periwinkle Eyes thought he could sell honey to a beekeeper  

hubris
dismissing their warnings that he  was old school 

                                                                                  school around Christs time 

they told him he was thick

little or no formal education

grew up on the streets

but Eyes saw another way

as he would

--   You just let me work my charm

Well see

  

                Otherwise   why are you paying me

they supposed theyd let him find out for himself

 --   Dead lifts  you say

he didnt follow

--   Dead lifts  in a gym 

over the years hed been in a few   old neighborhood gyms that smelled of stale sweat lye leather disinfectant

smelled of punished men

it seemed chancey  a fuckin longshot  in a gym   

fittin ones head through a noose

Dead lift  Its a lift

--   I hear ya

I know dead lifts

--   So whats with the grim face

--   Seems stupid to me

And Im stupid

--   Its competitive

--   Not in the neighborhood Im from

Or em around me

Dead lifts are for mooks  Punks

Thats ground floor in the basement shit

Yawan up ot of der fast  Anya only go back for something rare

                                                                                      

For a huge fuckin return

--   No

Come on  

Its pure technique

--   Its always technique

If it aint science  A B Cs  Eye to detail

Heavy price to pay

--   Yes

You can really hurt yourself

--   Yah

--   Then

              Were agreed

--   Agreed

                 Cept for where

I keep dead lifts outdoors

I mean otada gym

No thank you

--   I take it you havent worked with a spotter

--   A spotter

Why woud I do dat

I fuckin sleep alone

Dun chance talkin in my sleep

--   A spotter can help

--   Da fuck

his exasperation gnawing at the back of his neck 

                                                                                 rubbing at it with a scarred paw

Ya don look stupid

Guess looks aint everytin

--   If you hear me out                                                                                  

I can help you

--   I ave

Yaint

Aint buyin whaya sellin

Were dun

Eyes had something else up his sleeve 

taught one never takes No
crucial

as he drew his breath the old codger put a many-times-broken finger to his lips

--   Ssshh

 

Or Ill crush ya windpipe

Eyes thought It isnt no

I can take that

he nodded

the old man pushed his face away with his finger

Eyes lips might bruise

1444,  Day-Between-Two-Ts,  8  4. 15