In Which Baron JAP Shows his True Colors

We shall now leave RCW sleeping peacefully (like a babe in the woods - which reminds me of the time I proposed to a friend whom I was hiking with that we gracefully give up trying to find the way outta the woods we were in and just sleep under a tree like babes in the wood; she did not seem to think it was a good idea; wasted opportunity one feels) and retrace our steps to Baron JAP's mansion. The soon-to-realise-he's-bereft father woke early that morning. Maybe it was intuition. I've heard tell that parents have the most amazing intuition when it comes to their children (like how my mum knows the weirdest things about me that I've never breathed a word to her about). So maybe it was that. Anyway, he woke up early, stretched and went quietly about his morning ablutions. Now, along the way I might have given the wholly erroneous impression that Baron JAP was a slothful lush. This is actually far from true. *Far* from true.

Baron JAP, in reality was a man of discipline. A man who kept himself very fit, went for a daily jog (in spite of his advancing years he was extremely sprightly, think Sean Connery in Entrapment - I hope some people, let us not name names, are happy with this aside), brushed twice a day and twice at night and did his morning yoga faithfully. Yeah, he indulged in the distilled spirits a little more than was preferred but this was only to drown his private sorrow. You see, Baron JAP was a man who had been very much in love with his wife. Said wife died tragically (of one of those diseases that seemed to wipe out half the population in those days of once upon a time - polio or measles or some such) and no man could have mourned his wife as Baron JAP did. Every hair in his not inconsiderable moustache had drooped like one man. A strong man nursing a private grief is allowed to be a bit of a lush. No?

So, anyway. Baron JAP went about his morning rituals as he always did (this is the bit about him running around like a headless chicken that I had mentioned in the previous episode, just so you know). It was mid-morning by the time he'd showered and was sitting down to breakfast. It displeased him mightily that his daughter (the Apple of his Extremely Healthy Eye) was not at the table, ready to pour out his daily glass of morning milk. This was unlike the dear child and he was most disappointed. Forbearing to shout, yell or make a scene (Man of Discipline, see?) he quickly finished his breakfast before going in search of her. He knocked on her bedroom door before entering and immediately saw the open window. Tsk, so careless the child was becoming. He went over to close the window and as he turned around, he noticed an envelope on the pillow.

Dearest JAP papa it said in what would have been termed trembling accents if it had had a voice. Feeling a cold hand clutch his heart (which I've always wanted to have happen to me), he picked up the envelope and tore it open. On a scrappy sheet of notepaper he saw the tragic little farewell note (I've often wondered why females of the species always feel impelled to write notes letting people know where they're going, why, what for, etc. It's a dreadfully self-destructive need for self-explanation, one feels).

Dearest papa, it said, Please do not hate me for leaving you. But I feel the need to be free and so I'm going away to the city (which will have bright lights). Take care of yourself and listen to Doctor Uncle Ji. I will always remain your loving daughter,. And she ended it by signing RCW with a flourish. Baron JAP was gobsmacked to say the least. That any daughter of his could write a farewell note like this (with not even a quote from Longfellow or anyone) was beside the point. That his Eye's Beloved Apple had run away from home almost broke his heart. He sat on the bed clutching the note in one hand. And suddenly, from inside him there came a big upwelling of anger. No, call it rage. He was furious. How dare she. How dare she!!!! Moustache bristling, he stood up from the bed. He was a Man on a Mission. He would Set Her Straight. Run away, would she. Hah!

I know, I know, I said the Unlikely Rescuer would be introduced in this episode. But I find myself past the rough space limit I've set myself. To make you guys feel better, here's a question. Guess who the Unlikely Rescuer is and whoever guesses right shall be awarded a Great Honor. The Great Honor of having his/her guess incorporated in the next episode. Never let it be said that I'm not an interactive blogger. As interactive as they come, us Revealeds. Guess, guess. Hint: Look around the Blogosphere.