Icarus

want to open a gym.'

''Cause we always have,' Bryan said excitedly, enthusiastically. 'Ever since we were kids-'

'Bryan,' Kid said, not too sharply but pointedly enough that the bigger man looked embarrassed and immediately stopped talking. Kid turned to Jack and spoke calmly and seriously. 'It's all we've ever talked about, Jack. When we were just starting to fool around with weights and when we started playing ball and, you know, learning about the body and how things worked, it's all we wanted to do. Between the two of us, we know a lot about it. I mean, you can see what the Wall' – he stopped, then nodded his head at Bryan; the Wall was clearly Kid's longtime nickname for him – 'what Bryan looks like. That actually means a lot. It's inspiring for someone to come into a gym and work out with a guy like him. And I know a lot of different things: the physical therapy, different approaches to training. And now that I'm almost done with school, I've got a good idea of what's needed on the business side – how to make this whole thing work. We think there's a real market for what we have to offer: a small, personalized gym, a little upmarket, top-of-the-line equipment, top-of-the-line trainers – class.' He looked around the restaurant. 'Like this place.'

Jack stared at Kid, just for a moment, then nodded. 'Okay,' he said. 'Whatever it costs, you can put me in for half.'

Kid and Bryan looked at each other in stunned silence. Neither seemed able to speak until Bryan burst out: 'Are you kidding?'

'I'm not kidding,' Jack said.

'Half of… whatever it costs?' Kid asked.

'You got it.'

Kid could barely get his words out. 'Jack… this is unbelievable. I mean… I don't know what to say. I mean, this is really a big thing for me.'

'I know it is. That's why I'm doing it.'

'Thanks, Mr. Keller.' Bryan was floundering. He didn't even know where to begin. 'Geez… I never had nobody do anything like this for me before. I…'

'Well, I'm willing to do it. You understand that, right? Both of you. I said I'd do it and I will.'

'Yeah, Jack, we understand it. We-'

'But it won't work.'

Another silence fell over the table. This one was not steeped in gratitude. This was an awkward and unpleasant quiet.

'I want you to listen to me,' Jack said. 'Both of you.'

'I don't understand,' Bryan said slowly. His words were a bit thick and plodding and Jack could tell he was trying to be polite and professional. But the hurt on his face was obvious. As was the confusion. 'Why won't it work?'

'It doesn't matter,' Kid said quickly. And his words sounded harsh. He was practically jumping out of his seat. 'He said he'd give us the money. That's all that matters.'

'But why won't it work?' Bryan wanted to know. He never turned toward Kid, never took his eyes off Jack. He looked like he was going to burst into tears.

'It'll work,' Kid said urgently. 'I worked unbelievably fucking hard on that plan and I know it'll work.'

Now Bryan turned to look at his friend. 'But he said-'

'Forget what he said!' Kid was practically screaming now. 'He'll give us the money! That's what we need! I'll make it work!'

'Kid,' Jack said. His eyes narrowed; he was shocked at the tone in Kid's voice. 'For Christ sake, calm down and listen to me.'

'It'll work, Jack! There's no reason it won't work!'

'There are two reasons. One, you're behind the curve. The big chains have already taken over. Reebok's got the West Side, the Vertical Club's got the East Side, Crunch has got downtown. And there are a lot of boutiques already established. I didn't just read your plan, I did some checking, talked to a few people.'

'Those gyms you're talking about, they aren't real gyms,' Bryan said. He spoke quietly. He was trying to absorb what Jack was saying. He was careful not to fly off the handle like Kid. 'I mean, they're not serious. I've been to them. Really, Mr. Keller. They're for a bunch of phonies. We really know how to train.'

'Bryan,' Kid said. 'He's giving us the money. It's okay.'

'But if he doesn't think it's gonna work,' Bryan said. 'If he doesn't think it's gonna work…'

'Look,' Jack said. He was trying to bring the conversation back to something manageable. He was astonished at Kid's reaction and he didn't want to let Kid's anger and frustration get out of hand. 'Look at this restaurant. This place was my dream. I opened it because I knew I could do it right. The same way you can do a gym right. I'm not questioning that. But that's not enough. Especially not now, not these days.'

'Jack, you gotta trust me on-'

'Listen to me, Kid, for God's sake!' Kid's mouth closed at the force of Jack's words. 'You asked my advice and I'm giving it to you. Afterward you can do what you want. What I'm telling you is that no matter how much I knew when I started Jack's, it wouldn't have worked without Caroline. Yeah, I knew what food to buy and how long to age which cut and I had the idea. The vision. I knew what I wanted. But to make it a reality… She had the social contacts. She had the good-looking friends who'd become models, and they started coming in, and they brought the athletes, who always want to be around the models, and the athletes got actors coming, and then everyone was coming because they wanted to see who else was here. And that was just the beginning. Caroline knew the right PR people, or she knew people who knew the right PR people, who put items in the right columns. And she knew how to get people talking, who to send a drink to, when to change the menu. Yeah, the place delivered. It was good. It was really good. But really good doesn't always matter. Sometimes it's timing and luck and a lot of other things. Do you understand what I'm saying?'

'Yeah,' Kid said sullenly. 'You think it's a shitty idea.'

'I think it's a shitty idea for now. For you,' Jack said. 'And partly because you can do so much better.'

'Jack, don't say that, please.' It was barely a sentence, it was almost a moan that came from Kid.

'I've seen what you can do. I've seen the kind of potential you've got. My God-'

'Bryan, let's get outta here. He'll give us the money. He promised us the money no matter what.'

'But he doesn't think it'll work, does he?' Bryan asked quietly.

Kid put his head down on his hands. The breath seemed to ooze out of him. 'No,' he said, almost in a whisper. 'He doesn't think it'll work.'

There was a long silence now around the table. Kid stood up, slumped to the side as if physically beaten, walked slowly but steadily away from the table and out of the restaurant. Jack stared after him in astonishment.

'It's okay, Mr. Keller.'

Jack turned to Bryan, almost surprised to find him still there. 'I'm sorry,' he said. 'I didn't expect that kind of reaction. I thought we'd have a discussion, find a way to-'

'Don't worry about it.' Bryan smiled what Jack was sure was meant to be reassuringly. 'You were just bein' honest, right?'

Jack forced a grin. 'Just being honest.'

'He'll understand. He just needs to calm down. He gets this way sometimes.' He put his hand hesitantly on Jack's hand, in what was meant to be a comforting gesture. 'I know how to handle him. He'll be okay. You don't have to worry.'

Jack nodded. Then Bryan cleared his throat and said, 'Well, I guess I better go find him.' He stood up slowly from the table. Put his hand out and Jack shook it. 'Thanks for everything, Mr. Keller. I'm sorry you didn't like the idea but, hey, there are other ideas, right?'

'Thanks a lot, Bryan. I really appreciate it.'

Their hands then broke apart and Bryan Bishop went lumbering out of the restaurant, searching for his best friend.

Jack Keller sat at the table for another half hour, finishing his steak and his potatoes and wondering what the fuck had just happened.