The Hopes Of The Species

Sweezus and Sartre have arrived in Saint Malo.

Saint Malo looks different.

Most of the buildings have tide marks.

The tide marks are blue, wavy, artistic, and signed.

Splosh is here, says Sweezus. That's her work.

What does it mean? asks Sartre.

A warning, says Sweezus. Rising tides and....climate change....you know.

Hm, says Sartre. I wonder if the message gets through.

Embarrassingly, he stops a man with a poodle.

What does this mean to you? asks Sartre.

Quoi? says the man. Ca? Rien. Pas du tout.

I thought so, says Sartre. All human actions are equivalent and in principle doomed to failure.

You should ask a younger person, says Sweezus.

If you insist, says Sartre.

He stops a young person on a skateboard, and points to the tide marks.

C'est super! says the young person.

But what does it mean?

Don't ask me! says the young person. One day we'll all be underwater. Because of you guys.

Fuck! No way! says Sweezus.

Sartre scowls. He is used to being proved correct.

.......

Meanwhile, at Pointe de Grouin, Jeanne Jugan has finished her caramel, and is offered another.

I shouldn't, says Jeanne.

Go on, says Belle. You've had a hard life. I can't believe how that Abbot behaved!

All those years begging, says Jeanne.

What has that to do with the Abbot? asks Gaius.

Weren't you listening? says Belle. She founded the Little Sisters of the Poor. She was the leader. Then she was forced out by the Abbott, Auguste de Pailleur. He assigned her to do nothing but beg on the streets, until she retired. Most Little Sisters didn't even KNOW she was the foundress. They thought HE was the founder.

Presumably, the truth came out, says Gaius.

Yes, the truth came out, says Jeanne Jugan. He was investigated.

A most edifying story, says Gaius. And now here you are, with us, eating caramels and waiting to hear from Saint Roley, who is carrying the hopes of his species.

I'm not complaining, says Jeanne Jugan.

Forgive me. I thought you were, says Gaius.

......

On the Ile des Landes, Saint Roley and his fellow oystercatchers have rescued the cheeses.

Now what? says Osie.

This is my plan, says Saint Roley. Think of these as two eggs, not two cheeses. Now where will you put them?

Here, says Ostelle, scraping out a new scrape in a matter of seconds.

NO! says Saint Roley. That's the same place as before! What will happen?

The sea will wash us away, says one of the cheeses.

Use your noggins, crazy parents! says the other.

Good heavens! The cheeses can speak now. And they think the oystercatchers are their parents.

An unforeseen complication.