[ Krouse smiles at the sarcasm. The old man has some bite, and he seems adamantly opposed to being a member of an organized governmental force. That's enough, plus how handy he came in for reminding Krouse to think about all of his options, to incline Krouse to an initial good impression.
The hiccup is when he thanks him. Krouse shifts slightly in place, his mouth thinning and tilting in a momentary grimace, and he finds something to scout on the other side of the street for a second. ]
Don't mention it.
[ Krouse reaches into his pocket and produces a pack of cigarettes, Newports, and a cheap disposable red lighter. He taps a smoke out and starts to fold the top back down, then hesitates. ]
You didn't exactly put me out of my way.
[ He doesn't save people's lives. If he did, it was incidental. Not the point. The point was that he happened to see what was happening, could easily do something about it, and he did. That's not heroic, or whatever Harold seems to be thinking. That's just -
He was being pragmatic. If he walked away, Harold might have survived, and he'd remember the guy who could have helped and didn't. It doesn't count if it was selfish. Krouse was really looking out for himself. ]
no subject
The hiccup is when he thanks him. Krouse shifts slightly in place, his mouth thinning and tilting in a momentary grimace, and he finds something to scout on the other side of the street for a second. ]
Don't mention it.
[ Krouse reaches into his pocket and produces a pack of cigarettes, Newports, and a cheap disposable red lighter. He taps a smoke out and starts to fold the top back down, then hesitates. ]
You didn't exactly put me out of my way.
[ He doesn't save people's lives. If he did, it was incidental. Not the point. The point was that he happened to see what was happening, could easily do something about it, and he did. That's not heroic, or whatever Harold seems to be thinking. That's just -
He was being pragmatic. If he walked away, Harold might have survived, and he'd remember the guy who could have helped and didn't. It doesn't count if it was selfish. Krouse was really looking out for himself. ]
Do you smoke?