PSL - for Saul Goodman, set Post-BCS, Pre-BB

[amicustenebris]

In all fairness to Saul Goodman, it would not have been uncharitable when he found himself stopped in the middle of the road, staring down what appeared to be the body that just ricocheted off his windshield, and first thinking, even kind of hoping he was being scammed. It wouldn't be the first time, and New Mexico was hardly suffering a shortage of people stupid enough to try it, clearly. The highbeams caught the slow patter of the first rain in what felt like months, picking each little droplet out of the dark as though they did not exist at all until the light touched them. Then the twitch of a set of fingers, shivering in the direction of a cane that had clattered to the ground just out of reach. A glint of the ring on one of his fingers, not a diamond but some manner of precious stone that seemed to glow with inner luminosity. 

It was fully nighttime even without the cloud cover, and the stranger really did seem to come out of nowhere. He might as well have not been there at all the instant before he was hit. 

From the looks of him once he was near enough to take it in, not the sort that would usually try a scam. Well-to-do, in his forties at the youngest. The curtain of his shoulder-length hair stuck in wet strings to the side of his face. Nice (though now scuffed) shoes. The suit was fine and black, maybe a little warm for this far south and this time of year. The cane was similarly fancy, with a silver handle. Eyes that were awake and expressive but wide and gave too much the impression of an injured animal. 

The kinda view that left a guy wishing it was just a punk kid trying to make an easy buck. 

Comments

Re: A Week Later

[amicustenebris]

"Everyone does mystery in their own way," Gold returned. Talking was a mask on its own. Misdirection and all.

But yes, he had secrets to keep.

Who didn't?

"So long as one is direct when it matters."

Re: A Week Later

[its_all_good_man]

"Heh. You got that right. Can't stand a guy beating around the bush. I don't have time for it and my time is money." He says, offering a chuckle to keep the air light.

"Any business for you yet? At your shop, I mean." He asks, trying to make conversation

Re: A Week Later

[amicustenebris]

"Some. I have a policy that I do not accept stolen inventory -- a common issue when you buy, sell, and trade. For now, there have been no issues."

He knew he was not set up in the most white collar of neighborhoods, but he got pretty diverse clientele: everyone goes treasure hunting.

But he brooked very little in the way of funny business on his property. He'd not yet needed to enforce that, but it might be a simple matter of time.

"For the most part it leaves me time to myself when needed."

Re: A Week Later

[its_all_good_man]

"Lucky you! Having a bit of me time is good for you I hear." Saul says. He hasn't had much "me time" these days so let that say about his mental health what it will.
"I noticed you're on the good side of the tracks so I wouldn't worry all that much about any sketchy clients. They're all here with me."

Re: A Week Later

[amicustenebris]

"I'm not concerned." His fingers traced over the filigrees on the cane handle. "Though along with that invoice, I wondered if I might trouble you for something else."

Re: A Week Later

[its_all_good_man]

Saul perked up at the prospect of something more.

"Sure, ask away! I'm pretty open." Which was true! Saul was relatively open to chat about almost anything. So much so, he never really knew when to stop himself.

Re: A Week Later

[amicustenebris]

"If one were looking into studying for the bar in this state," he offered, "I suspect you would know where best to start."

It occurred to Gold, then, that it'd probably behoove him not to make that sound threatening. Like competition. But he had no idea where to start that without saying too much.

Re: A Week Later

[its_all_good_man]

"Uh, well I'd recommend taking some courses at the University of American Samoa. They offer online classes and you can get them done in a reasonably quick amount of time. I got lucky with passing though. It took me three tries to get it right but hey, third times the charm, right?." He says with a chuckle. He may not be the best to ask for study tips but he does know how the system works and how to manipulate it to his advantage. Unfortunately, the bar is done by the books.

"Are you interested in a law career?" He asks. It's really not his business but he's curious to say the least.

Re: A Week Later

[amicustenebris]

"I've practiced in a number of places," Gold admitted. "...Contract law chiefly, but occasionally in other areas when I've had to. Unfortunately, being authorized to practice in one state or even country does not make others automatically viable. You do as the Romans do when in Rome, and it requires study."

Re: A Week Later

[its_all_good_man]

"Oh! I see, you just wanted a few hints to pass the New Mexico bar. Well, I can testify, if I can do it, you can too. Hell, my big brother Chuck was irritated as hell at the fact that they allowed me to practice but the jokes on him cause I'm the best criminal lawyer in the state at the moment." He seems proud but there's a hint of regret behind it. Definitely more to it than what he said but he wasn't about to bore Gold with the details.

Re: A Week Later

[amicustenebris]

Gold noted and filed away each little nuance of potential he saw there. But he had to raise an eyebrow. "At the moment?" Heavy competition, there?

Re: A Week Later

[its_all_good_man]

"Not really. Honestly, the biggest competitor you'll find is HHM but if you're good like me, you have nothing to worry about." Saul says giving a wink to the other man.

Re: A Week Later

[amicustenebris]

While the man was generally very good at reading people, he had something of a blind spot when it came to any gestures toward himself that were exceedingly friendly -- missing them entirely was better than assuming the worst about them, one could suppose. So Gold had an instant where he went blank at the wink, broke eye contact, then immediately recovered.

"I'll have to bear that in mind," he said smoothly. "Though if I do what I'm paid to do, I don't tend to see the inside of a courtroom. So debatable who I'll ultimately run into."

Re: A Week Later

[its_all_good_man]

“Hey lucky you! Court can be a pain in the ass. I can’t tell you how many cases the mirror in the bathroom heard cause Im trying to work everything out before I get in there.” This was true. Saul often gave himself pep talks in the bathroom before the court. Sometimes a bailiff would need to come and remind him it’s time for the hearing.

Re: A Week Later

[amicustenebris]

"More people do that than most think, or so I'm told." It was said with good humor, at least. Gold would have found it less respectable if he tried to boast an effortless expertise. "A good artist takes time to practice their craft, after all."

Re: A Week Later

[its_all_good_man]

"That's what I'm saying! How in the hell can I just waltz out there without time to practice. I'd look like a stammering idiot, that's what would happen. Between you and me, I am rather shy." He says with a small chuckle. He knows he doesn't seem like a shy person, especially considering he talks all the time but he can be anxious without proper time to prepare himself.

Re: A Week Later

[amicustenebris]

"Oh, I have trouble believing that."

Did he read that as false modesty? Not really. He understood the sentiment even if no one would ever mistake him for so warm a person, himself.

But he meant it as a compliment, at least.

Re: A Week Later

[its_all_good_man]

"Heh! See! I knew I couldn't fool you. Regardless, bathroom pep talks are the best and I'll defend them tooth and nail. They got me through my career." He says with a small chuckle to himself really. It's out of habit is all

Re: A Week Later

[amicustenebris]

"We said something of small talk earlier, and I fear I'm veering in that direction, Mister Goodman." A hint of a smile, but his eyes cut away. "You have that invoice for me?"

Re: A Week Later

[its_all_good_man]

"Ah! Yes! Here." He says, bending down to retrieve the paper from his desk drawer and setting it on his desk for the man.
"Not too bad, the guy I go to is relatively cheap."

Re: A Week Later

[amicustenebris]

"Small comforts, I'm sure." He takes it up to examine the damage but doesn't appear bothered by it. It doesn't quite add up: guy had no ID on him when found, but he seems to have gotten settled well enough just the same. "I will have have this taken care of today."

Re: A Week Later

[its_all_good_man]

“Okay! I mean, you don’t have to really. If you can’t tell, business is pretty good here and I can afford it. I did hit you. You don’t owe me anything”he tried to assure.
The man seems determined to pay Saul back but Saul really didn’t need it.

Re: A Week Later

[amicustenebris]

As far as Gold was concerned, even a possible debt is not really something he wants to leave unhandled. But he's always careful with his words. He is not going to say specifically that he is at fault -- and not just because that would be impossible to explain. "In most circumstances, it's an unusual look for legal counsel to not wish to be paid, Mister Goodman."

Re: A Week Later

[its_all_good_man]

Saul looked a bit surprised at this remark for a moment before he chuckled. He loved a good lawyer joke where he could get one. His brother, Chuck, loathed them but Saul was delighted by them. The law was never a particularly serious matter to him.

"You do make a good point there." He says, wagging a finger at Gold in a playful "gotcha" sort of way

Re: A Week Later

[amicustenebris]

"I do try." Whether it is meant to sound noncommittal or merely humble might be unclear. Gold does his best to be careful with his words. But being around someone who doesn't appear to dislike his company and is so outwardly comfortable in their own skin does take away some of the edges that are usually there, like armor. But he also knows where he is. "And understanding that a working lawyer very rarely has a light itinerary, I do not wish to take up too much of your time."