Whew. Jim finally decided to leave. About damn time. It's funny. Normally, I don't mind the whole mother hen, big brother slash father figure slash best friend thing he does, but a guy's gotta have some time alone every now and then. And what I'm planning to spend my evening doing so does not need a nosy Sentinel around.
Jeeze, I thought I put it in this drawer. I mean, yeah, burying it beneath my old summer clothes (Shorts in cascade? Yeah right! Needs to stop raining first) was a good idea, but I coulda sworn there wasn't that much junk in here but I shoulda found the damn shoebox by now but instead it's just the same - eww, I actually bought that?? Yuck. Man, now that is something that's gonna be hiding in the trashcan next garbage day!
Ah hah! There you are! Nike's best, now home of memories. Interesting symbolism, victory of the past, or would it be victory over the past?... something to think about. Soon as I can get this open.... I said.... Hel-lo! Come on, you - this is a knot, not superglue so open up already stupid string what the hell is with you give already -
Hell with it. Always more string. Swiss army knife: gotta love it. Suppose saying never leave home without it would be redundant, considering I'm still home?
Home. Pretty amazing, really. All these mementoes from my life, stuffing a shoebox to overflowing, and not a one is from some place I'd label home....
Pretty depressing, too. All those places Naomi and I went to, growing up, all those people, a good two dozen various pictures, and I don't even remember some of them. Story of my life - literally.
Ok, no need to go over those much. First half of my life, sure, but come on, I'm done with that scene. Well, the overt bits, that is. I doubt Jim'll ever convince me Wonderburger is edible, let alone those awful buttermilk doughnuts, but 'health food only' is just not enough for me anymore. The occasional hot dog is good for you.
Enough with the hippie Blair. On to college. Jeeze, I was a snot nosed little brat, wasn't I? Sixteen, knew everything there was to know about everything and happy to tell everyone. I'm amazed I survived my first year.
Oh wow. My first expedition... Guatemala with Dr. Stoddard.... God that was fun. Two of my three great discoveries there. I still remember Eli telling me about Richard Burton and his discovery of Sentinels.... 'Just a campfire story, Blair. But remember that truth provides the roots for myths. Maybe someday you'll find the roots of Sentinels.' I wonder if he heard yet, down there in Borneo, about me and my "falsified" diss. Heh. It doesn't hurt so much anymore. I can say it now. Yeah it still hurts to lose that dream, but god damn I'm ready for the new one. Me and my third great discovery.
Ah. There you are. Discovery number two. Damn, that's a cruddy photo. Fuzzy red and white blur. Well, I know it's real. Only question is what the hell was it? Not many red anthropomorphic snakes with wings running around legends, especially with a jewelry fetish and a white mohawk. Quetzalcoatl, maybe? Certainly fits the almost benevolent outlook - ok, so he wasn't really a good guy, but considering all the alternative sacrifices they used he was pretty cool. Whatever it was saved me from.... Whoa, shaman moment. It was a jaguar. Well, Jim's spirit guide is the panther, I'm a wolf, Alex is the jaguar.... so who's the antho snake?
Ok, so maybe it wasn't a shaman thing after all, and just a snake thingy saving my rear. But I'm willing to swear that was the same critter that trashed our camp the next night. Right before we got to that pyramid. Sure seems to fit old Quetzy's M.O.
Now there's a regret for ya. Not exploring the pyramid and not finding out what that critter was. Oh well. Someday. If I can parachute into Peru with Jim to find Simon, I'm sure we can take a few days off at some point to go poking around Guatemala for a snake critter thingy. Might even get Naomi to come along. With her obsession for gargoyles, it'd be right up her alley.
I'm still surprised she's taking this so well. Naomi Sandburg's baby boy, a pig. Not just the settled anthropologist, but a cop out to enforce tyranny and all that. But it's what I want, maybe even who I really am.
My Sentinel's Guide. Moving on from academia to law enforcement makes sense, I mean, the ancient Guides had to go out with their Sentinels and do the whole protection thing, so it was probably expected they be warriors. Not like they stopped at calling for backup on the drums or whatever. They made sure the Sentinel could do his protection thing, sorta a who watches the watcher except this is more who guards the guardian.
I think I'm ready for this. Heck with anthropomorphic winged snakes. I got my Sentinel. That's enough for me. Detective Blair Sandburg, here I come. To protect and serve... and guide.
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Sentinel and all characters belong to Pet Fly and Paramount. Gargoyles (and indirectly, Saphiro) belong to Buena Vista and therefore Disney. No infringement is intended towards any of these companies, and since no profit is being made, please don't sue.
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