An interlude over tea...

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Just Old Al
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An interlude over tea...

Post by Just Old Al »

Author's Note: Ever have a brain flash that was set off by a note of music, a turn of phrase or simply an image seen in the street? That's what this is from - with all credit to Dinky. I will let her inform you all of the phrase.


The two sat in Phix’s home office, a teapot, place settings and a plate of petit fours between them. Gossiping in a friendly manner they enjoyed tea and each other’s company.

“It’s good to settle down and just relax. We always talk on the phone – you know you, Al and Greg are the only ones who ever actually call me?”

Daisy laughed. “Well, it’s all down to basically being mundanes no matter what. I spend my time in the mundane world between RE and AHI, and Greg and Al are still conditioned by sixty years and more among the non-paras.”

“True enough, true enough. And how is that lunatic you’re married to?”

“Hard at work, as usual. Took a day off to start setting the line shafts for the 1900 workshop in the basement at Alexander, and I got tired of the cursing and drilling into the concrete. He’s been running the tools down there off separate motors, and while it works well it simply didn’t suit him. He’s going to build what he wants no matter how much of an OSHA nightmare it is. Speaking of spouses, where are Aeternia and Neil?”

Phix stretched luxuriously back in her chair. “They are off to the park. Neil, the Flyer and Aeternia are off to burn off some energy, because he and I need to do some things this afternoon. This way she won’t be twitching when I make her wear her amulet and we can just be a nice, normal family out and about.”

“Oh, speaking of amulets – more about jewelry – I have something for you!” Daisy slid a slim box across the table.

“Oh?” Phix picked up the slim case and examined it.

“Yes, a friend of mine is a silversmith. She had an exhibition of her work and I went down to check it out. I have quite a few pieces of her work, and so does Cinnamon. I saw this piece…and well, it seemed perfect for you. I hope you don’t mind.”

Phix opened the box and drew a long breath. There, nestled on the black velvet in the case, was a silver chain, decorated along is length with filigreed nature pieces. Leaves, fronds and ferns, all intricately done in silver. These were complimented by small silver globes, each done in punchwork, with tinier silver globes contained within. The whole piece reflected the light threw it around the room in reflections.

It was beautiful.

“Oh, Daisy – it’s wonderful!” Phix exclaimed, picking it up from the box. As she did the necklace tinkled, small musical notes coming from the globes spread along its length.

Daisy stepped around behind her friend and held out her hands. “Here, let me put it on you – I need a picture of this for my friend’s album.” Locking the clasp on the chain, she stepped back around, admiring the play of light on the faceting of the filigreed pieces.
As Phix turned to her friend the necklace tinkled again, the musical notes clear in the quiet of the office. “What a wonderful gift. Thank you!”

“Hold still – I need a picture of this, if you don’t mind.” Daisy got out her camera and snapped two or three head-and-shoulders shots of Phix and the jewelry. Oh – one thing. The chain is long enough so you shouldn’t have to worry about it if you change – it’s got enough room to accommodate the changes.”

“What a thoughtful gift!” Phix wrapped Daisy in a hug, then stepped to the mirror on her wall to admire her prize.

“I saw it…and just thought of you.” With that Daisy departed, headed back for Alexander House.

Soon Neil returned, carrying a very tired Aeternia and wheeling the small cart that contained the Flyer and its cooler.

“How was your company?” Neil asked, setting Aeternia on the couch. The cub grumbled quietly and settled into the yielding surface.

“It was lovely. Daisy and I had a good chat – and look at the necklace she brought me!” Standing proud, Phix turned to the light and the necklace glittered. She shook a bit, and the tinkling of the globes perfectly complimented the reflections from the room lights.

“My, that’s…a wonderful piece. What made her buy it?”

“No reason – she saw it in a jewelry exhibition and thought of me. Isn’t it wonderful!”

Neil’s face worked strangely and he turned away. Mystified, Phix looked at her husband and realized his shoulders were….shaking?

Walking around to face him, Phix asked, “Neil, are you all right? What’s wrong?” Then she realized he was..laughing?

“What’s so funny?” she asked, curiousity getting the better of her.

“Do you realize, my lovely cat, that Daisy gave you a jingle bell collar?” After calmly uttering these words he collapsed into a chair and began to bray with laughter.

Phix stood still momentarily as the import of Neil’s words rang through to her. Then she turned to him, fists balled and reverting to her feral self. The necklace, as billed, still fit perfectly.

“That…BITCH! That MISERABLE FUCKING EQUINE!”

Far away in spacetime Daisy held up a photo on her phone to her incredulous husband.

“Fifty bucks. Pay me!” she said, triumphantly, holding her hand out palm upraised.
"The Empire was founded on cups of tea, mate, and if you think I am going to war without one you are sadly mistaken."
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Dave
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Re: An interlude over tea...

Post by Dave »

:lol:

Next week, tune in for another thrilling episode of "Horton hears a Who who bells the belle cat."
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Re: An interlude over tea...

Post by FreeFlier »

Now Phix has to come up with a suitable revenge . . .

--FreeFlier
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Just Old Al
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Re: An interlude over tea...

Post by Just Old Al »

Dave wrote::lol:

Next week, tune in for another thrilling episode of "Horton hears a Who who bells the belle cat."
You mean "Horton hears a belle who bells the cat."

Bless 'er heart. :)
"The Empire was founded on cups of tea, mate, and if you think I am going to war without one you are sadly mistaken."
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Re: An interlude over tea...

Post by jwhouk »

Only one thing could top that.

Horse collar.
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GlytchMeister
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Re: An interlude over tea...

Post by GlytchMeister »

jwhouk wrote:Only one thing could top that.

Horse collar.
Considering Sarge established Tack as centaur kink... That is a slippery slope to subjects best left off a PG-13 forum. Google “pony play” at your own risk.
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Re: An interlude over tea...

Post by Sgt. Howard »

GlytchMeister wrote:
jwhouk wrote:Only one thing could top that.

Horse collar.
Considering Sarge established Tack as centaur kink... That is a slippery slope to subjects best left off a PG-13 forum. Google “pony play” at your own risk.
Not ALL Tack- just whips and spurs...
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Re: An interlude over tea...

Post by Sgt. Howard »

Just Old Al wrote:

“That…BITCH! That MISERABLE FUCKING EQUINE!”
??... shouldn't that be "That... that NAG!!! That MISERABLE PIECE OF CROWBAIT!!! That GLUE DONOR!!!""
Rule 17 of the Bombay Golf Course- "You shall play the ball where the monkey drops it,"
I speak fluent Limrick-
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Just Old Al
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Re: An interlude over tea...

Post by Just Old Al »

Sgt. Howard wrote:
Just Old Al wrote:

“That…BITCH! That MISERABLE FUCKING EQUINE!”
??... shouldn't that be "That... that NAG!!! That MISERABLE PIECE OF CROWBAIT!!! That GLUE DONOR!!!""
You, my friend, have a much more....colloquial...relationship with horses than Madame Phix, I expect.
"The Empire was founded on cups of tea, mate, and if you think I am going to war without one you are sadly mistaken."
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Re: An interlude over tea...

Post by jwhouk »

I would expect, however, that it was done on a bet or dare. And she'd be coming back hard against the owner/operator of Building 2.
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Just Old Al
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Re: An interlude over tea...

Post by Just Old Al »

jwhouk wrote:I would expect, however, that it was done on a bet or dare. And she'd be coming back hard against the owner/operator of Building 2.
The bet is in the last paragaph - Daisy going "Fifty bucks - pay up!" The payback will no doubt me absolutely Homeric...Sphinxes play ROUGH.
"The Empire was founded on cups of tea, mate, and if you think I am going to war without one you are sadly mistaken."
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Re: An interlude over tea...

Post by DinkyInky »

Not one person is even curious?

*pouts*
Yanno how some people have Angels/Devils for a conscience? I have a Dark Elf ShadowKnight and a Half Elf Ranger for mine. The really bad part is when they agree on something.

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Just Old Al
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Re: An interlude over tea...

Post by Just Old Al »

DinkyInky wrote:Not one person is even curious?

*pouts*
Well, I DID tel them you'd be along to say. They're being patient and polite.

Okay, Stop laughing.
Really.
It wasn't that funny.

Oh, very well then. Get it out of your system.
"The Empire was founded on cups of tea, mate, and if you think I am going to war without one you are sadly mistaken."
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Re: An interlude over tea...

Post by jwhouk »

Okay, I'll bite: so what was the song that caused all this malarkey over "belling the cat"?
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Re: An interlude over tea...

Post by Sgt. Howard »

"""... who'll tie the bell to the old cat's tail?' said the wise, old Mouse-
who'll tie the bell to the old cat's tail so we know when he's around the house?'-"
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Re: An interlude over tea...

Post by TazManiac »

*post redacted*
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Re: An interlude over tea...

Post by Sgt. Howard »

Just Old Al wrote:
Sgt. Howard wrote:
??... shouldn't that be "That... that NAG!!! That MISERABLE PIECE OF CROWBAIT!!! That GLUE DONOR!!!""
You, my friend, have a much more....colloquial...relationship with horses than Madame Phix, I expect.

I DID break horses for Bob Langley's ranch in Woodside California before I turned 21...
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Re: An interlude over tea...

Post by Atomic »

I broke a toe once. The doctor said to soak it in warm water to help it heal. Once I learned to soa cah toa, I became proficient in trigonometry!

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Re: An interlude over tea...

Post by DinkyInky »

jwhouk wrote:Okay, I'll bite: so what was the song that caused all this malarkey over "belling the cat"?
No song.

Nope.

Scary chain of events that began this all:

I was playing a HOG(Hidden Object Game), and the last two items to pop up were jingle bells and a Sphinx.

Al immediately popped up in my mind, cuppa in hand, waving a biccie around loudly exclaiming,

"It's like putting a ruddy jingle bell on a Sphinx!"

So of course I told him after I could stop laughing, and this was the result.

File this under,

#Youjustcannotmakethisstuffup
Yanno how some people have Angels/Devils for a conscience? I have a Dark Elf ShadowKnight and a Half Elf Ranger for mine. The really bad part is when they agree on something.

Aphyon chu kissa whol l'jaed.
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Re: An interlude over tea...

Post by jwhouk »

...SOMEone is definitely gettin' coal in his stocking this Christmas.
"Character is what you are in the dark." - D.L. Moody
"You should never run from the voices in your head. That's how you give them power." - Jin
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