“To confirm that, I’d have to know how old you are,” Julian says, and a thoughtful beat follows. “Now I’m thinking it’s something like twenty-five. Please don’t tell me it’s twenty-five,” he laughs, “but if it is, then I’m even more impressed by what I’ve heard thus far. And in this business, the older you look, the more they trust you.” Something about experience. “And that’s always a good thing.”
He nods, unbuttoning his suit-jacket and settling down onto their seat at the table.
“If you’re Diego,” he offers a smile, “then I’m Julian.” No Sirs or Misters necessary. Diego explains his perspective — which is to say, he doesn’t. Likewise to his looks, Julian echoes again, “That’s always a good thing.” He shrugs, “Journalists that have a tone in mind before the guest says a word, are typically biased.” Which, some would argue doesn’t earn them the title of journalists to begin with.
Julian’s eyes alternate between Diego, and the notebook. Meanwhile, a kind waiter pours them a drink each, off the bottle. “First question as a trick question,” he clicks his tongue, “smart.” So far, off the record. And now, on:
“Of course I do.” Though perhaps it’s made clear by that answer alone, dishonesty isn’t one of them. “My mother says it’s my inability to make use of coasters,” — just then, Julian realizes he hadn’t placed his glass upon one, so he quickly corrects it by doing so — “my wife, that I spend too much time at work.” A flaw that isn’t a flaw. “My daughter, that I still don’t know all the lyrics to Let It Go.” Beat. “But I’m an almost fifty-year-old man, navigating life as all others do — except, I have chosen public service as my duty. I’m sure there are many other flaws that my mother, wife, and children haven’t warned me about.” A smile. “But I would like to think they’re outweighed by everything else.”
Beat, and a nod to Diego’s own glass. “How do you like it?”
First question as a trick question. A sharp smile slit his mouth. “No trick questions here, Julian,” he replied with a leisurely shake of the head. “Personally, I would call it an ice-breaker.” And as much as Diego wanted to use the open notebook while the Governor spoke, he didn’t.
As expected, he was provided with a lot of words and little meaning or significance. After all, no real flaws were listed. He could’ve been disappointed and yet he wasn’t, provided that earning gossip wasn’t the aim of the first question.
He reached for his glass of Bourbon, which Julian had so kindly provided, and brought to his lips upon being asked on how it tasted, to relish its richness. “Good choice.” His reply came out as a pleased murmur more than anything and he made the decision of taking his glasses off before making eye-contact.
“What is your ‘everything else’?” He decided to turn his first question around based on what was provided. Despite all, something dark lurked behind his quite playful visage now that there weren’t any glasses to play the curtain. It was as though his mere presence, combined with the low rasp of his voice, threatened to compel the interviewee to share more.
Soon enough, he proceeded to his next question, one styled in the same fashion as his first, and he wondered what kind of path Julian’s answer would take. Whether or not it’d be followed by an anecdote.“And if you have such wonderful flaws, would you say you have any guilty pleasures? Anything you find yourself get tempted by on occasion?”
gamechangershow
vaporwave
kianamaiart
dailybridgerton
