A sudden creak announces the turning of the door handle. The door blows open, banging against the wall in a blast of icy wind as snowflakes swirl madly into the room, frantically scuttling onto various bits of furniture or meeting their untimely demise in the fireplace. A cloaked figure stumbles in and shuts the winter back outside again; the fire, which had responded to this blustery offense with frenzied indignance, settles back down onto its peat bricks.
The figure lets fall the bag she had been carrying and pushes her hood back. She is unwashed and smudged with travel; bits of the Highlands are still stuck in her disorderly hair. She gladly accepts a cup of whisky from the innkeeper, and makes her way over to settle down next to you on a bench by the fire.
"Well?" you ask. "Gonna share that whisky?"
She hands you the cup. The scent of the peat smoke blends nicely with the aftertaste of the single malt Scotch. She picks a leaf out of her hair and regards it for a moment. "Sorry about the appearance. I tripped and fell into some bushes on my way off the tour bus. By the way, why is it snowing in July?"
You shrug. "Don't ask me, it's your blog."
She nods sagely. "So maybe I should start putting together a few stories to post from our Scotland & Ireland adventures. The trip was absolutely mind-blowing. Wanna hear about it?"
You sip the whisky. "Okay. But get started already, I can't keep checking back here to see nothing new for over a month. It gets annoying!"
She nods sagely again. Obviously she has no idea where this entry is going. "Then sit tight," she instructs you, reaching for your cup. "There's a lot to tell!"
12 comments:
"Oh my..."
You've even got me on the edge of my chair in anticipation and I was there! I can't wait to relive it all again through the ever magical pages of your blog.
Yes! Yes! Yes! ...
... and tell us more about the snow!
... Wow!
Hee hee! It tickles me that you guys get such enjoyment out of it! As for the snow, alas, it's just a random atmospheric (get it?) detail for no particular reason... like the inn. I'm not even sure what inspired this whole setting, actually (maybe the whisky...??). Though the bagpipes and haggis were real enough! Ach, stay ye tuned, and I'll spin out a bonny wee tale, aye? ;)
Love to all!
Nikki,
Your writing will take us less fortunate on a beautiful trip. It will be the closest I will ever get to that part of the world so I can hardly wait. I am packed and eagerly awaiting our departure !!!
Love,
Kim
Oh Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling... ;-)
You didn't perchance watch the Prancing Pony scene in LOTR the night before you sat down in the morning to write this, hmmmmmmm?
Wellll, alrightalready! The wait is much tougher when you tease like this! :-)
I think Nikki is celebrating Himmelfahrt with the much missed Bert. Take your time. Love is grand and absence does make the heart grow fonder. I don't even like to go anywhere without Scott. But ... when you have made up for lost time don't forget we are still victims of your cliffhanger blog entry
Kim
I was immediately reminded of that Prancing Pony scene too... I think you've just seen the movie enough that it's emblazoned into your brain and comes up at anything that might be peripherally sort of a little related :-)
But yeah... tell us tell us tell us!! I've heard a few tidbits from Shauna, but not much, and I'm sure you saw and recall different things... like, Shauna didn't mention anything about snow ;-)
Hey guys!
I'm sorry about all the waiting around -- though flattered, I mean, hey, people actually read it! And even like it! :D Alas, Matt Gallucci is here visiting, and I kinda figure maybe I should be showing him around Germany for now (he says, "Sorry. But also: ha ha!"). So yay, even MORE blog entries and travel stories and pics to get behind on! But I solemnly vow, upon this beer, that in the ensuing weeks all will be organized and presented in pleasing fashion. :) Ach, never ye fear, my bonnie Freunde! Scotch/Irish/German stories will abound!
Ps: Oh, by the way! Again, the whole setting is pretty fictitious -- there was (sadly) no snow, and nobody fell down getting out of a tour bus. The whole narrative is just kind of a random Place Between the Worlds; a way to say, "Hold on, Blog Community, stories forthcoming!" without being so, well, boring about it. So interpret at will! Just not literally. :)
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