Rhapsody in Blue

[Nathan Griffin]

He was astonished at the question. "Well, can you picture an older version of me, a wrinklier version, shooing kids off my lawn? Don't answer that," he laughed, "but you get my point. I hope my going ends up being pretty high in the awesome scale. A sky-diving accident. Bad luck wrestling lions. My rocket crashing on Mars," his face darkened without warning. "Giving the old boss the middle finger, and then some more. I'd gladly kick the bucket if it'd mean dragging him with me."

She never does, does she? It was... unfathomable. "Is there something you want to ask me, L'aire?" Is there something you want me to say? he had meant to ask. His Court seemed a rather innocuous and, oddly enough, impersonal subject to be what she was after. "Why else? Because I was afraid. Still am. I didn't want to be afraid of anything ever again. And that's impossible, as long as he's still around somewhere. If I ever become that wrinkly old man, I will still feel the need to make him afraid for a change, and then crush him to smithereens. Not because I'm angry. Revenge can go fuck itself. But because I'm better, and I want to prove it to him and everyone else in the most painful way possible."

He wasn't even looking at her by the end of it, and in spite of his words he spoke with furious intensity. Then the moment ended and he wished for rain, knowing Sacramento weather was likely to disappoint him again. "Is that what you wanted to know?" His eyelids felt heavy all of a sudden.

[Nathan Griffin]

"I will," he promised. He meant it, although he was weary; the evening's talk had zapped all his strength and now he only wished for some peace. "Things can only get better from here, right?" Happier things.

Then he sprang up and wiped his brow of the night's first signs of exhaustion. "I've taken too much of your time. And of your champagne, too," he doubted for a moment. What's the harm? "Winter's not far off. I hear it's the season of joy, funnily enough. Maybe we should think about rejoicing a little? I could use some fun that doesn't involve drinking. Green should tag along as well. He's always the light of the party," there was not a hint of irony to the way he delivered the last sentence.

[Nathan Griffin]

"I know. I'm sure you're sick of hearing this, but thank you."

He started out. "Really?" he pretended to be shocked at her clarification. "You're forgetting about the big guy in the bright red suit again. And the trees with all the shiny stuff on 'em. And turkey and nougats. And Rudolph. I love Rudolph!"

He'd eaten a Rudolph once, in his day. Better not to dwell on that, though; it had a way of ruining his childhood. "So yeah. We should catch a drift of the spirit of the season. The capitalist, marketable spirit. Who should wear the suit, Green or me? I could pull off a beard, don't you think?"

[Nathan Griffin]

"Well, fun's all well and good, but you gotta earn it. Like I said, think I've been enough of a bother already. When you've got it all pinned down give me a call and tell me when you'd like me to show up for work and what to do and what to wear." Laughter, again. He got the impression it wasn't what she wanted, but he knew full well lighthearted conversation would remain the most memorable part of the evening for him. "Nothing too skimpy though. It's getting chilly, and last couple years in Sacramento have softened me up."

He wasn't sure who was escorting who to the door, and realized he didn't mind much either way. "Hope I'll see you around. Take care, will you?"

I think this is a good place to wrap it up, yes. Nice scene! I've been thinking about opening up a public social scene sometime, since I haven't put Nathan in one of those in a while. I was wondering if I could tie it in with the "new job" thing and use the Blue Note so it is all nice and concise? It's good either way.