Adventuring with Lurker and Lady, Part the First; Or, Alec Wraps His Mouth Around Something Fun
I announced last week that the Quill and Saber might appear a bit empty for a few days since your devoted host planned to make a journey to visit Lurker and Lady in their fair city. Indeed, I made that journey over the weekend. Lurker and Lady arranged many adventures so I will try to do justice to their efforts as I tell the tale.
The weekend started on Friday afternoon at an archive. We gathered to watch a scholar talk about her researches into the history of planetary motion and the emergence of science as a community of refinement and gentility as well as a professional pursuit. A lively discussion ensued. Lurker, Lady, and I all questioned the scholar, each of us brilliant in our own way.
The archived offered a small reception following the scholar's lecture. That gave us a chance to talk to others in attendance about the researches and abut our daily lives. I spent a fair amount of time speaking with a writer from my own town who is spending a year away conducting her own researches. The company was good, which was fortunate since the ale had turned bad and the wines were not even of a quality that Carey would drink from a box.
The archivists promptly requested that we leave the library premises after an hour of socializing and avoiding the unfortunate ales. Nearly two dozen of us headed to a local tavern for more sustenance --- and some decent wine. We especially enjoyed the sporkie! Now, these social outings can sometimes be tricky affairs. It is important to make sure that you are seated next to a dinner companion who is a good conversationalist since you will spend the next two hours in close proximity to that person. Lady and I managed to do well; we sat next to each other and had a variety of interesting folk surrounding us. Lurker sat to the left of the scholar, the guest of honor. Alas, a gentleman known as Freak was seated between Lurker and myself. I managed to avoid too much contact with Master Freak, concentrating on the dinner companions across the table and to my left. Lurker reports, however, that Master Freak spent the entire meal commenting on every tavern wench who happened to pass within view.
Following our dinner, we returned to Lurker's residence. Lurker and Lady live in the same building, though Lady rents rooms on the first floor while Lurker has his space at the top of the building. We chatted for a little while until Sweet, one of their friends from the academy, joined us. Sweet also rents rooms on the first floor of their building. As we chatted, Lurker contacted their friend Eagle, also from the academy. Eagle said he really needed to have an ale, so we headed to a tavern in the neighborhood.
The tavern was lively without being too crowded. We quickly grabbed the only available table and ordered a round of drinks to keep the four of us occupied until Eagle arrived. Once Eagle joined us, he tried to get the tavern wench's attention so he could have a mug of ale too, but the wench seemed mightily annoyed when he attempted to flag her down. Eagle and Lurker talked to each other as Lady, Sweet, and I watched the mating dance taking place at the next table. Two women dressed as though they might seek employment as ladies of the night received very focused attention from five young bucks. Actually, three young bucks, an aging stag, and a little man. At one point, the little man and one of the ladies stood side by side to demonstrate that she was indeed an entire head taller. Eventually all seven of them left the tavern with the ladies in the lead. It was not clear that they wanted their suitors to follow.
By that time, the clock in the city square was preparing to toll midnight, a new and special day. Lurker decided that I needed a special treat so he suggested that we head over to one of those taverns that specializes in fine tobacco. The hostess at Mahogany on Walnut seated us comfortably on couches and easy chairs in the ornate front parlour. Eagle, Lurker, and I each opted to partake of a fine cigar, though Lady and Sweet declined to join us in that pursuit. We all had another drink; I requested one of my favorite whiskeys, neat.
Lady and Sweet talked to each other as Lurker, Eagle, and I enjoyed our cigars. I have noted before that Lurker takes a much more conservative view of government, that he ranks among the supporters of the current king and helped him to take the throne. Well, Eagle holds many of the same views. Our conversation turned to discussing the differences in our outlooks. Lurker and I both became rather animated. Sweet needed to get some sleep as she had many tasks ahead of her the next day; Lady generally dislikes discussions about government, so the two of them headed back to the boarding house. Lurker, Eagle, and I continued our discussion until the parlour closed.
On our walk back to the boarding house, Lurker revealed that he worried that Lady might be concerned that I was upset by the topic of the conversation, especially since Lurker and Eagle presented a united front. As I have noted before, I believe that Lurker is a man of integrity who engages in these kinds of discussions in good faith. He and I share common goals, the same end point, though we happen to disagree on the path that should be traveled to get there. He does not use conservative rhetoric to disguise exploitation or discrimination. I enjoyed our conversation, even though I was not able to convince him of the error of his ways.
Well, Lurker and I hatched a plan as we walked the city streets. He would tell Lady that I was rather angry following our discussion, that I would probably just pack my belongings and return to my own town. Then, when she came to check on me, I would act as though I was more than offended and make excuses to leave town immediately rather than go on the other adventures we had planned. With our plan in place, Lurker let me into his rooms before he joined Lady in her rooms for the rest of the night.
I gulped down a couple of glasses of water and then made myself comfortable in the trundle bed, hoping that my head would not be pounding too much the next morning. That cigar was awesome, but I knew the aftertaste would be in my mouth for quite some time. Still, I brushed and rinsed, all to little avail. I guess that was the consequence of putting something that much fun in my mouth.
The weekend started on Friday afternoon at an archive. We gathered to watch a scholar talk about her researches into the history of planetary motion and the emergence of science as a community of refinement and gentility as well as a professional pursuit. A lively discussion ensued. Lurker, Lady, and I all questioned the scholar, each of us brilliant in our own way.
The archived offered a small reception following the scholar's lecture. That gave us a chance to talk to others in attendance about the researches and abut our daily lives. I spent a fair amount of time speaking with a writer from my own town who is spending a year away conducting her own researches. The company was good, which was fortunate since the ale had turned bad and the wines were not even of a quality that Carey would drink from a box.
The archivists promptly requested that we leave the library premises after an hour of socializing and avoiding the unfortunate ales. Nearly two dozen of us headed to a local tavern for more sustenance --- and some decent wine. We especially enjoyed the sporkie! Now, these social outings can sometimes be tricky affairs. It is important to make sure that you are seated next to a dinner companion who is a good conversationalist since you will spend the next two hours in close proximity to that person. Lady and I managed to do well; we sat next to each other and had a variety of interesting folk surrounding us. Lurker sat to the left of the scholar, the guest of honor. Alas, a gentleman known as Freak was seated between Lurker and myself. I managed to avoid too much contact with Master Freak, concentrating on the dinner companions across the table and to my left. Lurker reports, however, that Master Freak spent the entire meal commenting on every tavern wench who happened to pass within view.
Following our dinner, we returned to Lurker's residence. Lurker and Lady live in the same building, though Lady rents rooms on the first floor while Lurker has his space at the top of the building. We chatted for a little while until Sweet, one of their friends from the academy, joined us. Sweet also rents rooms on the first floor of their building. As we chatted, Lurker contacted their friend Eagle, also from the academy. Eagle said he really needed to have an ale, so we headed to a tavern in the neighborhood.
The tavern was lively without being too crowded. We quickly grabbed the only available table and ordered a round of drinks to keep the four of us occupied until Eagle arrived. Once Eagle joined us, he tried to get the tavern wench's attention so he could have a mug of ale too, but the wench seemed mightily annoyed when he attempted to flag her down. Eagle and Lurker talked to each other as Lady, Sweet, and I watched the mating dance taking place at the next table. Two women dressed as though they might seek employment as ladies of the night received very focused attention from five young bucks. Actually, three young bucks, an aging stag, and a little man. At one point, the little man and one of the ladies stood side by side to demonstrate that she was indeed an entire head taller. Eventually all seven of them left the tavern with the ladies in the lead. It was not clear that they wanted their suitors to follow.
By that time, the clock in the city square was preparing to toll midnight, a new and special day. Lurker decided that I needed a special treat so he suggested that we head over to one of those taverns that specializes in fine tobacco. The hostess at Mahogany on Walnut seated us comfortably on couches and easy chairs in the ornate front parlour. Eagle, Lurker, and I each opted to partake of a fine cigar, though Lady and Sweet declined to join us in that pursuit. We all had another drink; I requested one of my favorite whiskeys, neat.
Lady and Sweet talked to each other as Lurker, Eagle, and I enjoyed our cigars. I have noted before that Lurker takes a much more conservative view of government, that he ranks among the supporters of the current king and helped him to take the throne. Well, Eagle holds many of the same views. Our conversation turned to discussing the differences in our outlooks. Lurker and I both became rather animated. Sweet needed to get some sleep as she had many tasks ahead of her the next day; Lady generally dislikes discussions about government, so the two of them headed back to the boarding house. Lurker, Eagle, and I continued our discussion until the parlour closed.
On our walk back to the boarding house, Lurker revealed that he worried that Lady might be concerned that I was upset by the topic of the conversation, especially since Lurker and Eagle presented a united front. As I have noted before, I believe that Lurker is a man of integrity who engages in these kinds of discussions in good faith. He and I share common goals, the same end point, though we happen to disagree on the path that should be traveled to get there. He does not use conservative rhetoric to disguise exploitation or discrimination. I enjoyed our conversation, even though I was not able to convince him of the error of his ways.
Well, Lurker and I hatched a plan as we walked the city streets. He would tell Lady that I was rather angry following our discussion, that I would probably just pack my belongings and return to my own town. Then, when she came to check on me, I would act as though I was more than offended and make excuses to leave town immediately rather than go on the other adventures we had planned. With our plan in place, Lurker let me into his rooms before he joined Lady in her rooms for the rest of the night.
I gulped down a couple of glasses of water and then made myself comfortable in the trundle bed, hoping that my head would not be pounding too much the next morning. That cigar was awesome, but I knew the aftertaste would be in my mouth for quite some time. Still, I brushed and rinsed, all to little avail. I guess that was the consequence of putting something that much fun in my mouth.
posted by Loremaster Alec | Monday, February 20, 2006
1 Comments:
Sounds like fun but I can think of more great things to put in my mouth.
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