I’m interested in this Joe and Morales angle. Please tell me more! And is it funny?
Mostly absurd, as in it pairs off two ridiculously intelligent middle-aged men who are just aware enough of each other's existence that neither one knows exactly which category the other one belongs in when it comes to compartmentalizing. And it’s putting them both wrong-footed. XD Another venture with @iwritesometimes
Morales tossed A Look at the approximately two miles of tow-headed shrink leaning on his desk. “I'm not hostile. I like ninety-five percent of the people who come through those doors. The dead ones, mostly.”
Joe regarded him with amusement. “That’s a pretty convincing statistic when you put it that way. It's how you feel about the other five percent that might be a problem.”
“The other five percent would be the people who won't give me the time and space I need to do my job properly.”
“Is that a hint for me to get out of your office?”
“What makes you think I'd waste time hinting if I wanted you gone?”
“Well, you don't have a reputation as someone who throws people out of the morgue. I'm pretty sure I'd have heard about that. So who is it not letting you work properly?”
This guy. Truth of the matter was, even after two beyond chaste disaster dates, Morales was too curious to kick him out, but just didn’t get why he was there either. And it was really starting to get on his nerves (especially the fact that he still couldn’t remember the guy's last name).
“I'm not sure if that's an invitation to vent or if you're trying to get into my head.” He gestured Joe’s way with a folder containing a dossier on a concussed drowning victim. “Though maybe I should be flattered that there's some part of me you're interested in getting into,” he added, just a touch catty and not ashamed of it.
Joe cocked his head a little, his smile retreating. “I am interested in you, Dr. Morales. And sure, you can vent if you'd like to. I won't even respond, if you'd rather just talk about it.”
“Look. Joe. I have a therapist. And I'm not interested in watching you work off the clock. If we're being honest with each other, I'm not sure why you're here at all.” He dropped the folder back to his desk. “It’s not like we have a lot of overlap in clientele.”
