Wrong On So Many Levels

Katherine is driving.

Gaius is consulting his notes.

Well, this is pleasant, says Katherine.

No answer.

It's ages since I went to the Coorong, says Katherine.

Terence is hopeful.

It's the opposite direction, says Terence.

It isn't. I do know that much, says Katherine.

Silence again.

So shorebird numbers are down, says Katherine.

As I have already told you, says Gaius.

Just making conversation, says Katherine.

Talk to me, says Saint Roley.

I shall, says Katherine. Do you read much?

No, says Saint Roley. For that, I rely on others.

He's a role model, says Terence. That's why I call him Saint Roley.

Oh ha ha, laughs Katherine. I thought it was because he was Catholic.

We birds have no religion, says Saint Roley. We are all brothers.

Very good, says Katherine. Brothers and sisters. Is that just birds or do you include other species?

Saint Roley did not know there were other species.

So he doesn't answer. That leaves Terence to converse with Katherine.

What's a wonderland? asks Terence.

All sorts of creatures, and sand dunes and vegetation, says Katherine.

Scary ones, says Terence.

No, says Katherine, not scary ones. Sometimes the creatures are dead though. I remember once going to the Murray Mouth and all the crabs were dead there.

Terence pictures dead crabs spilling out of a horrid brown Mouth.

And wasn't there an attempted rape and murder somewhere out there just recently? says Katherine. Gaius, do you remember?

Gaius looks up.

What was that,  Katherine?

Rape and murder, say Katherine, that awful man, and those backpacker girls.

Quite possibly, says Gaius. We must avoid female backpackers.

GAIUS! says Katherine. That is wrong, on so many levels.

A joke, Katherine, says Gaius. They escaped didn't they?

Katherine looks sour.

Saint Roley looks at Terence to see if he is processing the alarming information.

But Terence looks happy.

He might see lots of dead crabs.