Originally posted at The Midnight Pub
gemini://midnight.pub/posts/546
The other day I went to the city. Although I'm working with bits and bytes at day job, I'm still sort of a "country pumpkin", as someone in a job long ago phrased it. I was going to pick up a few bits and pieces and most importantly my new toy[a] :) Now, going to the city is kind of an adventure lasting a full day. It starts with getting there by train, gazing at the tall buildings --- I had seen them before, of course. However, I seem to forget what they look like, the minute I board the train on the way home.
It was sunny, people were sitting outside here and there, having ice cream and what not, while glancing into the sun light. I was glad that I put on my sun glasses. At some point I found myself in that small alley, about which I had read before. I didn't actively navigate there, but obviously I was drawn in the right direction --- maybe by subconsciously making out a possum or two, who knows.
So I stand in front of the Midnight Pub with it's friendly sign. I remember that some kind soul had given me the magic incantation on a business card. I dug out that card from my trusty backpack and cited the incantation. The door opened with ease, and a foxy little chick ... oh, wait, that is another song, and no Saturday Night Fish Fry was going on here[b]. I stood in the dim entry and took off my sun glasses. In that short moment of uncertainty I fell down the booby trap instead of entering the pub, unlike everyone else. Maybe with the sunglasses on I would have missed it --- just maybe.
It's really very dark down here. It does not make any difference, if I put on the sun glasses or not. While it's not completely unpleasant, there is no bartender to serve a good, cool stout from a local micro brewery. So, how did I get here to begin with? I have no clue. Seems like this whole Midnight Pub thing wasn't for me after all. After a lengthy while it occurred to me, that maybe I could try the VHF radio (a thing rarely used these days, but the hand held can often be found in my backpack) seeking help. But the battery was flat, sigh.
I have no indication of how long it took, and maybe I had a nap along the way, but what got me out there was a tiny ripple in the intricate fabric called space time. The existence of these ripples is highly disputed in scientific circles, but I can confirm, they do exist. It lasted just long enough to allow me to climb out and find myself back in the alley. This all sounds like being copied almost verbatim from Leisure Suit Larry[c], and maybe it's just my hyperactive imagination and I never entered the Midnight to begin with. But my share of adventure had been exhausted for the day and I decided to head for the the train and have the stout some other day.
Cheers,
~ew
[a] The new toy: Hifive Unmatched
https://www.crowdsupply.com/sifive/hifive-unmatched
[b] Louis Jordan and his Tympany Fife, Saturday Night Fish Fry
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1QfXQakX2w
[c] a long forgotten 8-bit game, which made for a very funny afternoon long time ago!