187 Near Disasters

[cal_sitter]

At this juncture it would be reasonable, despite the inherent contradiction, to wonder if my rational mind is finally gone. The City being what it is, the better presumption would be that self-diagnosis is premature and I was indeed ambushed by a handful of aspiring ninja at four o'clock this morning. Something about proving themselves. I'm

Comments

[winewomenand]

You're sure it was ninjas and not just very enthusiastic gentlemen taking you to a bachelor party somewhere? Because you've been strangely mellow lately.

Mellow for you, I mean. Not that I'm complaining. Only suspicious.

[cal_sitter]

See above regarding the loss of one's mind, but in general, you aren't invited to a bachelor party through use of shuriken.

If you say that you have been, I am going to punch you.

[winewomenand]

There were really ninjas? You should have called me. I feel like I missed out on excellent spectating, or even worse, a decent fight.

Any idea what they were interested in, or were you just an innocent victim or annoyance

[cal_sitter]

They were really ninja, and I'm beginning to wonder if every person I know would be more shocked only if I'd said they were samurai.

I doubt they were selecting people at random to hone their skills against.

[winewomenand]

The sword at my waist begs to differ. Samurai I would have expected. Ninja are another story. It's a surprise they didn't have me dressed in dark, concealing clothing today, for that matter.

Make a name for yourself already?

[cal_sitter]

I'm a blond Caucasian man carrying a katana in what is apparently an approximation of Tokugawa Japan. That would attract attention, wouldn't it?

[winewomenand]

Learn to attract less attention. I've solved this problem by not leaving the house until nightfall. And traveling at a vertical height after that.

[cal_sitter]

Three-thirty in the morning is after nightfall.

[winewomenand]

Maybe you've just got terrible luck.

Do I need to deliver them with a note anywhere safe, Mr. Leandros? Or do you figure the street cleaners or police will take care of it when they wake up after this curse?

[cal_sitter]

They should have gone on their way by now, and I've no idea who you would need to deliver them to.

[Private//Unhackable]

There's something I need to ask you.

[winewomenand]

Pity. I'm bored out of my mind, can't find any opiates, and all of the tequila's been turned to weak-ass rice wine.

[Private//Unhackable]

Go on.

[cal_sitter]

Yet there's more alcohol content in the sake than in the wine you typically drink. How Bacchus must have wept.

[Private//Unhackable]

Did you know that something was missing this past week?

[winewomenand]

But rice and potato distillations have very few natural congeners. It's not the alcohol itself that really does much, it's the myriad other friendly little poisons. And for that, red wine and a good amber liquor are the best you can get. Although the hangovers are killer.

[Private//Unhackable]

Yes.

[cal_sitter]

You are not making up lost ground tomorrow, not unless you want me to tie a bucket to your hand.

[Private//Unhackable]

You didn't say anything.

[winewomenand]

No fun.

[Private//Unhackable]

I didn't want to. I had a wrong idea, some time ago. Rafferty had a right idea.

[cal_sitter]

I thought it might save you another odious round of mopping the floor.

[Private//Unhackable]

That would be comforting if the loss had been Rafferty's doing, and he can't completely remove a memory.