One last hurrah. Part. I

[Sergio Giovanni 0]

"One last hurrah, Part. I"

Log entry 02: 07 September, 2154

 

The sound of a loud annoying chrip stirred Giovani out of his drunken slumber. He mumbles and stirs in his bed, and hit the button of his desktop communications console next to his bed. Sergio rubs his eyes, still feeling groggy from sleep. The rays of the sun bask him through his glass French patio doors leading to his verandah in his master bedroom.

 

Yawning, Sergio sits up and opens the new file sent to him. It was from the Quartermaster of the Challenger. Interesting thought Sergio. He also noted the time -- 0930. Wow, it is that late already? Sergio thought to himself. Sergio clicked on the message opening it. Feeling hungover from last night, Sergio was tired, but he became fully aawake upoon reading the message.

 

Instead of reporting to the Challenger on the 12th of September, he is actually now supposed to report for duty on the 8th. "That's tommorow! Oh no!" Sergio said to himself. There were so many things left unfinished. Such as, who will look after his house whilst he is gone? His shuttles, his plants? "How am I going to find someone trustworthy in one day?" he says.

 

Sergio gave the Quartermaster credit. It was sent yesterday, but Sergio was too drunk to read it, or even notice it when he went to bed last night. But now, Sergio must tie up his loose ends by today. Getting out of bed, Sergio performs his usual morning routine, and sat at the communicator to call around.

 

Sergio spent the next hour calling his friends. He asked them if they wouldn't mind looking after his house. But the thing is that he has to leave tommorow, and won't be back for proobably several years. "Tommrow?! Several years?! I can't look after your place for so long, in such short notice" was most of their replies. And the rest.. well.. he didn't qute trust the rest.

 

True, he was going to be away from the place for a long, long time, but when and if he comes back, god forbid, he'd really like to have his house to come back to in one piece. Sergio's heard the stories of house sittings gone bad. Like that one story of a house in Madrid. After some huge party the tenannt had, the place was so filthy, there were even stains on the ceiling!

 

So instead of risking a repeat performance of that incident in his humble abode, Sergio opted to hire a professional house sitting service. Despite the short notice, one accepted the job, and agreed to start house sitting tommorow. It wasn't cheap, but at least the place would be nice and clean, and most importantly in one piece when he returns.

 

Sergio also thought of the aspect of renting it out, but thought better of it. He liked his house alot, and didn't like the idea of someone living in it, changing things around without him knowing. He liked the lace just the way it is. After that was done, Sergio left his house and drove into the city.

 

It was a beautiful warm day at about 30 degrees Celcius, and at 1PM, the place was bustling with life. Sergio pulled into a small cafe, for a light lunch with his friends. He told them of his change of plans, leaving tommorow instead of today.

"Tommorow? Ah man. We've really got to do something to see you off then, eh?" said Eduardo.

 

Sergio smiled and chuckled. "Perhaps we do, but remember I do have to be sober for when I apply for duty next day" he replied. "Hey, don't worry Sergio. You'll make it on time" Though Sergio did want to be sober and feeling 100% for tommorow, the idea of one last hurrah was appealing. He certaiinly won't see his friends in years.

 

"Of course I'm in" Sergio replied without a moments hesitation. One last hurrah, his last act of total freedom, and a chance to relac and have fun before his long and hard journey to the unknown ahead of him. There were no people better to have this last ride of freedom with than his friends. And no better place to have it than Monte Carlo.

 

TO BE CONTINUED...