Comments | darkcitynexus: in the dark [00]

gabriel_grey in darkcitynexus

in the dark [00]

Jul 11, 2009 10:54

--in the midst of it all.Brian Grant sits forward, the old wooden chair creaking with the movement as he writes. It's part of his routine. Come home from work, take his meal, pen an entry in his journal ( Read more... )

!00, gabriel_grey, instrument_of, sees_lies

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sees_lies July 11 2009, 20:00:02 UTC

Johnny makes his living reading people, more or less, seeing in their movements what they need to hear to do what he wants them to do-anything from giving him a twenty in exchange for two fives, to writing him a check for five thousand dollars. He plays people, and he's good at it. But it doesn't take a player to see that that's not a real smile. That's just spooky.

He talks with his whole body, throwing himself completely into what he says, and once it starts flowing it look like he'd be hard to stop. Shrugging, he begins, "Ah, maybe I should, but you know how much a garage costs in this city? It's ridiculous. I'd rather walk than pay some son of a bitch through the nose for a space. Like Saul, he drove us to the bar tonight. You know what he pays? Un-flippin'-believable. And he was in no condition to drive anybody anywhere afterwords. If I got in a car with him, my girl'd kill me. I don't even touch the stuff myself, anymore. I got a kid on the way." He makes a face to convey his ambivalence towards his future offspring. "She doesn't like me going out with the guys much, but a guy's got to get away sometimes, you know?"

gabriel_grey July 12 2009, 00:23:22 UTC

"I refuse to own a car. Walking is much more enjoyable, I think. You see much more in the city than if you speed through it."

The smile disappears and the man's face falls back to a neutral arrangement.

"Of course. You mustn't let anyone control you."

sees_lies July 12 2009, 00:44:57 UTC

Johnny laughs, takes another drag. "How about you tell that to my Theresa, and I'll come out from shelter when I hear the screaming stop."

gabriel_grey July 12 2009, 01:09:28 UTC

Grant smiles. This time it seems more genuine, but there's still a flatness to the gaze.

"Women can be very inflexible. They can run your life. I live alone these days. It's much easier.

"But you are happy, yes? You will have a child and things will become pleasantly complicated."

sees_lies July 12 2009, 01:16:54 UTC

"I think so," he says, looking up at the street lamp, then back at his cigarette. "Yeah, I think we're gonna be okay."

gabriel_grey July 12 2009, 01:40:40 UTC

"Yes, I'm sure you will."

Grant nods and studies Johnny intently.

"What was your name again? I don't think you said."

sees_lies July 12 2009, 01:46:57 UTC

"It's O'Brian, John O'Brian. Johnny," he says, offering a hand easily. "Nice to meet you, Mr...?"

gabriel_grey July 12 2009, 01:54:59 UTC

He pauses before taking Johnny's hand and shaking. His hand is cool and dry.

"Brian Grant. I teach art at City High."

sees_lies July 12 2009, 02:06:34 UTC

"Brian. Nice to meet you, Brian." He doesn't offer an occupation. While he could spout forth a list of false and unverifiable jobs he doesn't have, it's better to keep his options open.

His cigarette, nearly gone, he stubs out the end on the lamp-post, then checked his watch. "I got to get home," he says. "I'll see you around, though, huh?"

gabriel_grey July 12 2009, 02:09:01 UTC

"Perhaps." Grant nods and continues on his way.

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