Interfering Geologist

Katherine messages Margaret: Please pick up my things when you see Gaius.

Margaret replies: What things?

Katherine answers: Red shorts etc.

Margaret: I'm on my way now.

Katherine: On your way NOW?

Gaius won't be too happy, says Katherine. Margaret's on her way now.

Wittgenstein is glad he's escaped this encounter.

Katherine puts her phone away, and continues driving.

In the back, Terence tries out a new sheep voice: Baaa! Baaa! Saaave-meee!

The red parrot potato tries unsuccessfully to mime it.

.....

Gaius is down on the sand, picking at filamentous green algae.

Every so often he looks up and down the beach, hoping to spot the odd shorebird.

Saint Roley has an oily twig in his beak. He is writing down what Gaius says in his notebook.

It looks like this so far:

1. ^

2. ^

3. ^

Gaius hasn't seen it.

Krvee! says Saint Roley. Someone's coming

It'll be the Ranger, says Gaius.

It isn't.

Margaret! says Gaius.

Saint Roley writes:

4.  ...^

He surveys his handiwork.

With an oily twig, it's the best he can do.

Gaius! says Margaret. Circumstances have resulted in me being your only means of returning to Adelaide. But we don't have to go yet.

Gaius is thunderstruck.

Margaret is already poking her nose into his campsite. Straightening his towel. Moving his collection of filamentous green algae out of the sun.

That's better, says Margaret. Where's your tent? Don't you have one?

I don't need one, says Gaius. Nor do I need a permit. The Ranger....

But Margaret is looking at Saint Roley's list of recently spotted shorebirds.

What are these marks? asks Margaret.

Saint Roley is only too happy to explain them.

^ is a grebe, ^ is an egret, ^ is a masked lapwing and ... ^ is you.

And what is the difference? asks Margaret.

You are a lady, says Saint Roley.

But your list doesn't reflect that, says Margaret. Nor does it distinguish between different bird species. Gaius, have you seen this?

No, says Gaius . Is there a problem?

Just look, says Margaret. What do you understand by these marks?

Grebe, egret, masked lapwing, interfering geologist, says Gaius.

This is the closest Gaius has approached to a joke in quite a long time.

Margaret ignores it.

Your amanuensis should use a proper pencil, says Margaret. But of course you have forgotten to bring one.

On this occasion, you are right, says Gaius. I usually pack one.

You never do, says Margaret. Lucky I'm here.

She pulls out a geology pencil, which is waterproof and fade resistant.

She would have one.