The Science Of Blows

Dries returns with one of those squeezy tomato sauce bottles.

No! says Gaius. Tomatoes do not enter my house!

This is SAUCE, says Dries. There was no red food colouring.

I'll try it! says baby B-B.

Dries squirts tomato sauce into a cup of milk which was waiting.

Baby B-B drinks it. It's horrible.

Our milk is wrecked now, says Terence.

The purpose of existence is not to be happy, says Dries.

We know, says baby B-B.

So does the clam in the video that Gaius was watching.

SHE IS NOT TO BE HAPPY.

The mantis shrimp has dragged her into its lair.

But she has not died yet.

Wait! says the clam to the mean mantis shrimp who has just cracked her open.

What for? snaps the mean mantis shrimp.

This is a video, isn't it? says the clam. And it's finished. So can I leave now?

No, says the mantis shrimp. I didn't even know anyone was filming.

Well, they were, says the clam. It was a video for You tube.

What was it for? asks the mantis shrimp. His interest is piqued.

To record the strength of your blows, says the clam. Look what you've done here.

She wiggles her grey-white ragged edges.

Tach! That's NOTHING, says the mantis shrimp.

But how do you DO it so hard? asks the clam.

Double whammy, my dear, says the mantis shrimp. I whack you so hard that I generate cavitation bubbles between my appendage and your shell surface. The collapse of the bubbles produces measurable forces. So! It's like two hits with one blow. Now, let me just open you further.....

Wait! says the clam. Perhaps there will be another episode!

What about? asks the mantis shrimp, suspicious.

Don't you have special eyes? asks the clam.

She thinks she has heard it somewhere.

Actually yes, says the mantis shrimp. I have the most complex eyes of all animals.

There you are then, says the science-literate clam. The You tube world is your oyster.

I won't need YOU though, says the mantis shrimp, as he forces her open.

He enjoys her.

But his enjoyment
                            doesn't                                     outweigh                                                her pain.