What do you mean we have to get out of here pronto? asked Gustave. We haven't finished looking at these interesting photographs.
Never mind that! said SPLOSH! The guards are after me! Quick, let's go down the side stairs!
Why are they after you? asked Gaius. What have you done?
I've tagged all the artworks downstairs, said SPLOSH! and now we have to leave.
You may have to leave, my dear SPLOSH!, said Gustave mildly. But Gaius and I haven't done anything wrong.
SPLOSH! took out a marker pen and wrote GUS! in large fat letters in the corner of the photograph of the picnicking rabbits ( or goats ).
Now you, she said to Gaius, waving the marker pen threateningly. What street name shall we give you?
No! cried Gaius. That's enough. We're leaving down the side stairs.
Yes we are, spluttered Gustave. SPLOSH! you really are a handful!
They raced down the side stairs nearly falling over one another in their haste. They ran through the foyer, out of the main door, jumped onto their bikes and pedalled away, with SPLOSH! in the lead. Gustave and Gaius were in such a state of panic they didn't notice that no one was chasing them at all.
Showing posts with label foyer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label foyer. Show all posts
Monday, June 27, 2011
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Woolly Mammoth
You would have liked the lecture at the Museum last night, I said to Pliny the Elder this morning.
What was the topic? he asked, looking up from a decrepit-looking diary that I recognised.
Ancient DNA, just your thing, I replied. Or don't you know what that is?
Of course I know what that is, he said. I like to keep up. Tell me all about it.
Well, I said, we went into the foyer with lots of other people, the sort of people you might imagine to be interested in paleontology, and drank 2 glasses of wine on an empty stomach, while looking in glass cases at replicas of fossils, which looked back at us with horrible expressions except in the case of one which appeared to be smiling.
I do not wish to hear this part, said Pliny. Just cut to the lecture, if you please. Although if you had 2 glasses of wine on an empty stomach perhaps you will not make a reliable witness.
I was fine, I said. We went up the wide red-carpetted staircase into the Pacific Cultures gallery and sat down under a suspended plaited straw alligator, near some spears and painted masks. The professor told us that ancient DNA was DNA that has deteriorated. Then he told us about discoveries of caves of moa bones in New Zealand and how a lot could be discovered from ancient moa poo, such as what they used to eat; and that told you a lot about the plants as well.
Fascinating, said Pliny. We used to find giant bones in my day too, and exhibit them as evidence of giants. Some of them were bones of woolly mammoths. Of course we knew that really.
We heard about the woolly mammoths, I said. The research shows that they developed a special type of haemoglobin to stop their ears falling off in the cold.
Hmmmm.... said Pliny. Are you sure you heard that right?
What was the topic? he asked, looking up from a decrepit-looking diary that I recognised.
Ancient DNA, just your thing, I replied. Or don't you know what that is?
Of course I know what that is, he said. I like to keep up. Tell me all about it.
Well, I said, we went into the foyer with lots of other people, the sort of people you might imagine to be interested in paleontology, and drank 2 glasses of wine on an empty stomach, while looking in glass cases at replicas of fossils, which looked back at us with horrible expressions except in the case of one which appeared to be smiling.
I do not wish to hear this part, said Pliny. Just cut to the lecture, if you please. Although if you had 2 glasses of wine on an empty stomach perhaps you will not make a reliable witness.
I was fine, I said. We went up the wide red-carpetted staircase into the Pacific Cultures gallery and sat down under a suspended plaited straw alligator, near some spears and painted masks. The professor told us that ancient DNA was DNA that has deteriorated. Then he told us about discoveries of caves of moa bones in New Zealand and how a lot could be discovered from ancient moa poo, such as what they used to eat; and that told you a lot about the plants as well.
Fascinating, said Pliny. We used to find giant bones in my day too, and exhibit them as evidence of giants. Some of them were bones of woolly mammoths. Of course we knew that really.
We heard about the woolly mammoths, I said. The research shows that they developed a special type of haemoglobin to stop their ears falling off in the cold.
Hmmmm.... said Pliny. Are you sure you heard that right?
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