TM Topic - 148 What keeps you up at night?
Kronos was busy at his desk laying out the final drafts of blueprints for a new complex of buildings, which he was funding. The meeting with Castro had gone better than he expected. He'd not seen his old comrade since '58, when he'd secured secret locations of the dictator Fulgencio Batista's planned troop movements for Castro. Back then Cuba was on the verge of the revolution. Change was in the air and panic had slowly started to tighten its grip on those in power. Just as then, the country was ripe for change, which came violently. It had been the perfect seeding ground for the immortal, and he'd gained a great deal from his efforts. Now the change would be slower, more controlled, and probably more civilized. Communism would linger for a time before gasping its last breath and billowing out to sea as dust. When his friend died, capitalism would ease itself into the tiny nation's economy, and Kronos once again, planned on being there to take advantage of it.
He poured over the plans looking for any problems before sending them to the engineers for finalization. So intent on finishing this project that night, he never once glanced at the clock. Then a noise disturbed his concentration. He sat back in the chair and rubbed his eyes wearily. He glimpsed at the time. Clyde! He'd missed the four am feeding! From the other room, Clyde was screaming inside his cage. Kronos calmly went to the room, humming softly. He turned on the light and smiled at the monkey. "So I'm a little late," he said matter-of-factly. "And my new lock worked! You're still in the cage." He laughed but Clyde shrieked louder. "Okay, okay, take it easy." He unlocked the cage and held an arm out for Clyde who jumped to it and then wrapped his arms around Kronos' neck.
Kronos patted him affectionately. "Let's get you something to eat." They went to the kitchen where the baby formula was waiting in a special warmer that Kronos had designed. He checked the temperature on his wrist and chuckled. "It's perfect every time!" Clyde quietly drank and his eyes closed, while Kronos cradled him lovingly. Once the monkey was asleep, he wrapped him in one of his sweaters and placed the bundle on the desk. "Be glad when you don't need these hourly feedings. Between you and Castro, I'll be up all night, again," he softly noted and then went back to the blueprints.
He poured over the plans looking for any problems before sending them to the engineers for finalization. So intent on finishing this project that night, he never once glanced at the clock. Then a noise disturbed his concentration. He sat back in the chair and rubbed his eyes wearily. He glimpsed at the time. Clyde! He'd missed the four am feeding! From the other room, Clyde was screaming inside his cage. Kronos calmly went to the room, humming softly. He turned on the light and smiled at the monkey. "So I'm a little late," he said matter-of-factly. "And my new lock worked! You're still in the cage." He laughed but Clyde shrieked louder. "Okay, okay, take it easy." He unlocked the cage and held an arm out for Clyde who jumped to it and then wrapped his arms around Kronos' neck.
Kronos patted him affectionately. "Let's get you something to eat." They went to the kitchen where the baby formula was waiting in a special warmer that Kronos had designed. He checked the temperature on his wrist and chuckled. "It's perfect every time!" Clyde quietly drank and his eyes closed, while Kronos cradled him lovingly. Once the monkey was asleep, he wrapped him in one of his sweaters and placed the bundle on the desk. "Be glad when you don't need these hourly feedings. Between you and Castro, I'll be up all night, again," he softly noted and then went back to the blueprints.