William Brand

Today's special is Spider Rolls... ...Makizushi with deep-fried softshell crabs and a fine dipping sauce.

Aye. Evil as the sea is treacherous. More cake?

Buy him a long black pirate coat with lots of leather and lace. There's no reason he can't be a brooding goth pirate. Ask him what he wants to see. Give him so many choices that he can't help but find a few.

Yes. Yes I know. Chocolate?

Farewell and adieu to you sweet Spanish ladies...

And the crown in our dessert line.... Drumroll.

And these...

Aye.

And more where that came from...

Chocolate you ask? Aye...

I need a barrel here, STAT!

Today's special is spare ribs...

Zatoichci, The Blind Swordsman - The original with Shintaro Katsu, not the new one. The Man Who Would Be King Doctor Zhivago Close Encounters of the Third Kind Lion in Winter - The original The City of Lost Children Dark City Time Bandits The Seven Samauri Raising Arizona Rueben and Ed The Adventures of Baron Von Munchausen Brazil Erik the Viking To Kill a Mockingbird A Man for All Seasons Yojimbo Roman Polanski's "Pirates" Arrrr.

The stars are out and in good form here. There is Sadachbia, Rukbah and The Garnet Star. There is Regulus, Betelgeuse and Rigel. I can just make out The peacock star, Primus Hyadum, Cathen and Vindemiatrix. And of course Polaris. Ahhhh...and a new star in proximity to the constellation Pyracy. La Merfaucon. (a wave while paddling)

William went right down to the beachhead and set aside his pistols and cutlass. With the moon up and the water warm, he took this opportunity to practice his swimming, an occupation avoided by many a supersticious sailor. Some sleeping gulls gave him an earful when he reached the rocks near the shoreline and he just laughed at their displeasure. His mirth was cut short when he barked his ankle on an upturned rock in the shallow surf and he hopped around, almost falling over into the sea. Once in the water and well out from shore he floated there and hummed half forgotten tunes from his merchant seaman days off of the Labrador Coast.

Oh yeah. I'm goin' home early. Aye.

I came by to borrow a cup of sugar.

Many thanks. Many thanks, indeed.

Merci beaucoup, Merfaucon. Let us drink a toast to Amenhotep... ...to abscent friends.

My cat died. I get home from work Friday and find him in pain on the floor. Less than an hour later he dies on the vet examination table. A moment of silence followed by a toast for Amenhotep... ...the house seems so different. Aye.

A cup of cafe' noir et un eclair... Thanks for looking at my foot.

Great Scot! What the devil is going on in here!? Oh wait. I'm not supposed to be here. Carry on.

Some more quiche for this table. Another bottle of Pernod. Some of the house wine and a round of South Seas Cider for everyone. The cook has just finished a wonderful tarte-tatin. Let the absinthe flow like...well...absinthe. Aye.

One lingering kiss and a side of quiche.

An order of quiche with a bottle of... ...our finest pernod.