The Hard Part

Terence has explained the red wool to Ageless.

So it's not yet a hat, says Ageless.

Not yet, says Terence. Gaius is making it.

Remind him of my special requirements, says Ageless.

Okay, says Terence. What are they?

Eyeholes in the right place, says Ageless.

It'll have lots of holes, says Terence. That's how you make it.

Ageless imagines a string bag sort of structure.

Fine, says Ageless.

Terence takes the wool back to Gaius, who is perusing his cuttlefish notes.

Give it to Denis, says Gaius.

Me? says Denis.

You are at a loose end, says Gaius. And you saw how to do it.

I wasn't watching, says Denis.

I was, says Terence.

He hands Denis the wool.

How do I start? asks Denis.

Make two loops on your finger, says Terence.

Denis has remembered that much.

It's the next part that he has forgotten.

Now make it longer, says Terence.

How? asks Denis.

Gaius looks up.

Second loop over first loop, says Gaius. And repeat.

Denis tries that.

Yay! says Terence. You made an eyehole!

It can't be an eyehole, says Denis.

Why? asks Terence.

Because it's at the beginning, says Denis. Just let me get on with my knitting.

I'll go and tell Ageless you're good at it, says Terence.

He goes to the back of the bus.

Denis keeps looping. 

He wonders how long his chain of loops ought to be.

How many times must it go around Ageless's head? 

And how will he tell where the eyeholes should be?

It occurs to him that finger-knitting a hat for a lobster is somewhat absurd.

Henriette would laugh.

Which could have an upside.

He stops knitting and takes out his phone.

He should take a photo of his knitting so far.

Or she might not believe him.

But she'll have to. It's attached to his finger. 

He presses 'camera', and 'selfie reverse'.

Takes a smiling selfie with his finger held up, and the red wool chain dangling.

He checks the photo.

Alors! The red wool makes his teeth look yellow.

He takes another, with his mouth shut.

Now for the text.

Dear Henriette, I am whiling away the time on the bus trip back to Adelaide by knitting a hat for the lobster. Did you suspect I could knit? The hard part is deciding where to position the eyeholes.....