Red Bull And A Bombshell

Oof! Jazzman sits down heavily in his original spot in the tinny.

You all right? says Snook.

Yeah, says Jazzman. Those cuttlies are slippery.

Have a Red Bull, says Bandy, handing him a can.

Thanks, says Jazzman. Just what I need.

Want one? says Bandy handing one to Arthur.

Arthur takes it. Opens it. Tries it. Tips the rest into the sea.

Sweezus picks up the remains of the cuttlefish, and examines it minutely.

Gruesome! says Sweezus. Who would think you could eat them.

Heh, heh! sniggers Bandy.You can't eat that one. Here have a can.

Soon they are all swigging on Red Bull. Except Arthur.

Red Bu-urghhh-ll, burps Jazzman. My favourite energy drink.

It's an energy drink? says Gaius. What's in it?

Taurine, says Jazzman. See there, it's written on the can.

So it is, says Gaius. Does everyone these days understand Latin? Taurine. Of the bull?

They know what Bull means, says Snook.

No way, says Bandy. That's not what they put in it.

Marketing, says Jazzman. It's all in the perception.

How true. Gaius is feeling quite bullish.

Hand me the line, says Gaius. I feel lucky.

He takes the line from Bandy, and jigs it up and down with the proper wrist action.

This is the life, says Gaius. Fishing. Better than going to a meeting and reading from a stack of notes......notes you can't rely on.......because you didn't.......aah! I think I've got one!

The tinny bobs up and down.

It's a big one.

...........


The meeting in the Wallaroo Hotel had begun at eight pm exactly. Present, Dan Monceaux, film maker, Tony Bramley, godfather of cuttlefish, Brenda and Beverley, fund raisers, and other Third Agers, plus a coterie of interested locals and amateur ecologists.

The Mayor is running late.

He arrives at eight thirty and sits down next to Beverley and Brenda.

Have I missed much? asks the Mayor, in a loud whisper.

Dan has a new underwater lighting device, whispers Beverley. Tony found lots more dead cuttlefish. The chap from the city says cuttlefish don't like loud noises.

Hmmm, says the Mayor. That's all good news. Has Gaius turned up?

Is he coming? says Beverley, excited.

Yes, says the Mayor. Ow, this seat is uncomfortable.

Mine isn't, says Brenda. Oh look, you're sitting on  a crumpled-up piece of paper.

She pulls it out from under his bottom.

Thank you, Brenda, says the Mayor. He takes the crumpled-up sheet of paper and aims it at the barman.

The barman is annoyed. He throws it back at the Mayor, but misses. It hits Dan Monceaux.

Dan thinks it is a personal message. He un-crumples the paper and reads it.

When he's finished, he doesn't look pleased.