"I suppose ... Yes, I would agree that there is truth in that. But short of having a crystal ball and foreseeing the future, I guess we can do little more than leave the rest up to chance and fate."
As for gifts, well, Bill was not so naive not to realize that even gifts came at a certain price. Even if that price was as simple as responding in kind when the gift-giver deserved something for themselves. An endless parade of birthdays came to mind.
Bill broke a bit of the distance between himself and the other man, bringing himself closer to the glass case that the owner was hovering over.
"And what would life give me? Life being a sort of inappropriate term in my case. But provided I was open to such an exchange... What would it see to set me on my way with?"