e&tg 24

I snorted.  "Maybe a better agent can get me a new gig."

"Hey!" he yelled.  "I tell you i love you like a son and you respond by threatening to leave me, you little shit?  I'm going to punch you in the balls!  If i can't get you a gig, nobody can!  And you know it!"

I laughed.  "Pissing you off just doesn't get old, Nahhas."  He glowered at me, as he grumbled under his breath.  "Seriously, man, you've always worked hard for me and gotten me top-quality gigs.  And the offer of no interest is more than i deserve."

"Don't remind me.  I'm already sorry i offered it to you, you freak."  He shook his head, got up, and walked around his desk.  I found myself wishing he'd left his damnable pipe behind.  He reached into one of his many vest pockets and pulled out a brass pendant of a hand and forearm grasping a sword's blade close to the hilt.  "Here's your Mercenary emblem, Mwaele.  You're free to find work where you can find it."

I frowned.  "Wait, you're cutting me loose?  I thought—"

"Shut up, you kobold-brain.  I am giving you the chance to find work if you can.  Naturally, i will still be doing my utmost to get you a gig.  The way i see it, two heads are better than one, even when one of the two is as tiny as yours."

"I hate you, Nahhas."  I took my emblem, which, once in my presence, showed red lines trickling down the arm.  "I'm going to stab you in your sleep with this."  I untied the empty string around my neck, threaded the emblem, and hung it around my neck.

He snorted.  "Go ahead and try, you clown.  I'm immune to cheap brass doodads, donchaknow?"  I got up.  He said, "I'll leave you word at the Tongue, yeah?"

I nodded.  "That'll probably be best."

e&tg 24

I snorted.  "Maybe a better agent can get me a new gig."

"Hey!" he yelled.  "I tell you i love you like a son and you respond by threatening to leave me, you little shit?  I'm going to punch you in the balls!  If i can't get you a gig, nobody can!  And you know it!"

I laughed.  "Pissing you off just doesn't get old, Nahhas."  He glowered at me, as he grumbled under his breath.  "Seriously, man, you've always worked hard for me and gotten me top-quality gigs.  And the offer of no interest is more than i deserve."

"Don't remind me.  I'm already sorry i offered it to you, you freak."  He shook his head, got up, and walked around his desk.  I found myself wishing he'd left his damnable pipe behind.  He reached into one of his many vest pockets and pulled out a brass pendant of a hand and forearm grasping a sword's blade close to the hilt.  "Here's your Mercenary emblem, Mwaele.  You're free to find work where you can find it."

I frowned.  "Wait, you're cutting me loose?  I thought—"

"Shut up, you kobold-brain.  I am giving you the chance to find work if you can.  Naturally, i will still be doing my utmost to get you a gig.  The way i see it, two heads are better than one, even when one of the two is as tiny as yours."

"I hate you, Nahhas."  I took my emblem, which, once in my presence, showed red lines trickling down the arm.  "I'm going to stab you in your sleep with this."  I untied the empty string around my neck, threaded the emblem, and hung it around my neck.

He snorted.  "Go ahead and try, you clown.  I'm immune to cheap brass doodads, donchaknow?"  I got up.  He said, "I'll leave you word at the Tongue, yeah?"

I nodded.  "That'll probably be best."

to the karaoke-inclined

My friend Hannibal was involved in his boss's effort this weekend to break the world record for "longest continuous group karaoke session."

to the karaoke-inclined

My friend Hannibal was involved in his boss's effort this weekend to break the world record for "longest continuous group karaoke session."

the drift, noumena

"Upright bass phenom" bebopmonkey's band, The Drift, released their first full-length album (CD or 2 LP), Noumena.  The music is spacey and groovy, like a Brian Eno cover band pretending to be a latter-day Miles Davis ensemble.  The music works whether you're focusing on it or you hear it in the background of what you're doing.

My only complaint is that the CD edition lacks two tracks that are available in the 2LP edition (it's not as if the CD wasn't big enough to hold them).  And their EP Streets / Nozomi is available only on vinyl.  Still, i highly recommend Noumena.

the drift, noumena

"Upright bass phenom" bebopmonkey's band, The Drift, released their first full-length album (CD or 2 LP), Noumena.  The music is spacey and groovy, like a Brian Eno cover band pretending to be a latter-day Miles Davis ensemble.  The music works whether you're focusing on it or you hear it in the background of what you're doing.

My only complaint is that the CD edition lacks two tracks that are available in the 2LP edition (it's not as if the CD wasn't big enough to hold them).  And their EP Streets / Nozomi is available only on vinyl.  Still, i highly recommend Noumena.