They hit another stalemate, albeit a far more cheerful stalemate, in which Neal invited Harvey and the pup known as Mike to a natural history exhibit nearby. But Mozzie couldn't go, Neal said. He had something he needed to do.
"And how is leaving you alone with Specter and his walking legal encyclopedia a good idea?" Mozzie demanded.
Neal, smiling like a parent indulging a child, replied breezily and with a shrug, "Just being friendly, showing them the importance of preserving history, buying you time to do what you need to do." He clapped Mozzie on the shoulder, and winked. "Just leave it to me, Moz."
Mozzie did, because when Neal was that kind of confident, though it always made Mozzie cringe, it also meant nine times out of ten that success was theirs.
Success isn't theirs. Harvey acts understanding (because when around Neal, friendliness is contagious) but it's not the same as compassion - Harvey's a pitbull, too, but hasn't been a pup for some time. The motion goes through, the future landlord wins. But time was bought, Friday emptied, with extra time on Neal's hands to find Mozzie a new Friday (Mozzie doesn't question how Neal multitasks like he does, juggling the lawyers and the suits and everything else without dropping a single ball). Neal even helps Mozzie move in.
Mozzie buys Neal three bottles of fine wine, finds enough dirt on the scary guy for Peter to put him away for good, and endures two hours of dull and then some, because Neal had invited the legal pitbulls (people who challenge Neal are never enemies, just future friends). If the attorneys don't believe Mozzie and Neal are historical academics (and Mozzie has the feeling they don't) they don't care.
And that's okay. Mozzie might not like hitting those brick walls, but you can't argue against smart.
Pt. 2
"And how is leaving you alone with Specter and his walking legal encyclopedia a good idea?" Mozzie demanded.
Neal, smiling like a parent indulging a child, replied breezily and with a shrug, "Just being friendly, showing them the importance of preserving history, buying you time to do what you need to do." He clapped Mozzie on the shoulder, and winked. "Just leave it to me, Moz."
Mozzie did, because when Neal was that kind of confident, though it always made Mozzie cringe, it also meant nine times out of ten that success was theirs.
Success isn't theirs. Harvey acts understanding (because when around Neal, friendliness is contagious) but it's not the same as compassion - Harvey's a pitbull, too, but hasn't been a pup for some time. The motion goes through, the future landlord wins. But time was bought, Friday emptied, with extra time on Neal's hands to find Mozzie a new Friday (Mozzie doesn't question how Neal multitasks like he does, juggling the lawyers and the suits and everything else without dropping a single ball). Neal even helps Mozzie move in.
Mozzie buys Neal three bottles of fine wine, finds enough dirt on the scary guy for Peter to put him away for good, and endures two hours of dull and then some, because Neal had invited the legal pitbulls (people who challenge Neal are never enemies, just future friends). If the attorneys don't believe Mozzie and Neal are historical academics (and Mozzie has the feeling they don't) they don't care.
And that's okay. Mozzie might not like hitting those brick walls, but you can't argue against smart.
The End