the wizard announces his homecoming;

[wondrouswizard]

"Discovery consists of seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what nobody else has thought."
- Jonathan Swift, Gulliver’s TravelsI’ll be brief: My journey will be coming to an end soon, on the 10th. Unfortunately, I do not have living arrangements until the 12th

Comments

[off_the_hookah]

Where will you be landing?

Where ever it is, there should be a brass band playing. In fact, I insist.

[wondrouswizard]

Hello Neil! How are you these days?

I'll be landing, I hope, at sunrise on the 10th. As much as fun as a brass band would be, I'm not sure if anyone would appreciate their music that early in the morning. Except for me.

In any case, I'm trying to make it low-key. As low-key as landing in a hot-air balloon could possibly be, anyway.

[off_the_hookah]

I'm doing well, thank you. Remember that movie I told you about? The one I was working on? It's coming out at the end of this month. To Bed is doing very good, and I'm still teaching workshops at Juilliard. Oh, and I have an eighteen year old son, Caden. You'll have to meet him, he's a talented lad. Besides that [...] I can't complain.

Somehow a balloon landing without a brass band isn't right.

WHERE are you landing?

[wondrouswizard]

Oh, that's fantastic! I'm sure you're very busy now, getting ready for press and the premiere and such.

(You wouldn't be scheduled to appear anywhere because of the movie are you? I'm supposed to be on a lot of morning shows for the next week. Wouldn't it be funny if we were back to back for something?)

I read about To Bed winning Best Ensemble! Congratulations.

But a son, Neil? For a moment I thought something had gone wrong with the time/space continuum in my absence. You've really outdone yourself there.

Here's a hint: Tyranny Wrote Work!

[off_the_hookah]

Premiere is on the 28th. Mine is not such a large role, but I did get a call from Conan O'Brian. No definite date, yet.

[Private to Quentin]

This son thing was a surprise for me, too. His mother [...] never told me. It was a sticky situation, because of her husband and all. It went off to a rough start, but Caden and I are getting along rather fabulously, all things considered.

[/Private]

I'll see you there!

[wondrouswizard]

Oh, go figure. You're going on the one show I haven't been asked to, yet. Then again, there's only so many balloon jokes Conan can make.

[Private to Neil.]

Oh! I see. Well, I'm glad that you'll finally be able to spend time with him. I can't imagine what that must be like.

[/Private.]

Great!

...

Wait. You're not bringing a brass band, are you?

[off_the_hookah]

It's a NBC thing, I think. Maybe. Kilroy and May were on a coupel of months ago, as was Allison - oh, I don't know if you know Allison. She's our Wonderland Alice. Very sweet young lady.

[Private to Quentin]

It's... to be honest, awkward as hell. I'm grateful to know him at all, but... he's...

It's not like I raised him, Quentin. Or celebrated his birthdays or Christmases while he was growing up. He took my last name, and I'm proud of him, but it's not the same as if...

For the first tiem in a long time, I'm at a loss for words. Then again, it could be this weed.

[/Private]

Shhhhh! Do't want to ruin the surprise!

[wondrouswizard]

Hm. I don't know if I've met her or not. My rapport with the Tale community has always been touch-and-go.

[Private to Neil.]

Time will fix things, Neil. You have eternity. Now, go ... lie down or something. Writing in the compendiums while smoking cannabis has never ended well for anyone.

[/Private.]

Of course.

[off_the_hookah]

She's out filming a film in - I forget which state. But not New York. Very nice young lady. Very nice uncle. Hopefully that will change, your rapport. Reading thse compendiums can be amusing.

[Private to Quentin]

That's very Zen. But who is to say he will be my son again, next life? Even I won't be the same.

Like sticks and leaves, floating along the surface of a water, following the current. Sometimes the leaves arrange themselves into one collection, but as they move further down, they rearrange into a different pattern. So are our lives.

[......]

I am lying down. I'm perfectly alright. It's all under control. I'm not an irresponsibe youth.

[/Private]

What time is sunrise? 8:00?

[wondrouswizard]

Oh, well good for her! If you see her, tell her I wish her the best. (Not that she knows who I am, but oh well!) Oh, I don't know, Neil. I just feel like sometimes, I'm reading the same thing over and over again...

[Private to Neil.]

I wouldn't believe anything until you experience it first-hand. Sometimes I wonder if Tales forget who they were because it is convenient.

Well. Please - take care.

[/Private..]

7, I think.

[off_the_hookah]

You'll have to meet her. Next time she's in town, I'll make a point to introduce you two. It only proves everybody shares the same problems and thoughts. How are you supposed to elevate people's consciousness, if you don't associate with them? Be a Bodhisttva, not a hermit. Besides, I like reading your thoughts.

[Private to Quentin]

I don't know where that came from, but I completely agreee. Convenient, or in some cases, they want to forget - they don't want to be Tales anymore. Does that make sense?

I am, my friend, I am. It feels great.

[/Private]