Forced desegregation
The walls have come down.
It is nearly a year now since the Woman first expanded the Rodent's daytime domain to include the sleeping chamber and main corridor — effectively ceding him control of half the house (the strategically insignificant half, to be sure... consult my detailed schematic of the fortress to see the division of turf).
This proved at most a minor inconvenience, as I quickly devised a means of infiltrating the Rodent Zone whenever it suited my purpose — a secret the Woman still has not unraveled. The one-way nature of this particular ingress ensured that while I could always get in, the Rodent could never get out.
The situation has now changed, dramatically. It would seem that the Woman has now declared total emancipation for all, regardless of breeding, station, or brains. The walls of containment that preserved both peace and social order have been razed.
For his part, the Rodent seems as confused by this turn of events as I am mortified. He keeps pretty much to his familiar areas and limits his incursions into Shmool Country. Even so, I can already see the lines of demarkation blurring. It won't be long before I will have to factor his presence into every tactical equation. Being an adaptable and intuitive strategist, this is but a modest challenge.
The social implications will be more difficult to gauge. The Rodent's de facto promotion into the ranks of the uncontained signify an implied equality that runs contrary to natural law. It also indicates a move toward a more laissez-faire form of governance on the Woman's part — not an entirely unwelcome turn, though one with far-reaching repercussions that I must contemplate.
Not the least of which will be the regulation of hatch-access privileges.
It is nearly a year now since the Woman first expanded the Rodent's daytime domain to include the sleeping chamber and main corridor — effectively ceding him control of half the house (the strategically insignificant half, to be sure... consult my detailed schematic of the fortress to see the division of turf).
This proved at most a minor inconvenience, as I quickly devised a means of infiltrating the Rodent Zone whenever it suited my purpose — a secret the Woman still has not unraveled. The one-way nature of this particular ingress ensured that while I could always get in, the Rodent could never get out.
The situation has now changed, dramatically. It would seem that the Woman has now declared total emancipation for all, regardless of breeding, station, or brains. The walls of containment that preserved both peace and social order have been razed.
For his part, the Rodent seems as confused by this turn of events as I am mortified. He keeps pretty much to his familiar areas and limits his incursions into Shmool Country. Even so, I can already see the lines of demarkation blurring. It won't be long before I will have to factor his presence into every tactical equation. Being an adaptable and intuitive strategist, this is but a modest challenge.
The social implications will be more difficult to gauge. The Rodent's de facto promotion into the ranks of the uncontained signify an implied equality that runs contrary to natural law. It also indicates a move toward a more laissez-faire form of governance on the Woman's part — not an entirely unwelcome turn, though one with far-reaching repercussions that I must contemplate.
Not the least of which will be the regulation of hatch-access privileges.
so sayeth Shmool on Tuesday, January 17, 2006
2 Comments:
Great Shmool,
I am confused -- in your detailed schematic, does the blue area designate Fabio's territory, or is it a representation of Fabio's actual mass in comparison to the rest of the fortress? And what is the purpose of the bunker of it has no access?
Astute observations.
Firstly, the blue area represents what was previously a No-Cat's Land, now converted by the Woman into a makeshift mess hall solely for Fabio. This is the chamber in which he is sealed with his meat-slime each day. You will note from its relative location within the fortress that it is strategically immaterial.
Secondly, the bunker's only point of access lies within the Rodent Zone -- a point of contention, to be sure. My discovery of a secret means of infiltrating the Rodent Zone during lockdown negated that issue. However, now that the high fences have been eliminated, I have unfettered access to all areas.
Except the Fabio Chamber, of course. And that happens to be the one room I have no desire to enter.
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