Hitting A Nerve

Not well regarded! says Gaius. Then why have people donated money?

Arthur thought of it, says Sweezus. He reckons yeah, well, no one likes crocodiles and everyone thinks Croc shoes are ..... kind of nerdy.

Nerdy! says Gaius. I wear them. I find them ......

Practical and comfortable, says Sweezus. Yeah.... we know.

I'm surprised at Arthur, says Gaius.

Are you? asks Sweezus.

No, says Gaius. On second thoughts, the dear boy was just trying to raise money. And he has succeeded. Reliable as ever.

Yep, says Sweezus. So we've ordered, like, a couple of hundred pairs of green Crocs, different sizes. They'll be arriving in Weipa pretty soon.

A couple of hundred pairs! says Gaius. What are we to do with them?

Up to you, says Sweezus. Did the crocodile really want them?

I believe so, says Gaius. Just one crocodile. He asked for two pairs.

No worries, says Sweezus. The other crocs'll want them when they see how.... err...

How nerdy?

...practical and comfortable they are, says Sweezus.

Indeed, says Gaius. And the rest of the money? I assume this bulk purchase won't have cost fifteen thousand dollars.

That's ours, says Sweezus. It'll pay for our tickets and expenses, and the rest's for the snake moving project.

Is that ethical? asks Gaius.

Ethical? says Sweezus. Crowd funding doesn't have to be ethical. Just hit a nerve. Anyway, gotta go now. See ya.

A mystery! says Gaius.

What is? asks Humboldt.

Gaius explains:

It seems people have paid money to send shoes they laugh at to reptiles they fear.

Makes sense to me. And you thought it was comical, before, says Humboldt.

Did I? says Gaius. Yes I suppose I did. But now, it has snowballed.

And raised money, says Humboldt.

We may have to deliver them, says Gaius.

Sweezus and Arthur will do it. Stop fretting.

But Gaius can't stop fretting.

He leans forward and fingers his shoes. Nerdy are they?

So Humboldt goes out alone, to dig up some blind snakes.

Ageless, who has also been fretting, now takes advantage.

He sidles up to  the plum box, and pulls on the tails of the snakes.

Pss-Hss! Is it night time?

Ageless withdraws, saying nothing.

Gaius notices the snakes are wriggling, and asking questions.

Good. It's time something happened.