The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post - The Barrow-Downs' Third Birthday Party and Downie Awards

Bêthberry · 05-02-2003, 05:19 AM

It was really all a bit too much. The sounds and the lights were swimming in a sea of guests whose bizarre adventures in antinarrative rivalled those of previous years. Some parties really are bigger than others.

Bêthberry felt something like a fabled Alice who had had a difficult time deciding which side of the mushroom to eat. Her eyes smarted. They watered. They blurred. She was sure they were red-rimmed from all the smoke. Who ever had decided that pipeweed could be smoked indoors had done a wicked disservice to her allergies. Or perhaps it was that lembas she ate, from Lorien Salad Queen Deli.

As it was, her judgment was certainly impaired and she had difficulty recognizing many of the guests. She could have sworn she heard two flies talk exactly like XPhial and Merendis. She thought she recognized Beleth and Guo too, but she could't be sure, since she was used to seeing them in a galaxy far away from the RPG forums. At least Pio she recognized, having offerred her yet another round of blue sapphire before the elf claimed to need some fresh air. She decided to follow pio's wise move.

On the way out, Bêthberry overheard Diamond saying something about David Copperfield and she wondered how it was that the famous musician was also a Downer, and if that explained the strange surreality of the party, but then someone else swore "What the dickens" about dragons--an epithet which served to steady Bêthberry's memory of books past. She shook her head as she watched Pio put the futbol teams through their paces. Why there were two of the said balls in approximately the same space she could not understand, but since she was floating higher than either of them, she decided to join the game in a bit of a different activity. She began to cheer.

Two, four, six, eight,
Why do we halluc...

She caught herself. Mustn't break the rules, even in Gondor. She tried again.

Two, four, six, eight,
Who do we assassi....

Whoops, no, that rhyme wouldn't work either, she realized. Real, meaningful play abided not in the violence of the wack and hack but in negotiated conflict. She wondered if that was what Pio was doing.

Two, four, six, eight,
How shall we recreate?
Negotiate! Negotiate!

Well, that was getting better, but was a tad too serious for the flavour of this party. Bêthberry decided to seek out Child, who she knew she could count on to help establish a truly solid line of cheerleading support in the gaming endeavours they were all enjoying.

Child, she called out, Child, don't you think it would be splendid to provide the futbol game with some real cheerleading?

She wasn't sure Child could hear her over the din.

[ May 02, 2003: Message edited by: Bêthberry ]

05-02-2003, 05:19 AM	#345
Bêthberry Cryptic Aura Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 6,003	It was really all a bit too much. The sounds and the lights were swimming in a sea of guests whose bizarre adventures in antinarrative rivalled those of previous years. Some parties really are bigger than others. Bêthberry felt something like a fabled Alice who had had a difficult time deciding which side of the mushroom to eat. Her eyes smarted. They watered. They blurred. She was sure they were red-rimmed from all the smoke. Who ever had decided that pipeweed could be smoked indoors had done a wicked disservice to her allergies. Or perhaps it was that lembas she ate, from Lorien Salad Queen Deli. As it was, her judgment was certainly impaired and she had difficulty recognizing many of the guests. She could have sworn she heard two flies talk exactly like XPhial and Merendis. She thought she recognized Beleth and Guo too, but she could't be sure, since she was used to seeing them in a galaxy far away from the RPG forums. At least Pio she recognized, having offerred her yet another round of blue sapphire before the elf claimed to need some fresh air. She decided to follow pio's wise move. On the way out, Bêthberry overheard Diamond saying something about David Copperfield and she wondered how it was that the famous musician was also a Downer, and if that explained the strange surreality of the party, but then someone else swore "What the dickens" about dragons--an epithet which served to steady Bêthberry's memory of books past. She shook her head as she watched Pio put the futbol teams through their paces. Why there were two of the said balls in approximately the same space she could not understand, but since she was floating higher than either of them, she decided to join the game in a bit of a different activity. She began to cheer. Two, four, six, eight, Why do we halluc... She caught herself. Mustn't break the rules, even in Gondor. She tried again. Two, four, six, eight, Who do we assassi.... Whoops, no, that rhyme wouldn't work either, she realized. Real, meaningful play abided not in the violence of the wack and hack but in negotiated conflict. She wondered if that was what Pio was doing. Two, four, six, eight, How shall we recreate? Negotiate! Negotiate! Well, that was getting better, but was a tad too serious for the flavour of this party. Bêthberry decided to seek out Child, who she knew she could count on to help establish a truly solid line of cheerleading support in the gaming endeavours they were all enjoying. Child, she called out, Child, don't you think it would be splendid to provide the futbol game with some real cheerleading? She wasn't sure Child could hear her over the din. [ May 02, 2003: Message edited by: Bêthberry ] __________________ I’ll sing his roots off. I’ll sing a wind up and blow leaf and branch away.