“Five-thousand?” I asked, raising my left eyebrow slightly.

“Five-thousand,” he confirmed, meaning: that’s the going rate.

“Five-thousand…” I said it slow, rubbing my palms together, like I was imagining all that cash for a moment.  He relaxed; settled back into his chair a little more.  Time for a psycho-slap.  Casually I said, “Five-thousand is about what it costs to get one gang-banger to pop another gang-banger.”  I let this sink in a little.  Then curiously, without anger, I asked, “Who do you think I am?”

His response was exactly what I wanted: surprise and then unease at having been surprised, then anger to cover up the unease.  To his credit, he composed himself quickly after letting these inevitable emotions slip.  He sat back again and smiled at me as if with new found respect.  He puffed on his stinking turd of a cigar and said, “Alright, kid…ten-thousand.”

I sighed and let my eyes wander up to the smoke-yellowed ceiling.  Slowly, as if I had no other care in the world, I reached into my breast pocket and retrieved my Camels and my Zippo.  I paid him no further attention as I withdrew a cigarette from the pack and put it in my mouth.  I flicked open the lighter with my thumb and said, “Fine.”  I snapped my fingers, striking the wheel, and devoted my full attention to the birth of the flame.  I touched the tip of my cig to it and puffed, once.  I stared at the flickering flame for a long moment while drawing deeply on the Camel.  I snapped the lid shut and exhaled my own thick cloud of smoke across the table.  Without losing any of the boredom on my face I asked, “You want me to get rid of two gang-bangers?”

His eyes lit with anger and his body tensed.  Briefly I caught a glimpse of the stupid savage that dwelled in his heart, but again, he recomposed quickly.  He took a big puff off his smoldering turd and sat back again, but did not smile.  He was wondering how he had lost the upper hand, and how to get it back.

He had made it easy by bringing up money so early in the conversation, but it was bound to be easy.  Greasy hogs like this were exaggerated examples of basic human nature; ruled by laziness and greed.  The only move I had left to make was to get him to understand our relationship.  He was used to being the boss, but I was not seeking employment.  I was not subservient.  Although I respected the fact that he was a dangerous man, that respect was no more or less than I would give a coiled snake if I had a sharp machete in my hand.  Most importantly, I did not need him or anything that he had.