"I talked with Skoda yesterday," I say into the silence of the car.
He nods. "Good." Pause. "It help?"
I shrug. "I don't think it helped as much as everyone thought it would."
"But it helped?" he presses.
"S'pose so." Silence reigns again.
"You gonna go again?"
"S'pose so. Why? You want me to recommend you?" I smile.
He takes the defensive. "I just wanna make sure my partner's takin' care of himself."
Should I rip him a new for that? Or just say 'Thanks partner' and let it slide? Hmm... "Do you think I really need it?" I finally say.
"We all need it," he responds, playing it safe. "I don't think you can survive the job without some sort o' outlet," he elaborates. "You just gotta care enough to do it."
"Have you?"
He's quiet.
"Let me guess, you haven't gotten a chance."
"I know, man. Shut up." He seems peeved that I asked.
"Hey, relax. I understand that sitting home alone, pondering the meaning of human existence is all consuming."
"Maybe that's what you do..."
"You're still young; you've got time to realize women just run circles around us."
"Man, you been around a little too long, if you ask me."
"Don't worry, I'm not." He doesn't say anything else, so I fill in the silence with two words that seem to reverberate off the insides of the car. "Thanks, partner."