Otters Don't Do That

None of Belle's fears have been realised. The books remain upon the bookshelves, the CDs in the racks, the vinyl records in their good old fashioned sleeves.

The crowd is merely surging forward in an orderly fashion to the cash register where Ageless is holding court.

Yes, Ageless is saying. It was all down to me. I stepped in when my team mate was indisposed. If it had not been for the laxity of others, Team Provenance would no doubt have won the Tour.

The crowd murmurs with approval. Aye, we Scots know what it's like.

Belle pushes through.

Is everything all right? says Belle to Ageless. Where's Kobo?

Over there, says Ageless. Perusing the Japanese novels. Where's Arthur?

He's down at the riverbank with Rosie looking for his coin, says Belle. An otter ate it.

A hush falls over the bookshop, followed by a collective intake of breath.

Aaahaah! An OTTER ate it. Those otters, they are always playing pranks!

You want to watch out for those otters, says a Japanese customer. They are notorious shape shifters. We call them Kawauso. If you address them they say oraya, if you ask them a question they say kawai. They put out the fires in paper lanterns, and change into a woman's shape to lure and kill and eat you.

This shocks the Scottish customers. Otters don't do that! An argument breaks out in Elvis Shakespeare between the Scots and Japanese.

Ageless is miffed. His audience is fractured. He scowls at Belle et Bonne.

Come on, says Belle. Looks like you're finished in the bookshop. Let's pick up Kobo and go back to the riverbank.

Ageless stomps out of Elvis Shakespeare, between the legs of the disputatious crowd. He waits outside for Belle and Kobo. Here they come. Does Kobo have a book?

After all that was the purpose of the visit to Elvis Shakespeare.

Yes, Belle has picked up Kobo and the book that she was reading. The book is Kafka On The Shore, by Murakami.  Its price is three pounds fifty.

We may rest assured that this time three pounds fifty has been honourably paid.