It Is Natural To Wonder Why

Arthur is pleased to have the Seahorse World carry bag. Now he won't have to hook the jug over his handlebars.

He drops the jug into the carry bag, slings it over his shoulder and starts riding back to Beaconsfield.

On the way he's thinking of a poem he plans to write about the pot bellied sea dragon, for the postcard that he's going to send to Sweezus.

Has he forgotten all about the water?

No, he hasn't.

Arthur has decided that it is enough to know the location of the water. He will relay that information to Schopenhauer when he gets back to St Francis Xavier.

Let Schopenhauer get on his Platonic Ideal and make himself useful. After all, he's the only one who has a basket.

So thinks Arthur, but briefly. He is more interested in his new sea dragon poem.

He has the first line:

"Daddy! It is natural to wonder why ..."

This is because Arthur has read the back of the postcard and learned it is the male seahorse who gives birth to seahorse progeny.

He pedals rhythmically and tries to formulate line two

.........

Unni, meanwhile has walked down the road towards the main street.

Beaconfield is not so big these days. Once it was a thriving gold town. Now, if you walk down the road towards the  main street, you might bump into someone you have met before.

Such as the owners of the Holden Commodore you defaced earlier.

There is the Holden Commodore, parked outside Simon-Peter's brother's car detailing business.

There is Benedict. There is Simon-Peter, and Ezekial. And Simon-Peter's older brother, Paul.

They are looking at the passenger door of the Holden Commodore with frowning faces, debating the future of the fish.

I could do a paint correction, says Paul. Use the proper pads. I reckon microfibre oughta do it.

Too fucken deep though don't you reckon, says Simon-Peter.

Yeah well, says Paul. Depends. You could always make it, like.... er...... buff it up, make it like a feature.

Yeah? says Benedict. Fish by Jesus! Man that'd be fucken cool.

That's her, says Ezekial. That's her coming.

Ezekial is right. Unni is walking by at just this moment.

All good? says Unni.

Hello, says Paul. You the one that done this?

Yes, says Unni. Are you painting over it?

No, says Paul. Too deep. I'm going to have to replace the entire door. It's gonna be expensive.

Unni looks alarmed.

Benedict, Simon-Peter and Ezekial look confused.

Does Paul know what he's doing?