Non Lucid: Of Bag End and Baubles
Feb 28th 2013
It is night and I wander through unfamiliar neighborhoods. It is nice, quiet, peaceful. I am free of daytime troubles. Soon, I run into Bilbo H Baggins. I am very happy to see him, as if I am meeting a very old friend after a very long time apart. We stroll through the streets together, chatting idly about our idle ways, we both haven't been up to very much by the sounds of if it.
Suddenly, as if imparting the secret of life, Bilbo quietly informs me that he wants to write a new book. He begins sharing tidbits of ideas with me. I encourage him to do it. I then share a few story ideas of my own with Bilbo. I have an idea to write a story that revolves around him yet doesn't include him directly. He encourages me to write my story as well. He likes the idea of the story revolving around him. The thing about it is, it'd be nice to sprinkle a few real stories about him through the book. I ask if he has any to share, stories he wouldn't mind me putting out in the public. "There are hundreds of stories, maybe more, but not all are suitable for a child's ears," he says loudly. This draws people's attention and they stare at us as we continue walking and talking.
We are soon in Bilbo's basement. He digs through mountains of stored items, books, boxes, barrels, baubles of all shapes and sizes. Occasionally he'll hold something fondly and tell me what it is and how he acquired it. One trinket I remember vividly is Bilbo's moonglass. It looks like a smoked glass monocle. It has a band attached to it, like it is to be worn as an eye patch. The moonglass is something directly from Smaug's treasure. By day it is an unremarkable thing. By night it helps one to see clearly in the dark. To look through it one would see the world lit up as if walking by the brilliant light of a full moon. I think it is amazing and ask him if i can have it. He tells me no and stashes it away again.
Bilbo smiles suddenly and tells me I should go through my own collections and bring back a couple of interesting items and the stories that go with them. Aha! He wants to swap stories. I'm game for that, especially if it'll get me a few stories to write about in my own book. I agree to it. But the time has grown late. Bilbo ushers me upstairs and to the front door. "Come back in a few days for tea. I drink it precisely at 4pm. And bring some trinkets with you. There'll be much to talk about then. I might even share one or two Frodo stories with you." When I tell him I don't want Frodo stories he escorts me out the door and assures me that I'll want all the Bagginses stories I can collect. I shrug and start on my way home. When I turn and wave farewell Bilbo yells, "4pm. Remember!" I nod and begin my long journey home.
