9th Opportunity :: Action/Video

[recognize_an_opportunity]

[Meyer doesn't always take a day off work. In fact, this is his first day off since the casino opened. That's why, on this lovely afternoon, he's wandering a little aimlessly now, cigarette in hand, looking for something to pass the time that isn't work.

For awhile, he wanders around the area by the fountain, occasionally stopping to sit down and write something down in a tiny spiral bound notebook, then standing up and wandering again. After awhile, though, he seems to get bored, and turns on the video to ask a question -- or rather, make a proposition.]

I'm going for drinks. Does anyone want to come?

[It may be a bit early in the day for drinking, but it's his day off -- this is what people do on their days off, right? With that question posed to the entire City, he strolls off in search of a bar that has relatively inexpensive and plentiful alcohol.]

Comments

[recognize_an_opportunity]

Some of them. For some of them, it will require...

[He shrugs.]

A more long term solution.

[spotlighted]

[She nods silently, having some idea of what he means by that, even if she's not too comfortable about it.]

Anyone in particular I should avoid if they show up in the City? Or go and give a piece of my mind to?

[recognize_an_opportunity]

[He shrugs, clearly not wanting to give out names, and taking another sip of his drink.]

Nobody specifically, but I'd be wary of anyone who says they're from New York in 1923.

[spotlighted]

I'll keep a lookout.

[recognize_an_opportunity]

I don't think they'll show up here. It's unlikely, at least.

[Did he really finish that glass of wine so fast? Apparently he's drinking faster than he thought he was. He reaches for the bottle to pour himself another, topping off her glass as he does.]

[spotlighted]

Oh, I don't know. I know a couple of people from the 20s, after all. But I certainly hope they don't show up here. I like the idea of you not placing yourself in danger.

[The bottle's more than half gone already, and she's not exactly sure where it went.]

[recognize_an_opportunity]

There's me, Al, and that Darmody kid. I'm hoping that fills the City's quota.

[Yes. "Kid." Because it's not like he's older than Meyer or anything.]

Don't worry, I'm good at staying out of danger.

[spotlighted]

I hope so, too. You're all pretty swell guys, I kind of like that being my image of the 1920s, really.

[Well, maybe in terms of how he acts he's years older.]

Okay, I'll rephrase that, then. I don't want someone coming and shooting up the casino while I'm trying to work.

[recognize_an_opportunity]

Nobody's ever shot up one of my card games before.

[Not that they haven't been tempted to. Not that he hasn't had to diffuse several tense situations. But she probably doesn't need to know that.]

[spotlighted]

There's a first time for everything.

[She looks confused to find her glass empty again, and pours most of the rest of the bottle into it.]

[recognize_an_opportunity]

I didn't say I hadn't been shot at before.

[He looks at the bottle, pours the tiny bit that's left into his own glass, and then gestures for another to be brought to the table. He's undeniably feeling the effects of the alcohol now, and he can't say it's unpleasant. Maybe this day off thing is better than he thought.]

[spotlighted]

Have you ever actually been shot, though?

[Oh good, more wine. She's feeling a little rosy already, but she'll keep on drinking as long as he will.]

[recognize_an_opportunity]

[And he'll keep drinking forever until he's very drunk.]

Once. Not badly.

[spotlighted]

I'm not even going to ask the other question, of course. I don't think I want to know the answer.

[Which would be how many people he's shot.]

[recognize_an_opportunity]

[Not as many as people might think.]

I prefer to solve my problems in a more diplomatic manner.

[spotlighted]

[When her main image of gangsters is the Valentine's Day Massacre, she's increasingly worried about both the shooting and the being shot at.]

That's the smart way to do it. You're a smart guy.

[recognize_an_opportunity]

I try. I have friends who...

[He shrugs, nearly spilling some of the wine as he pours some more.]

... are impulsive.

[spotlighted]

I bet you end up cleaning up after them a lot.

[recognize_an_opportunity]

That's an understatement.

[spotlighted]

So you want to learn how to say "clean up after yourself" in Italian?

[recognize_an_opportunity]

That's one of the first things I learned. Right after "go fuck yourself."

[Apparently he's now inebriated enough not to mind swearing in front of her, which he'd generally consider somewhat impolite.]

[spotlighted]

[She starts giggling at hearing him swear, it's something she doesn't associate with him at all. And then she can't stop giggling for a minute or two because of the alcohol.]

That's one I still remember in French. "Va te faire foutre!" I think one of my life goals will be to tell people to go fuck themselves in every language.

[recognize_an_opportunity]

It's "vaffanculo" in Italian, if you were wondering.

[He'll have to remember that French one. Not that he has a huge purpose for speaking French, but it's useful knowledge.]

[spotlighted]

Vaff-- vaffanculo?

[She repeats it a couple of times to make sure she's saying it properly, then starts giggling again.]

I sure hope there are no Italians at the next table.

[recognize_an_opportunity]

[He looks around surreptitiously, as though looking for hidden Italians, then nods, smiling.]

Or French people.