We Are Thought To Lack Something

The tour bus is not the only vehicle on Cherry Tree Hill.

Just as Terence is being tempted out of his miseries by Mrs Thomas-Hume who is opening a snack pack of blueberries, and therefore not looking out of the window....

Gaius rides by on his bicycle.

It's tough going.

Gaius would never admit that he suffers from jet lag.

But he wobbles a little, and veers to one side.

Crash! He tumbles off his hired bicycle into a cane field.

Now Gaius is lying amongst the waving green sugar canes.

His bicycle has gouged a small hole in the dirt.

As luck would have it, (for Gaius), a Blind Snake is exposed unexpectedly.

Yee-aaah! What is this happening?

Gaius peers down at the Blind Snake, which looks like a piece of spaghetti.

The Blind Snake is a type of threadsnake that lives underground in a burrow. Its eyes are vestigial, because hey! what's to look at down there?

None the less it has a unique pattern of two yellow stripes on its side, for some reason. It is toothless and harmless.

The world's smallest snake.

 It eats termites.

What have we here? asks Gaius.

Blind Snake: Mmmwwwerp!

Gaius: Don't be afraid. It was a rhetorical question. I wouldn't be much of a natural historian if I couldn't identify a Blind Snake. Do you feel like conversing?

Blind Snake: Mmmwwwerp!

Gaius: I assume you are not averse. Wait until I find my note pad and pencil.

Blind Snake: I am averse.

Gaius: Well just answer me this one question.

Blind Snake: Then will you go?

Gaius: Of course, assuming my bicycle is not damaged. I have just crashed it.

Blind Snake: Is that what happened?

Gaius: It must be difficult, not to know what is happening around you.

Blind Snake: I know what I need to know. Ants and dirt.

Gaius: Very good attitude. Now for my question. Have you seen.... no, not seen.... do you know of any other snakes that are endemic to Barbados?

Blind Snake: No. Well yes, the Sea Snake. It lives in the sea.

Gaius: I know of it. It has an eel-like appearance, and comes up to breathe, due to lack of gills.

Blind Snake: Yes, I like how we snakes are all thought to to lack something.

Gaius: I hadn't thought of it that way. What about the Barbados Racer?

Blind Snake: Case in point. You'll not spot a Barbados Racer. Not these days.

Gaius: Ah, it lacks presence.

Blind Snake: So I believe.

Gaius: But you are blind and live in a burrow.

Blind Snake: Then why ask me?

Gaius: I should not have bothered. Well, I'll be getting along now. If my bike's in working order.

Blind Snake: How about fixing my burrow?

Gaius: I'll leave that to you.

He mounts his bicycle and wobbles off, onwards and upwards.

The Blind Snake starts digging. What a head fuck. She is glad she didn't give the Barbados Racer away.