affame_le_geant_tinker_stinkencrink fyn gula frafkuel dispiacere pulled open the glass door of the biosphere, causing several nepalese yalk bells to clank about, pleasantly annoucing their unexpected arrival to a small crew of gardeners who were scattered about in different locations, each busy with individual tasks. tinker stinkencrink, director of germination and development at the tin man's heart biosphere happened to be closest in proximity to the visitors and even though he was listening to calla on his i-pod as he hand-tilled future raddiccio beds, he still heard the bells ring out their gentle welcome. he immediately paused in his concentrated efforts to greet the frafkuel for he was a well-loved friend of his and regular guest to the inn. tinker was a native montlapian which meant he was, like dr. couge oktuber, a creature with a rabbit-head/human-body. his fur was black and his ears were lopped, however the right one was severely mangled from an adolescent encounter with proina. it now hung haphazard, a reminder to the world that a monster threatens at a moment's notice. yet, coupled with his cheerful optimism it urged one to accept his handicap with respect instead of adversion. "well hello there!" tinker called out. he reached into the pocket of his heavy-cotton blue cargo pants and pulled out his mp3 player, pushed it to off and removed his bose headphones. he smiled broadly as most creatures in kemulya do when encountering a frafkuel, unless of course you have guilt swelling within. he showed a fine set of teeth whitened by a committed practice of brushing with rembrandt toothpaste. the two hugged warmly and as tinker kissed him on both cheeks, he could not help but notice cayris, poj, and keggi, who were obviously distracted by the sight of their new surroundings, stunned by the amazing architecture and landscape design of the biosphere. they were like homeless children in a london candy shoppe gazing at the unlimited wonder of treats they never imagined could exist. "may i introduce you to the respected members of the leadership of the 'insufferable hunger of the damned," the frafkuel announced. he spread both of his teddy bear arms out. cayris, his attention yanked back to reality offered his hand in greeting. tinker, unable to avoid the stereotypical judgement usually reserved for such, returned the handshake out of respect for the frafkuel's intentions. even though no one in montlapine had yet learned of the insidious murders at 'let us eat lettuce farm' tinker was taught all his life to regard wolf-men with severe caution. the prejudice associated with them involved their ruthless nature and deemed them able to kill with heartless ease. cayris could feel tinker's critical stiffness in the handshake as well as a sandpaper roughness from years of working the soil. "a pleasure to meet you," tinker lied. "it's all mine," cayris said, telling the truth. 030408 ... x what's with the product advertisements? 030409 ... fyngula very good question and interesting that you noticed. products are intentionally included because i feel that our advert drenched, media soaked society thinks consciously and sub-consciously in terms of what we have, what we don't have, what we should have, and what we want. thanks for reading, x. 030409 ... birdmad at the library I think it works in the context of the story because it adds another layer to the interconnectedness of the dream-world that the characters seem to inhabit with the "real" world that some of them seem to commute to and from 030409 ... fyngula well said. thanks, birdmad. 030410 what's it to you? who go blather from