GAIUS RETURNS by KeLP
"Caesar!" The voice, familiar yet elusive to my memory, boomed across the marble floor. I kept my eyes closed as though I hadn't heard, letting the hot waters of the bath relax my body even as my mind raced to picture and name the caller.
"Caesar," he repeated, at which I opened my eyes and gazed at the young man before me. The sunburned face and growth of beard momentarily hid his identity, then it flashed into my mind.
"Ah, Gaius, my friend." I motioned him to sit near. "I hardly recognized you. It's been a long time."
"Too long," he said.
"Let's see," I reminisced, "you were going to tour the world, as I recall, or as you put it ..."
"...to the borders of our empire!" he finished, chuckling. "Yes, and so I have."
"And what did you find?"
"I found ...," he hesitated, scowling, "ungrateful barbarians."
"How so?" I asked.
"Everywhere I traveled, I found our influence. And everywhere they craved that influence and scorned us.
"At the farthest borders, even there, they thrived, thanks to us. I found our foodstuffs in every town. Oh, they survived before us, true. But where they had little, they now have much, thanks to us. And yet they mocked our eating habits and foods, even as they partook of them.
"Their cities grew and prospered with our trade. Our devices, our inventions, were adopted, absorbed into their culture and made theirs, and enriched them. Still they cursed us.
"Our political structures were adopted, too, freeing their people and enhancing their lives. And as they became more like us, the more they cursed and bid us leave them.
"Even their culture, their entertainments, came mostly from us, as our artists and entertainers went to them, wildly, enthusiastically received. And then they scorned afterwards the very people they had applauded.
"Yes, they have adopted our dress, our speech, our culture and politics, have enjoyed our foods and inventions, and still they mock and scorn. Barbarians!
"I say, a pox on them! Leave them to themselves, and see how poor they fare!"
I spoke softly, "Nay, Gaius. Such is how man always is, and has always been. Let us not be as they are."
His head drooped, a bit ashamed.
"After all, " I said, "we are all Americans, and as we Californians are so blessed, we should not scorn those of other States, but rather pity.
"Let us celebrate your return." I pointed to the cabana. "Trade your Levis for some trunks and join me in the hot tub. I've a Napa Valley chardonnay you must try."
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End
"Caesar!" The voice, familiar yet elusive to my memory, boomed across the marble floor. I kept my eyes closed as though I hadn't heard, letting the hot waters of the bath relax my body even as my mind raced to picture and name the caller.
"Caesar," he repeated, at which I opened my eyes and gazed at the young man before me. The sunburned face and growth of beard momentarily hid his identity, then it flashed into my mind.
"Ah, Gaius, my friend." I motioned him to sit near. "I hardly recognized you. It's been a long time."
"Too long," he said.
"Let's see," I reminisced, "you were going to tour the world, as I recall, or as you put it ..."
"...to the borders of our empire!" he finished, chuckling. "Yes, and so I have."
"And what did you find?"
"I found ...," he hesitated, scowling, "ungrateful barbarians."
"How so?" I asked.
"Everywhere I traveled, I found our influence. And everywhere they craved that influence and scorned us.
"At the farthest borders, even there, they thrived, thanks to us. I found our foodstuffs in every town. Oh, they survived before us, true. But where they had little, they now have much, thanks to us. And yet they mocked our eating habits and foods, even as they partook of them.
"Their cities grew and prospered with our trade. Our devices, our inventions, were adopted, absorbed into their culture and made theirs, and enriched them. Still they cursed us.
"Our political structures were adopted, too, freeing their people and enhancing their lives. And as they became more like us, the more they cursed and bid us leave them.
"Even their culture, their entertainments, came mostly from us, as our artists and entertainers went to them, wildly, enthusiastically received. And then they scorned afterwards the very people they had applauded.
"Yes, they have adopted our dress, our speech, our culture and politics, have enjoyed our foods and inventions, and still they mock and scorn. Barbarians!
"I say, a pox on them! Leave them to themselves, and see how poor they fare!"
I spoke softly, "Nay, Gaius. Such is how man always is, and has always been. Let us not be as they are."
His head drooped, a bit ashamed.
"After all, " I said, "we are all Americans, and as we Californians are so blessed, we should not scorn those of other States, but rather pity.
"Let us celebrate your return." I pointed to the cabana. "Trade your Levis for some trunks and join me in the hot tub. I've a Napa Valley chardonnay you must try."
#
End