Rancid Chronicles: part 19
Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2004 8:26 am
Summer Solstice was great. I spent the day with the ladies on a picnic at the beach. My only previous experience with beaches was clawing my way up a muddy riverbank by the dock after some bullies threw me in for a lark. The wide sandy beaches of the bay are much nicer. A few fishing boats were pulled up on the shore. Others were out on the water. Some were fishing, others were celebrating the holiday with pleasure cruises. The night I spent at a local tavern as usual; only this time I was buying the drinks instead of sponging off others who were drunk enough to be generous. The next morning I was praying for my patron to appear with more of his wonderful cures. No such luck.
It has been more than two months since I last saw Rancid. Once such an absence would have worried me; did worry me, in fact. Maybe it is the illusion of security this place brings. In my old neighborhood the rougher crowd was always in evidence; here, they are far less obtrusive. Oh, they are here. I have seen them in the local taverns. But they keep a lower profile. Law rules here for the most part; yet, nearly every shop in this quarter bears the protection mark of the thieves’ guild. However, I no longer worry about what perils my patron may bring down on me. It is a small price to pay for this new life. I now have more to lose than ever had before in all my life; but, I would die grateful to have had it for even a short time.
Oddly enough, my only fear is of losing this new life. In fact I believe I would prefer to die than go back to my old life. Actually, in a short time I have become so entrenched here that even the loss of my patron’s largess would not send me sliding back to the old neighborhood. Even if I should lose my savings, I now have friends I could lean on until I got back on my feet. But I would dearly miss the ladies should I have to vacate this apartment and shop.
Still, I do wonder what new adventures and dangers my small patron is facing.
It has been more than two months since I last saw Rancid. Once such an absence would have worried me; did worry me, in fact. Maybe it is the illusion of security this place brings. In my old neighborhood the rougher crowd was always in evidence; here, they are far less obtrusive. Oh, they are here. I have seen them in the local taverns. But they keep a lower profile. Law rules here for the most part; yet, nearly every shop in this quarter bears the protection mark of the thieves’ guild. However, I no longer worry about what perils my patron may bring down on me. It is a small price to pay for this new life. I now have more to lose than ever had before in all my life; but, I would die grateful to have had it for even a short time.
Oddly enough, my only fear is of losing this new life. In fact I believe I would prefer to die than go back to my old life. Actually, in a short time I have become so entrenched here that even the loss of my patron’s largess would not send me sliding back to the old neighborhood. Even if I should lose my savings, I now have friends I could lean on until I got back on my feet. But I would dearly miss the ladies should I have to vacate this apartment and shop.
Still, I do wonder what new adventures and dangers my small patron is facing.