Eukles heard a slap and a shriek and turned, along with much of the rest of the crowd, to see an unmarried lass, red faced, staring at Meriones and clutching her backside. “What?!” She spluttered, “What did you mean by that?”
The crowd, except for a few chuckles, was silent. As was Meriones, who stood grinning at the lass. “Well?!” She said, leaving off rubbing to put her hands on her hips and glare at him.
“I believe that I can explain,” Eukles heard, and everyone, for everyone was watching now, and the music had stopped, turned to see a tall, very well tailored, Naval officer (of some rank, Eukles never did understand navy ranks) walking toward the couple.
“He hit me!” The lass said, indignantly.
“Not… officially,” the officer said. “As you may know, the silent code is acted out rather differently in different areas of the Empire. Where our young friend comes from,” he said, pointing at Meriones, “A, umm, what he did is considered in the room of a tap on the shoulder.”
“Well, I never!”
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Thanks again, God Bless, Soli Deo gloria,
Von
To Slap: Podcast Version