Snail Stuff Up

Ageless has dragged himself round the Dubai Mall for what seems like hours. He sits down wearily on a white strip of floor.

Ooo-hey! The floor lights up with multiple colours moving back and forth under Ageless.

Three little boys run over.

Let's have races! cries one of the boys. They run after the red light, then the yellow one until one of them bumps into Ageless.

Oof! says Ageless. Watch it, boy! I am weary.

Hello Weary, I'm Fadi, says Fadi. And this is Iqbal, and this is Hans. We're running races. Want to race?

No thank you, Faddy, says Ageless. But perhaps you know where the Aquarium is?

F-aaa-di, says Fadi. No I don't.

I do, says Iqbal. It's over there. I went there with mummy. There, where it's all glowing blue.

It's a ripper, says Hans. There a shark tunnel. You should go there.

Thanks boys, says Ageless. At least you two. Not Faddy.

He gives Fadi the finger, and heads off to where it's all glowing blue.

Let's follow him, says Fadi. The sharks might eat him.

They set off after the funny old lobster, without telling their mummies.

Meanwhile Doctor Moussalli  has arranged to turn up at the Aquarium with his three snails and the Twitcher.

Here he is now.

Here is Jamila to meet him.

Hello Doctor Moussalli, says Jamila. Welcome to the world's largest Aquarium. Are these the snails? Oh there are only three of them. I thought there'd be five.

Yes yes, says Doctor Moussalli. A little mishap on the plane. But I have a surprise for you here in this portable saltwater aquarium. A Giant Australian Cuttlefish. You may have him on loan for a week.

Jamila peers at the Twitcher.

The Twitcher winks at Jamila, while lewdly adjusting his ink sac.

Oh, I don't know... says Jamila.

Is he misbehaving? says Doctor Moussalli. Oh dear, now I'm  wishing I'd brought Ageless Lobster.

A lobster? says Jamila. Oh yes, what a pity you didn't. We have room for a lobster. All mod cons.

Doctor Moussalli and Jamila laugh at the idea of  mod cons for a lobster. Ha ha ha.

It is going quite well.

Until she looks at the snails.

These are land snails, says Jamila.

Yes, what of it? says Doctor Mossalli. Land snails are my particular interest. Don't tell me you didn't want land snails.

Well....., says Jamila, indicating the Aquarium.

Dear me what a stuff up, says Doctor Moussalli.

Yes, laughs Jamila. At least we have a Giant Australian Cuttlefish to make up for it.

Jamila ! Jamila ! says an aquarium attendant, running up in a hurry. There's a dreadful fracas going on in the shark tunnel! Come quickly!