diff --git a/internal/app/game_view.go b/internal/app/game_view.go
index d78ddbd..e1eba8e 100644
--- a/internal/app/game_view.go
+++ b/internal/app/game_view.go
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 package app
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
+
 	"github.com/gdamore/tcell/v2"
 	"github.com/jordanorelli/astro-domu/internal/math"
 	"github.com/jordanorelli/astro-domu/internal/sim"
@@ -45,6 +47,9 @@ func (v *gameView) walkHandler(e *tcell.EventKey) change {
 		case 'l':
 			v.keyHandler = v.lookHandler
 			v.statusLine = "(look)"
+		case 'p':
+			v.keyHandler = v.pickupHandler
+			v.statusLine = "(pickup)"
 		}
 	}
 	return nil
@@ -80,6 +85,36 @@ func (v *gameView) lookHandler(e *tcell.EventKey) change {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (v *gameView) pickupHandler(e *tcell.EventKey) change {
+	if e.Key() == tcell.KeyESC {
+		v.keyHandler = v.walkHandler
+		v.statusLine = "(walk)"
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	if e.Key() == tcell.KeyRune {
+		switch e.Rune() {
+		case 'w':
+			v.keyHandler = v.walkHandler
+			v.statusLine = "(walk)"
+			return &pickup{x: 0, y: -1}
+		case 'a':
+			v.keyHandler = v.walkHandler
+			v.statusLine = "(walk)"
+			return &pickup{x: -1, y: 0}
+		case 's':
+			v.keyHandler = v.walkHandler
+			v.statusLine = "(walk)"
+			return &pickup{x: 0, y: 1}
+		case 'd':
+			v.keyHandler = v.walkHandler
+			v.statusLine = "(walk)"
+			return &pickup{x: 1, y: 0}
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (v *gameView) draw(img canvas, st *state) {
 	fill(img, tcell.StyleDefault.Background(tcell.NewRGBColor(0, 0, 12)))
 	v.drawHeader(img, st)
@@ -181,3 +216,28 @@ func (l *lookAt) draw(img canvas, st *state) {
 		writeString(img, item.Name, math.Vec{0, i}, tcell.StyleDefault)
 	}
 }
+
+type pickup struct {
+	x, y int
+}
+
+func (p pickup) exec(ui *UI) {
+	go func() {
+		res, err := ui.client.Send(sim.Pickup{p.x, p.y})
+		if err != nil {
+			ui.Error("look error: %v", err)
+			return
+		}
+
+		pickedup, ok := res.Body.(*sim.Pickedup)
+		if !ok {
+			ui.Error("pickup response is not pickedup: %v", res.Body)
+			return
+		}
+
+		ui.misc <- func(ui *UI) {
+			ui.state.detail = textView(fmt.Sprintf("you picked up: %s", pickedup.Name))
+			ui.state.inventory.items = append(ui.state.inventory.items, item{name: pickedup.Name})
+		}
+	}()
+}
diff --git a/internal/app/inventory.go b/internal/app/inventory.go
index 87f07f5..66f6460 100644
--- a/internal/app/inventory.go
+++ b/internal/app/inventory.go
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 package app
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
+
 	"github.com/gdamore/tcell/v2"
 	"github.com/jordanorelli/astro-domu/internal/math"
 )
@@ -22,6 +24,10 @@ func (v *inventoryView) handleEvent(e tcell.Event) change {
 
 func (v *inventoryView) draw(img canvas, st *state) {
 	writeString(img, "Inventory", math.Vec{0, 0}, tcell.StyleDefault)
+	for i, item := range st.inventory.items {
+		line := fmt.Sprintf("- %s", item.name)
+		writeString(img, line, math.Vec{0, i + 2}, tcell.StyleDefault)
+	}
 }
 
 type openInventory struct{}
diff --git a/internal/app/text.go b/internal/app/text.go
index f440748..9a13705 100644
--- a/internal/app/text.go
+++ b/internal/app/text.go
@@ -39,3 +39,11 @@ func (t *textInput) handleEvent(e tcell.Event) change {
 func (t *textInput) draw(img canvas, _ *state) {
 	writeString(img, t.prompt+t.entered, math.Vec{0, 0}, tcell.StyleDefault)
 }
+
+type textView string
+
+func (textView) handleEvent(tcell.Event) change { return nil }
+
+func (t textView) draw(img canvas, _ *state) {
+	writeString(img, string(t), math.Vec{0, 0}, tcell.StyleDefault)
+}
diff --git a/internal/sim/player.go b/internal/sim/player.go
index c4061ad..11979ea 100644
--- a/internal/sim/player.go
+++ b/internal/sim/player.go
@@ -248,10 +248,34 @@ type LookItem struct {
 	Name string `json:"name"`
 }
 
+type Pickup math.Vec
+
+func (Pickup) NetTag() string { return "pickup" }
+
+func (pu *Pickup) exec(w *world, r *room, pl *player, seq int) result {
+	pos := pl.avatar.Position
+	target := pos.Add(math.Vec(*pu))
+	nextTile := r.getTile(target)
+	if len(nextTile.here) == 1 {
+		e := nextTile.here[0]
+		nextTile.here = nextTile.here[0:0]
+		return result{reply: Pickedup{Name: e.name}}
+	}
+	return result{reply: wire.Errorf("nothing here")}
+}
+
+type Pickedup struct {
+	Name string `json:"name"`
+}
+
+func (p Pickedup) NetTag() string { return "pickedup" }
+
 var lastEntityID = 0
 
 func init() {
 	wire.Register(func() wire.Value { return new(Move) })
 	wire.Register(func() wire.Value { return new(Look) })
 	wire.Register(func() wire.Value { return new(LookAt) })
+	wire.Register(func() wire.Value { return new(Pickup) })
+	wire.Register(func() wire.Value { return new(Pickedup) })
 }