The Simple Old Days

François-René won't shut up now.

The absinthe has loosened his tongue.

Soon I was promoted to captain, says François-René. I went to Paris. There I met some of our leading French writers. The French Revolution broke out.....

Arthur isn't listening.

Victor has reached the bottom of the page of his notebook.

Not liking to draw attention to his note-taking by flipping the page, he stops writing.

All I want is.... says Victor.

All I want is.... says Arthur, waving his empty glass.

A waiter comes over.

At first I was sympathetic to the revolutionary cause, says François-René, but as it became increasingly violent, I decided to journey to North America.

Victor risks quick page flip. This could be important.

No need to take notes, says François-René. It's in Wikipedia.

Of course, says Victor. Thank you. All I wanted was to ask you, and Arthur, to keep an eye on....

I was encouraged by my friend Chrétien-Guillaume de Lamoigon de Malesherbes, says François-René. He also encouraged me to do some botanical studies.

You should hook up with Gaius, says Arthur.

Bingo! says Victor.

Bingo? says François-René.

To keep an eye on them, says Victor, while I pursue the more dangerous and elusive Splosh.

Okay, says Arthur. We were going to anyway.

Were we? asks François-René.

Only if you want to, says Arthur. They're heading out to Cancale, via the GR 34. Do you like oysters?

François-René does like oysters (although it's not mentioned in Wikipedia). And he knows the Gr 34. It is the old Customs path, that he used to wander as a pre-suicidal young person.

Oh, for the simple old days.

He would love to.

........

Gaius has gone out to the local markets to buy fresh supplies for the journey.

In the hotel Kyriad, Belle is rinsing egg goo out of Baldy's long johns.

Terence and Baldy are playing with their oystercatcher chicks.

Belle spreads out the wet long johns, in a small patch of sun.

Now we wait, says Belle. Have you thought what to call your babies?

Parrot and Parrot, says Terence.

No, says Baldy. We're not allowed to. Mine is called Chicken.

It's not a chicken, says Belle. How about something inspiring? They'll be role models, you know.

Roley, says Terence.

How about Malo? says Belle. After the place where you found them, Saint Malo.

Saint Malo says Baldy. Mine's called Saint Malo.

His little Saint Malo tries to stand up, and falls over.

Mine's called Saint Roley, says Terence.

There's no such saint as Saint Roley, says Belle. As far as I know.

Ha ha, says Baldy.

Little Saint Roley tries to stand up and falls over.

Never mind, It's a nice name, says Belle.