Winston has a minion!

Rupert the Bookmark

Winston had always felt there was something missing in his life. From an early age, he was convinced the answer could be found if only he knew enough - so he studied. He wanted knowledge; he needed it. Every waking moment in his youth was spent taking in the world around him and questioning it. His parents wondered at their child asking for nothing but textbooks and blueprints for his birthday, and tried to make him see a psychologist when he first began studying philosophy and questioning the furniture in their house as being real. Thankfully, after some advice from Winston's professor at a parent-teacher night, they realised their son was not crazy but gifted, and sent him off to a private school while they sat at home worrying about their parenting and deciding not to have any more children.

As Winston grew, so did his thirst for knowledge. When he felt he wasn't learning enough in one language, he learned another. Latin was the first language he took to, foremost because Latin was the international language of science and scholarship, and a great many of the old tomes he purchased were in this language. He also took to Latin in the quest to understand romance: for the romantic languages of the world are all descendants of Latin. Alas, females still manage to baffle Winston - in English, French, Spanish, Japanese, Russian, Greek, Hindi, Arabic and Mandarin Chinese as well as in Latin!

Noah met Winston at the private school. A few years younger than Winston, Noah was reckless and happy and seemed to have a great deal of prowess with the opposite sex. Whilst at first there seemed no reason why the two should meet and become friends, they were thrown together when Noah was injured during a hockey match and his parents needed to be contacted. Noah's parents were Russian, and Winston was the only other pupil in his school who could speak the language. He was called upon to translate, and was happy to practice his skills. He visited Noah in the medical wing as he recovered to wish him well and was under the impression the relationship would end there, except for the fact that Noah had an eye for making friends with the kind of person that might be beneficial to his own life. He didn't use anyone - he simply was the kind to find enjoyment in the company of any character he chose. Winston found his cheerful disposition intriguing - and wondered if it was the thing missing from his own life. The two students became good friends - Noah coming to Winston with his stories of daring and recklessness, and Winston regaling in the mystery of life from another person's eyes.

Over the years, Winston's demeanor softened and his heart became lighter thanks to Noah. After taking two years out after his private schooling to travel to some of the great archeological sites of the world, he met Noah back at university where they began the year together, and met the third member of what would become the Teashop Trio. Gideon worked in the university as a technician, and was also very interested in factual information - although whereas Winston was more concerned with the 'why' of the Earth around him, Gideon was fascinated by how it was made. Metalwork, woodwork, upholstery - even baking! Winston at once found a great verbal sparring partner in Gideon, and was impressed by his ability to create the most delicate of objects with his mighty claws. Winston felt the need to create something beautiful himself, instead of just reading about it in book. Yet he was at a loss, as his paws were just not made for such skilled work. Noah caught him on one of his low moments in the university grounds one day, and wheedled out of him what the problem was.

"But Winnie, you know you can make something beautiful without it being tangible. Like a poem, or a song! You keep looking for this missing thing and I think you're looking too hard. You have all this knowledge and you don't do anything with it because you think it's all obvious. But it's not, Wince. You could do something beautiful with what you know."

"But what? What could I do? No one is interested in what I know. They care about ridiculous things like money and jobs and smart hats and sex. You could probably charm them into learning something. Or Giddy could create something that would bring a bit of attention to the beauty of the world. But how do I show it?"

"...Wince. I think you've just nailed it. By myself, I'm nothing but charm and airs. Giddy can make the most beautiful trinket you ever saw but he doesn't know what to do with it, or how to speak about it if anyone could even understand him anyway. And you - you have all the knowledge and can speak to a good percentage of the world but you don't have the means to draw attention to yourself. Individually, we're pretty average - but together. Wince that's it!"

"Noah you crafty cat, what are you talking about?"

"We need to bring the public's attention back to beauty! Back to what life is really all about! And we can have some FUN whilst doing it. You know the layouts of just about every museum and gallery in London. Giddy can make just about any lock picking, officer distracting device you could ask for, and I can charm just about anyone into letting me in after hours...not to mention I'm stinking rich and that always helps with bail should we actually get into any real trouble. But I tell you - nothing alerts the public's attention like a good tragedy. We can teach them, Wince. Make them see it!"

At this point Noah's eyes glazed over as he ran off to find a pen and some paper to continue contemplating his idea. Re-educating society to the beauty of the world? Museums and galleries had been closing down more and more since the current mayor had been elected to office. People were starting to forget how important art and history were in the wake of the promised extra funding for education and medicine. Winston was dubious, as always, but a warm glow began spreading through him. Was this it? Was this what he had been searching for? Not self knowledge at all, but the power to bring joy and beauty to others? He laid back on the grass, and looked at the clouds above him, smiling uncontrollably.

Winston was never really one to care about minions - he was a lifelong bachelor who was responsible for no one but himself! But Geoffrey was rather good at picking out the best tealeaves. And since Ragdoll has been around to do all the real caring for him, Winston isn't too embarrassed to call the little Laeroo his own.