Ransom

I walked to the table, picked up my goblet of port, and swallowed it down. Trilby watched me with interest. "I take it yea didn't expect tae find family in Port Royal." "I haven't seen any of my family for over seven years. I knew my aunt had a sugar plantation, but had no idea where it was. It's just my bloody bad luck it happens to be on Jamaica." Trilby shrugged. "So ignore the woman. She doesn't ken you're here." I held up the folded letter. "Oh, but she does. I received this note from her this morning. She says we need to meet, as she has thing to discuss. God only knows what she's on about." "Only one way tae find out." I poured more port. "The woman is a varago and has more money than Croesis. Her husband is a Duke, for God's sake." I drank more port. "I wonder how the old cow found out I was here?" Trilby held up his glass in salute. "Sae, her husband's a Duke, eh? Am I tae assume that makes you a Lady something-or-other?" I glared at him. "I prefer the "other" for the time being." I stuffed the letter back into my pocket. "It's getting late. I'd better head over to the Royal Grace and see what she wants. If I don't, she'll have the Governor arrest me." With a last gulp of port, I jogged down the stairs, and exited Trilby's front door, my mind scrambling as to how I was going to deal with Aunt Violet.

Shouldn't have to even ask that question, Luv. No eating out of my hand required. But sharing a nice meal would be fun. What say you?

Better late than never, luv!

Off-center

Ah, Jenny, ya got um eating out of your hand, like crows after bread crumbs. You go girl.

No, I be kinda selective of my friends. The others are aquaintences (?) Outgoing or introvert?

Could it be that some people are afraid to let you "really" know them, 'cause they're afraid you might not like them?

^ Pour a glass of wine, and if the weather is nice, sit out on the deck and let my mind go blank. If the stress is really bad, pour a glass of wine and go hide in a dark closet for an hour or two. < Yeah, insomniacs can sleep anytime they get the chance. Sounds like you need it, so I'd listen to you body and sleep whenever you can. V Can you cat nap anywhere, or do you have trouble sleeping anywhere other than your own bed?

Good for Booty! I'd really miss your...different...sense of humor. I don't know how many times you've made me laugh out loud. Pub wouldn't be the same without ol' Mad Jack. :) And, yeah, I think you've mentioned the whiskey thing a few times. ~~ Random thought, question: Ever buy something just because the name sounded interesting? I bought some green tea only because I couldn't resist something named "Sky Between the Branches." I bought purple/black iris plants named Queen of Night, because they gave me a sort of "vampire flower" vibe.

^ That list would go to the moon and back. But let's just say, being the oldest of five, with parents who married way too young because they had to, and with a mother who wanted to be anywhere but where she was, stuck with a bunch of kids, life was not very fun. < I've been told many times that just because they are your family, you're not required by law to like them. It's taken me a long time to accept that without feeling guilty. V Your family close by, or spread out over other states or countries?

You know, I'm not sure. I thought we were all on the same day, just different times. For Ransom, Trilby, Pinon, Lady Cunningham and Sebastian et all, it's dusk. I thought you were only a few hours ahead of us - on into night? Lady Cunningham was in the common room of the Three Crowns with Pinon before you got there. Sebastian returned to his room, and has now awakened at dusk for some nefarious businss after dark. Are you not, at this moment, listening to Pinon's actvities through the wall? All this happened on the same day. As for Ioan and Jane, I think they are still a day behind. Feel free to correct me if I have anyone out of sequence. :)

^ That kinda depends on what time of year. On a summer evening, I love sitting out on the front deck, sippping a glass of wine or a martini, and eating snacks, while watching the deer parade across the front lawn. < My family is not the "to die for" kind. Sad, but true. V Like your family, or wish you could be adopted by someone else?

We haven't had TV at our house for about 13 years. We're too far out to get cable, and we won't pay the fee for a satelite dish. However, we do have an HDTV and surround sound for watching DVD's. On the rare occations where we're at a motel, we'll watch either the history channel or the Sci-Fi channel. I liked the old days in So. Calif. where we could get a zillion channels with just a pair of rabbit ear antanea. Watched a lot of PBS - Fawlty Towers, Mystery, Masterpiece Theater, Are You Being Served, etc. Loved that stuff. Oh, and the Thanksgiving Day all-day Twilight Zone episodes, and New Years Day all-day Godzilla, Rodan, Gamera movies.

After the actress had rushed from his house, Trilby, myself, and Cleopatra asended to the roof top patio. While Trilby poured un-medicated port into etched glass goblets, I walked to the half wall, sat on its tiled crown, and stared down into the street. As usual, it was a chaos of people, smells, animals, and noise - everything from grunting pigs and barking dogs, to vender's calls, and shouted curses. From somewhere futher down the lane came the tinny sound of a harpsicord played by someone needing more pratice. To the west, the sun, in a blaze of orange fire, lay low on the horizon. I was about to turn away from the scene when a stout woman wearing a flowered hat, and followed by three servants, hurridly crossed the street below me. I felt a knot form in the pit of my stomach. "Bloody hell, it's her." "It's who?" Trilby asked, sitting in the shade of a brightly colored cloth that had temporarily replaced the burned palm fronds. "Someone I know from England." "An enemy?" He came to stand next to me. "Worse. A relative." Then I remembered the letter still in my pocket, which, between seeing Sebastian star-clad, and the strange visit of the actress, I had forgotten. Trilby peered over the wall. "Who, that old bessom?" He pointed to the hatted woman. With a resigned sigh, I nodded. "That old bessom happens to be my aunt."

PB&J on toast. The jelly is my own homegrown/homemade strawberry. Plus a glass of milk. I'm trying to make myself sleepy.

^ Sleep in! I'm not usually up this late. < I find that a hug works wonders for both myself and others. (Not that I hug myself, mind you - although, if I was desperate enough...) V Enjoy hugs? Some people don't.

Yeah, they're right here, eating PB&J on toast along with a glass of milk.

Or, maybe you could put little pirate tattoos on them? That would be sorta kewl. Jenny is one of the few people I know who has a contagious cyber laugh. You never see her face, or hear her, but she gets you going anyway. Huzzah.

^ Depends on which stream I'm standing in. I've done both. < I have enough trouble getting through one day to the next, without stressing over what my fate is going to be. I try to make the right choices. Some turn out good, others not so good, but I keep slogging away. I have never thought my fate was pre-ordained, and that I couldn't change things if I wanted to. V Do you dwell on the future, or take life day to day?

Welcome to the Pub, indeed. Always room for another tapster about. I don't think Ray will get jealous. As for me, well, I'll have me usual...as usual. French bubbly with a shot of Tattoo. I say again, welcome to the Pub, mate.

Maybe someone could invent a mini brand, so you could mark a skull and crossbones on your Easter peeps. (That's kinda sick, I know, but the visual of a peep with a brand on it's butt just popped into my mind).

You're more than welcome in PR, Thomas Neede. Take up residence in an existing tavern/inn, or make one up. But, Chole is right. This is a group thread, and as much as we love the Captain, he doesn't hold sway over this ship.

Yah..... takes all the fun outta x-ray vision...... I want the kind that Superman had..... Uhhh, Ya might want to think about that one again, Patrick. I mean, imagine walking into a WallMart with x-ray vision.

Get wit' the times Chole, it's hip t' be square! I love dirty hippies! Peace, luv. Ya forgot the "dove" part. It's always "Peace, luv, dove" Trust an ex-hippie on this one! I read an article a long time ago that was about a test they did to find out what smell turned guys on the most. After all was said and done, it was the smell of cinnamon rolls that did the trick! Won by a landslide. Go figure.

Best of luck to all on board. Will keep fingers, toes, and cutlasses crossed that all goes well for the ship. BTW, I don't know that it was posted here, but on another forum, they said the Royaliste had not only been looted, but that someone had taken a high-powered rifle and used her hull for target practice. The bullets passing on through and landing somewhere across the channel — where there was a bunch of high-priced condos! Some people really do deserve to be keelhauled!