"Sure," he agrees, and goes to retrieve one of the pillows he keeps down here to make sitting on the floor easier. More of the tables are open these days than there used to be, which is a shame, but it's easy to find one off in the corner away from traffic between the door and stairway.

He pauses a moment at the jukebox, too, eyeing a few of the options before settling on one of his favorites. He wipes the table clean and gets a few glasses, lights a new cigarette, makes himself comfortable, and hums along while perusing the latest on the network while he waits.