Keep Me To

Swish! Swish!

It's the rhythmic sound of oars, swishing through the dark waters, on the way to Cancale.

Yes, Saint Roley has resolved his dilemma.

It was a long and ethical story.

First, he held granny oyster shell lightly, between the tips of his feathery wings.

Granny remained passive, and half open, but firmly joined at the hinge.

If I break you in half, thought Saint Roley, will it make any difference?

A granny-oysterlike voice answered: KEEP ME TO......Shurrr....

This was puzzling.

I can't understand you, thought Saint Roley.

Granny repeated: Shurrrr.

I understand that part, thought Saint Roley. But KEEP ME TO what?

No answer is forthcoming.

After all, granny is empty.

It remained for Saint Roley to extrapolate KEEP ME TO ..... satisfactorily.

Saint Roley made a list in his head.

1. Keep me together
2. Keep me together with you
3. Keep me to do whatever you like with.

It's three, decided Saint Roley.

And so he had broken granny apart very gently, and begun rowing, although it was hard.

Granny was not good at rowing.

It was her lumps that caused the difficulty, and her dodgy left umbo.

Swish! Swish! Erk! Swish!

......

Swish Swish! Erk! Swish!

Terence, Baldy and Butterfatty are waiting down on the shore, with Méen and a lantern.

I hear something, says Terence. It's Saint Roley.

I do believe it is! says Méen.

He swings the lantern, to be helpful.

Saint Roley slides into the shallows on his cardboard.

My parrot! cries Terence.

Sasshoo! says Saint Roley.

He can talk! cries Terence.

Unless he was sneezing, says Méen.

Where's Saint Malo? asks Baldy.

Saint Roley is knackered. He does not want to think of Saint Malo.

He points vaguely towards the horizon.

He's coming! says Baldy.

Don't get your hopes up, says Méen.

Terence picks up his parrot and hugs him.

Butterfatty picks up the two pieces of granny.

Can I have these?

Yes, thinks Saint Roley. Perhaps that was her meaning. Keep them two.

Méen picks up the soggy piece of cardboard, lest the beach should be littered.