Because She's A Sardine

Sixteen, says Kant. 

Degrees? asks Gaius.

Yes I assume so, says Kant. See here, I've written it down.

The person in the orange jumpsuit looks at the number.

At what depth? asks the person.

I don't have that information, says Kant. 

This is Faith, says Gaius. She is from SARDI.

Because she's a sardine, mutters Terence.

SARDI is the research arm of PIRSA, says Faith. I'm here to collect a few samples for autopsy purposes.

Ten, says Terence. Which I took off aready.

In an incorrect manner, says Gaius. You had one thousand and you wiped off a zero. That left one hundred.

Probably more, says Terence.

Indeed, says Gaius. Watch me. This is what you should have done.

He picks up a stick. 

He writes 1000 in the sand with the stick.

Then he writes 10 below the last two zeroes.

Now let's see what happens when we subtract ten from one thousand, says Gaius. Zero take zero is what?

Before you go any further, says Faith, I should point out that you don't need to subtract ten.

I realise that, says Gaius. The ten pipis are still part of the count, regardless of the fact that they're going to be autopsied.

Just so we agree on that, says Faith.

We do, says Gaius. But Terence can still learn this lesson.

I see, says Faith. Then I'll leave you to it. 

She picks up a dead pipi, and drops it into a bag.

May I assist you? asks Kant.

That's good of you, says Faith. 

They walk off together.

Now what? asks Terence.

What is zero take zero? asks Gaius.

That's stupid, says Terence. No one takes zero from zero.

Visualise it, says Gaius. You do not have an apple. So how many apples do you have?

None, says Terence. But can it be a pipi?

All right, says Gaius. You do not have a pipi. How many pipis do you have?

None, says Terence. That's easy. And I know where it went. The sardine lady took it.

She was not a sardine lady, says Gaius. But the idea is amusing.

Yes, says Terence. The orange sardine lady.

That will do, says Gaius. 

He points to the second to last zero and the 1 that is sitting below it.

Now, here we have no pipis. How can we take one away?

Ha ha, laughs Terence, scuffing the 1 with his foot.

Gaius wonders if it's worth going on with the lesson.