much messier. The Gotham Light Rail fix-it project has fallen behind schedule, and the residents of the Narrows are beginning to turn their anger against what they see as the out-of-touch executives at Wayne Enterprises.

"If Bruce Wayne thought the monorail repair job was the silver bullet to repair his image, he is sorely mistaken," said socialite and philanthropist Mildred Peerston. "You can ruin a reputation in an instant, but it's not so easy to build it back up."