A Comedy Of Fractals

The shark eyes Arthur's toe.

Bleeding I see, says the shark.

Arthur lifts his foot out of the water.

I wouldn't, says the shark. You might overbalance.

Arthur puts his foot back in the sea.

Blood has a certain fascination, says the shark. Red blood in the water. Spreading and spreading.

Arthur looks at his blood in the water, spreading and spreading.

But once I have struck up a conversation, says the shark, an attack is verboten. It's a question of ethics.

Good, says Sweezus. Good to hear you have ethics.

I have, says the shark. And a great sense of humour. I see you look doubtful.

Not at all, says Sweezus.

Prove it, says Arthur.

No need to be so aggressive, says the shark. I shall prove it. What is the favourite food of a physicist?

I don't know, says Arthur. What is it?

Fission chips, says the shark. Do you get it?

I get it, says Arthur. Are all your jokes piscatorial in nature?

You can't extrapolate from a single example, says the shark.

Give us another, says Sweezus. That was a goodie. Fission chips. Hahaha!

The shark edges closer to Arthur's toe, from which blood floats gently upwards, in delicate fractals.

I'll give you another, he says. This one's my favourite. What does the B stand for in Benoit B Mandelbrot?

Dunno, says Sweezus. What does it stand for?

Benoit B Mandelbrot, says the shark.

Arthur and Sweezus don't get it.

Don't you get it? says the shark. Mandelbrot. Fractals.

Far out! says Sweezus. That's wicked!

Arthur makes a quick extrapolation from one example.

And has to agree that it's funny.