Should be my second last in the Odd Habits series… hmm. Ah well… This one's about kohl.
Jack glanced into the dirty cracked shard of mirror in his hands. Euch. He looked gross. He'd just been hit on the head then pushed off a pier. And partially drowned. Good thing he could swim in his sleep…
He needed to get back to his ship. He dragged himself off the shore and walked to the nearest village. Hmm, he thought. He'd 'forget' to mention the fact that the village was 10 meters away when he told his tale of bravery and courage. Women always fell for that.
He knocked on a tavern door. A woman opened it. Her eyes widened and she let him in without a word. He barely noticed. His head was throbbing. He saw the woman whispering to someone. Someone familiar… hmmm.
"Captain Jack Sparrow!" called out a voice.
"err. Might I know whom I have the pleasure of speaking to?" Jack asked, wincing. His own voice made his head hurt.
"You wouldn't know me master--"
"Number one, I am no master, just call me Captain Jack, and number two, if I don't know you, how d'ya know me?"
"Repyatation, Cap'n Jack." Said the man.
Alright. A fan. Was Jack's last thought before he fainted.
Or passed out, he thought, as he woke up. Only pansies faint.
He found himself in a small but cosy room, properly furnished with everything he needed. He looked down. He was dressed in new clothes!! Where were his?!
He then carried out a frantic search around the room, but since men are hopeless at asking for directions and finding things, it took him around half an hour and a table-vase on his head to find it. (when he pulled it off he saw the clothes hanging behind the door)
He then proceeded to change into his filthy clothes and neatly replaced the new ones on the bed. They were the only thing neat in the room. Anyhow, he ignored the state of affairs and pulled out a small silk pouch from the lining in his hat. (He'd noticed that his face was clean. That just wouldn't do)
He looked into the clean mirror and pulled out a small piece of black rock from the pouch. It had been sharpened on one side. He held it as one would a pencil and lined his eyes with the black stuff. Many people asked him if it was coal. He always said no, it was kohl. And everyone looked confused. He loved doing that.
He'd got the kohl from India, a long time back when he'd visited. The people there applied it so they wouldn't see the glare from all the shiny stuff everywhere. It was also supposed to ward off bad luck, the evil eye as the locals called it, but he didn't tell people that. He just said it looked sexy ad it was good on the seas. You'd go blind, else.
He looked at him self in the mirror carefully. He saw small frown lines around his lips and crow's feet around his eyes. He'd smiled and frowned in equal measure. But he didn't look too old. Hm. Alright then. He tired his kaftan around his head and wrote a small note in pencil on a scrap of paper, and attached a gold coin. Enough, he knew. He climbed out the window, narrowly missing the owner, who came to check on him.
He knew he'd be fine. After all. The evil eye couldn't get him. He grinned and a woman swooned as he walked by. Even better. He didn't look old…
I know, it's different from all the rest. But ah wells. Enjoy. :D:D