Weird Places Where It Might Happen

Surfing-with-Whales comes back with two coffees.

He hands one to Gaius.

What do I get? asks Terence.

I thought you still had that snake, says Surfing-with-Whales.

It dried up, says Terence.

Nothing that sucking won't soften, says Gaius. But first things first. Is your hand any looser?

Yes, says Terence, wiggling his hand.

Keep it up, says Gaius.

Surfing-with-Whales sits down on the grass.

Baby Bin Penguin has been entertaining us with jokes and riddles, says Gaius.

Penguin jokes? asks Surfing-with-Whales. 

Surprisingly, no, says Gaius. His riddle was a question regarding the nature of perception.

With the wrong answer, says Terence.

Darkness, says Baby Bin Penguin. The answer was right.

It was, says Gaius. But it confused Terence. The second one was probably more to his liking.

No it wasn't, says Terence. That one was lame.

Yeah? says Surfing-with-Whales, slurping his coffee. What was it?

Ants have anty bodies, says Terence. That's not even funny.

Another one that might need explaining, says Gaius. 

Let me ask one, says Terence. What's black and white and black and white and black and white?

Me, rolling down a hill, says Baby Bin Penguin. Except I can't do it.

YOU weren't meant to answer, says Terence.

You didn't say that, says Baby Bin Penguin. Anyway, everyone knows that joke.

That's why it's a good joke, says Terence.

My turn, says Gaius. Where does today come before yesterday?

Terence and Baby Bin Penguin have no idea.

Surfing-with-Whales tries to think of weird places where that might happen.

The Arctic circle? No. Even there, it's always today.

Like everywhere else he can think of. 

You'd better tell us, says Surfing-with-Whales.

In the dictionary, says Gaius. 

Surfing-with-Whales thinks this is clever. Yeah. In the dictionary. T before Y! 

Baby Bin Penguin is laughing. Hwark! Hwark!

Look at him, pretending he gets it.

Terence kicks Baby Bin Penguin. 

Ding! The effort forces Terence backwards.

His palm comes away from the skateboard.

What a good outcome!

Gaius's joke has proved entirely successful.