The Plague Logs

[Marburg]

Ok, so...late last night I made my way to Edinburgh & docked with Shetland. I figured, "What the Hell." I made me a fair amount of credits on my Deshima milk-run & it's time for a little D&R (Drink & Recreation) for a couple of days.

Oi...Why, Oh Why did I pick THIS...this...ah, ... >:/ ...ROW BOAT!! THAT'S THE WORD! It's just a smeggin' Row Boat! ...Sure, they call it a "Luxury Liner" but, come on, seriously, they could change the name to the 'Delusion of Grandeur' or something.

Anyway, I mosied into the bar & well, the atmosphere was bright, cheery, attentive, & utterly lacking in any real personality. (I find bright & cheery REALLY irritating.)

I suppose what the bar lacks in personality it makes up for by being populated BY personalities.

I'm pretty sure the inebreated lightweight that was sitting a few stools down from me is that big-time-anchor-guy from the news.

Here's a REAL newsflash for 'ya Anchordude: Never, EVER mix Sidewinder Fang w/ Liberty Ale...It makes you sloppy... But hey, I'm not the one who has to schlep propaganda for a living, so, if you wanna run the risk of fallin' & crackin' your head open on your way back to your room, then, hey, by all means, go knock yourself out buddy.

I do have to admit though: they have a drink that I have never heard of: 'McEwan's' ...& you know what?...

...That had to be the BEST thing I have ever tasted. I asked the waitress to bring me another one in the bottle, & the wierdest thing happened...I recognized the label...kind of like when you have a really cool dream, wake up, & by the time your up & around, you forget what the dream was about... only rememberin' that it was 'cool.'

But that wasn't the weird thing though, that part was only 'strange.' The weird thing was the waitress: I lost track of time while staring at the label, & I didn't realize it was time to tab-out. The waitress shook me back to full attention by saying: ..."I said, you aren't going to find the shortcut to Hell staring into a beer label."

I like this girl. She hates this place too...I can just tell. ...We should get together & go bowling.

"I've already found it," I told her, "it went & led me here."

"Seriously! I really do hate this place," I continued, "Shetland is not really Hell though, my whole experience on this tub so far, is better described by changing the "e" to an "i" in it's name."

She laughed a little (very little)

Then she stoped all abrubt & got serious...

"You told me to tell you this when I saw you again: The shortcut to Hell is not a path you, yourself are allowed to take; it's Gaia's Law, but, you CAN find a trail to Islay, & follow that."

She used my card to tab me out, gave me a wink & disapeared to wherever waitresses disapear to in a bar.

before I headed off to my cabin, I noticed the waitress wrote a number on a napkin...not HER number (damnit!):angry:but just A number:

"66"

66 what? what? ...whatever...even the way she writes her numbers is pretty. I have to admit that I must have really good taste in women to go & pick HER to shuttle myself a message.

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