Wanting to Succeed

Writers: Suzee, Tyr
Date Posted: 24th November 2014

Characters: Clovente, Symion
Description: Symion seeks out Master Clovente's advice.
Location: Vintner Hall
Date: month 10, day 8 of Turn 7

Symion waited for the other apprentices to leave the room before
approaching Master Clovente. He was one of the more good natured
masters which made him a bit more approachable. The young man
had gotten a message from home and his father was getting impatient
with his youngest son, asking when the boy was going to finally walk
the tables and become a journeyman. There had been a promise of dire
consequences should he be sent home in shame.

"Sir, might I have a word?"

"Of course! Come on in son," Clovente smiled and waved the young man
into the room.

Symion did so with an easy smile. "Thank you, sir. I've always done
okay in your classes, sir, not the best of anyone, but not the worst
either," he started, his blue eyes looking frankly into the other
man's hazel ones. If he was honest with himself, Symion always did
just enough work to get by which was kind of his motto. Invest as
little work as possible for the biggest payoff. "But I've been an
apprentice for awhile now, and, well, I think I would like to do a
little better."

"And have you thought about your specialty Symion," he asked with interest.

"Not really. I've been focusing on trying to master the basics,"
Symion responded and then tilted his head, actually considering the
Master's question seriously for the first time ever.

"I was really good at describing the wines when we did that in class.
I like thinking about how the flavor, the smell, and even the color
all make up a unique description for a particular wine." If he were
completely honest, he liked to think about how he could use that
description to sell a certain wine. He could see himself at a gather
booth doing a good job at selling the wines. He wasn't sure if this
would be good to mention or not, though, so he held his tongue. "My
taste for ales didn't seem to be quite as good, but the wines were fun
to describe."

"Are you quoting one of your Journeyman teachers there Symion?"
Clovente asked mildly. The normally distracted air he wore as he
worked parted slightly and the mans intelligence shone through the
facade. "Or are you saying you wish to be a winemaker?"

Symion could tell this was not the time for empty words or flim flam
so he paused to carefully consider the Master's question. Turns
earlier, when his father had insisted he apprentice to the Vintner
craft, Symion had not been pleased. Now, though, he couldn't really
imagine going back to the minor Hold. Being full grown, but still the
youngest, it was likely that many less desirable tasks would fall to
him. Particularly if he was sent away from the Hall in shame, having
failed. No, being a vintner was much better than that life would be.

"Well, sir, I might just be quoting, though I don't mean to be. They
go over and over stuff to make sure it sticks, so it's possible my
words match those I've heard. I was honest when I said I haven't
given too much thought to specializing, just focusing on the basics.
I do like tasting the wine and sort of...figuring it out if you know
what I mean. My parents came to visit awhile back and visited the
tasting room. It felt really good to be able to tell them about what
they were tasting. I could even recommend a wine they would like,
knowing what I do about the wine and their preferences. The other
side of that is knowing what makes it taste that way. I mean the
challenge is to make a wine most folks will like, isn't sir?"

Clovente sat back in his chair looking at the young man with narrowed
eyes. He might give the appearance of inattention to the apprentices
but nothing could be farther from the truth. If this was a new
ambitious phase for Symion then perhaps there was hope for the young
man after all. "So tell me Symion," he half smiled. "What is the best
thing about a red wine in your eyes, and no winemaking isn't about
making something the masses will like."

"In general, I like the affect of secondary fermentation in reds - how
the tannin softens and the flavor deepens with time. More
specifically, I like the reds that are full bodied, with a smooth
mouthfeel and I particularly enjoy undertones of leather and klah."
Symion might not be the best when it came to hard work in the
vineyards, but he took his pleasure very seriously, which was one
reason he enjoyed describing the wines so much.

A soft knowing smile spread slowly across Clovente's face as he
listened to the young man. "I like reds as well but for different
reasons. So are you saying that you wish to pursue your studies in
Winemaking above all the other disciplines?"

A surprised look came o Symion's face as the truth of the man's words
dawned on him. He wanted to succeed here and if he were going to do
so, then he needed to play o his strengths. "I, I guess I do sir," he
replied with a surprising sincerity.

"Well then," Clovente leaned forward with his elbows on his desk.
"Here's what you need to do..."

Last updated on the November 28th 2014

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Wanting to Succeed