[[Milli-timed to about a month ago.]]

"I was thinking my dear," Norton says to Amanda as they approach the door to his world, "That perhaps it might be prudent where I to introduce you as my niece visiting from France. I do believe we can avoid any undue attention this way and your reputation can not be sullied by untoward assumptions."

His Imperial Majesty has tried all week to get back to the Milliways bar with no success. He has tried every thing He can think of yet remains vexed.

Monday He simpley arrived at the Owl Tree, opened the front door expecting to see Milliways as had happened on Sunday but nothing happened; even after repeatedly open the door several times. He had to stop to allow patrons of the bar to enter.

Tuesday was more of the same.

Wednesday, He tried approaching and entering the bar at the time He had previously but still without success, confound it! 

Thursday the Emperor decided He would suceed! He approached the Owl Tree from the corner He had on Sunday, at the time He had on Sunday and with Bummer and Lazarus. He confidently grasped the handle of the Owl Tree's front door, turned it and gazed...into the Owl Tree's main room. He opened and closed the door sereval times to be sure but the result was the same. Failure! Again!

Edward, the Owl Tree's bartender looked up in curiousity and opened his mouth to ask "What was the Emperor doing?" but decided better. Instead he said, "You seem troubled Your Majesty. May I be of some assistance?"

The Emperor looked at Edward and said, "No. No. I shall solve this. Wait, the flowers and bread! How could I forget the flowers and bread?" Turning and heading for the door, Norton said, "Thank you Edward, as always you are a helpful servent of the Empire." Edward blinked confused and then went back to preparing the bar for the day.

The Emperor recrossed the street and following His nose found a bakery which had just pulled a fresh batch of sour dough loaves. He collected the Imperial taxes and asked the Baker for the nearest flower shop, to which He headed straight away.

Soon He was back across the street from the Owl Tree balancing a vase of roses and a large loaf of bread. He opened the door to the Owl Tree; again hopefully and again disappointed. "There must be something I am forgeting!" He muttered to Himself.

Edward was returning from the back room of the bar just as he heard Norton exclaim, "By Jove, that's it!" which startled him and caused him to nearly trip over the barrel of beer he was rolling to the front room. Norton spun arround, nearly dropping the vase and exited the bar. He walked over to the corner of the street and kicked His foot agaist the sidewalk. Then, limping, He approached the Owl Tree's door and opened it into...Milliways! "Stay here and guard the city men!" He said as he walked in.

Stepping through the door from milliways, Emperor Norton walked into the familiar lighting of the Owl Tree's stained glass windows. He paused in confusion for a moment but quickly recovered His wits.

"Edward," He said, "I have been to a most astounding place! Simply astounding."

"Is that right your Majesty?" said Edward obviously bored from behind the counter. "What was this place?"

"I am afraid I can not tell. One must not know one's future or some such. Tell Me friend, if you were to give someone something uniquely San Franciscan, what would it be?"

"Why I don't know Your Majesty...some sourdough bread perhaps? Or gold if you have it."

"Gold I am afraid I lack but bread is possible. Thank you My good man. One other question, if you were to give a bar a gift, what would it be?" His Majesty asked as He turned and opened the door to the street.

Edward stared in confusion, the Emperor can be distracting on the best of days but this? "A bar?!?! A round of drinks perhaps?"

"No, no...the bar itself, the counter. And it would seem to be a lady as well."

Edward had to blink several times before he gave up trying to guess what the Emperor was on about. "Flowers? Ladies always like flowers."

"Very good!" His Majesty said nodding in satisfaction as the door closed, "Thank you and good day."

Stepping out into the sun light Emperor Norton breathed deeply the air of His city. Bummer and Lazarus had waited for Him He discovered.

"Come along men, the city still requires our vigilance and I must tell you of this lovely lady and dashing captain I met just now. Wonderful people and very helpful."

Bummer and Lazarus barked in anticipation as the team walked on toward their duty.

It was a rare day in San Francisco...a warm one, hot really for SF. Emperor Norton I walked beneath His umbrella inspecting His domain and trying to ignore His sour stomach. Though all in the city had been fine for many weeks now, this summer of 1861, a true Emperor knows that vigilance is the cornerstone of civilization.

With Him were His faithful "men" (dogs really) Bummer (black-and-white Newfoundland) and Lazarus (a gentlemen of unknown breeding). By royal decree neither of which were not His dogs, yet dogs really don't care much for decrees, whether royal or not.

All seemed good in the city streets, but not in His Imperial Majesty's stomach which had continued to get more sour as the afternoon progressed.

Surprising Bummer and Lazarus, Emperor Norton declared "An Emperor can not have a stomach ache!" and then strode purposefully across Market street. Which lead to him nearly falling into a mud puddle (which would NOT do!), being run over by a horse carriage (I say man, can you not see a pedestrian when one is before you?) and stub his toes on the curb opposite (Confound it! I must make a decree regarding the state of these city walk ways!).

He stopped in front of the Owl Tree, one of His preferred taverns. "Just what I need," He said, "a glass of soda water and bitters. Perhaps a mug of sarsaparilla as well."

As He pushed open the door, He turned and said to Bummer and Lazarus, "Stay out here men or go forth on your war against the vermin of this city. I shall retire here for a time."