Months ago.

Knock

Knock

"Come in."

A man with a golden mask walks in. He's in a suit. Sigh. Everyone wears a suit nowadays. It feels so corporate.

"Good to see you so comfortable." He says.

"I'm enjoying myself lying horizontal on this couch in my shorts and raggy t-shirt. Of course I'm comfortable. How may I help you?"
"Caustic as usual. Can't you be a bit more welcoming?"
"Not to you bud. You always give me work brother. Feel lazy lah. As you can tell."
"Sigh fine lah I'll take some books back this time."
"Yay!"
"Now are you gonna get off the couch yet?"

He holds out the pale leather travelling case. Looks more like one of the old Louis Vutton bags. But it's just a look really. Just the right size for those things.
------------

The light comes on illuminating large bookcases with strange grains to their wood. It looks like a library. Except it's a library which seems to lack books.

"I've always liked your little library. Best shelves among all of us. But you've always made it feel homey you know?"
"I try. Now you can stop boot-licking me and lets get to work."

He opens the case on the table. And I stare.

"OMIGOSH LA I THOUGHT YOU SAID LESS WORK?!"
"I said I'm taking back some books. Not less work."

He smirks. And I laugh. I never really expected less work.

"Well shall we?" I start.
"Okay first of all...Not all the books are for you. Some are actually for me."
"Good good."
"Your first book."

He plucks a book out from the case and he takes off the mask at the same time.

The book, like all the other books in this room have the same colour. Burgundy.

He places the book face down.

"Go on have a look."

I flip it. A female name. The book is thin though. Less work. I open it and find most of the pages are filled. A LOT LESS WORK.

"NICE!"
"Yes I know you're lazy."

He pulls out more and more books. It never makes any sense. The books stacked on the table are always more than what the bag looks like it can hold.

I look at the books. Very few male names adorn those books. Pressed into the leather. Names in many many languages. But generally the common name which everyone calls the subject by is in large print. However the other names are all printed fine.

Most of the books are female. Normal for a male book keeper I guess.

"You've got enough ink?"
"Always had enough."
"Good."
"And you're supposed to return the books of ..........."

He says a lot of names. Mostly people I know and I've given up to other people to take care of.

I fetch them for him.

"Wow. Amazing. You really did manage to nick this cover in."

He holds up a book. It's got the word "Princess" carved into it. Right below the person's name.

"But it's fading. You don't call her that anymore?"
"Nah it's too strange lah. There wasn't even anything."
"OK ok. Eh let me see the other one."

I grab a book from one of the shelves and he sees the name on it. And also the carved name.

"So it does hold true. When you nickname a person it can actually nick the cover. Wow."
"Whaddya know eh?"

I lay out the books in front of me. The ones for me. He's placing those back into the carrying case.

"Oh the irony."
"You noticed?" He smirks.
"Like DUH!"

I hold up another book. One that's for me. Among the names in finer print. It has the words "woman of high rank". Princess.

"You guys have a sense of humour."
"Well a morbid one. But hey at least it IS a form of humour."