Metaphysical Nonsense

It is remarkable, Ageless's transformation.

He jumps out of the bath tub.

He is resplendent.

His carapace gleams darkly. His dominant claw flashes with menace.

Ageless! says Gaius. You've finished moulting. Off you go. Kobo is waiting.

Ageless swaggers into the kitchen, to find his beloved.

Gaius looks down at the floor, which is flooded.

And the bath, containing the apple.

At Terence, who is spluttering.

At Baby Pierre, who is staring at Griffith Hughes accusingly

And at Griffith Hughes,who looks smug.

He tried to kill Terence! says Baby Pierre.

Impossible, says Gaius.

He TRIED, says Terence. That's not impossible. And now he's SMILING.

I am not smiling, says Griffith Hughes.

I can see you're not smiling, says Gaius. What did you think of the apple?

I was tempted, says Griff. But I came to my senses. What is this unholy infant doing in your house?

Is it the claw? asks Gaius. I assure you it's perfectly natural for a young person like Terence to have a blood brother. It's generally a parrot. In this case it was a baby bristlebird. Whatever happened to him, Terence?

I don't know! wails Terence.

Now Terence is crying, says Baby Pierre.

Go and show him the bandicoot, says David.

Baby Pierre takes Terence down to the kitchen to find Lavender, and Nose.

No thanks, says Griff.

Do you refer to the apple? says Gaius. I didn't expect you to eat one that fell in the bath.

I get no thanks, says Griff. The usual story.

What did you do, besides try to drown Terence? asks David.

Startled Ageless out of his funk, says Griff. Created a diversion.

Well done, says Gaius. If that was your motivation. I rather think that it wasn't.

We know you Christians, says David.

That reminds me, says Griff. Does the infant really believe Karl Marx is his grandpa?

One might ask Marx the same question, says Gaius.

He behaves like a grandpa, says David. He bought Terence a Peruvian hat. On the other hand, he lost him in Melbourne.

Where Terence lost the hat, says Gaius

Enough of this metaphysical nonsense! says Griffith. Remind me to give Terence a lecture before we leave for Barbados.

You're actually going? says David. Well done. I was speaking to mother this morning. She has an address for you in Barbados. Butterfly and Fish's parents are staying at the President's Club. You must look them up.

We shall be busy looking for endangered species, says Gaius. The Atlantic Goliath Grouper, the Eskimo Curlew, the Smalltooth Sawfish, the Barbados racer.....I doubt we'll have time for luxurious consumption.

Griff thinks that he may find the time.