Going Well With A Radish

Terence goes back to tell Alexander-Red-Hook that she can't have the knucklebones.

Sweezus doesn't love you as much as you thought, says Alexander-Red-Hook.

Terence didn't know this would be how she'd perceive it.

He DOES! says Terence. I knew he'd give them to me.

But he didn't, says Alexander-Red-Hook. How do you explain that?

Terence thinks back.

He can't explain that.

What did you actually say? asks Alexander-Red-Hook.

Can you have the knucklebones, because you won them, says Terence.

Meaning me, says Alexander-Red-Hook. Of course he doesn't love ME. You should have asked if you could borrow them.

Okay, says Terence.

He heads back to the picnic table, where everyone else is.

This is a lovely dip, Lauren, says Belle. What is it?

Pea and mint, says Lauren. It goes well with a radish.

Yes, I was just  going to try that, says Belle.

She picks up a radish.

Is that a tomato? asks Gaius, aghast.

No, a radish, says Belle.

I should have known, says Gaius. Different colour entirely.

He takes a radish and dips it. Cer-runch! Very nice!

Sweezus has his eye on a tart (artichoke and salted ricotta).

He puts down the knucklebones, takes a knife, cuts a large slice.

Terence regards the knucklebones.

He could just take them.

But Lauren has picked them up now.

These are exactly like my old ones, says Lauren.

She throws them up. Tries to catch them. Oops. One has dropped into the pea and mint dip.

It sinks to the bottom.

I'll get it, says Arthur, who has drunk enough low alcohol rosé to make him reckless.

Arthur picks up the claw, which is destined for Alexander-Groovy when Gaius finds the fish glue.

Arthur dips the claw in the dip.

Of course a claw won't work properly without being attached to a carpus.

Arthur has to work it himself.

He prises the claw open, getting pea dip all over his fingers.

He can feel the lost knucklebone, somewhere in the mushy green conglomeration.

Yes, he has got it.

But the claw is open at too wide an angle to pick up a knucklebone.

Arthur has to manually close it.

At last the knucklebone is lifted free of the pea and mint dip.

It's covered with dip, though.

Arthur sucks it, and gives it back to Lauren.

Thanks dear, says Lauren.

Groovy hopes he will not suck the claw.