An Interview with Lord Graystone, the Jungle Lord
Part One
By John Pirillo
I felt it was time to move my interviews to another level and so I endeavored to meet with one of the more reclusive members of the Baker Street Universe friends and champions, the esteemed and honorable Lord Graystone. When he is not engaged in the sometimes occult, or paranormal adventures the Baker Street members seem to be involved with more and more, then he is sojourning deep into the land of Fairie, where he has a kingdom all to himself that he rules over, and also where he relaxes, finding that place of savage harmony, more peaceful than the industry of man and the often times complex and powerful strivings for power that go on there.
So I felt especially lucky when I got off my usual teaching tenure for summer to travel to Paris, of all places, to meet with him. I understand now, but not at the time, that he was brought there, along with his wonderful companion, Lady Shareen, by the very good friends of Jules Verne and H.G. Wells.
I managed to snag an apartment near the Eiffel Tower, though it cost me most of my travel expenses, leaving little for me to travel elsewhere. But it was worth it. Who wouldn't give up most of their money to spend time with the heroes of their world, although in this case it was the hero of my own created world...The Baker Street Universe?
As you all know by now, who have been following these interviews, the Baker Street Universe is a literary creation I came up with to encompass all the written heroes from time immemorial. A place where they and their authors could live together and strive together to create a more perfect world than our own.
Unfortunately, what I did not foresee, was that I was in fact also creating a world where the worst of the author's creations also existed, and hence the obvious and powerful need for a team of heroes to protect the Baker Street Universe.
I had agreed, through an intermediary, John Watson, who had been visiting my home in Vegas en-route to Israel, where a new medical technique he had heard of was being unveiled, and which he hoped to duplicate in his own world.
He was kind enough to arrange this meeting, being very good friends with Lord Graystone and Lady Shareen. I have also taken the liberty of posting with this series of interviews the cover from one of the stories I've written about the Jungle Lord, for those of you who might have missed both the cover and the story.
I sat on my small balcony, sipping sparkling grape juice in a wine glass, when I felt a shadow fall across me. I stood up so suddenly, I spilled my glass.
"I'm so sorry." A deep chested and warm voice announced from behind me.
I turned and I swear I said. "Holy Cow! You're even bigger than I imagined."
I am so lucky that the man is more of a gentleman than I was at that time, or I might have faced a fierce fight for my life otherwise.
At first he frowned, and then his craggy features broke into a smile, like the sun bursting through dark clouds. He offered a powerful hand to me and I embraced it with my own. That really hurt! He has a grip like a vise.
"I am so sorry I gave you such a fright." He said, and then eyed the spilled drink.
I did as well.
"Excuse me a moment." I rushed inside the tiny apartment, fetched several rags, and two new glasses, then cleaned up and settled the new glasses into place, bringing the old one back inside to place in the small sink I had in my kitchenette.
When I went back outside, he was seated, his splendid body shining golden in the morning sun. I suppose the reason I hadn't spotted him coming until the last moment was because the morning sun was in my eyes, but that just might be an excuse, for I have learned since that unless he wants someone to be aware of him, he is virtually invisible to the senses.
He accepted the glass of sparkling juice, and tasted it. His eyes widened. "Lady Shareen would love this. What is it?"
"We call it sparkling juice. Grape flavored."
"Yes. I taste that. Amazing. I must come here more often." He said with a glint of amusement on his lips.
"Oh, you can find this in almost any part of our world."
"Truly an amazing world you have."
He leaned forward, his muscles rippling as he did so. "Dear Watson told me you begged him for the opportunity to speak to me. To interview me."
"And I'm grateful you acceded to his request. And honored." I added.
He smiled. "Believe me, that goes both ways. He brought me one of your stories about me, and I found it quite..." He smiled more widely. "Touching."
"You mean, amusing, don't you?"
He shrugged. You see, what I write is what I see in my mind, and because their world is so close, and yet divided from us by powerful vibrations, I don't always capture their stories perfectly.
Oh, did I mention he only wore a loin cloth, ladies?"
He smiled, sensing my own amusement at his presence. "When I travel, I like to travel light."
"That must get cold when you visit a place such as this."
"Rarely. I have trained my body to resist heat and cold. I feel neither, unless I choose to."
"Ah, a yogic technique.
He frowned, his face clouding over for a moment, until he realized I was sincere. "What is...?"
"It's a breathing method taught by men of the Himalayas. Holy Men who have studied the nature of mind and body, and overcome the void between them."
"I see, that must come in bloody handy to your people."
"Oh." I shook my head. "Most people in our world have no clue what it is, or even any interest in it."
He looked sad for a moment, then brightened. "Each world has its quirks."
My turn to look sad. "I suppose, but I think our world desperately needs something to turn it around at this point in time."
"I see, young man, the climate changes."
I nodded. I was surprised he was aware of it.
"I noticed it the moment I entered your dimension." He stated. "The air does not feel right. It's as if something has tainted it, twisted it. Even the earth beneath my feet doesn't feel right."
"There was an earthquake in Paris last night."
"That explains it. But here, here? That's unheard of."
"Maybe in your world, but in ours, many things are happening now that didn't before. In my native state..."
"State?"
"My country is divided into fifty states. Mine is one of them."
"How peculiar your world is. Our world may be diverse, but the nations are not divided."
I pulled out my cell phone and placed it on the table. He immediately swiped it with his hand and put it to his ear. "It doesn't speak to me."
"It wouldn't."
"John said they spoke to you and listened."
I laughed. "He's referring to when they receive a call. Or make one."
"Here." I took the cell phone from him hesitantly. He was reluctant to let go at first, then did so. "Watch."
I dialed the time.
A voice from my phone announced. "It is now seven o'clock in the morning in Gay Paree."
I shut the phone off.
He sat there stunned a long moment, and then reached for it again.
I allowed him to examine it for several minutes, showing him some of the apps, all of which amazed and startled him, and then he returned it. "I don't know why any sane man would want one of these. They are so confusing and time wasting."
I laughed. "Even our tiniest of kids have one."
He gave me a grave look. "Then your world is surely in grave danger, when you put so much power into the hands of innocents."
"Oh, and about that."
He tensed, anticipating my next words.
"They're really not all that innocent anymore thanks to the Internet and the TV shows that play everywhere twenty four hours a day."
He shook his head. "Enough of this gibberish. Let us begin the interview."
I flicked on the recorder for my phone and asked my first question.
