A little something
Title: Time for a Change.
Author: Cuvalwen
Rating: PG if that.
Summary: A slight change to Bertie's morning tray
Disclaimer: Wodehouse created 'em, I just like to play with 'em.
Comments: Thanks to m31andy for encouragement and betaing! X-posted to my own lj.
When I first cracked open my eyes that morning to find that old Phoebus had muscled in through a
gap in the curtains and was rattling around the room in no uncertain manner, there was nothing
to indicate that the day was anything out of the ordinary. Well, the weather seemed surprisingly
fine for February, but that was hardly a reason to present one’s compliments to the manager and
ask for an explanation.
It was only once Jeeves had glided in about 30 secs after I’d stirred myself to a sitting
posture (and I ask again, how does the fellow manage it? I don’t know when I’ll be
waking, how the deuce does he? There’s a witch perched on one of his family branches, I know
it…)and deposited the customary morning tray in front of yours truly that I started to suspect
that all was not as it was.
The tray held, as per., a cup of the drink which cheers but does not inebriate- dashed useful
the morning after several of the drinks which both cheered and inebriated- the morning paper,
and a small vase containing a single carnation; the which I would be adding to my day’s ensemble
as a buttonhole.
At roughly the same moment I observed both the day’s date and the colour of said carnation.
Now here I think I should backtrack a bit and try to explain a couple of things.
A month or so ago, during a slow night at the Drones, Tubby, Bingo, and I found a book on the
language of flowers. Which turned out to be about how you can use flowers to send a message to
one’s beloved- different coloured roses meant different things, and so on. We had a bit of fun
working out insulting bouquets for each other and I found myself wondering if Aunt Dahlia’s
parents had known what they were lumbering her with at the font. I seem to recall that Bingo
went out the next day to track down something fantastical and exotic that conveyed just the
right nuance of his feelings for his latest Tender Goddess, but became utterly smitten by the
girl who sold them to him and the poor old original T.G. never got the flowers after all.
I had also noted a bit about carnations- apparently they’re meant to signify love in general,
and the light red ones that Jeeves procured for me spoke of admiration, according to this tome.
I had asked Jeeves about it- very casually, of course, just enquiring about the colour in terms
of matching my attire- and he simply replied that the flower vender had a reliable supply of
good quality blooms and that the shade was capable of suiting pretty much everything in my
wardrobe. Well, that sounded so very Jeeves that I rather had to leave it at that- none the
wiser and not much better informed.
But this morning, the carnation in the vase was a deep, rich red. Quite a different kettle of
fish.
I must have been staring at the thing for too long because Jeeves coughed slightly and enquired
if everything was to my satisfaction?
“What? Oh, er, yes… absolutely… I say, rather different look for the old buttonhole today,
wouldn’t you say?”
I should hate to play poker against the man as a rule when he’s in full Easter Island head mode,
but just then I would swear on a pile of bibles that I saw his eye twitch slightly.
“Ah, yes, Sir. I rather fear that the regular supplier was out of the usual ones. In the
circumstances, Sir, I suggest the charcoal suit today.”
Now this was too much. Even I could tell you that a florist doesn’t sell out of ‘admiration’
flowers before he sells out of ‘deep love’ ones. Not on the 14th of Feb. There was nothing for
it.
I picked up the flower, considered it for a moment, then said;
“You know, I think it might be rather interesting to try some other colours in the lapel for
a change. You might see what other ones the chap has. Maybe try something like, say, green?”
At that I turned to look directly at Jeeves. And damn him, but he’s good. Not a twitch round the
eye this time, just the usual marble countenance. But I kept on looking, and saw the corner of
his mouth twitch upwards just a little as he replied;
“Very good, Sir."
Author: Cuvalwen
Rating: PG if that.
Summary: A slight change to Bertie's morning tray
Disclaimer: Wodehouse created 'em, I just like to play with 'em.
Comments: Thanks to m31andy for encouragement and betaing! X-posted to my own lj.
When I first cracked open my eyes that morning to find that old Phoebus had muscled in through a
gap in the curtains and was rattling around the room in no uncertain manner, there was nothing
to indicate that the day was anything out of the ordinary. Well, the weather seemed surprisingly
fine for February, but that was hardly a reason to present one’s compliments to the manager and
ask for an explanation.
It was only once Jeeves had glided in about 30 secs after I’d stirred myself to a sitting
posture (and I ask again, how does the fellow manage it? I don’t know when I’ll be
waking, how the deuce does he? There’s a witch perched on one of his family branches, I know
it…)and deposited the customary morning tray in front of yours truly that I started to suspect
that all was not as it was.
The tray held, as per., a cup of the drink which cheers but does not inebriate- dashed useful
the morning after several of the drinks which both cheered and inebriated- the morning paper,
and a small vase containing a single carnation; the which I would be adding to my day’s ensemble
as a buttonhole.
At roughly the same moment I observed both the day’s date and the colour of said carnation.
Now here I think I should backtrack a bit and try to explain a couple of things.
A month or so ago, during a slow night at the Drones, Tubby, Bingo, and I found a book on the
language of flowers. Which turned out to be about how you can use flowers to send a message to
one’s beloved- different coloured roses meant different things, and so on. We had a bit of fun
working out insulting bouquets for each other and I found myself wondering if Aunt Dahlia’s
parents had known what they were lumbering her with at the font. I seem to recall that Bingo
went out the next day to track down something fantastical and exotic that conveyed just the
right nuance of his feelings for his latest Tender Goddess, but became utterly smitten by the
girl who sold them to him and the poor old original T.G. never got the flowers after all.
I had also noted a bit about carnations- apparently they’re meant to signify love in general,
and the light red ones that Jeeves procured for me spoke of admiration, according to this tome.
I had asked Jeeves about it- very casually, of course, just enquiring about the colour in terms
of matching my attire- and he simply replied that the flower vender had a reliable supply of
good quality blooms and that the shade was capable of suiting pretty much everything in my
wardrobe. Well, that sounded so very Jeeves that I rather had to leave it at that- none the
wiser and not much better informed.
But this morning, the carnation in the vase was a deep, rich red. Quite a different kettle of
fish.
I must have been staring at the thing for too long because Jeeves coughed slightly and enquired
if everything was to my satisfaction?
“What? Oh, er, yes… absolutely… I say, rather different look for the old buttonhole today,
wouldn’t you say?”
I should hate to play poker against the man as a rule when he’s in full Easter Island head mode,
but just then I would swear on a pile of bibles that I saw his eye twitch slightly.
“Ah, yes, Sir. I rather fear that the regular supplier was out of the usual ones. In the
circumstances, Sir, I suggest the charcoal suit today.”
Now this was too much. Even I could tell you that a florist doesn’t sell out of ‘admiration’
flowers before he sells out of ‘deep love’ ones. Not on the 14th of Feb. There was nothing for
it.
I picked up the flower, considered it for a moment, then said;
“You know, I think it might be rather interesting to try some other colours in the lapel for
a change. You might see what other ones the chap has. Maybe try something like, say, green?”
At that I turned to look directly at Jeeves. And damn him, but he’s good. Not a twitch round the
eye this time, just the usual marble countenance. But I kept on looking, and saw the corner of
his mouth twitch upwards just a little as he replied;
“Very good, Sir."