Buried At Sea As A Human

It's another half hour to the Lighthouse at Cape Bruny.

They have finished their coffee.

Eaten their sandwiches.

Passed Lunawanna.

I suppose we'll have to pay to go into this Lighthouse, says Dad.

Not if Captain Hawkins is there, says Captain Bruni. He'll show us around it for nothing.

Is that allowed? asks Mum.

Oh yes, says Captain Bruni. I could do it myself, but he knows the history.

And you say he's a lobster, like you, says Mum. How does that work? When we die, do we all become lobsters?

Ha ha! laughs Captain Bruni. You don't. But in any case, you wouldn't like it.

I might like it, says Mum.

MUM! says Jerry. I wouldn't like it. What about footy practice?

I''m not ready to die yet, says Mum.

Me either, says Dad.

Lobsters can't die, says Terence. Ageless told me.

We can, says Captain Bruni. But only by accident

Let me understand this, says Dad. You were a French sea captain, Captain Bruni?

Captain Antoine Raymond Joseph de Bruni, chevalier d'Entrecasteaux, says Captain Bruni.

A human, says Dad.

Captain Bruni nods. Yes, in those days.

And you sailed around these parts, naming places, says Dad

As well as making scientific discoveries and surveys, and checking Dutch charts, says Captain Bruni.

And you died here? says Dad.

Not here, off the Hermit Islands, says Captain Bruny. I died of the scurvy.

And turned into a lobster, says Dad.

Yes, says Captain Bruni. They must have buried me at sea. But don't ask me the ontological details.

Scurvy? says Mum. There's a lesson.  Jerry, do you know what the lesson is?

Use special shampoo, says Jerry.

It's not dandruff! says Captain Bruni.

Scurf, says Mum. Jerry's thinking of scurf. But good try, Jerry.

So what's the lesson? asks Terence.

Keep up your intake of Vitamin C, says Mum. Oranges, lemons and  limes.

Is that so? says Captain Bruni.

You didn't know? asks Mum.

Hey ho. No use knowing it now, says Captain Bruni.