Lion Head Mesa because of you

"yeah that's what ahh said. mah-jee." gucci was not dumb.

(although, he was bad with any name a forty years old west coast woman wouldn't name her purse dog)

so, maegi was his equal in rank, then? not that it meant much. one, she could still eat him. two, nothing ever happened in akashingo anyways that would warrant those of his rank having to interact. besides, he pretty sincerely envied the fellahin, who seemed to always be hurrying from one task to the next, while he - and not to sound ungrateful for the hospitality, which he very much was - perished from boredom and depression.

and besides that, he felt that he was forgetting something important. what was it he was here for...?

"oh, t'was the pharaoh tha' found me!" his mind was already on the next thing, tongue wagging quicker than the tail. "y'see, ah was on vacation with mah ma, n we was visitin' this friend o' hers, who had this beautiful cottage in-- oh was it oregon or washington? anyways-" 

he began walking in a random direction, expecting maegi to follow, as such a spirited retelling needed him to move his legs, else he'd end up gesturing so intensely with them it'd look like he's convulsing.

"-- we was supposed t' come alone, plus that friend n his girlfriend -- n that girl was a gold digger, we all knew but made no comment 'cause he was a cradle-snatcher 'imself and dear lawd ah've no idea why ma even hung out wi' him, but ah guess she knew him from her student days n yadda yadda -- anyways, we was packin', n ah was real excited 'cause the friend, mistah pond, had this cute lil' pup who ah jus' adored 'cause he was jus' the sweetest fellow n ah was lookin' forward to meetin' him again when in comes martin friedman!" his perky face scrunched with disgust. "ma had been datin' 'im some five months and ah jus' knew he was not all right in the heart, oh ah could almost smell it! and t'was that cur that got invited along to what was s'pposed t'be our vacation! the only thing he did well was drive us to the place without ma throwin' up more than twice, but after that it all just got worse."

a pebble was in his way, and gucci violently punted it away with all his strength. it did not fly far.

"first he started makin' eyes at mistah pond's girl, n ah tried ta get ma ta notice but she was deep, deep in th' bottle most o' the day. then, he started feedin' me leftovers. like ah was some stray! n of course he also kept bein' a downright villainous individual pesterin' me every moment he got, even once tryna use mah sweater t' extinguish his cigar!" he looked to maegi as if seeking confirmation that this was, indeed, the most heinous thing she'd ever heard, but turned his head back forward before taking in her reaction. "n there was a small million other things he did n said, but again ah mentioned his flirtatiousness wi' the girl 'cause that hurt me most, that he'd play wi' th' trust o' a woman as great n perfect as mah ma n make eyes at some college dropout wi' no loyalties or future. ah-nee-ways." 

he inhaled deeply, then exhaled softly.

"on the last day o' our stay, there was a party. just fine dinner, n some splashin' in the jacuzzi n lots of expensive champagne t' end the night. ma curled up on the couch wi' a bottle, but she was still conscious and when ah came close- oh ah can still remember that smile!" his eyes turned glossy with tears. "she pet mah head n called me her precious lil' boy n told me ta go outside t' do mah business, n ah did so, but as ah was goin' back in out stepped martin friedman." now he snarled. "he was drunk, ah could tell, but still ah was blind t' his nature then, n when he picked me up in his horrible hands ah did nawt protest. he took me, n took off down this winding road, n he must've walked a few hours 'tleast 'fore he found this flat place-" his head jerked to motion towards fairspell meadow. "- n jus' left me there! well, first he told me ta stay, which silly ol' me obeyed for three days! ah could've died out there, form exposure o-o' hawks, but thank every start in the sky, ah was found by the most wonderful pharaoh ramesses." the fuzzy tail wagged. "he led me t' th' mesa n got me fed n warmed, n promised t' extend this hospitality until mah owner... mah owner came back for me..." 

gucci's energetic prancing slowed down abruptly, until he stood in place. now he was terribly sad, thinking how likely that would never happen.

but, where were his manners? he turned his head and beamed at the other noble.

"but of course, a good talk takes two! how did you come to be one of akashingo?"

his tail wagged encouragingly.