"I'm grateful to get the benefit of the doubt, so that makes us even. I sure as hell don't blame anybody who isn't willing to give it to me, because I've earned the judgment, but..."

He shook his head and took a sip of the drink he'd almost forgotten he was holding.

The rest of that thought, he kept to himself, because he didn't need to unload all over this kid. But it gets pretty damned old sometimes.