Salty Froth On a Spoon

Margaret, Gaius and Professor Xu Xing have moved on to Chinaman Gully.

Baby Pierre has remained at Blanche Point, sketching sponge spicules.

He sketches tornotes with spear shaped ends, tylotes with knobs on both ends, acanthostyles which are spiny.

He records the fine details of the tiny natural structures until his pencil is blunted.

He stops drawing. Time to catch up with the others.

It's hard work, wheeling his bike over heaps of rock fall. He trips, hits his head on a hard lump of collapsed Gull Rock Member. Ouch.

Baby Pierre glowers at the Gull Rock. The Gull Rock remains indifferent.

But now Baby Pierre makes an interesting discovery. Embedded in the lump of Gull Rock is a fossil. A turreted snail. Ha ha. The others have missed it.

Baby Pierre examines the turreted snail with the eye of an artist.

Does it look like someone he knows?

Let us remind ourselves, in case we've forgotten, of the turreted snail's characteristics

The turreted snail is a member of the terebridae. It prefers warmer waters. It has a venomous barb which is used to stun marine worms. Of course, this is a dead one, and will not be a danger to anyone. The most interesting thing about the turreted snail is its shape. The shape of an auger.

Which means that it looks like Lavender.

Baby Pierre ejaculates: Lavender! He can't help it. He is surprised.

But he is about to be surprised even further.

From his pencil case comes a faint squeal. He looks into it.

It's Lavender, his cousin. She must have stowed away with the pencil.

Lavender says nothing, because she has vowed never to speak to him after Brianna.

........

David and Vello have finished eating their lemon curd crepes at Three Monkeys.

They take a last look round the paradisical courtyard.

No trace of anything remotely resembling virgins, among the mint, chillies and passion vines......

They get up to pay.

Near the counter two women are looking at a poster advertising the Barossa Meets McLaren Vale Wine Dinner.

The two women are locals, and both are called Beverley.

Next Friday, at the Star of Greece Cafe, Beverley, says Beverley. Four courses, plus bread and amuse bouche. Ten different wines.

Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Beverley? says Beverley.

That depends what you're thinking, says Beverley.

It's a long time since I've had an amuse bouche, says Beverley.

He-he, laughs Beverley. Last one I had was just salty froth on a spoon.

The two women go out of the Three Monkeys laughing.

 Vello raises an eyebrow at David.

They pay quickly, grab their bicycles and freewheel down the street, slowing as they pass the Beverleys.