The Rickman Fan's Guide To Seattle

On November 24, 1999, Rebecca sent a comprehensive guide to Seattle, a lovely city. The sites are real, and the names are not changed. Is the Seattle Chamber of Commerce staffed with Rickman fans, I wonder?
Thank you, Rebecca!

OCCUPATIONS GIVEN!

With all respect to the Flight of Fancy's collective authorship, it's just possible the Rickman characters don't really inhabit their romantic adventures. There's some evidence (and I have photographs and directory references to back me up) that the characters may be hard at working the greater Seattle area!

Cases in point:

Having conquered his melancholy with a natural herbal version of Prozac which he found in the woods ("I will through and through cleanse the foul body of th'infected world, if they will patiently receive my medicine," As You Like It, II:vii), Jaques is busying himself with two separate enterprises at opposite ends of the region: the Arden Rehabilitation Center and the Forest Villa Laundrette ("Shrinks are a bit like taking yourself to a laundrette," Alan Rickman, quoted on Elle Magazine, 1992). I've noted recently that there's also a hairstyling salon at the latter establishment . . .

Also in human services is Jacques Roux, educating sweet, sweet boys and girls at the St. Nicholas Montessori School. I'm not sure what the vaguely-referenced "Aston's Creative Services" might be, but (unlike Lily in The Seagull), I think we'd best not go there.

I also don't know if the Mesmer Glass Design studio ever created glass harmonicas!

Our two felonious lawyers might have learned new practical skills while incarcerated. Simon ("I like to cook") Jacks may have an interest in Roxy's Deli, since its publicity stated it "was named for an old girlfriend of one of the owners." And over on Fairview Avenue, David Weinberg (undoubtedly disbarred for certain activities on the Maine coast) has a new couture career at the Birthday Suit Tailors.

At one time Brandon's Deli and Spices lent an aromatic air to its north Seattle neighborhood. Bryant's Food and Catering is still around; but alas, O'Hara's Pets has gone under. It used to be across the street from the gift shop selling the designer Sheriff of Nottingham nutcracker, which in turn resided next door to the Sherwood Forest Florist.

But Tybalt's at the King Cat Theater, and someone named only "Matt" sells clothes to young people at Tequila Sweats.

One "Mark Anton" is making real-estate deals in the hot Seattle market ("At land indeed thou dost o'ercount me of my father's house," Pompey to Antony, A&C,II:vi). And there's a commercial property representative who just might have gotten his start inventorying cash crops for California grass widows: Dennis Counts!

I've no idea if these are all the Rickman entrepreneurs in Seattle (what might Jamie and Rasputin be doing? Will some lucky chance reveal Charles Gayman as a dealer in wooden ladles? And we haven't even started on the radio characters!).

But anything can happen, and I'm keeping my eyes open.

My heartfelt thanks to Rebecca