Archive-name: Bestial/hipfount.txt
Archive-author: Cat
Archive-title: Hippocampus Fountain

   Perhaps this anecdote will be of some mild interest to those here...  I
was at a conference last weekend in what was billed as "one of the top ten
hotels in the US".  Certainly it was nice not having to pay for the room.
<grin>  Anyway, while I was waiting for the shuttle to the airport to arrive,
I stood out front of the hotel, in the sort of "public square" arrangement
they have there, admiring the fountain one last time.  It has three
hippocampuses (front half of a horse, rear half of a large fish - like a
horse mermaid) at the base, spurting water out of their mouths.  Above that
were three mermaids, then three geese, and at the top a cherub holding a horn
with water pouring out of it.

The shuttle got there, and as I looked at the fountain for the last time, it
occurred to me that I would very much like to kiss the beautiful horsie on
the lips...  One of the three was facing directly towards the main lobby
entrance - as I walked towards the shuttle, every few feet I'd stop and turn
around, looking at him and thinking about it a little more.  At some point
the notion started changing from some idea I'd had that I could remember with
amusement later, into something to actually do...  Nobody was very close, nor
really looking quite in that direction, although it was a very open area and
in broad daylight...  And if anyone did notice, what would they do about it
other than being a bit startled?  Nothing!

So I walked back to the fountain, and knelt carefully on the edge.  Leaning
forward, I placed one hand on the side of his muzzle, and kissed the stone
horse briefly, as he spit fountain water into my mouth...  I have to say I
would definitely have kissed him longer and more passionately had the
circumstances been more private - but hey, it was my first time!  And I'm
glad I did it, too.  :)

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