George Santayana and José Ortega y Gasset are down at the water's edge, washing the juice from the cuts in their fingers.
Mierda! It stings.
Salt water is good for cuts, says George Santayana.
It must be, says José Ortega y Gasset. It hurts even more than the orange juice.
Let us walk up the beach, now, says George Santayana. While we let our hands dry. Then let us find a chemist.
Good, that's them out of the way.
The sun is low in the sky. The water turns glassy.
Sweezus and Arthur are hungry. They stand up to go.
I'll come with you, says Vello.
They go.
That leaves David and Schopenhauer with Maria Goyri and Ramon Menendez de Pidal.
Someone must speak first.
It's Ramon. He says: Seeing we are the only ones left of the party, shall we repair to a bar?
Wonderful idea, says David. Which one shall we go to?
Bar Electricitat, says Ramon. It's not far.
Maria Goyri picks up two towels, and shakes them. Orange pips scatter in the sand.
They lie there. Por desgracia.
And contemplate, until they dry out completely, the meaning of life.
Would we like to go to Bar Electricitat? It has good reviews. The owner is a bear of a man who likes to give bear hugs.
He will show us how to pluck sea snails from their shells if we ask him.
The noise level is loud.
We can eat Catalonian omelettes with tomato-smeared bread, pickled fish, cured meats, crab salad, fried potatoes and meatballs.
Or, we can stay on the beach a little longer and tune in to the pips.
Let's do that.
There are five pips, including the first one, the one Arthur spat out.
El Pip#1: As the sun goes we die more slowly, and yet still we die.
El Pip#2: So what is the meaning of life?
El Pip#3: Estupido!
El Pip#4: No, it's a legitimate question. What was the point?
El Pip#5: pip.....pip
(He was bitten in half by Ramon)
El Pip#1: I used to think, that one day, I would be the Father of Oranges.
El Pip#2: But you are like our father.
El Pip#1: Me? You flatter me. I thank you.
El Pip#2: No, I meant, we are all alike.
El Pip#3: One minute we're inside an orange.......
El Pip#4: All sweet and cosy, and then.......
El Pip#5: pip.....pip
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