Archive Stone the Second

Message: another customer
Author: proprietor - Farida Siduri
Date: Dec 1, 2000 16:59

"Yes I have just the thing for you." I reach behind me for the beer and pour the lady a mug. Then I pass it to her. "My name is Farida. What is yours?"

"It's Inaras. Is this your cat?"

"Yes. Her name is Whiskers."

I then notice that the man that had fallen onto the floor when he opened the door, inching his way out. But before he leaves he looks back and sees the female customer scratching behind Whiskers ears, and his jaw drops.

"Are you sure you want to leave? I have many different types of drinks to quench a dry throat."

Message: I'd never scritched a tiger before.
Author: - Inaras Ubaratutu
Date: Dec 1, 2000 17:14

And so when it started to purr -- loudly -- I jumped back. But then, I recognized a purr for a purr, just more of it. And resumed my scritchings. Tiger fur is very very soft, I learned that day.

I took my drink from the proprietor, and quaffed a bit.

"Good to meet. Tusker is outside... my elephant. A bit gaudy and garishly dressed for the neighborhood, but he's a good, gentle sort. I don't know how he'd react to a tiger."

I took another sip.

"He's interesting, though. Only person he lets handle him is me. There was a little ferrety like theif several cities over, though, who thought to take him from me. The constabulatory had a hard time piecing that man together after all the stomping was over and done."

And I took another sip, and turned back to the other patron. "Hey, come on over here. This tiger's a real pussycat..."

Message: Bide thy time--then strike hard!UtNapishtim Motto
Author: - Tuhul UtNapishtim
Date: Dec 1, 2000 17:56

"Now this was a most perplexing turn of affairs," Tuhul thought, as he was about to 'snake' himself out the door and into the narrow slot of a passageway left by the pachyderm's bulk --

Just then, from the shadows penned behind the confining perimeter of the counter there came a pleasant enough voice: "Are you sure you want to leave? I have many different types of drinks to quench a dry throat."

"Beg pardon?" He squinted hard until his eyes grew accustomed to the room's typically 'low-lighting' decor (seems all these establishments have problems with footing the light bills). Another Siduri! Two in one room in one day! This one was a bit more normative in outward appearance, only two feet, not quite so furry all-over ... but he was alerted by the uncharacteristic smile of welcome ... 'Must be that Feline fodder costs a bundle,' and the real proprietress was in desperate straits, and could not afford to miss any paying customer.

The Ubaratutu was showing no signs of disappearing, and was in fact saying something very interesting about "Tusker," and so now, the possession of the elephant conveyance might still be a contested point, even if Kitty did take a real liking to Ubaratutus.

But, it was going to be a less adventuresome day than hoped for after all: it seemed, kitty, whose name was appropriately enough, Whiskers, was showing no immediate, extreme culinary desires, so far as Ubartutu treats were concerned. Well, he decided he'd do what he came here to do in the first place.

"Er, yes, a tall frosty one, double malted if yers gots any?"

He'd sit, enjoy the drink, hope the Ubaratutu might make a mistaken move with the BIG KITTY (step on tail, or start exuding a fishy scent ... anything would do) and besides the GREY MOUNTAIN outside was showing no proclivity to wander ...

"Yes, if yer don't mind, it's a good day for a double-malt, and a friendly chat!"

Message: double malt coming up
Author: proprietor - Farida Siduri
Date: Dec 2, 2000 20:30

"Yes I have malts here." I poured him a double malt and passed it to him. He seemed to be on his guard for some reason. I noticed that some of the lamps that I had lit were out.

"May you escuse me while I go and light some of the lamps that have burned out. Some of the lamps must have blown out from the breeze you caused by opening the door too quickly." I smile at him, hoping that he would take it as a joke. I turned to see how Inaras was faring with Whiskers, she seemed to have won the affections of Whiskers. So I wasn't worried about them. It didn't take long to light up the lamps, and in no time I was behind the bar once again.

"So what would you like to talk about?"

Message: the chap seems a touch jumpy
Author: thirsty - Inaras Ubaratutu
Date: Dec 2, 2000 22:36

I noticed that the fellow seemed a touch jumpy. Oh, well, some folks have nerves of steel, others don't. I nuzzled the big cat, who nuzzled me back. Whiskers. She certainly had them! (Whiskers, and nerves...)

He wanted to chat. I'd wait and see where the topic went. Some things I could discourse about, others not so well. Meanwhile, a second on that ale would be good.

"Very fine ale you make in these parts. I will have a second," I asked the barkeep, who graciously provided. As I reached forward to grasp the tankard, the hilt of the throwing knife I wore at my wrist exposed itself just for a second.

"Thank you," I said, and turned to see what my fellow patron would have to say for himself.

Message: Bide a Wee ... Fishing for the "Cat's Tale"
Author: the ever eager to learn - Tuhul UtNapishtim
Date: Dec 3, 2000 12:22

A very long draw off the top of the tankard convinced me at once that this place was serving the "real stuff!" That final clearance of the 'dust in the throat' sensation brought a wash of relief to one so parched by 'hard work' as I, and then the wondrous liquid left the gorge to do further miraculous work from its seat in the stomach.

"Ahhh, very nice ma'am, yes, very smooth."

The whole place seemed to pick up the growing lambency that I felt radiating from the glow of contentment that was produced by the fine double-malted, or maybe the effect was assisted by the 'prop's' setting flame to more wicks ... Whisker's irises cycled down to leave tiny pinpoint pupils, and, just a touch slower in response, so did those of the Ubaratutu.

Behind the counter once more, polishing an already gleaming spot on the marbled top, the 'prop.' politely asked "What would you like to talk about?"

Hmmm, I'd like to talk about the pitiful, elephant-orphaning accident that 'might' occur if the furrier Ms. Siduri should take a gastronomic fancy to Ubaratutus, but that seemed ever less likely -- so I settled instead for an informational round concerning 'her fuzz-faced grace' instead.

"Well, fer starters, ma'am, and meaning no disrespect, but yon Siduri there, 'Whiskers' as I wot, give me a bit o' a start just now. Thought I was seeing a relative o' me old mate, CAT, him what went ter sea as 'ship's mouser' recently." Of course any resemblance between Whiskers and CAT would have to include the heavy application of a good imagination, or the assistance of many more tankards of the 'old-eye-blearer' than I had yet stowed away. But , CAT himself may have been more prepossessing in appearance, more 'Whiskeresque' had he not taken so early to the 'demon rum,' another story indeed!

This line of questioning seemed to catch the interest of the 'ear-scratcher' as well, for the Ubaratutu leaned well up to the bar, and well into her second tankard, and in so doing, with exaggerated carelessness, revealed the glint of 'semi-secreted' steel, "a tosser," as the street urchins named 'em, well-balanced, finely honed, 6 inches of flesh cleaving blade ... very fast, and very sure in its swift passage through the air ... and of course this would be but a portion of her total armament...

"Yes, just curious as to her tale, 'tale' as in story that is!" I smiled a bit at my own little humorous effort (no one else ever does) and eased myself another slow quaff ... "Oh, but this is good!" and settled back, sacks concealed in the pooled shadows beneath the counter, and waited for the "Cat's Tale.'