Chalkboard ponderings…

(The Provinces: Uthmor 362)

A concerned passerby ambles up to the bar, cautiously glancing around the bar.

"Baresh my good man! Long time no see, I am glad to see the place still standing," sighing heavily the passerby continues, "However, I am troubled deeply by something."

Baresh raises an eyebrow and inquires, "What troubles ye my old friend?"

The passerby points towards the well-used chalkboard in a shady corner of the building.

"That is what troubles me Baresh. Have you stopped lately to read the absolute FILTH that is being scrawled there while yer back is turned?"

Baresh pauses for a moment and glances over at the chalkboard, "No, I have not, what with all the activity of late I neglected to watch it." Baresh yells over to a nearby scribe to toss him the chalkboard.

The passerby watches as the hairs on the back of Baresh’s neck begin to bristle. Baresh’s eyes glance quickly from the chalkboard to the bar crowd and back again.

Suddenly Baresh throws the chalkboard to the furthest corner of the bar in obvious disgust.

"I can’t believe you people!" Baresh howls, quite obviously angry.

The passerby nods quietly to Baresh, "I thought you might be interested in seeing that. Perhaps you might urge the owner to either post a guard near that thing..or simply remove it all together. It has become quite an eyesore I must say, and not at all like it used to be."

Baresh nods sadly, "Aye, aye…"

As the passerby draws his cloak around him and heads back out the door, Baresh is already bending over the chalkboard with the eraser. Once it is cleaned off, he writes with deliberate motions and large letters. Nodding at the finished product, he rounds up all the chalk in the house, pockets it and puts the chalkboard back up.

"I’m going to have to talk to Miss Dream about whether she wants to keep this or not. It’s getting to be more trouble than it’s worth."