22nd day of Winter 501 AV
Bob has been reading the book for nearly a year now, practicing the skills in it alone at home and now its time to get to using it. He asked himself where would be the best place to try it not? Obviously he needed to test on people who were not too bright or they'll catch on to his little tricks so that practically cancels out most of the people in Zeltiva. "Hmmm, maybe the docks then if I am avoiding the smart people?" he thought to himself as he put the book away and went out the door.
Getting out of his room, who did Bob see but his dear old uncle Marny. Marny asked "Have you finished studying yet Bob? You know you won't get into the University if you keep fooling around." Bob panicked a little hearing this. Sure he has been "studying" but not really what his uncle wanted him to. Uncle Marny was a doctor in Zeltiva and it was no big secret that he wanted Bob to follow in his footsteps and take over the practice instead of becoming like that worthless father of his which took his beloved sister to the grave just because of those gambling debts. Bob answered "Sure Uncle Marny...I have been preparing well for my future..." eyes looking away from his Uncle Marny and displaying his usual smile as he said that.
Thank the gods that eventhough Uncle Marny was smart, but not smart enough to pick up on Bob's lie right there and then. So smiling he replied "That's good then Bob. How about you help me today with my work and we can see how much you have prepared yourself?" as he took Bob by the shoulder to his workshop. Bob groaned in disappointment as his uncle grasped his shoulder because everytime his uncle got him to help, it could take all day and today especially of all days Bob did not want to have to go through it. No all Bob wanted to do then was finally try out what he has been learning so that he would know if he is truly worthy of the name Barton.
By the time the setting sun was drawing its red curtain over Zeltiva, Bob was finally done with helping his uncle. He massaged his shoulders and wrists a little and moaned to himself "Why can't Uncle Marny go and buy his own medicine from other people like the normal doctors instead of making his own?" While saying that he knew in his heart that it was that personal touch that made people prefer to come to his uncle when they are sick, a fact Bob loves and appreciates about his uncle as well. But Bob never wanted to be a doctor so he never really paid attention to his uncle attempts to teach him about medicine, herbs and philtering. Bob wanted to become a great gambler like all the Bartons before him except that loser father of his. The only lesson which ever stuck to him from his uncle was the math for measuring the reagents and that was the only way Bob every could help his uncle anyway. Uncle Marny would go "Here, make sure you cut out enough of this for 3 people" or "Fill this beaker up to 1.42 liters" and Bob would reply "Is that for 3 big people or small people?" and "Does the liquid need to be concentrated or dilute?"
So in the evening where everyone was returning home to turn in for the night, Bob went out of the house and headed towards the docks. The aspiring gambler out for a night of fun where other people who are definitely a lot smarter than him, this being most of the other people in Zeltiva like Uncle Marny would normally with a sound mind do their best to keep away from. I think at this point we can establish that Bob is not like the other normal people. Bob got bored with the normal life a looooonnnggggg time ago.
