“The auger is a fairly common shell
that’s found from Carolina to the coast
of South America,” Professor Dell
explained, though I was sure that I could boast
of something no one else had ever found.
“A blue terebridae?” he said. “There’s no
such thing.” And then he started to expound
his knowledge of the species. “I can show
it to you,” I replied to cut him short,
at which Professor Dell became perturbed.
“I’m fairly busy,” was his last retort,
by which he meant he mustn’t be disturbed
by anyone without a PhD
who’d found a blue terebridae, like me.