True Appreciation

He stood at the bar and raised his pint to his lips. As he did a small round of applause broke out, He was used to this. He put the glass down on the toweling beer mat to further applause. He shrugged casually and even this gesture was met with a ripple of approbation.

Since he could remember he had been followed around by what he liked to think of as his appreciation society. They volubly praised his every move. He wiped his hands down the side of his bearded face. The cheers were almost deafening.

He smiled a dreamy smile and heard mutterings of praise. “Oh hell,” he thought, “Why not go for the big one.” He lifted his glass and downed the remaining liquid. What a noise!

He moved awkwardly and lifted one eye. The sound of loud applause faded as he woke from his dream and stretched. This was the difficult bit. He dreamt every night of that life. Of pubs and clubs and restaurants, of fine dining and even finer women and of the love and overwhelming support from his appreciators. It was difficult because when he had tried to explain his dream life no one could understand what he really meant.

Casually he leant forward and licked his groin before carrying on with the rest of his morning ablutions. He was a Mongoose and that’s what Mongooses do. He looked at those around him. Some still asleep, others carrying out fur cleaning. He knew it would come at some point and here it was.

“OK then, what did you dream about last night? You were tossing and turning and murmuring non stop.”

“Nothing,” he said sadly, “Nothing.”

What was the point. Their only frame of reference was life as a Mongoose. Food, drink, sleep, groom, mate, run, hide, die. They knew nothing of Guinness or of being truly lauded by your followers. He casually flicked a tick from his genitals – no one cheered.