Terence has broken rule number two, says Jérôme severely.
What was that again? asks Vello.
Handle with care, says David. I imagine he tried to. His little fingers are quite hard.
Terence wiggles his wee cement fingers, which are slimy and sticky.
Nevertheless, says Jérôme, a rule has been broken. The chub has been slaughtered. Fishing must cease.
Pooh! says Terence. I was the best one at catching.
You were, says David. Never mind. I have a photo.
Let's see, says Terence.
Here it is. This is you, holding the catch. See how big it is! says David.
Terence grabs the phone. Yes, it's a big one. He clicks on the next photo.
Ee-uw!
It's the moment when the chub's guts spurt out. And you can see Terence's fingers, making it happen.
I want to send this one to Grandpa, says Terence.
I don't think so, says David. No, don't!
Too late. Terence is pressing the buttons.
(All young people have this remarkable talent).
He calls up David's contact list. Yes! G! G for Grandpa!
He doesn't stop to think that David might not list Karl Marx as Grandpa.
Worse, he doesn't stop to read the whole name.
It isn't even Grandpa.
It's Gaius.
Oh well. No harm done.
.........
While this may not have been a masterpiece of plotting, it has been an ingenious segue.
......
Gaius and Virtual Gaius are on the outskirts of Antwerp when Gaius receives a text message from David.
He stops at the side of the road, it being dangerous to look at text messages while riding a bicycle anywhere.
It's a photo. He shows it to Virtual Gaius.
Why would David send me photo of an exploding fish? says Gaius.
Virtual Gaius examines the photo for clues.
See these fingers? says Virtual Gaius. Are they David's?
No, says Gaius. If anyone's they are Terence's. It may be a jape.
Or a warning, says Virtual Gaius.
Why should you think that? asks Gaius.
We of the Virtual Community are always wary, says Virtual Gaius. We must be. You never know what might spring up at any moment.
Gaius is intrigued to learn this from his virtual self.
A warning? says Gaius. Very well. We'll keep it in mind, and watch out for signs and portents.
They pass a signpost, with ANTWERP! printed on it in green.
At any other time this might seem unremarkable.
ANTWERP! says Gaius, stopping suddenly.
He and Virtual Gaius stare at the sign.
A passer by stops.
Are you lost? asks the passer by.
No, says Gaius. This sign tells us that we are in Antwerp. It's the exclamation mark that has captured my attention.
Don't worry, it's a subsequent addition, says the passer by. Simple grafitti. Antwerp is Antwerp still. But Antwerp itself has a meaning. Do you know it?
No. What is the meaning of Antwerp? asks Virtual Gaius.
Join me for a beer, says the passer by, and I'll tell you a story.
Who would not take up such an offer?
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