Thats What You Get For Waking Up in Boston

[~ N.P.C. ~]

That Saturday started early for the shop, people arriving at work at about six am. The small racket made at the loosening of the garage door was more than enough to rouse two of the occupants from their peaceful sleep that came upon them late into the night. The sound of people up and about was enough to keep Logan from sleep, for the thought of his mind being in a restful state while unknown individuals roamed the immediate area unnerved him. His own lady love woke as well, but for different. The urge to do her workout had become close too great for her to resist after fifteen years of serious condition implanted in her mind to run at first light.

Downstairs the shop was already right at work, talking and laughing as they spoke of the previous night's events and worked on their assignments. Many of the employers frequented the Factory as well, though there was only one or two employees that had a higher position in the Clan. Cecil made it clear that they are to keep all that stuff out of the workplace, and that was shown as most of the employees got along rather well.

While the mechanics and designers worked, two floors up was still quiet as the Iron Knight and his Maiden slept peacefully, taking advantage of their vacation and their tired bodies after that night refused to give into reality, letting them slumber and be lost in their dreams. The rest of the floor currently had the two Irish Wolfhounds, Braden and Walker, playing tug of war with a chew toy, chasing the other who won that round before the game started again. Both dogs loved it when there was company around and tended to show off, even though the only person awake on the floor was opening and closing cabinets looking for pots and pans and tools to cook with in the moderate sized old fashioned kitchen. It proved to be a bit of trouble for Logan with the dogs running around him constantly with the force that would probably knock another person over. It was all a game for the dogs, no matter who it annoyed. The games only stopped when the sound of the door to the stairs opened.

[Ember]

Closing the door with her foot, Aideen walked in with an armful of groceries, all in canvas bags and one hanging on her shoulder. "Come on you two, let me through," she said with a slight smile as she barely maneuvered herself away from the jumping dogs that were eager to greet her, barking happily and wagging their tails. Moving herself into a neat spin away from them, she walked into the kitchen with the dogs hitting her legs and butt behind her with their noses in greeting. Aideen carefully set the bags of groceries on the counter and took the heavy bag off her shoulder, setting it on the floor. "I stopped at the Farmer's market on the way. The only thing I saw when I opened the fridge was several pounds of bacon, three cans of Budweiser, and half full bottle of coffee creamer. Hi by the way," she said as her lips lifted into a soft smile. She had rushed out a bit earlier because the urge to workout was so great and she was off schedule, making her feel physically ill until she started running. It was apart of her conditioning and a very strong part indeed.

Pushing the giant Wolfhounds aside, Aideen began unpacking the groceries. She bought fresh fruit, cheese, milk, eggs, fresh baked bread, and freshly ground South American coffee. She also stopped by a Imported food store to pick up her favorite Darjeeling Tea. Ever since she went to India several years ago, the tea became a favorite of hers, and the country itself was a home to her. It was a beautiful place that seemed to exist in a world of it's own, and Aideen planned to go back there for good one day. She wanted to live in the Trichur District of Kerala, India near the Rajastan Deserts. The weather was always hot, and the air was thick with almost a taste of spices and earth to it. Even the water at the Waterfalls was warm, to Aideen's delight. There would come a day where she would take everything she owned and go there for good, but when that day would come was still a question.

"They're still sleeping I take it," Aideen stated unzipping her hoodie and moving to hang it on the coat rack. Cecil liked to keep the heat on constant till sometime in May and it was more than warm enough for her to walk around in her sports bra comfortably. She walked back over to him, leaning down to take something out of the heavy bag she had slung on her shoulder. "I picked this up at the Import store. I don't know if you ever had it, but it's a favorite of mine." She placed the two large jugs of Masala Mama India Pale Ale on the counter and smiled a bit at him. "Breakfast of Champions right? Or for later, but still better than having Budweiser as the only choice," Aideen said with a shrug. She'd never seen Logan drink a Budweiser and Aideen herself didn't care for them at all.

"Speaking of breakfast, any luck finding anything in this mess?" She said skeptically looking around the kitchen. She used to be the only one that bothered to clean the place or organize things, because when left to their own devices, Cecil and James made a mess of things. And after three years it certainly showed from what she saw of the open cabinets and the mess of dishes and pots and pans.

[Wolverine]

Barefooted and in just his jeans, unbuttoned as they were, Logan stood at the sink cleaning the sorry excuse for a frying pan he had found. It was cast iron and a gem amongst the other oddly bent and warped cook wear, but still in all it was in desperate need of 're-seasoning'. As the door to the flat opened, he turned with a smile at the beauty that graced his life with her presence in it. "Hi yourself lady. Feels nice in here huh?" he said as she had taken off her hoodie.

"Got the broiler on, for a while now, baking off the nasty on this old pan here. Figured it could use a bit of a refresh, it had some rust on it here and there and it just didn't smell right...rancid oils don't make for tasty meals." he lifted it out of the soapy water he had been scouring it under and rinsed it off. It was now ready to be heat blasted again to dry it off and 'open the pores' of the metal. He remembered this technique, even though he hadn't seen it done for a generation, what with all the new technology and modern pots and pans with their teflon coatings. There was nothing like doing something the old-fashioned way. He slid the pan back into the oven to heat up again and dried his hands off as he kicked the oven door shut with his heel.

"What did I find? Found you in here." He said wrapping her up in his arms and kissing her. "That's damn lucky in my book." He smirked as he nuzzled noses with her and inhaled her scent, 'spices and perfumes' of the city of Boston and of the market and the garage below all mixed with the sweet musk of her sweat. "So you went shopping huh, and running. Wow Angel Eyes you are sumthin else. What'd ya get?" he said as all of his attention had been on his lady or the task at hand and only now did he break from their embrace to look at what she had procured for them.

Raising an eyebrow he said "Looks interesting" and hefting one of the huge jugs "not for the un-thirsty. Heh." He chuckled and went to helping her unpack the groceries. "The provisions here were a bit on the scare side and so I think I can whip us up something here." Smelling the distinct scent of the metal he knew it was time to add the oil to the metal to 'season' it. With a raised finger he paused the conversation and looking a bit foolish he slipped a flower printed pot holder on his hand and pulled the pan from the oven. Quickly applying a thin coat of vegetable oil all over it he slid it back into the oven upside down on the topmost rack so the excess oil that did not carbonize and cure into the metal would drip out. He repositioned the aluminum foil he had placed under the pan and looked to make sure the broiler was still blasting full on.

"Well I could go for a drink, how bout you? That'll take a minute or two," he thumbed at the oven as he shut the door "but hey, better than new when I'm done with it." He looked over all that she had brought and said, "Maybe, though... we oughta start off with some coffee. The pot looked alright so I figure the old guy likes his cup o'joe and the bacon is still fresh so... bacon and eggs sound good for the troops?" He knew she stayed away from red meat and was eternally grateful to her for it, she was lean and had beautiful skin. Most people neglected the importance of diet in their daily lives but not his girl, she was as disciplined with her eating habits as she was with her workouts.

"I'm planning on doin the eggs first so that way you can have some too if ya like... no red meat fats for my baby. I know what you like, an what ya don't Angel Eyes." He got himself going on the coffee as he pulled off the pot holder. "Ya wanna help out? Or would ya rather watch..." he looked at her over his shoulder seeing right where she was looking and he laughed a little "..ok, just keep watching then." He was flattered that she liked to look at him and got into his cooking, making sure to flex a little for her entertainment and for fun. He had a hell of a girl there and his heart was filled as never before with love and adoration, she was incredible and in his mind he knew of no other that had ever measured up to her, not in his lifetime... and that was saying a lot!

[Ember]

Smiling softly as her eyes sparkling with mischief stayed trained on Logan, Aideen reached over to the cupboard under the counter and pulled out a tea pot from under the cupboard. "You handle that coffee so well, and after watching you with that potholder, I just can't help but stare," she teased, her eyes lingering on his arms as she went over the sink to fill it with water. Seeing him with that potholder that looked older than Aideen was just adorable and in an odd way rather sexy, but that didn't stop her from teasing him, if only a little. "The coffee maker is a bit old, you have to press the buttons to the settings a bit hard to make it work," she added knowing that the coffee maker was a source of frustration to many who used it for the first time. Aideen made a note to herself that she would buy Cecil a new coffee maker as a way of thanks for letting her stay there.

Setting the china tea pot on the counter, Aideen tore her eyes off Logan and looked at the pot full of lukewarm water. For a moment she stared at it and concentrated, bringing her hand over the pot, finger swirling in a circle around it as the water heated. It took less than a minute for the water in the full pot bubbled and hot steam rose from it. She took the tea infuser from the bag and the Darjeeling tea. "Walker get your nose out of there," she scolded in a light tone as the giant dog stuck his nose in one of the bags. He used to be James' dog, and right within her line of vision she could clearly see the picture of James holding Walker when he first got him. She met James about a week later. There are way too many pictures here.

With a slight sigh, she opened the infuser ball and filled it with the loose Darjeeling Tea, making sure she put in the exact right amount before closing the ball. "When I went to India several years back, I managed to get a tour of a tea plantation. They have not changed their method of growing and producing tea in over hundreds of years. The Keeper of the Fields told me how their tea tasted the same way for centuries, and he gave me a sample of the tea cold, and then said to me that they don't believe in changing anything if there is no reason for it," she recounted quietly, just a slight memory that popped into her head whenever she had Darjeeling tea. She had picked up the infuser with the chain and carefully dipped it in the tea pot, placing it just right before she closed the pot to let the tea brew. The aroma of mixed florals filled the air, as well as the musk of particular spices as the tea brewed and settled.

Aideen breathed in the smell of the tea and smiled, walking up behind Logan, since all the mugs were in the cabinet above the coffee maker. Her hand slid up his bare back, going over the muscles gently before she came to his shoulder, leaning on him while standing on her tip toes to open the cabinet and take out several of the mugs to wash. "Since then, I always preferred exotic teas, particularly from India over coffee or anything like that." Aideen put the mugs on the counter, one by one so not to break any, before closing the cabinet. Instead of moving away, she wrapped her arms around him from behind, resting her head on that spot right under the back of his neck. "This is nice, a bit more relaxing than yesterday." She placed a kiss on the back of his neck, nuzzling it for a moment. "I did promise you we'd relax, and I always keep my word," she said sighing softly in contentment, her hands resting on the hard panes of his chest and stomach, staying there for a moment.

It was a moment later that Braden decided to head butt her hip and throw her slightly off balance, whining and barking for attention. "Of course, there's always something," Aideen said with a slight sigh despite the small smile appearing on her face. She moved away from Logan and grabbed the cups, going over to the sink to wash the dust and stains off of them. "I'm going to cut some fruit also, it'll be a big breakfast," she added, pausing her washing to reach down under the sink and throw both Braden and Walker a bone so they wouldn't be in the way. Both dogs barked and yipped happily, grabbing their bones and running around the floor as if someone was chasing them.

[HeartString]

Waking softly and opening an eye to the morning light, Tracy felt the fibers of the sheets against her naked body and smiled. The sound of Mason snoring, ever so contentedly next to her, was the sweetest music to her ears. She took her time to wake up and let her eyes focus on the beautiful chiseled features of her Knight as he slept on. Her hand she reached out to touch him and wake him up, then she stopped herself. He was content in his slumber and she, for the sake of wanting more of him, was about to wake him. Hold on Trace, let him sleep, he needs it.

Slipping out of the bed as quiet as a church mouse she pulled on one of her oversized t-shirts and a fresh pair of panties. Grabbing a pair of socks she watched her man sleeping as she sat on a chair to pull them on, first one and then the other, as the rhythm of his breathing and the slight snoring noise made her smiled broaden. Awww he is so adorable, what a wonderful guy. *sniff sniff* Hmm is that coffee? HA! The benefits of sleeping in...somebody else makes breakfast

She laughed inwardly as she tested the door. She didn't want it to make a creaky noise so she went slow as she opened it up. Stealing a last look at her man she blew him a kiss. It was silly of her, she knew, but it was her silliness and Mason loved it. She knew he'd be up soon enough and she didn't want to chance waking him, he'd had a long drive up here and a wild evening racing fighting and drinking...and then he met his ultimate challenge- Tracy. They had been up for hours and had had a night to remember, but today they had plans to make even more memories.

Stepping out into the hallway she followed her nose into the kitchen. Hearing the sound of happy conversation and her powers registering the love and respect that the two had for one another she smiled big and said "Good morn-" at the sound of her voice a pair of Irish Wolfhounds rushed her. The clikkity-clik of their toenails on the linoleum floor was all the warning she had, and it was little warning at that. "Ooofffh!" she said as the two friendly overgrown puppies knocked her onto her bottom. "Well, good morning to you guys too. Hey, I smelled the coffee...is there any left?" she said as she pulled herself up from the floor and out from between the wagging tailed bookends of slobber and love. "Oh wow...Logan!?! You cook?" she was a bit shocked to see him doing up eggs to order.

[Wolverine]

"I do a lot of things ya don't know about." he glanced over at Aideen and then pointed to the coffee pot with his tweaked and twisted looking spatula. It was the best he could find and it was working great so far for the scrambled eggs. "Plenty there, help yourself."

He nodded at Tracy and how she had handled herself. It had been one of the main things he had worried about, whether or not she would be a help or a hindrance, and as she had proven a great help he actually found himself pleasantly impressed. "How do ya like yer eggs kiddo?"

Her response was not unexpected, she always had that thing going for her, how she seemed high maintenance but really wasn't, so her request was not something difficult at all. "I can do that for ya. Bacon and toast too? Or would ya rather the bread as is?...fresh baked...?... Aideen did a little shopping for us this morning, so it's all fresh."

"How's that tea?" he looked over to see the ladies looking at him. "What? What'd I do?" It wasn't so much what he did, just how he was acting. He realized it too as he saw their faces, each distinct in their expressions, but he was not going to apologize for it. He was feeling good, happy for once, and it had been a long time since he had felt that way. "Alright, so I can cook AND talk. Funny, ha, ha, I get it. Get yer coffee and go watch the TV or something."

He smiled at Aideen as she stayed at the kitchen table to keep him company. He wasn't mad at Tracy, he knew she would know it, and she would know too how happy he was. As she got her morning cup he waited for her to look at him again "Tracy?" he paused for just a moment. "Good morning to you too by the way."

[Ember]

Her hand went up to her mouth to hide a smile, out of habit more than anything else as she wasn't used to smiling much if at all in mixed company."Good Morning Tracy, sleep well?" she said giving herself a minute to keep from looking too happy. Aideen decided that she liked the atmosphere, and seeing Logan looking happy. It was a new feeling to her, along with many others that she had recently experienced but she had no idea what they meant. She looked them up in her human psychology book and some had no explanation other than happiness. She had been happy before, but not the way she was now. Her next step would be looking into the medical dictionaries, but that could wait.

Putting her hand down she went back to cutting the banana into small slices for her fruit platter. She knew no one else would eat the fruit but her, so she made it up the way she liked it. Raspberries, blackberries, and wild strawberries in a bowl lined with sliced banana. It was easy to prepare and she liked her fruit. A sly smirk came on her face while glancing at Logan again. "I'll take care of the toast Chef," she said with mischief sparkling in her dark chocolate eyes while she took out the large warm loaf of bread from the brown bag they packed it in.

"You're an amazing combatant, you can cook, I can speak with you in several languages, and you don't look at me like I have an extra head when I talk about the differences between Sylvia Platt and Edgar Allen Poe's literacy techniques." The sly little smirk was still on her face while she placed two slices of bread she just cut into the toaster. "On top of your other... talents, I'd say I hit the jackpot," she with an almost impish look to her as she poured the now brewed tea into one of the mugs she cleaned, the aroma of spices filling the air. Closing her eyes, Aideen inhaled deeply, for only a moment imagining herself to be back in India as she took a sip of the hot tea, the spices dancing on her taste buds. "Mmmm..."

[HeartString]

"Oh hey Aideen I like you too, but I only speak English fluently you know." she was stirring her cup of coffee and not looking as Ember was talking. She made a little giggling noise at her joke and turned around grinning. "Yes, I slept great. I feel like a new woman, it's amazing what a vacation can do for you!" She lifted her cup as a toast.

The fruit salad Aideen was making looked delicious but Tracy could smell those eggs and she wanted her 'traditional breakfast'. She was glad the Wolverine didn't mind making her eggs over easy, and her mouth was already watering for them along with some bacon. She felt like a third wheel and when they both looked at her she knew she should excuse herself. "Yeah, ok...I'll be out here. Let me know if you need me okay?"

She walked out into the living room area past the television set and sat down on the couch. It was comfy and had that feel of a strange uncle's place that she had been dragged to as a child. She looked around for the remote control but what she saw really grossed her out. The remote had been gnawed on and chewed up by probably each of the dogs in turn. She did not want to touch it so she stood up and walked over to the TV.

Flicking it on she had to give it a minute for the picture to come up. It was a bit dusty but nothing too bad. She figured the moist sea air had a helping hand in keeping the dust down. As the picture lit up she changed the channels, not knowing which was what in Boston. She knew something had to be on, or at least she hoped. As the dogs ran around her legs battering her this way and that she finally settled on a movie station. Van Helsing was playing and it was not too far into it. "Ok OK OKAAY! I'll sit down. Sheesh." she said petting the dogs as she made her way through them back to the sofa.

[Ironclad]

A couple of minutes later, the smell of eggs and bacon with a mix of coffee and some spices woke Mason from his deep sleep. A slight smile came on his face and he reached his arm over to grab Tracy, but only grabbing sheets instead. He groaned slightly and sat up, yawning and scratching his head. He rubbed his eyes and reached over into his bag to grab a pair of sweats and a white wifebeater. The room was pretty warm already, but he still grabbed his clothes and took a trip to the bathroom. He came out dressed and looking more refreshed after rinsing with mouthwash and splashing cold water on his face.

The second he opened the door, he was greeted with the scent of bacon, eggs, coffee, and some kind of spices. "Mornin'. Man smells amazing in here," he said rubbing his head as he made his way into the kitchen. He grabbed a cup to pour himself some coffee, pausing for a second to look at Logan manning the kitchen. I'm just learning a bunch of new things this weekend. "Taking a lesson from Bobby Flay there Logan?" Mason smirked a bit and chuckled to himself while grabbing his black coffee. "Looks good though."

When he walked into the living room, having a sip of his coffee and stopped to look at the scene in front of him. Tracy was on the large count with one of the giant Irish Wolfhounds, who took up the rest of the couch and rested his enormous head on her lap, looking like he was in pure bliss with all the attention he got. The other one was on the love seat, barely able to fit and resting his head on the armrest while he barked at the noise the TV made once in awhile. The only other seat available was a plush chair, but Mason wanted to sit with his girl

"What the hell is this?" he said incredulously, amused but yet still in slight disbelief. "You. Dog that's drooling on my girl. Off." He said. The wolfhound wasn't phased though, just wagging his tail and not moving. Mason was getting a bit frustrated. "Alright... Braden. Move, come on let's go." The dog again didn't move, looking happy as a clam to be in his position. "A'right that's it." He placed his coffee on the little table and then went over to the dog. He moved his arms around the dog and lifted him up. If he had normal strength, he probably wouldn't have been able to do it. Mason brought the gigantic dog up and put him in sitting position. "Damn dog trying to steal my seat," he grumbled as the dog sat next to them wagging his tail and looking at them with eager eyes.

He turned to Tracy and leaned in to kiss her lightly. "You left me for a dog? Thanks a lot Dollface," Mason said with smirk and put his arm around her, reaching for his coffee cup. "That was the best sleep I had in awhile. I needed that." He looked at the TV and nodded slightly. "Nothing else on I take it? Burns watches this movie more than I can count cause he likes Kate Beckinsale in leather." The memory of his teammate freaking out whenever she came on screen... while they were in the theater... was not Mason's best memory.

[Wolverine]

Flowered hot mitt on one hand and twisted up spatula in his other Logan stepped into the living room. Seeing the two young lovers in a passionate embrace, the hounds looking on jealous of the attention, he cleared his throat. "Sorry, how do you guys like yer bacon? Crispy, or a bit on the chewy side?" He looked away not wanting to stare since it looked like he had interrupted them in the midst of something.

Looking off to the TV he saw some action movie. He thought he recognized it from the DVD case that he'd seen lying in the rec room for the longest. "Hey I know this...I think, isn't this that movie that yer boy Burns likes?" he watched for a minute. "Hmm, Frankenstein Werewolf and Dracula... this have Abbot and Costello?" he smiled remembering when movies were movies, not the green screen abortions they had become. He remembered after the second World War how movies were events that the public dressed up to attend and actors and actresses took pride in their craft.

[HeartString]

"Hahaha. No Logan. This is Van Helsing." Tracy said not even at all embarrassed, since she knew Mason's body was blocking the view of where his hand was. She had to make it up to her Knight for leaving him, as he had put it 'for a dog', and she didn't have any problem doing it right there. It was actually exciting that they would get caught, but now that they had she grinned and blushed. Wrapping her arms around Mason's neck she looked around his head to see Wolverine standing staring at the TV. "No Abbot and Costello, that's Hugh Jackman."

She put her head back where it was and kissed Mason again, not wanting him to go cold. "I like mine just a little chewy, thanks for asking. Too crispy and it gets a burnt taste...Baby," she looked into her man's golden eyes and said in a baby talk kind of flirty way to him "how do you like it?" and the smile spread across her face for a mile. There was no telling how Mason was going to answer.

[Ironclad]

It took a lot of willpower for Mason to pull himself away from his girl and settled back on the couch. He liked the excitement, but he knew that they weren't going to get an ounce of privacy with two Master Scouters in the kitchen. "As long as it ain't burned or raw, I'm good," he called and leaned back against the couch. His head hitting the back of the couch, his hand tapping her thigh, promising they'd finish this later.

No sooner did he sit back on the couch, the giant wolfhound decided to lay back across him and Tracy, rolling on his side and looking up with them in joy, his tongue handing out and his tail wagging like crazy. "God damn it!" He looked over at Tracy. "You're a god damn magnet," he said frustrated, though it was in a manner that suggested he wasn't serious.

[Wolverine]

"Good OK then, let me get that out then. It's probably just about perfectly chewy now." he turned not looking at the couch. He actually raised the busted looking flower print oven mitt and held it over his eyes as he turned around and headed back into the kitchen. Stopping after a step or two and said "Hugh Jackman? That guy's a pussy."

He made it back in time to pull the bacon from the pan in perfect co-ordination with the toast and plated everyone's eggs up. Whistling through his teeth and calling out "Come and git it!" He carefully placed the plates full of food on the kitchen table and then went over to his lady. He kissed Aideen and then he kissed her again deeply. "You look so beautiful, in the morning light." his lips found hers again. He savored her kiss and held it until the other two came in to the room. Only breaking it off after another moment passed. "OK and there's more coffee too if anyone's ready." He sat down to dig in.

[Ironclad]

Mason pushed the giant dog off of them and then helped Tracy up. "We're coming," he called grabbing his coffee on the way to the kitchen. "Thanks for the- oh. Uh. Sorry," he said looking away from his best friend and favorite teacher having a moment. He was cool with it... really. It would just take a bit of getting used to, that's all. The more he thought about it, the more he realized how much it all fit with the two of them. The signs were all in front of him and he never put two and two together. The only thing that he could really think was that Rumble was going to throw a fit when he found out. Mason could admit that the two were good at keeping it under wraps, but nothing stayed in that school for long, and it was about eight months now since Cyclops or Wolverine threw one another out the window and fought, they were overdue for one anyways.

"Hey uh, thanks for breakfast man," he said grabbing a plate and bringing it over to the little table with his coffee. "I'm starving after last night." Mason wasted no time digging right into the food, no longer feeling awkward and feeling he could look them in the eye again. "Hey Dollface, grab me a slice of toast will ya?" He called and dug into his food. "Not bad, pretty good. Gotta say that you ain't a bad cook man."

[HeartString]

"Sure baby," Tracy grabbed Mason a piece of toast "here ya go." Bringing her own plate full of food and sitting next to him. The first mouthful was divine "Wow, it tastes even better than it smells Logan, you have really impressed me here with all of this." Tracy spread her hands out, her eyes going a little wide as she spoke with her mouth still working on the savory first bite.

Grabbing Mason around his arm she snuggled into him for the moment, just time enough to purr and then she was back to her plate of food. The sense of home, and comfort was always heightened with a breakfast of bacon and eggs. She didn't know why that was but the emotions of the four of them were testament to it. Her man only slightly confused over the sight of their teammate and their teacher, but really happy to be having this time with her.

Aideen, content with her fruit salad and being brave to sit by her friends with all the bacon they were eating, was a wellspring of emotion now compared to what she was like normally. The change of location and her contact with Logan was most surely the cause. Logan, proud of the meal he had made for the enjoyment of all, sat contentedly and that was the most uncommon emotion she had ever felt him wear. Contentment in place of the normal layer cake of emotions, dry rage over crackling layers of blood-lust and regret. A life as long and as thoroughly lived as his was sometimes quite a burden to bear.