I see I have the honour to inaugurate this new sub forum.
Have felt the need for more lightheartedness in my life these last few days. So I decided to write a little tarot related story and get out of my head a bit. It's just the beginning but I'd really like to share it with you. I have no pretences to having written anything of literary value. But I really enjoyed writing it and it made me smile. I hope it makes you smile as well.
If there is an interest, I will post the rest when I write it. You're welcome to comment if you have anything to say.
A FEW DAYS IN TAROTIA
Dear X,
I’m going to Tarotia for a holiday. Leaving tomorrow. I’ve never gone before but I’ve read so much about it. I don’t know what I’ll visit. I haven’t made any plans at all. If I want to go left I’ll go left or right, and if I want to go right I’ll go right or left). I’ll just amble along and admire the views and panorama. Can’t wait to discover this country that I’m told is amazing.
I don’t know when I’ll be back. So please can you water the plants as usual ? I’ll bring you back a super duper souvenir from Tarotia.
Take care !
Z
********************************
A DIARY OF SORTS
DAY 1
So when I crossed the border, there were these weird little creatures like sphinxes guarding it. One of them was busy fixing a huge wooden wheel and grumbling about it loudly. I was told that I had no other option but to take the Chariot shuttle that was just ready to leave with other passengers in it, because today no-one was allowed to walk in the area where I was for “security reasons”. The creature looked rather nervous. I make it a general rule not to argue with sphinxes or creatures that look like sphinxes, so I climbed up.
The carriage was full, so I had to sit next to the driver up in front. I liked that. The two horses were splendid. One blue and one red. They seem to have different breeds of horses in Tarotia. The driver was all dressed up like he was going to a fancy dress party or something. Real elegant he was. Actually, he told me later that he was in fact going to a fancy dress party and that normally he dresses in a long robe as it’s more comfortable than trousers. It was a gift to him from a friend of his, Hermy, who lives in the forest all by himself. He was a very chatty person, this charioteer. Nice fellow. I forgot to ask him his name.
Anyway, he told me then that the King was organising a ball that evening and that’s why he was dressed up so funny. The ball was in honour of one of the King's favourite Knights who was leaving him after a long and faithful service to get married to another Knight. First gay marriage in the Kingdom, he told me. I said that that seemed odd that it was only the first because Tarotia was not known for prejudice and narrow mindedness and stupidity, on the contrary. But he explained to me that the present King, when he was born, had been born kind of “reversed” and this had addled his brain and that he’s the worst king they’ve ever had. Everyone hates him. He isn’t even prejudiced or narrow-minded. He just likes making people miserable. It’s his favourite pastime. All the laws he passes or doesn’t pass, all the decrees, are aimed at making people miserable. But he had agreed to the marriage as it was part of some kind of politico-economico agreement between two kingdoms.
He also told me the next sovereign in line is everyone’s favourite person in all the realms. They call her affectionately “Cuppa” (pronounced koooohpa, a really long sounding “ooooh”) which comes from one of their dialects and it means “Heart.” But a King can’t be deposed in Tarotia. It’s against their constitution. So they’re stuck with the reversed one until he kicks the bucket.
So the journey went quickly in the pleasant company of the charioteer and soon he dropped me off in the nearest town. I had tried to get him to talk about those “security reasons” that the guards had mentioned but he said he couldn’t tell me because of “security reasons”. I asked him if he had ever read Kafka, but he said he never reads books. Anyway, I reckon that if the King is so unpopular, then the reason for these “security reasons” is pretty clear. A little palace intrigue, some political unrest and boom! he’s found dead as a doorknob in his bed one morning. That would cheer everyone up!
So I decided to look for a hotel to stay the night. It was starting to get dark. There was this sort of skyscraper that I could see outlined on the outskirts of the town. There was a flashing neon sign on top of it that said “Tower Hotel – Vacancies”. So I thought that if I could get a room on the top floor, I’d have an incredible view over the town and the countryside when I woke in the morning.
About twenty minutes walk I estimated and I needed to stretch my legs. So off I went.
This forum is officially closed. It will however remain online and active in a limited form for the time being.
A Few Days in Tarotia
A Few Days in Tarotia
Rumi was asked “which music sound is haram?” Rumi replied, "The sound of tablespoons playing in the pots of the rich, which are heard by the ears of the poor and hungry." (haram means forbidden)
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Joan Marie
- Forum Designer
- Sage
- Posts: 5308
- Joined: 22 Apr 2018, 21:52
Re: A Few Days in Tarotia
This looks fun to write. I always like the diary format in novels.
Button Soup Tarot, Star & Crown Oracle available @: Rabbit's Moon Tarot 
Re: A Few Days in Tarotia
DAY 2
Night wasn’t very peaceful. They play this piped music all the time. Always the same song over and over on a loop. The first line is “Roll up roll up for the Mystery Tour”. I went down to speak to the receptionist. He’s this really old man who wears a sort of tall woolly bonnet on his head. I asked him if he could please turn off the music. And he answered : “Praise God with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre”. I took this to be a no. He was a bit of a shifty old geyser. Never really looked you in the eye.
I’d managed to book a room at the top of the hotel. When I woke, it was a bit overcast but no sign of rain. Great view from up there. Rolling hills beyond the town which was really pretty as all the buildings are painted in bright colours. I sat on the balcony admiring it for a while and then when down to breakfast. The breakfast was weighed on a scale by a woman holding a sword which she used, as far as I could make out, to cut bread into slices. Personally I think this is a bit of an overkill, but to each his own.
I sat at a table where there were already two other people. We got chatting about this and that. Then they asked me whether I’d found a place to sleep that night. I told them that I might stay one more night at the Tower Hotel but hadn’t decided yet. They told me then that I couldn’t stay at the Tower Hotel another night because it was Blue Tuesday. They saw I was puzzled so they explained that Blue Tuesday is the one and only public holiday in Tarotia. It’s such an old sacred tradition that even the King wouldn’t dream of not respecting it. Every 10 years, on Blue Tuesday, the top of the Tower Hotel is blown off in a controlled explosion and then there’s a huge firework display and dancing and music and banquets and other festivities. I asked them why they had to blow up the top of the hotel. They said that hundreds and thousands of years ago in Tarotia, as written in their sacred books, a Blue dove came down from the heavens and when she touched the top of the Tower with her wings (it wasn’t a hotel in those days) it just kind of exploded and out of it pieces of gold and silver came showering down. They keep on hoping the Blue dove will come back and that if they blow up the tower every Blue Tuesday, she will one day hear their call and everyone will be rich again.
I went for a long walk in the hills. Nothing special to report but I had a lovely time. Very unusual trees they have. There was one kind that sort of moved around in circles like they were dancing. And one that rained down golden glitter. Then in the evening, I checked out of the hotel and walked down to the town. Apart from a dog following a beggar, there was no-one in the streets. The shops were all shuttered up. There were no moving vehicles nor any sign of any activity whatsoever. Blue Tuesday, I supposed. So I thought, like the dog, I’d follow the beggar and see where he was heading. He walked slowly because he was a bit lame. He had a sturdy walking stick though. He noticed I was following him so he waited up for me and we went on our way together. We didn’t exchange much but our interaction was friendly. I did ask him though if the dog was his but he said it was a stray and that it was a nice dog, but a bit too yappy at times. Then he said he was going down to the river to have a wash and that he’d be happy to show me his favourite bathing place.
And that’s what I did.
Night wasn’t very peaceful. They play this piped music all the time. Always the same song over and over on a loop. The first line is “Roll up roll up for the Mystery Tour”. I went down to speak to the receptionist. He’s this really old man who wears a sort of tall woolly bonnet on his head. I asked him if he could please turn off the music. And he answered : “Praise God with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre”. I took this to be a no. He was a bit of a shifty old geyser. Never really looked you in the eye.
I’d managed to book a room at the top of the hotel. When I woke, it was a bit overcast but no sign of rain. Great view from up there. Rolling hills beyond the town which was really pretty as all the buildings are painted in bright colours. I sat on the balcony admiring it for a while and then when down to breakfast. The breakfast was weighed on a scale by a woman holding a sword which she used, as far as I could make out, to cut bread into slices. Personally I think this is a bit of an overkill, but to each his own.
I sat at a table where there were already two other people. We got chatting about this and that. Then they asked me whether I’d found a place to sleep that night. I told them that I might stay one more night at the Tower Hotel but hadn’t decided yet. They told me then that I couldn’t stay at the Tower Hotel another night because it was Blue Tuesday. They saw I was puzzled so they explained that Blue Tuesday is the one and only public holiday in Tarotia. It’s such an old sacred tradition that even the King wouldn’t dream of not respecting it. Every 10 years, on Blue Tuesday, the top of the Tower Hotel is blown off in a controlled explosion and then there’s a huge firework display and dancing and music and banquets and other festivities. I asked them why they had to blow up the top of the hotel. They said that hundreds and thousands of years ago in Tarotia, as written in their sacred books, a Blue dove came down from the heavens and when she touched the top of the Tower with her wings (it wasn’t a hotel in those days) it just kind of exploded and out of it pieces of gold and silver came showering down. They keep on hoping the Blue dove will come back and that if they blow up the tower every Blue Tuesday, she will one day hear their call and everyone will be rich again.
I went for a long walk in the hills. Nothing special to report but I had a lovely time. Very unusual trees they have. There was one kind that sort of moved around in circles like they were dancing. And one that rained down golden glitter. Then in the evening, I checked out of the hotel and walked down to the town. Apart from a dog following a beggar, there was no-one in the streets. The shops were all shuttered up. There were no moving vehicles nor any sign of any activity whatsoever. Blue Tuesday, I supposed. So I thought, like the dog, I’d follow the beggar and see where he was heading. He walked slowly because he was a bit lame. He had a sturdy walking stick though. He noticed I was following him so he waited up for me and we went on our way together. We didn’t exchange much but our interaction was friendly. I did ask him though if the dog was his but he said it was a stray and that it was a nice dog, but a bit too yappy at times. Then he said he was going down to the river to have a wash and that he’d be happy to show me his favourite bathing place.
And that’s what I did.
Rumi was asked “which music sound is haram?” Rumi replied, "The sound of tablespoons playing in the pots of the rich, which are heard by the ears of the poor and hungry." (haram means forbidden)
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Myperception
- Sage
- Posts: 436
- Joined: 18 Jan 2019, 09:16
Re: A Few Days in Tarotia
DAY 3
I slept by the river overnight and woke when the sun rose. I hadn’t gone to the Blue Tuesday festival. There was this waterfall and millions of stars in the sky, you see. A woman came down every hour to the river to empty some pots. I asked her what the purpose was. She said she had no idea but that everyone in Tarotia had to carry out for up to 78 days one of three missions : the Wine Quest, the Bread Quest and the Water Quest. She said she’d applied for the Wine one but sadly got the Water one. I asked her if she wasn’t curious to know why she had to do it. She said no. Then she looked up to the stars and mumbled some kind of incantation.
Before the beggar left yesterday after taking his bath, he asked her if she knew when the wheel would be fixed. She said to “tell the townfolk that the Wolf Star is shining brighter and brighter and that it shouldn’t be long now”. I reckoned they were talking about the wheel that one of those sphinx like guards was trying to fix when I crossed the border.
So I spent most of the day at the river. Mid afternoon I left and walked in the direction of a forest east of the river. I remembered that the charioteer had spoken of his friend Hermy who lived alone in a forest. The one who had gifted him his robe. So I thought why not go and see if I come across this Hermy. When I got near to the forest, I saw two people standing there. One was tattooed from head to foot and carrying a lighted torch in his hand. The other was disguised as a skeleton. A darn good disguise too. He looked the real thing. He even had a scythe. When I reached them the tattooed one put up his free hand and said in a deep voice “NONE SHALL PASS”. The skeleton guy told him if he didn’t shut up with his None Shall Pass that he’d cut off his head, so the tattooed guy said ok, I could pass.
Beautiful forest. I think they must rake the leaves (
) because everything looks like it’s tended by a team of English country gardeners. Spick and span. I met a guy on the way. He was doing some kind of yoga. Hanging upside down from a tree by one leg. I said hello but he ignored me.
I came to a clearing and there was Hermy. I introduced myself. But he wasn’t really the type for introductions. He just said “hold this lantern up for me as high as you can for a few seconds will you”. So I did and then he said “Ah, now I get it.” I looked inside the lantern. There wasn’t anything to light it. I asked him how it worked. He said that as far as could figure out, it’s to do with “some kind of invisible light that emanates from the person holding it”. He said he was going to use it to look for comet mushrooms. With this lantern they’d now be much easier to find. I told him we don’t have comet mushrooms where I come from. He said he’d guessed that already, or else the lantern would have given more light when I held it high. Then we talked lanterns for a while and I told him about Aladdin and his Magic Lamp. He was most interested. But then he had to go and do his foraging and I continued on my way.
I passed by a woman who was fiddling around with two sort of urns. Pouring some liquid from one to another and then back again and then readjusting the level and then pouring in some more or pouring it back. Fiddling, like I said. As I walked by, she spoke to me : “Can you believe it ? I asked for the Water Quest and they gave me this darn Wine Quest. I wonder who got the Water one. But at least I only have to do it for 14 days.” I nodded sympathetically but didn’t stop to talk. She looked like she needed to concentrate.
And it was anyway time for me to find a place to stay for the night.
I slept by the river overnight and woke when the sun rose. I hadn’t gone to the Blue Tuesday festival. There was this waterfall and millions of stars in the sky, you see. A woman came down every hour to the river to empty some pots. I asked her what the purpose was. She said she had no idea but that everyone in Tarotia had to carry out for up to 78 days one of three missions : the Wine Quest, the Bread Quest and the Water Quest. She said she’d applied for the Wine one but sadly got the Water one. I asked her if she wasn’t curious to know why she had to do it. She said no. Then she looked up to the stars and mumbled some kind of incantation.
Before the beggar left yesterday after taking his bath, he asked her if she knew when the wheel would be fixed. She said to “tell the townfolk that the Wolf Star is shining brighter and brighter and that it shouldn’t be long now”. I reckoned they were talking about the wheel that one of those sphinx like guards was trying to fix when I crossed the border.
So I spent most of the day at the river. Mid afternoon I left and walked in the direction of a forest east of the river. I remembered that the charioteer had spoken of his friend Hermy who lived alone in a forest. The one who had gifted him his robe. So I thought why not go and see if I come across this Hermy. When I got near to the forest, I saw two people standing there. One was tattooed from head to foot and carrying a lighted torch in his hand. The other was disguised as a skeleton. A darn good disguise too. He looked the real thing. He even had a scythe. When I reached them the tattooed one put up his free hand and said in a deep voice “NONE SHALL PASS”. The skeleton guy told him if he didn’t shut up with his None Shall Pass that he’d cut off his head, so the tattooed guy said ok, I could pass.
Beautiful forest. I think they must rake the leaves (
) because everything looks like it’s tended by a team of English country gardeners. Spick and span. I met a guy on the way. He was doing some kind of yoga. Hanging upside down from a tree by one leg. I said hello but he ignored me. I came to a clearing and there was Hermy. I introduced myself. But he wasn’t really the type for introductions. He just said “hold this lantern up for me as high as you can for a few seconds will you”. So I did and then he said “Ah, now I get it.” I looked inside the lantern. There wasn’t anything to light it. I asked him how it worked. He said that as far as could figure out, it’s to do with “some kind of invisible light that emanates from the person holding it”. He said he was going to use it to look for comet mushrooms. With this lantern they’d now be much easier to find. I told him we don’t have comet mushrooms where I come from. He said he’d guessed that already, or else the lantern would have given more light when I held it high. Then we talked lanterns for a while and I told him about Aladdin and his Magic Lamp. He was most interested. But then he had to go and do his foraging and I continued on my way.
I passed by a woman who was fiddling around with two sort of urns. Pouring some liquid from one to another and then back again and then readjusting the level and then pouring in some more or pouring it back. Fiddling, like I said. As I walked by, she spoke to me : “Can you believe it ? I asked for the Water Quest and they gave me this darn Wine Quest. I wonder who got the Water one. But at least I only have to do it for 14 days.” I nodded sympathetically but didn’t stop to talk. She looked like she needed to concentrate.
And it was anyway time for me to find a place to stay for the night.
Rumi was asked “which music sound is haram?” Rumi replied, "The sound of tablespoons playing in the pots of the rich, which are heard by the ears of the poor and hungry." (haram means forbidden)
Re: A Few Days in Tarotia
DAY 4
I found a really nice place to stay the night. I’ll tell you how I found it.
When I arrived at the other side of the forest, night had already fallen. The moon was shining bright. Two little dogs were drinking from a puddle of water. One of them was the one who had been following the beggar. So I looked around and saw him sitting on a wall watching me. I went over to sit with him. There were two kids on the other side of the wall. They were dressed up like sumo wrestlers and were practicing some kind of martial art. They sort of poked each other in different places on their bodies and this caused them to fall or to faint or to freeze. They saw us and came over to talk. They told me that they were adepts of the North Star and one of their obligations was to master secret vital points. Once they’d mastered that, they would be allowed to go down into a deep cavern where they would live alone in darkness for 40 days and if they didn’t go mad down there which most people do, when they came out they’d receive a golden trumpet as a reward. I asked them what a golden trumpet can be used for. They said it made a great alarm clock and also one can sell it for a lot of money on the black market.
Anyway, they told me that they lived in a shack up the hill with their mother and grandmother and that I could go and stay the night. The shack was pretty ancient but comfortable. The mother was real kind. Sort of an arty type but kind of discrete. The grandmother I didn’t really get to speak too much. She spent the whole time playing a game on a sort of tablet. She told me it was called Rune Crash. Runes come tumbling down and you have to sort them out real quick before they reach the bottom. She tried to teach me but there were 42 runes to learn and so I gave up and played secret vital points with the kids. I spent the evening falling, fainting and being frozen. It was great fun. Only I didn’t sleep at all because they’d forgotten to unfreeze me so I spent the night shivering until the kids woke up.
I went off early the next morning for a change. On the way, the charioteer that I’d seen on the first day passed me by. He stopped his horses with a cheery smile and asked if I wanted a ride. I said no thanks, I felt like walking. I asked him where he was heading. He said there were rumours from the border so he was going to check on them. A voice yelled from the carriage “get a move on you idiot! no time to waste”. And a little sphinx-like head peered out from the window. The charioteer wished me a pleasant day and rode off.
I walked down a sandy path to the bottom of a hill where there was this statue of a lioness that turned into a woman and then back into a lioness. I read the inscription : “Beware the Woman when She becomes a Lioness”. And under it was written in small letters “lest one forget”. It was kind of hypnotic that changing all the time. After a while you didn’t know whether you were looking at a lioness or a woman, they sort of blurred together. I found it hard to turn my gaze from it. What helped was that suddenly a huge flock of enormous birds flew overhead. The rush of wings sounded more like a strong wind. Then a troop of buffaloes swept past making a noise like thunder followed by a little kitten who didn’t seem to really know what it was doing there. And then this man suddenly appeared and asked me whether I’d seen his halo as he’d lost it somewhere.
But before I could answer, a huge lightning bolt fell from the sky and I felt like the world was spinning. It spun faster and faster and faster and I could see images and there was a King who was lying dead in his bed and then there was a hailstorm and people celebrating in the streets and then I saw the mother of the two kids who I’d played with the night before and she was sitting on a throne with two lion cubs on either side and I saw this huge wheel turning and turning and turning. And then I saw the beggar. I called out to him “when will this spinning stop, it’s hurting my head" and I just managed to hear him say “can’t stop to talk, am travelling between two worlds” before he disappeared and then suddenly the world stopped spinning and I was still standing in front of the statue only it was now a statue of an Empress but her eyes were those of a Lioness.
DAY 5
Dear X,
I’m staying in Tarotia for quite some time longer. So keep an eye on the house please. You can even sell it if you wish.
I’m sending you a souvenir by post as I don’t know when we’ll see each other again. I won’t tell you what it is. It’s a surprise.
Take care !
Z
I found a really nice place to stay the night. I’ll tell you how I found it.
When I arrived at the other side of the forest, night had already fallen. The moon was shining bright. Two little dogs were drinking from a puddle of water. One of them was the one who had been following the beggar. So I looked around and saw him sitting on a wall watching me. I went over to sit with him. There were two kids on the other side of the wall. They were dressed up like sumo wrestlers and were practicing some kind of martial art. They sort of poked each other in different places on their bodies and this caused them to fall or to faint or to freeze. They saw us and came over to talk. They told me that they were adepts of the North Star and one of their obligations was to master secret vital points. Once they’d mastered that, they would be allowed to go down into a deep cavern where they would live alone in darkness for 40 days and if they didn’t go mad down there which most people do, when they came out they’d receive a golden trumpet as a reward. I asked them what a golden trumpet can be used for. They said it made a great alarm clock and also one can sell it for a lot of money on the black market.
Anyway, they told me that they lived in a shack up the hill with their mother and grandmother and that I could go and stay the night. The shack was pretty ancient but comfortable. The mother was real kind. Sort of an arty type but kind of discrete. The grandmother I didn’t really get to speak too much. She spent the whole time playing a game on a sort of tablet. She told me it was called Rune Crash. Runes come tumbling down and you have to sort them out real quick before they reach the bottom. She tried to teach me but there were 42 runes to learn and so I gave up and played secret vital points with the kids. I spent the evening falling, fainting and being frozen. It was great fun. Only I didn’t sleep at all because they’d forgotten to unfreeze me so I spent the night shivering until the kids woke up.
I went off early the next morning for a change. On the way, the charioteer that I’d seen on the first day passed me by. He stopped his horses with a cheery smile and asked if I wanted a ride. I said no thanks, I felt like walking. I asked him where he was heading. He said there were rumours from the border so he was going to check on them. A voice yelled from the carriage “get a move on you idiot! no time to waste”. And a little sphinx-like head peered out from the window. The charioteer wished me a pleasant day and rode off.
I walked down a sandy path to the bottom of a hill where there was this statue of a lioness that turned into a woman and then back into a lioness. I read the inscription : “Beware the Woman when She becomes a Lioness”. And under it was written in small letters “lest one forget”. It was kind of hypnotic that changing all the time. After a while you didn’t know whether you were looking at a lioness or a woman, they sort of blurred together. I found it hard to turn my gaze from it. What helped was that suddenly a huge flock of enormous birds flew overhead. The rush of wings sounded more like a strong wind. Then a troop of buffaloes swept past making a noise like thunder followed by a little kitten who didn’t seem to really know what it was doing there. And then this man suddenly appeared and asked me whether I’d seen his halo as he’d lost it somewhere.
But before I could answer, a huge lightning bolt fell from the sky and I felt like the world was spinning. It spun faster and faster and faster and I could see images and there was a King who was lying dead in his bed and then there was a hailstorm and people celebrating in the streets and then I saw the mother of the two kids who I’d played with the night before and she was sitting on a throne with two lion cubs on either side and I saw this huge wheel turning and turning and turning. And then I saw the beggar. I called out to him “when will this spinning stop, it’s hurting my head" and I just managed to hear him say “can’t stop to talk, am travelling between two worlds” before he disappeared and then suddenly the world stopped spinning and I was still standing in front of the statue only it was now a statue of an Empress but her eyes were those of a Lioness.
DAY 5
Dear X,
I’m staying in Tarotia for quite some time longer. So keep an eye on the house please. You can even sell it if you wish.
I’m sending you a souvenir by post as I don’t know when we’ll see each other again. I won’t tell you what it is. It’s a surprise.
Take care !
Z
Rumi was asked “which music sound is haram?” Rumi replied, "The sound of tablespoons playing in the pots of the rich, which are heard by the ears of the poor and hungry." (haram means forbidden)
Re: A Few Days in Tarotia
Well my story to lighten up my Tarot universe with a bit of humour is over.
I really enjoyed doing it. Making sure that all the Majors were included. Loads and loads of Tarot references (only understandable to those who know the Tarot of Marseille) plus some other little winks and nudges. If anyone is curious about a reference that they don't understand, I'd be happy to oblige and explain.
Now I will return to some more serious studies !
I really enjoyed doing it. Making sure that all the Majors were included. Loads and loads of Tarot references (only understandable to those who know the Tarot of Marseille) plus some other little winks and nudges. If anyone is curious about a reference that they don't understand, I'd be happy to oblige and explain.
Now I will return to some more serious studies !
Rumi was asked “which music sound is haram?” Rumi replied, "The sound of tablespoons playing in the pots of the rich, which are heard by the ears of the poor and hungry." (haram means forbidden)
Re: A Few Days in Tarotia
Dear Z,
You've not been back from Tarotia. Are you planning to stay there for good ? I'm still living at your place. The swimming pool broke through - it flooded things so we use it now as a sort of exotic sunken garden.
I want to know if I can come and visit you. I wouldn't mind visiting Tarotia and seeing what all the hype is all about.
Look forward to hearing from you,
X.
********************
Dear X,
I don't know if I'm going to stay for good. But right now, I can't leave. And neither can anyone come in. The borders are fully closed and sealed. They've even built a wall. Brick wall. Apparently better than metal sheets that may not hold up in a strong wind. They got the school kids to help build it as part of their vocational training and contribution to the community. There's a lot of kids now in Tarotia. There was a huge baby boom when the Queen of Cups took over.
Now you're probably wondering why the borders are all closed up. Because life under the new ruler was supposed to be a sort of paradise. The Queen of Cups you know. And it was for a while. Everything was fantastic. There's freedom and liberty now. Enough work for everyone and good social conditions. Maternity and paternity leave is now 5 years per parent. Education completely overhauled, like you saw - kids learn life skills as well now. And there's great cultural activities and everyone is well looked after. It's a sort of high class welfare state. No-one is neglected nor left out.
The borders are sealed because the Sacred Cup of Hallowed Jade has been stolen. And no-one is allowed to leave this place nor come in until every single inhabitant over the age of 7 is interrogated individually. It's taking a long time. Because the Justice department is refusing to work overtime due to their collective labour agreement that they managed to push through with their trade union. They're doing their four hour shift a day, with a break for tea and bread and jam at 10am and also some yoga or dancing to free their minds a bit.
There are still about 96'500 people to be interrogated. It's going to take a few years I think.
My friend the Charioteer told me about the Sacred Cup of Hallowed Jade. It was found by the great great great grandfather of Hermie, the old guy with the lantern who lives in the forest. He found it in a grotto where he was eating his lunch of blue mushroom stew. He said when he touched it, it spoke in a strange and foreign tongue and that the words were translated in letters by little shining lights fluttering in the air. And the letters spelled out "If you lose me again, my wrath will be great". The Charioteer told me that the family of Hermie have always seen visions and things. So it's really important that it's found.
I'll write and tell you of any evolution in the situation.
Z.
P.S. Sounds nice the sunken exotic garden.
You've not been back from Tarotia. Are you planning to stay there for good ? I'm still living at your place. The swimming pool broke through - it flooded things so we use it now as a sort of exotic sunken garden.
I want to know if I can come and visit you. I wouldn't mind visiting Tarotia and seeing what all the hype is all about.
Look forward to hearing from you,
X.
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Dear X,
I don't know if I'm going to stay for good. But right now, I can't leave. And neither can anyone come in. The borders are fully closed and sealed. They've even built a wall. Brick wall. Apparently better than metal sheets that may not hold up in a strong wind. They got the school kids to help build it as part of their vocational training and contribution to the community. There's a lot of kids now in Tarotia. There was a huge baby boom when the Queen of Cups took over.
Now you're probably wondering why the borders are all closed up. Because life under the new ruler was supposed to be a sort of paradise. The Queen of Cups you know. And it was for a while. Everything was fantastic. There's freedom and liberty now. Enough work for everyone and good social conditions. Maternity and paternity leave is now 5 years per parent. Education completely overhauled, like you saw - kids learn life skills as well now. And there's great cultural activities and everyone is well looked after. It's a sort of high class welfare state. No-one is neglected nor left out.
The borders are sealed because the Sacred Cup of Hallowed Jade has been stolen. And no-one is allowed to leave this place nor come in until every single inhabitant over the age of 7 is interrogated individually. It's taking a long time. Because the Justice department is refusing to work overtime due to their collective labour agreement that they managed to push through with their trade union. They're doing their four hour shift a day, with a break for tea and bread and jam at 10am and also some yoga or dancing to free their minds a bit.
There are still about 96'500 people to be interrogated. It's going to take a few years I think.
My friend the Charioteer told me about the Sacred Cup of Hallowed Jade. It was found by the great great great grandfather of Hermie, the old guy with the lantern who lives in the forest. He found it in a grotto where he was eating his lunch of blue mushroom stew. He said when he touched it, it spoke in a strange and foreign tongue and that the words were translated in letters by little shining lights fluttering in the air. And the letters spelled out "If you lose me again, my wrath will be great". The Charioteer told me that the family of Hermie have always seen visions and things. So it's really important that it's found.
I'll write and tell you of any evolution in the situation.
Z.
P.S. Sounds nice the sunken exotic garden.
Rumi was asked “which music sound is haram?” Rumi replied, "The sound of tablespoons playing in the pots of the rich, which are heard by the ears of the poor and hungry." (haram means forbidden)
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SaturnCeleste
- Seer
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- Joined: 20 Jul 2018, 22:30
Re: A Few Days in Tarotia
This is a wonderful story, Diana! And such a great idea!! Keep it up!!
By the way I noticed you have Redemption song on your signature. I have a wonderful version for you from Playing for Change. His son, Stephen is on the song also.
By the way I noticed you have Redemption song on your signature. I have a wonderful version for you from Playing for Change. His son, Stephen is on the song also.
Re: A Few Days in Tarotia
Thank you ! I enjoyed very much in the first chapters to find some off the wall TdM references.SaturnCeleste wrote: ↑18 Feb 2020, 19:55 This is a wonderful story, Diana! And such a great idea!! Keep it up!!
By the way I noticed you have Redemption song on your signature. I have a wonderful version for you from Playing for Change. His son, Stephen is on the song also.
Oh, thanks for the version of Redemption Song. I did know it, but if I hadn't, I would have been sorry to have missed it. I often watch Playing for Change. I find it really wonderful all these people all over the world playing the same song. It sort of makes one all warm inside, doesn't it?
I listen mostly to reggae when I'm studying and playing with the Tarot. And it's a LOT of Bob Marley. I can't imagine my life without Bob Marley.
Rumi was asked “which music sound is haram?” Rumi replied, "The sound of tablespoons playing in the pots of the rich, which are heard by the ears of the poor and hungry." (haram means forbidden)