Aerobot gently lifted the airship up to its mouth and the passengers walked along the gangplank-tongue into its mouth-entrance, followed by Capt. Cookie and his crew. Then they, along with Admiral Spicerack and the newly-weds, went down some stairs into the main ice-cream parlor. “2,013 Flavours” said a sign above the counter.
“Cor!” said Spa Bruno, the walrus. “How long have we got? I want them all!”
Capt. Cookie was reading the labels on the rows and rows and rows of tubs in all different creamy colours, and forgot about time-keeping. “No rush...” he said, absent-mindedly.
The penguin passengers ran and jumped about randomly, squeeling with delight.
Winterbottom looked after the four abductees, who were suffering from severe culture-shock, and he tried to help them decide what flavour they wanted. “Magnolia?” he said to them. “That sounds nice. Or how about Lemon Explosion? No? Maybe you’re right. There’s Sweet River Mud... err.. Sequoia leaf?.... How about Gold Medal Turnip? Or next to that there’s Radish With Bonito Flakes. No?”
Everyone was having trouble deciding; there were too many flavours!
Miss Wu thought she’d decided on Meringue Chilli Sponge, but then the dozens of melon varieties caught her eye.
“Raspberry Rock!” said Ron, pulling himself together and choosing an ice cream, and with the ice broken, everyone relaxed and started ordering.
Soon everyone had an ice cream. Admiral Spicerack was the last to order: “Rum and Raisin, please!” he said.
The ice creams were all very good so naturally everyone wanted another one. But the second round of choosing was just as difficult! Some of the penguins were so befuddled that they were about to order the same again, until Ron upped the ante:
“Strawberry Cheesecake and Coconut Cream - double scoop!” he said.
Ordering a double scoop sent everyone into a new dimension of indecision.
© David Severn 2013
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