"This isn't about your personal opinion of Talbot Estus."

"If someone is incredibly bad at their job, them saying strange things that don't make sense about it isn't a surprise. I'm giving you Helpful Information."

Thoughtfully, to Sal: "I did talk to him. He, um, hm - the play differed from the book, quite a bit. You'll recall the end was... evocative. Estus said he played it exactly as written. He said that the performing of the play would, uh... evoke different results, produce itself differently in the mind, I suppose, than reading it. I've never tried reading it aloud, or seen it in production, before, so that was.... unexpected."

"Or - the degree to which it was true here, was unexpected. He seemed honest about not altering the text intentionally. I believe him, I think."

"Would you say you believe that certain actions, or books, or objects can project powerful impressions into the mind?" He's getting a bit quiet and intense here.

"Absolutely."

"Fearful, yeah, seems to be a lot of nightmares," says Oscar. "I mean, judging from Roby. And I mean, uh, I had one too."

Oscar had nightmares? Jing Yi is very carefully not reacting to that.

"I would also love to hear about your dream, Oscar. Or read about it, if you'd rather write it down."

...he's going to have to sneak an account of his to Sal, isn't he? He is Not Looking Forward To The Prospect

Sal I know you mean well but that look is disquieting. "Thanks," he says. "Honestly, I think this Roby business isn't great for me. Probably anyone with an ounce of human feeling gets a bit caught up-- emotionally."

Nobody's called him crazy yet which is much better than he expected.

"It's a lot to deal with." Terrence is sympathetic.

It is a lot to deal with. Jesus, he's been run down enough lately, with Roby and the fight with Hannah, that he's oddly moved by that.

"Can we come over here?" he whispers. "There's something else I want to bring up but the subject matter is private." (Where by over here he means to a more private area of the apartment.)

And now he is going to be stuck with Oscar. Inexplicably in his house.

"Certainly. Excuse us, gentlemen."

"So... how's the bookshop?"

And then he's left with William Jing for the first time in, uh, a long while. Of course.

"It's fine," he says primly. "Same old." He can't resist-- "You got any productions coming up?" He takes a sip of coffee.

"The Roby case has been taking up most of my time for auditions. But it pays better, so that's fine."

There it is. "The pay's not bad." Especially for a struggling actor. "Yeah, always curious what goes on in the theater, books take all my time."

Jing Yi kind of doubts that he is actually that interested in the theatre, but he appreciates the pretense of them getting along and having a normal social conversation. "It's 70% art and 30% petty social nonsense. And hard to explain nonsense that doesn't mean much to people outside it, at that. Though I imagine running a shop is similar."

"I've been talking to this guy Lawrence about his manuscript," Oscar says. This is a great way to reward William Jing for his sparkling conversation.

"Is it any good?"

"Yes," says Oscar. "I'd say it's good-- I forget it must be the same way for you, auditions take up most of your time." He sips his coffee. "Are you often at Terrence's?"

"--We're roommates. This is my apartment too."

Oh.

"Crazy that's never come up," he manages.