# [closed post]

[quote_gentle_unquote]

Susan has devised another activity to occupy her days. By the calendar's reckoning, the start of spring is roughly a week away. Between her and Tress, they've got the outline of a plan for the next Dark, and Susan is happy to rely on people who've got greater interest in and skill for growing things insofar as agriculture goes. But the growing season here shall be longer than usual, and Susan should like to have some idea about what that might mean for the ecosystem,

This is her flimsy excuse to pardon the latest stack of books she's currently carrying out of the library. There is a marginal off-chance that preparatory reading on soil biota could, potentially, be useful. Perhaps she might even talk someone else into reading on the subject as well, so that they might discuss it.

Comments

[onthewillowsthere]

She is, he thinks, very like Claudius. Even if Claudius hasn't said these exact words to him, he recognizes some of them -- he feels what's familiar. He likes that he can tell. He nods. "I understand."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

Susan leans forward and props her chin on her wrist. "What do you think about it?"

[onthewillowsthere]

A slight tilt of his head. "I like pleasure. Of all kinds."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"So sex, naturally," says Susan. "And -" she dredges her memory. "New foods and clothes?"

[onthewillowsthere]

"And music, and frivolous books," he agrees. "And games. I wasn't allowed any of those things before."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"What sort of music do you like?" Susan asks, perking up.

[onthewillowsthere]

Very seriously, "I like everything. I like sounds. I like opera and hymns and the Grateful Dead and Ella Fitzgerald and Rema. I've been making lists of my favorite records."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"I'm not familiar with some of those," Susan admits. "I do like Ella Fitzgerald... I say. You haven't happened to come across any Harry Roy records, have you?"

[onthewillowsthere]

Galahad closes his eyes, calling up record sleeves. "Harry Roy and his Bat Club Boys," he says, after a moment.

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"Truly?" A foreign expression crosses Susan's face: genuine excitement. It's been a long, long time since that's happened.

[onthewillowsthere]

"It was a few months ago. I think I can find it again."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"I'd appreciate it. Ever so much."

[onthewillowsthere]

"What other things to do you like?"

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"Oh, big band music. Things you can dance to. Things that are a little raunchy. Nat Gonella, for example. I've heard some American and French records I like, too. Glenn Miller, Harry James... for vocalists I've enjoyed Edith Piaf and Frank Sinatra."

[onthewillowsthere]

"Claudius likes Glenn Miller too. He likes jazz."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"Does he! That's lovely," says Susan. "I suppose I've got opportunity here to try things I've not yet heard. What are some of your favorite records?"

[onthewillowsthere]

"The Cole Porter Songbook. The Firebird Suite. Tom Waits' Orphans. The Divine Catastrophe. Fox Confessor Brings the Flood. The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan." Galahad finishes the Jaffa cake. "I don't like choosing favorites. Those are all albums I like."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"You don't like choosing favorites?"

[onthewillowsthere]

"No. There are different reasons I like them. It's like choosing my favorite food. I could choose my favorite cake, or my favorite soup, but food is-- too broad."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

Susan can respect that; she nods, satisfied, and takes a sip of tea.

[onthewillowsthere]

The way Susan always seems to immediately grasp his explanations is immensely satisfying to Galahad, who so much hates being misunderstood. He starts on the second Jaffa cake.

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"Are there any you'd recommend I start with?"

[onthewillowsthere]

"Little Violet," promptly.

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"Little Violet?"

[onthewillowsthere]

"The name of the singer." He finishes the second Jaffa cake. "Would you like to go now?"