|| -------- -- -----  A E R I E   O B L I V I A N A . singular book of text wandertainment by Frank Edward Nora ------------------- ----------- GOODBYE POPCORN--CUP 30--"MOHAWK" <-------  ||  Severe Repair  ||  Goodbye Popcorn  ||  -------> (Cup SRgp030, Created v2 (6/7/99), Copyright 1999) = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Granticaine put on a neutral smile and looked out the window into the main corridor of Greatwall at Ostandon. In the distance, a band began playing a Toal Tarby-based folk song. "Man, these folks are so obsessed with Toal Tarby." "Well, this is the whole basis of all of Greatwall. I see it as an interesting impetus to construction. Greatwall is undeniably one of the most fabulous structures in all of known Aconck. I say, whatever the motivation, it must be good to result in such a wonder as the place we're sitting in now." "I guess. But it's like, Adanden is totally covered and guarded. Under glass. And artificially preserved. I mean, if Toal Tarby does ever return, what would he think?" "Well Daptin, if I were him, I'd be very pleased with what was conceived of in my honor." "Yeah. I don't think he'll be coming back, though. I mean, people just use him to increase their business. I don't think many people believe in the whole thing at all." "No? Let's find out." Granticaine said as the waitress, a pretty young woman with a conservative blond Mohawk, approached the two. "You ready?" she asked. "Yes, but I have a question for you--do you believe that Toal Tarby will return, and if so, when?" Granticaine asked. "What, are you guys from TV?" the waitress asked. "No, we're just, eh, foreigners curious as to what you Greatwallers really think about all this Toal Tarby stuff." Granticaine said. "Well, I don't live here. I grew up in Ostandon, but out in the suburbs. I'm no Waller. I mean, I work here and everything. But I don't know. It's a nice idea, him returning. I mean, the whole telephone thing is, well, it's interesting. So I don't know. I guess I don't really care either way." "See?" Daptin said. "It's just one person!" Granticaine replied. "Whatta you guys think? And where are you from anyway, Coipte-Cross?" "Heh heh, no. But a long ways away, at that." Granticaine said. "I just think this whole thing, with Tarby and everything, seems a little silly to an outsider." Daptin said. "I guess." the waitress replied. "So what can I get for you?" "Okay." Granticaine said. "How about the full fend fruit entree, and several strong teas, hot and cold. Okay Daptin?" "Fine." "That's it? Okay, it'll be just a few minutes. And try not to worry about our local customs too much, okay?" she said with humor. "Okay, Sleap." Daptin said, looking at the waitress's nametag. Sleap looked down at her nametag, smiled, and strode back to the kitchen. "Rather friendly of you, Daptin old fellow." "What can I say? I'm a friendly guy." "Yes." Granticaine was fiddling with a little card thing on the table announcing a special deal on some sort of potato product. "So Grant, you wanna hear the whole--I dunno--the whole deal here, with the thing I need to do and stuff?" "Okay." "Well, I mean, okay. I think I can trust you. I just wanna, y'know, be clear on like, that this is all in confidence. I mean, you'll see soon enough the nature of what it is I'm gonna tell you, so like, I wanna, I just wanna know that you'll keep it, y'know, in confidence and stuff." "Daptin, I am a man of my word, as you well know. And I give you my word that what you tell me now will be in the strictest confidence." "Okay good, that's all I needed to hear. Anyway, I guess I'll just spill my guts. Back on Red Alley Earth, where as you know Bavler Bestroystraw began Aconck, there is, how can I put this--there is a place where these gods live. And I'll tell you, if you're familiar with Bavler's writings, you know about Sweptim. Well, I think I may have discovered the remnants of Sweptim. I mean, they claim they've been there for all time, but I have serious doubts. Now, no one else in Aconck knows about this--just me. And now, I guess, you too." Granticaine looked very serious as he tried to let the information sink in. "Go on." -------> ------------------- ----------- -------- -- -----