Mr. Client is a slim fella with deep eyes. I don’t mean he has bedroom eyes ooo la la and I don’t mean he has skull face like you see sometimes a perfectly ordinary person has skull face like a fucking reminder of mortality.

No this guy has eyes that spend way too much time seeing you. Most people, their eyes see you a little and then they skate. Eyes go someplace else then back then someplace else then back it is polite. Try not doing it sometime you will find it is hard and people start to edge away from you. But this guy: his eyes do not travel they just rest and sometimes he is looking at you and sometimes his eyes have not moved but he’s seeing something else. Like the guy has a multiplex in his head and you are only one of the screens and not the best one.

Mr. Client sits down (oof) and he says hi and I say hi and we drink sparkling water with ice. I say the fucking seats in this place and he says yes they are by Emmersen and she is overrated. I say I do not know Emmersen and he says I am very wise.

He takes lemon: two fingers and PLINK. Winces as the glass touches his lips. Mr. Client has lips like a baby’s all pure and pale and soft and that right there is what you call a tell because until this morning this guy had a mustache and maybe some bit of a beard but like a real fucking pretentious bit of face fur like you would have if you were real into your villain mojo. Right now the guy has a baby face and he is all tender. Fastidious that is the word he is fastidious to the point that it’s a thing with him.

Mojo, by the way, in parts of Spain is a tangy red pepper sauce made with bread but that is not the kind Mr. Client is into.

“Good day sir and what do I call you?”

“Mr. Price I feel I have been clear that I do not wish to be known to you.”

Got an accent but so does everyone. That just means he hasn’t got my accent but what accent it is I don’t know. In the modern world Henry Higgins is fucked. Guy with Dutch parents grows up in Dubai learns English from American movies and a French teacher who studied in Canada and BOOM where are you? You’re nowhere and don’t pretend. That does not matter I am respecting the guy’s boundaries I do not care where he comes from.

“Okay I’ll just carry on calling you Mr. Client is that okay?”

“Mr. Client will do fine.”

“Great. Have the ajiaco it is excellent.”

“I will order some for appearances but in fact I will not be eating, Mr. Price.”