Sweet Stickler

Ageless's carapace is visibly cracking.

Do sit down, Ageless, says Kobo. And get on with your story.

Crik-crik-craaak. Ageless sits down.

He assembles his memories.

The family had completed 18 holes of Minigolf. Then what?

He sees a dark tunnel.

Was that then? Is it now? Are there balls in it?

Ach! Moulting is awful. Cric! I require total privacy. And water.

It was too early for lunch, says Ageless. We sat in the snack shop.

Fish won a blue and white fluffy toy from the Claw Machine.

Butterfly didn't seem to mind that she didn't.

We ordered drinks. The children had slushies.

Rabbie? What did he have ? asks Kobo.

I thought you knew all about him, says Ageless.

If you say so, says Kobo. Black coffee?

Probably, says Ageless. Ugh-oo-ah!

Go to the bathroom, says Kobo.

Not yet, croaks Ageless. It has become important to me .....to.....crik....arrive at....the present.

I understand that, says Kobo. Shall we both go?

NO! snaps Ageless. His upper carapace is loosening. Agchh!

It was time for lunch. We drove into Penrith and went to Ichiban Sushi.

I like sushi, says Lavender. What did I have?

No interruptions, says Ageless. It was not the last of my trials. I sat on a seat opposite Rabbie and Jean while colour coded plates of sushi rumbled past me.

A Sushi Train! says Kobo.

A sushi train, says Ageless. Have you any idea? How shall I convey it.....?

I will, says Lavender. Did they have steamed pork dumplings?

Nuh...o, grits Ageless. Would that they had. They had everything else. Prawns, calamari, octopus, even salmon, drawn and quartered, chopped, rolled in rice and wrapped in black seaweed. I could hear them rolling by me, faintly burbling.....ooh..pff...ee..ah...

That is not burbling, says Kobo. That is moaning.

Moaning, says Ageless. Thank you, my sweet stickler for exactitude. You see words are beginning to fail me.

Cut it short then, says Kobo. I hear a key in the door. It's probably Gaius. He'll be wanting to talk about bandicoots and that native parasite, the snottygobble.

Ageless collects himself.

I left the Ichiban before the others, says Ageless. I crossed the road. I entered the first shop I saw. It sold ladies swimsuits.

Any nice ones? asks Kobo.

Any small ones? asks Lavender.

I was not looking for nice ones or small ones, says Ageless. But I was soothed by the concept of ladies in swimsuits. It made me think of the sea. A tropical island. Dear Kobo....urrh!

At this point Ageless is obliged to stop talking. O the pain. O the ache. He really ought to have gone to the bathroom.

But Kobo is thinking:

Ageless. The sea. A tropical island. A nice swimsuit. Surely Ageless was about to invite her on a fabulous holiday. After he's moulted of course.

And when he does she will say YES AGELESS, YES I WILL, YES.