[Crane attends in a different suit from those he wears to work; a formal collection of black threads that make him feel out of place. But he wears his ill-fitting suit with the confidence of a man who belongs. The contrast between how he presents at the university and this gala is designed for discomfort - to throw people off-balance.
Why? Why not, he asks himself. He paints depth into the contrast by adopting the amicable mannerisms he wears daily, adding a third layer to the mix. But his skin begins to itch and his eyes survey the room with a predatory gaze. Assessing. Categorising. He isolates the uninteresting from the interesting - and that is when he catches the man who has him under his eye.
But they have been watching each other a while. He offers no response to his greeting, neither physical nor emotional. His manner is more liquid than the drink in his glass.]
no subject
Why? Why not, he asks himself. He paints depth into the contrast by adopting the amicable mannerisms he wears daily, adding a third layer to the mix. But his skin begins to itch and his eyes survey the room with a predatory gaze. Assessing. Categorising. He isolates the uninteresting from the interesting - and that is when he catches the man who has him under his eye.
But they have been watching each other a while. He offers no response to his greeting, neither physical nor emotional. His manner is more liquid than the drink in his glass.]
Not at all. I would rather be working.