Chapter 16 “The Floodgates Open”
Squid swam on feeling like he had abandoned his aboriginal friends. His travels were extensive. Frequently he would be received with warmth and hospitality but more often than not he was chased away on suspicions he was some sort of evil omen or warlock. Squid eventually found a home in Twinbuckthree in what we call Fluidsia these days. He had walked through this African city and after having conversed with several of its inhabitants was quickly arrested on charges of espionage. The Great King Mobouto had heard of this strange creature and demanded a personal audience. The majority of the king’s advisors were dead set against this personal meeting wanting to execute Squid as a spy. But Mobouto’s word was law and the prisoner was fetched. The long meeting with Mobouto was one that impressed the king particularly with Squid’s views on urban planning. Squid’s unorthodox approach on irrigation and channelling of drinking water fascinated Mobouto. Charges against Squid were dropped and he was awarded the post of the king’s personal urban planner. Squid’s projects were undertaken with impressive results. His irrigation system doubled the harvest of cassava and his experience with the starving dinosaurs had impressed upon him the importance of a trustworthy food supply. For his efforts Squid was declared a high order prince.
Again his serenity was sent reeling with the arrival of white men in the kingdom. They were, like the Frenchman he had seen, filthy stinking and lacking in social manners. They were from a land where huge sewer rats wallowed in sewage pits spreading disease. If only his cultured African friends could have seen how backward these white men were. They pretended with Mobouto they were his great friends. These stinky filthy white men offered gaudy trinkets while they sniffed out for the huge gold stash. Being polite the locals feigned delight at he pieces of worthless junk offered as gifts. They were poor waifs. Who else would give such gifts as junk?
A Bird's Eye View of Fashion, Food, Travel, Culture, Beverage and Curiosity 