[Flashback] Fine Arts on the Docks (Bob)

[Kendall Saarinen]

34th of Spring, 503 AV After waving goodbye to Layton, Kendall walked down the length of the Zeltivan docks. She knew soon Kel would be thinking about working with Layton on the docks. It worried her. She loved her brother a lot and what if he sailed away from her someday? She did not want to worry about it though. It was a beautiful day. The waves were quietly lapping against the docks and the gulls called over her head. As long as the gulls decided not leave her and presents she was sure the day would continue to be pleasant. Sitting down on the edge of the docks, the girl dangled her feet over the water as she pulled her notebook out. Kendall started out trying to draw. First the gulls flying over the sea. That was a bust. She really was not that good at drawing but she liked to try. Next she tried to draw the boats. They looked even worse than the gulls. With a sigh, she resorted to what she was better at, writing. First the writing was just sill strings of muse. A line about water, another about the sky, but soon it had moved forward into actual lines and constructive thoughts. At least constructive for a fourteen year old...

[Bob Barton]

Ahhhhh, the docks. The salty smell of seawater and the sweat of working men all mashed up into one for that unbearable stench. It could be worse, a lot more worse. People might be dumping things into the water. Things what cannot be carried into their ships for who knows what reason. Whatever could be inside those? Bob wouldn't know now or in the future because the people in Zeltiva would most likely not do that. Besides knowledge, the locals were were famous for the sea. Not so much as the Svefra who survive with Laviku's help and their tavan but the people of Zeltiva could always take pride that they have the protection of their navy and a steady supply of food from the sea.

Bob was here showing his national pride, seeing off one of the navy ships to their adventures in the Suvan and enjoying a mug of kelp beer. One of the benefits of being eighteen and living independently from an uncle was that Bob could enjoy the drink without being hassled by an older man who thinks that he knew better. Now a fourteen year old girl? She probably can't since no one would like to see such unladylike behavior. Have you ever seen a drunk lady? No? That is good. Because Bob had seen one before in a tavern and believe him when he says it was not a pretty sight.

Speaking of ladies, Bob spied on one sitting on the docks drawing? Writing? Should Bob be curious about that? Not really. There are more abnormal things which went about the docks though one would have to be there at night to actually see them so for now the girl was safe. What Bob was more curious about was with the allure of the docks to all these little girls. The docks and danger. If he could count back to all he could talk about one who fought back against a pack of bullies and another which went on treasure hunts before getting possessed by ghosts. In comparison what this girl was doing is completely innocent.

But no less dangerous. A sudden gust of wind might blow away the notebook from her hands if it did not push her down into the sea. Whether the Valterrian brought the need for people to be a lot more hardy, parents should take a lot more interest in their children's well being if they were too lazy to teach them properly especially the little girls who somehow always got into trouble. Walking up behind her Bob would ask her whether "is it a good idea to sit over there?" before taking another sip from the mug in his hands. She is Zeltiva raised. She should at least be able to come to a proper conclusion of what his words meant.

[Kendall Saarinen]

Kendall kept scribbling in her notebook, trying different rhymes and allusions. Whatever would fit. She had not expected anyone to really take notice of her. She was still just a kid. Someone had though. A voice sounded behind her, making her jump slightly and grip tightly to her notebook. A small eep exited her lips before she turned to look at the source of the voice. The man was not tall at all, especially for a voice which seemed to be deep enough for an older male. She bit her lip slightly, trying to think of a good answer. At least one that was not smart, as her mom would say. Older people just didn't understand. Even though she was fourteen, she was not stupid! So she was sitting on the edge of the docks. If she fell in she could swim. She wasn't a baby! With a small shrug she answered him. "I don't see why not. I have not fallen off yet." She was not sure if she was going to be easy going with this or get a bit sassy. While he mother kept telling her to be courteous to people older than her, she could not help but love a good argument or a well constructed retort. Granted, she was fourteen and really had no hope to making an intelligent retort to someone. It didn't stop her though. "Is it a good idea to drink?" She narrowed her eyes at him slightly. "My dad says it is bad for people to drink. It ruins their insides and makes them loopy." Closing her notebook, she turned around fully to face him. She was already feeling a bit bad about getting snappy with the man. She liked to be fresh but it never failed at she started to feel bad shortly afterwards. Kendall's mother had ground manners into her a little too well it seemed. "Anyways, the docks are the best place to write. I like to try drawing too but I'm not very good." She would not dare show the man her horrible drawing. She would be too embarrassed! "The sea is very inspirational though. There are birds, and breezes, and water as far as the eye can see." She shrugged slightly. "You can't get that all the way in the city where it is safe."

[Bob Barton]

Alas! Poor Bob himself could not swim and if he could not, why should he expect right away that another person could? Especially weak and frail little girls. They should just stay at home playing with their dolls or reading books instead of romancing about wild adventures or worse...actually going on some of their own. Worse still is if they dragged him along with them. Whoever said that a child's imagination is in the mind? All those monsters and villains? Bob has already experienced them for real and those would haunt him for the rest of his life or until something even scarier pops up. Like a zith! But that one was told to him by his uncle to force him to be good. You can never trust grown ups with all their ulterior motives.

Bob finished one more sip before replying "yet..." That was just the sort of word people would use when they expect something to happen to them. Thinking that should be reason enough for people to not sit on the docks but everyone would have to find out their own way. Hopefully for her it won't be a wet and airless death. If it did happen on the docks, surely one of the tough dockhands will jump down to save her after a little screaming by Bob. He cannot be expected to jump in because...he...had a mug of kelp beer in his hands. It would be pollution and a waste. No, that is not a poor excuse to avoid explaining that he cannot swim.

It was probably a bad idea for anyone to drink but then Bob being loopy could only be an improvement. No one should expect an intelligent argument from Bob unless it came out by accident. "And my uncle always said I would get eaten by a zith if I was a bad boy" he announced spreading out his arms to display his whole body. "As you can see I am still right here" taking a quick bow before continuing on about why "you should not trust the adults with anything they say" because the only thing anyone can get from it is a shattered life once the deceit comes to light.

The docks is never the place for young girls. "Only people with a strong body and strong arms to match would normally work around here. Wouldn't it be better to write and draw in a place like the university?" She might not be able to enter because of her age but it was only a suggestion.

"This place stinks of sweat and salt,
For once I'd say its not my fault,
But here I'll give some free advice,
Staying safe is always nice."

It might have been because Bob was feeling equally inspired because of the girl's innocence and honesty or as she said the kelp beer has just made him pretty loopy. But it still got the message across. The docks was not really a nice place to be and she really should go somewhere else before things go seriously wrong like they always do.

[Kendall Saarinen]

Kendall shrugged. If the man didn't believe her then clearly he was wrong. As most young teenagers, Kendall believed she knew best. Besides, this man didn't know her! What room did he have to judge! What Zeltivan couldn't swim? Kendall giggled lightly, looking the man over. "Yes, but are you a bad boy?" The man could have been perfectly mannered, the brunette would never have truly known. Of course, she had never heard that Zith ate only bad people. As far as she knew, they ate just about anyone. "Why not? My parents seem to do the best they can for me. They wouldn't lie to me!" Kendall's brow furrowed at the man's words. Her parents would never steer her wrong. They were her role models and her direction. It was their duty to make sure she was safe and a proper lady. "Maybe adults lie to you, but my parents are honest with me. I know they are." Kendall tried to look strong in front of the man but she could not help but worry a little. What if her parent did lie to her? "It might be but there are not any pretty scenes in the library. Only books and people shushing each other." Of course, if the girl ended up dead, scenes would matter very little. She'd be on her way to Black Rock. "If there are so many strong people then I should not worry, right? They will help me if I get into trouble." This may have been misguided thoughts on her part but you could not call the girl hopeless. She thought everyone had her best intentions in mind. She just failed to recognize that her best intentions were not everyone else's first priority. Kendall sighed slightly, and slipped her book back into her bag. "Fine, I'll head back to the city. You should join me. We can write poetry together. You seem good at it!" She motioned for the man to follow her and she walked back toward land, leaving the docks and boats behind.

[Bob Barton]

No one ever believed what Bob had to say. Not about places he lied were haunted houses and advised not to go because it looked old, ruined and dangerous but still turned out haunted in the end; and not about why people should not get involved with bullies. Incidents like that normally turned out bad in the end like he thought. They all could have been able to save a lot of trouble if they just listened to what he had to say instead of shrugging them off and allowing something to happen just like this young teenager.

Is the reason why because they all thought that he was "a bad boy?" By using that example, Bob was trying to prove that all adults are liars and not try and suggest that he was a bad boy. Sure he might have done a few bad things here and there but nothing which was enough to qualify him as bad. It would be a lot more appropriate if "you can call me a young man who wants to enjoy himself" raising the mug to show her just exactly how he intended to do it.

But why make this a conversation about how bad Bob can be or whether ziths preferred to eat bad people compared to everyone else? What started off as why she should not be sitting on the docks turned into something else and now parents. "You are lucky you got parents then" Bob said taking a sip in defiance of what her father said about drinking is for loopy people. He lost his parents in a fire but "I only have an uncle and he does not tell the truth." He did not exactly disprove that the adults do not lie but a person does not have to go and lie to not be honest. "Anyway, if you don't want to believe me then I am not the only one being lied to by adults." Remember back when Bob admitted that he was a young man? Man was what you referred to as an adult male young or not. Either she can say that Bob or her parents were lying but she cannot say that they both were telling the truth.

Bob put his finger to his lips and told her to "shush" for a moment when she was done being optimistic. "Here, you can only see the sea, ships and boring people working. In the library there are books which show other things" if she chose the one with plenty of pictures. Bob did not like it when people put too much faith on how nice other people were. While he knew quite a number of people at the docks he would not exactly call them friends. But knowing what kind of people they are he could say without a second thought "or...they could continue on with their work while the sea drowns out your cries for help." Where would Bob be? On the docks where it was nice and dry. If he was still around then maybe he would try calling for help but that would waste a lot of time.

It came to Bob as a surprise that his poor attempts at poetry had worked. It only came out at suddenly in the moment. After that he reasoned that he was Bob and that everything he did turned out well to other people. At least it did its job to get the girl off the docks but did she expect Bob to do more poetry? "I don't like poetry." It was just a one time deal but he just followed behind her at least until she safely got into a building since he had nothing better to do yet.