Tattoos Become Understandable

What really happened to Ageless and how he escaped from the bus driver:

The bus driver (Rex) has taken the esky inside to his wife.

He has opened the esky.

Ta da! A lobster for you, Shirlene! Someone left him behind.

Shirlene has looked at the lobster (which was Ageless).

Shirlene: He's come all the way from Kalgoorlie?

Rex: Yes, but it's cool in the luggage compartment.

Ageless: No it isn't.

Shirlene: It talks! That's no good Rex! Let him go.

......

It's a fifteen minute walk to the Esperance YHA Backpackers.

It's quite late, but the office is open.

Welcome, says Natalie. Two adults?  How many nights?

One night, says Gaius. We expect Arthur here in the morning with our transportation.

Where are you heading? asks Natalie.

The Recherche Archipelago, says Gaius.

Lovely, says Natalie.

Can I recharge my phone here? asks Sweezus.

Go for it, says Natalie.

A few minutes later Sweezus has enough charge to know that he has ten missed calls from the same unknown number.

Woa! Who could that be?

.........

While the administrative business is going on, Ageless is admonishing Baby Pierre about his budding relationship with Brianna.

Females are tricky, says Ageless. Believe me I know.

Baby Pierre knows that Brianna isn't tricky. She is far too shallow. She sings all the time. That's why he loves her.

And he, Baby Pierre, is a free thinker. That's why she loves him.

Meanwhile Brianna and Kobo are getting to know one another.

Marlisa, says Brianna. You must know HER?

Never heard of her, says Kobo. Is she a singer?

She only won X-Factor! says Brianna.

Mmmm, says Kobo. I've been too busy reading to take much notice of popular culture. Having said that, a book can surprise you.

Wow! says Brianna. How can a book surprise you?

Well, says Kobo, I've just finished a book about a woman who gets tattooed. She's quite old by human standards. Her friends and her family are shocked, and can't understand it.

Tats? says Brianna. Tats are cool.

Not to her generation, says Kobo.

I might get one, says Brianna. In Perth, I might get a sea dragon.

You may regret it, says Kobo. Then what?

Did the old woman regret it? asks Brianna.

No, says Kobo. But then, she got cancer. Well, in fact she must already have had it. But she didn't know.

So anyway, says Brianna. What was the surprise?

Perhaps it was just me, says Kobo. But when she had cancer the tattoos became understandable.

To who? asks Brianna.

To me, says Kobo.

Oh WOW! says Brianna. You are like so intellectual. Do you have a daughter?

No, says Kobo. Or let's say, I suppose I have thousands, but I don't know of them.

Brianna sings softly a line from Marlisa's beautiful song;

'cause I like what I've seen so far, la la la ......