Perhaps

Nick and I were doing Saturday morning breakfast together. We’d both ordered poached eggs with toast. We were drinking coffee. Nick had picked up a magazine when we got there.

“Perhaps, I need to go back to uni? Learn something new? Get the brain thinking again?” 

“Perhaps,” said Nick. He was leafing through a magazine and I wasn’t at all convinced he was really listening.

“I've done a Masters of Law before I started at Gertrude's. So, I guess, that's the law side wrapped up.”

“Oh, what for?” said Nick. 

“To extend myself,” I said. “To give my brain a workout.”

“Did you use a Masters of Law? Really?”

“Erm? I’m a lawyer, hello,” I said.

“But, did it benefit you?” asked Nick.

“30k more a year in salary?”

“Couldn’t you give you brain a workout with something more interesting?” said Nick.

“Oh, I guess, if I was going to go to all that trouble, I’d do something completely different, maybe creative writing, or photography.”

“Yeah, well,” said Nick. He turned the pages of the magazine over. “Now you are on the right track.”

Nude modelling? Ha ha.” 

“That would be watching, not doing,” said Nick. 

Oh, you know, maybe I'll do some life modelling. Why not. I've always been intrigued by it.”

“Have some overweight, past mid life bored woman perving on your bits.”

“Maybe, I’d be adding to the artistic aspects of life.”

“Any excuse to get your kit off.”

“Do it while it is still worth looking at.”

“It doesn’t work that way with life drawing, you know. Some times they want the husky and beefy and lined.”

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh, life goes on. It is fun to dream, now isn't it.” 

“I guess.”

“We all want to do something new. I want to do something new.” 

“How much?” 

“How long can I continue to care about employment law and feel life is fulfilling?” 

“How much indeed?”

“Indeed.”

“I’m surprised you could do it this long?”

“Really? What’s your excuse?”

“Oh, you know, it’s all about the people with me, Josh. I’m selfless.”

I started to laugh. That finally got Nick’s attention.

“Really?’ he said.

“Oh Nick.” I tried to stop laughing.

“Sometimes you are a real arse.”