"I fix things, or at least, I used to. Cars, air conditioners, faulty wiring." Philip's finger tapped lightly against the ceramic lip of a chipped mug. He had held a number of legitimate occupations before his last employment, the longest running of which was an electrician's apprenticeship back in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia. That had been over a year and a half ago. "But I guess being new to the city, I'd be more accurately described as between jobs at the moment. Like I said, the perpetual new kid." His eyebrows rose and fell in reluctant reconciliation for this self-imposed epithet that had left his lips alongside the faint echo of laughter. He looked lost for a second, but the rueful grin that had been tugging along the edges his mouth overtook whatever resistance it had previously encountered. "I imagine that isn't as exciting or cool as being a sergeant. After all, what's a Bosch 10.8V Impact compared to any semi-automatic?" From beneath the dark curl of his bangs, he glanced up, once at Samuel and then down the hall.
"Hey,” he continued, the beat left between his speech barely long enough to invite a proper response, just the brevity of an inhale as he transitioned to one of the many other thoughts, mulling over in his brain. “You don't suppose with all the employee turnover they’ve had here that they'd consider an application from me, do you? I could turn it in with my rent.” If he actually paid rent that was. His hand slid against the cool surface of an opposing wall, feeling the grain smoothed over by a coat of matted paint. "You know, I heard this place used to be a hotel. I bet these lower levels are a regular jigsaw puzzle, gutted and stitched together so they could make room for kitchens and living space. I wonder how they all used to fit.” His feet had padded almost noiselessly across the floor until he’d reached his doorway. He pushed a hand in his pocket, pretending to seek out his key. He definitely didn’t have one. “Or how many of its guests stood right here in its heyday. That’s a perplexing thought, isn’t it? That you’re standing in the exact same spot, sharing space with somebody else, and the only thing separating you is time.”