pearl offal

Rolo says this is 7/9 of 'the blinking lights'. Here are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
----

A nugget of sizzling sausage landed and started dancing on my lap. I looked up
and Aunty Septic smiled proudly back at me, stirring the pot in her arms.

Aunty Septic had been married to Don Juan Dinero for what may have been even
before Arlene's place had stood on the streets. He had been a wealthy financier,
who Saw the Light, and she a short-order cook who was dazzled by his many
Pearls.

These days, the Don usually made sure everyone was being nice to each other and
renouncing the ways of profit, while Aunty Septic collected the meats and
eatables from here and there to cook for everyone. We tried to keep away from
him, and yet, stay within eating distance from her. But they were inseparable,
probably because of the Pearls.

I smiled at the Aunt, and put the sausage in my mouth. Immediately my hunger was
eliminated and I could only look into her face with pure gratitude. In that
rapture, I noticed she had obtained wound number 87 - a new boil threatening to
burst at any moment. But she was always careful to keep it from falling over the
food, at ANY cost, as witnessed on the night of the Anonymous Flaming Poodle. It
was an horrific incident, with much confusion and flailing about of bodies - and
an annoying sound of yelping. Luckily, no one from the streets was hurt. A few
days later, one of the Insiders - a woman with braided red hair (this is a
crime) and leaflets, had come to ask us about this poodle, but by then, the
sausages had been digested and I, myself, hate poodles anyway. Nevertheless, it
should be noted, everyone who ate that night is still alive and healthy, so
there is something to be said for Aunty Septic's sanitary nature.