Not One Stone Left on Another

A minor disturbance just now with Drayton. He turned up outside the Great House and started shouting that one day there would be "not one stone left on another".

A meaningful and challenging text, no doubt. One that demands action. Sure enough, I acted. I set the dogs on him. At least, as he ran screaming back to his Manse, he could reflect that he was being treated like the prophets before him.

An odd sensation, though. Being more than a century old and built of sandstone and brick, it appears to be, quite literally, as safe as houses. And yet, eventually there will indeed be no stone left on another. Just a pile of debris being carted off for landfill and re-use.

I don't need that kind of apocalyptic attitude, though. That's the kind of thinking that brings reigns to an end, upends the social order and upsets the apple cart. If I'm to govern the Beaker Folk without major upsets I need calm, predictability, peace. The cycle of summer and winter, springtime and harvest. Not some fool announcing everything's gonna change. Nope, if I'm going to keep things under control, then tomorrow must be like today - or maybe slightly better. Not too much better, though. That might cost money, or give people bright ideas.

Right. So we're all calm again now. So we can go down the Moot House and fill up the Beakers, light a tea light and sign a happy song. And tomorrow morning we can go down the Moot House, pour out the Beakers and sign a happy song. And tomorrow night.... yeah, you get the pattern. Let's make sure the stones stay where they're supposed to be - one on top of another. Nothing to see here.