From alt.pub.dragons-inn Wed Dec  7 09:38:45 1994
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From: kjc@aramis.rutgers.edu (Kelly J. Cooper)
Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn
Subject: Re: You Say It, I'll Sing It
Date: 5 Dec 1994 14:26:04 -0500
Organization: The Farm
Lines: 58
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References: <3bukgi$k7q@larry.rice.edu>
NNTP-Posting-Host: aramis.rutgers.edu

In article <3bukgi$k7q@larry.rice.edu>, andsol@cml.rice.edu (Andrew
Solberg) writes: 

> "I sure do hope somebody requests SOMETHING.  It would be a terrible,
>  awful thing is NOBODY requests anything, because then I'd have to drag
>  out the default bard song, which is 'My Charona', and I'm sure nobody
>  wants that to happen.  Least of all me.

Jameson W. Walker, sitting and sipping a mug of cider, winced audibly.
 
> "So give me a song title.  Maybe I know it; if I do, I'll play it.  Maybe
>  I don't know it; if I don't, I'll make some lyrics up.  You can't lose.
> 
> "Requests, anybody?"
> 
> Listener starts softly humming MUH-MUH-MUH-MYYYY.... under his breath, 
> as if in warning....

Nearly knocking over her chair, Jameson struggled to stand while at
the same time dig about in her pockets.  She waved a fist in the air
and once she caught Listener's attention called out,

"Good elf!  Handsome elf!  Lovely elf whose beautious features I would
mash together in an instant if you play that song (and I do believe
the fight dampening spells would indeed ALLOW it)!  This first bit I
give as incentive NOT to play that particular tune!"

With a grand and expansive gesture, she threw him the wedge of silver.
It spun, glittering in the light, and was caught by the deft right
hand of the bard.  He grinned a fine smile, with just a hint of
playfulness about his eyes, "The _first_ m'lady?"

Jameson bared her teeth to match his expression and confirmed,
"Indeed.  The first.  And the second, to play the rudest, bawdiest
tune you know, good bard."  

Listener's smile grew impossibly wider.  But before he could take up
his instrument, again the throw.  Again the catch.  Many eyes were
upon them now and Jameson's voice carried well over the din of a
noonday crowd.

"And the third..."  Jameson paused, as if in contemplation.  A pause
in conversations cycled through the room, leaving a gap, an accidental
hush over the crowd.  An incident of chance in the grand pageant for
which all good actors live.  "And the third, my dear bard, is for you
to play it _well_."  Her implications hung heavy on the air and
observers swore they could see a dangerous gleam, almost a feral
light, come into Listener's eyes.

"Oh indeed, my lady.  Indeed!"

---
Heh.

Kelly J. Cooper
Writer for Jameson W. Walker
Keeper of the Mage Guild FAQ
kjc@asylum.sf.ca.us