Preventable Contaminations

Gaius is down on the beach, looking for small pieces of plastic.

If he finds any, they will have to go in his pocket,

Drat! Why did he not think ahead, and bring a container?

He picks up a black plastic straw, and an old piece of goggle strap, which could well be rubber.

Of course! Terence has a bucket!

He scans the beach. Yes, there is Terence, not too far away, with the bucket.

He walks along the beach towards Terence.

Two surfers ride in on a middling wave.

The wave dwindles to nothing.

They dismount, and stand in the shallows.

They spot Gaius.

Gaius! says Sweezus. Didn't know you were coming! Experiment over?

No, says Gaius. We've relocated. But there have been several glitches.

Too bad, says Sweezus. Maybe Arthur'll help.

I thought Kierkegaard was helping, says Arthur.

He is, says Gaius. He's in Lauren's shop, with the three remaining crabs, who are grieving.

Only three left? says Arthur.

Hum, says Gaius. Long story. Can't be helped though. I'm just chasing up Terence.

He's over there, says Sweezus. We're meant to be keeping an eye on him, while Belle and Marie get the pizzas.

I see you were taking it seriously, says Gaius.

He's a cool little dude, says Sweezus. He knows not to go in past his ankles.

He has a bucket, says Gaius. His task is to fill it with water.

Yeah, says Sweezus. So, now that you're here, Arthur and me'll just catch a couple more waves, then we'll call it it for this arvo.

Certainly, says Gaius. Will we all be eating together?

Yeah, why wouldn't we, says Sweezus.

Lauren has dots on her floor, says Gaius.

She's got everything, says Sweezus. Even face masks.

Well then, says Gaius. See you up there.

The surfers head back to the ocean.

Gaius continues to where Terence is dragging his bucket along on a string.

It's the string of the beaded string necklace.

The beads are in the bottom of the bucket.

Tiny beads, mixed with sand.

The bucket is horizontal.

So from left to right, it looks like this:

Terence, string, wire handle, bucket, low level of seawater, three strips of brown sea grass, one small transparent fish (unlucky), sand, little wooden beads mixed in it.

Yes, wooden. Lauren would not sell a necklace made with beads that were plastic.

(not that she ever sold that one)