Yummy Curdled Brown Lump

Good job everyone, says Faith. That went very smoothly.

Indeed, says Gaius. Thanks to the judicious use of the spade.

Guess we'd better return it, says Sweezus. 

He heads up to the kiosk, with the spade.

Perhaps we should all go, says Gaius. Who's for a hot coffee?

I am, says Faith. 

I am, says Arthur.

I am, says Terence. But I'm not allowed one.

How about a hot chocolate? asks Faith.

Gaius looks doubtful.

A hot chocolate is milky and brown.

I'd like a hot chocolate, says Kant. Terence can try a small sip of mine.

Yay! says Terence.

They head up to the kiosk.

Sweezus is alone in the kiosk.

The kiosk guy's round the back, replacing the spade.

The kiosk guy videoed the whole thing from up here, and posted it on X, says Sweezus. 

Great White Teacher won't like that, says Arthur.

Be a while before he finds out, says Sweezus.

So we could go back out there, says Arthur. 

Guess so, says Sweezus.

The kiosk guy comes back and takes their orders for coffee and hot chocolate.

He turns on the machine.

Good rescue, says the kiosk guy. Heaps of people left heaps of comments.

Like what? asks Seeezus.

Like that you guys are heroes, says the kiosk guy. And that it was cool for elite cyclists to stop their training to rescue a stranded Great White.

Elite cyclists? says Faith.

Yep! Seems they recognised these guys as elite cyclists, says the kiosk guy. 

I wouldn't have thought we'd be recognisable from such a long distance, says Gaius.

I zoomed in, says the kiosk guy.

Well! says Faith. I suppose you'll be looking forward to watching the Tour de France on the television, in a fortnight.

A fortnight! says Gaius.

A fortnight! says Sweezus. 

Even Arthur looks rattled.

We're supposed to be in it, says Sweezus.

The kiosk guy hands over their coffees and the hot chocolate.

Can I try the hot chocolate? asks Terence.

It will be hot, says Kant. 

Terence tries it. It goes down well enough.

But it's forming a curdled brown lump in his tummy.

Buurp! That was yummy, says Terence.

I hope there's still time to book tickets, says Gaius. But first I suppose I should ask Vello if he wants me in Team Philosophe.

If he doesn't, there's a place for you in Team Condor, says Sweezus.

Very kind, says Gaius. I'm sure you'd prefer a younger person.

Yeah, says Sweezus. But you've got the experience. And we have left it kind of late to get anyone better. 

Hum, says Gaius. 

Faith and Kant and the kiosk guy look at one another.

So this is how Tour de France teams are put together, behind the scenes.

Quite an eye-opener.