Knobs On His Head And A Bad Memory

Whale! Whale! the cry goes up from the cliff top.

Yes, it looks like a whale!

It is at this point that we might choose to change our perspective.

We might even go backwards, just slightly, in time......

Ten minutes ago, (which is NOW from our new changed perspective):

The Catcher is perched on the tip of Surfing-With-Whales's surfboard, scanning for whales in the water.

Surfing-With-Whales is waiting for a wave.

The Catcher spots what he thinks is a whale, and slips off the surfboard.

Surfing-With-Whales, who is looking behind him ( for a wave)  notices a difference in balance.

He turns.

The Catcher is gone.

The Catcher sinks down into the water. Waving his dominant claw, twisting his eye stalks.

He was right. There is a whale.

The whale is a small one. Maybe a Humpback, (listed as vulnerable).

He remembers the advice of Surfing-With-Whales at the outset.

"Whales don't give a shit".

This advice seems to be wrong.

The Humpback, dark brown with white on his flippers, flanks and belly, knobs on top of his head, and extremely long pectoral fins, comes right up to the Catcher.

Portunus?

Woop! How does he know what I'm called!

Yes...? answers the Catcher, in a tentative manner.

Word gets around, says the Humpback. I'm the delegated messenger. Listen up.

I'm all ears, says the Catcher.

Snort! snorts the Humpback.

Is that it? says the Catcher, feeling bolder.

NO! snaps the Humpback. This is the message. It's a message from all of whale-kind.

Rubbish, says the Catcher. You can't possibly represent all of whale-kind!

The message, says the Humpback.... the message....werp! I've forgotten the message!

Was it a message for me? asks the Catcher.

Yes, as far as I remember, says the Humpback. A message for you.

Then I can probably help you, says the Catcher. Was it: A Blue Swimmer Crab is forbidden to try and catch a whale?

THAT WAS IT! says the Humpback.

I'm afraid I shall have to ignore it, says the Catcher.

He is about to explain his reasons, backing them up with pertinent quotations from Nietzsche (on self realisation, will to power, moral courage, etcetera) when:

Time's up. The past catches up with the present.

The legs of Sweezus and Nietzsche appear overhead, breaking the surface above the Humpback whale and the Catcher.

The legs appear to be talking.

Or rather, the legs appear to belong to men who are talking.

How? It's the angle.

Two more legs rock up.

Surfing-With-Whales' legs.

More talking.

Yes, time is running out for the Catcher.

If he doesn't catch his whale soon, his whale-catching attempt will be foiled.

....

But wait! Aren't the people on the cliff top seeing a whale at the surface?

And the Humpback is still down below.

Well, there could be another one.