Faust

Measurement

Two steps forward, in front of the mirror, I almost got spooked by the reflection on the mirror thinking it was someone else but then I saw those set of goddamn eyes.

"Mr., Lee?" Blinking twice, I dragged my attention away from the mirror and back to the tailor with the tape in hand somehow reminds me of illustrations of medieval executioners.
"Yes?"
"Should we take a break or...?"
"No no, just forgot it's still afternoon, and the whiskey from earlier starts yelling in my head, nothing new." Cracking a crooked cleft on my face, I said. "Let's get on with it eh?" Despite the edge of his brow being subtly curled, the tailor shrugs and starts the procedure.

As the ruler and Maurizio's palms pressed on my collarbone to measure my shoulder, some very strong muscle reflexes to blind him almost took over as my right hand curled two fingers inward.
Goddamn nerves have been up to eleven since noon. I inhaled a deep breath while Maurizo moved away from my left shoulder and exhaled while he changed to the back of my neck, when he did the other two fingers closed inward too to form a fist.
Calm the fuck down you cunt.

I slowly unclench my hand and let my eyes wander off to use small details around for distraction and also to avoid making eye contact with the guy in the mirror. Noticing Maurizio move to my right arm I noticed an ample part of his tattoo close to his left elbow seem to be glistening under lights indicating there's scar tissue under it, the cut of rug under the trifold mirror is pilling more than the rest, one of the red ties hanging on a mannequin has an inconspicuous sign of a round darn, the size seem familiar.....

"Sir, could you turn around? It's easier this way." The Italians' words pulled me out of the trance state I was heading, I massaged my eyes and obliged.
"Certainly."
"And uh, try to relax your arms. You don't have to squeeze your elbow into the rib cage. Nobody's gonna neck you if you don't." He said in a chatty tone while pressing the end of the tape close to where my upper arm and chest link. I take one second to consider before taking his bait.

"You were a piel verde?" Tracing the tape down to my wrist twice to straighten the wrinkles,
"Was, yes."
"Back in home?"
"Depends on what home is, raise your arm flat please." Again, he measures the length from shoulder to wrist and from wrist to armpit.
"Guess it would be where you were born."
"Then yes."
"They pay you?" His left cheek curls into a smirk.
"Little but few did it for the money. Now, hinge your upper arm forward, like you're resting on a couch please." Doing what he says, the tailor puts the tape end at my shoulder blade and traces the rope all the way to my elbow, then to my wrist again.
"For love and pride of country then?"
"Mainly for the uniform. Men from my hometown joined to hide from debt collectors and their wives." A short muffle came from my back, not sure if it's his comment on the matter or he's just remembering the number.
"And you?"
"I thought the uniform looked dashing... Grazie signore. Arms at ease now." I tilt my head back and see a pleased smile on his face as he bows his head and presses his thumbs on the measurement points on the tape. Nails cave in to mark them.
             "That excuse is a quarter century old mate, sure you weren't dodging angry girlfriends with a belly?" Maurizio lets out a chuckle and hangs the tape around his neck like a scarf. 

              "That's something afterward." He strides back to the open drawer to retrieve a ..... something similar to a theme park's wristband. "Palms up now please." Binding it around my wrist, Maurizio slowly tightens it to the brim without causing discomfort before marking the point with his thumb again.

              "After the army or after Faust." Releasing the wristband, Maurizio takes one last look at the marked number before throwing it back in the drawer and sheds the tape measure of his neck. All while the glint in his eyes changes color simultaneously, deciding if this is stepping through the 'topics with customers'.