Saint James Infirmary Guest Page 25: Of Great Price.

[Daphne]

Friday, June 6th!

[jmundt29]

Hold up, what??  Wait, is this a follow-up to Dice of Fate Roll #3 which we...well I have been clamoring for as a baseline for Adrian and the SJI group?  Incidentally, how many mothers does Tamara have?  We can tell from her looks about Erin, even if we hadn't seen her with Adrian in Dice Roll #3.  So, it's Erin, Mallory, Jacqui, and...how many others?  Not that that isn't plenty, but what an interesting thought.  I guess the "trick" is the one Jacqui was demonstrating on Adrian when Pearl rolled into Deep Black Vinyl again.

Oh, I also don't remember that silver necklace from anywhere before.  Has it popped up and I was distracted by other things, or is it yet to be made or yet to cross into the Wilmot storm?

[GodWilling]

I suppose we could guess where the necklace came from, although I'm not sure why my guess would end up with Jacqui so I'm probably wrong. Beyond that I'm not sure this tells us anything that g15 didn't, other than the openness of Tamara's relationships with her "mothers". Unless it's somehow reflecting light on Pearl's background.

[jmundt29]

Do we have a definitive list of Tamara's "mothers" (so far) from g15 and g25?  Did I miss anyone?  Does Dani count?  Remember she was off somewhere else during g15.  Wait, wasn't Dani supposed to be with Jacqui?  Might the silver necklace be her handiwork?

Is Rain/Polly still rattling around somewhere?

ETA--Just looked it up.  Dani's still around and in the family, she seems to be focusing on sculpting.  It's possible that Jacqui's necklace is some of her finer metalwork but we don't have confirmation yet.  Caitlyn is still attached to the harem, the way Tamara talked about the two of them, it sounded like Caitlyn and Jacqui were living together.  And we saw Mallory in the last panel of g15.  So, the only one I KNOW for certain I missed was Caitlyn.  Hmm.  So, any idea who Chloe is?  Do we think this is Rain's new name, or is she Tamara's Cherry?  What is/are Tamara's middle name(s)?  Her first name is clearly after her paternal grandmother.  Her middle names could give us a clue to the Unknown-Hackberrys of Missouri.

[Haight]

Funny that Jacqui is showing her that trick before she goes out with what sounds like 3 chicks.

Can we get word if this is taking place in the exact same future as g15?

[jmundt29]

If it isn't from g15, it's the near-twin of that continuum because Erin and Adrian have a healthy happy daughter named Tamara out to a party with her party clothes in the bag.

I thought it was three chicks and two guys (or maybe just one--the guy Erin thought would be driving instead of Chloe).

As to the nature of Jacqui's trick--take a look at what Jacqui's holding in that last panel (which she presumably retrieved from that cardboard box on the table).  I think this is going to be lessons in that technique Adrian experienced but couldn't describe.

Interesting that we learn there are some boundaries in the Cavanaugh mansion.  Although, this could mean that Jacqui never showed Erin in order to keep a bedroom advantage within the harem.

[Haight]

Also - Jacqui's got to be like 60-ish in that picture.  I think she's meant to have some grey in her hair, but still, looking *damn* fine for her age.  Maybe she's getting into whatever beauty products Rain uses.  That is, unless Tamara spring fully-formed from the surf like Aphrodite, with the various members of the harem acting like the Graces in raising her.

[GodWilling]

This is evidently the perkily-ever-after continuum.

If the gods had meant us to read the Bible they'd have sent us, you know, some kind of sign or something. But Google suggests that the title here is usually prefixed with the words "The Parable of the Pearl". And that is: "The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it."

So I think what that tells us is that someone bought it.

[Haight]

I wonder if it has to do with choosing women, as well?  I mean, Adrian certainly hasn't chosen one pearl of great choice (or, regardless of what he chose, he's ended up with multiple pearls of great price).  But he also only has one child, as near as we can tell, despite having enough enslaved lovers to field a softball team. 

And then, of course, it's from Jacqui, who has a daughter named 'Pearl.'

[GodWilling]

My initial impression was that the necklace was metal. I thought the title used Price rather than Value to indicate that the necklace had come at a price rather than because it had any intrinsic value (for what it's worth I thought it might be the watch melted down). But this appears to be a universe with no obvious price. So I Googled the title.

And so presumably it's a, er, pearl necklace. Which obviously renders the exclamation "This is so beautiful!" potentially rather more accurate.

I can't see where the necklace would have come from, or how the parable might apply. But I suppose pearls come from creatures of a scalloppy ilk, which is starting to look like it might be relevant.

I appreciate that it's a throwaway remark but "No question whose kid you are" is ambiguous. Does Jacqui mean Adrian or Erin or both? Is Erin's need to pursue her relationship with Raven (and possibly Reka) as well as with Adrian an important mirror of Miel's behaviour with Patrick?

[jmundt29]

Doesn't the metaphor lend a bit of a squick factor, especially considering the lesson that's about to take place?

Obviously, I much prefer the idea of applying the Parable of the Pearl to this situation, because it sounds like the way I hope Adrian would act concerning the ladies of the harem and his daughter.

Also, if my math is right, and Jacqui was 20 in 1988, then she's between 64 and 65 in this Guest Page.  Genetic lottery win by Ms. Ravella?

What were her parents like personally and physically?  It's as much a mystery as (or, perhaps more of one than) the Unknowns and Hackberrys of Missouri.

[Haight]

Genetic lottery win by Ms. Ravella?

Considering her bust size, I think that's a given.

[matmon]

Does Adrian have any more kids. He lives with 8 beautiful women, so only one seems unlikely