“Flo, what are you thinking of, talking to rabbits!” Eb was aghast.
Flo looked puzzled. “We were just chatting. They were nice. What’s wrong with that?”
“Rabbits just being rabbits is what’s wrong. They’re pilferers and thieves; lazy, good-for-nothing little tykes who see no reason to work when they can help themselves to the lettuce and sorrel of someone else’s growing.”
Taken aback by this vehemence, Flo blinked at him, startled. “But – but I always talk to the rabbits. They’re interesting. I was telling those two about Dorcas’ new baby, and about us getting married. I could learn a lot from those rabbits Eb – they have a great deal to teach me about marriage.”
Eb laughed; and Flo did not altogether like the cynical note of it.
“Teach you about marriage? Ach, jah, they can so – up to a point. Rabbits know an immense amount about one very small part of marriage.”
“Sex?” said Flo.
Now it was Eb’s turn to look taken aback. He had never heard a Sister speak with such shameless directness. Ever. Into his stunned silence, Flo continued cheerfully:
“But surely, that’s all the more reason to talk to rabbits if I’m getting married. The other parts of marriage – keeping house, cooking, being careful with money, sewing, cleaning, faithfulness – I already know about those things. So I don’t need the rabbits to teach me about those -"
“Jah, just as well!” interjected Eb, with conviction.
“ – but I know next to nothing about sex; and who better to teach me than a rabbit?”
Eb gazed at her in disbelief. “You’ve been standing here at this hour of the day, with all the chores waiting to be done, talking with rabbits about sex?”
Flo looked puzzled. “We were just chatting. They were nice. What’s wrong with that?”
“Rabbits just being rabbits is what’s wrong. They’re pilferers and thieves; lazy, good-for-nothing little tykes who see no reason to work when they can help themselves to the lettuce and sorrel of someone else’s growing.”
Taken aback by this vehemence, Flo blinked at him, startled. “But – but I always talk to the rabbits. They’re interesting. I was telling those two about Dorcas’ new baby, and about us getting married. I could learn a lot from those rabbits Eb – they have a great deal to teach me about marriage.”
Eb laughed; and Flo did not altogether like the cynical note of it.
“Teach you about marriage? Ach, jah, they can so – up to a point. Rabbits know an immense amount about one very small part of marriage.”
“Sex?” said Flo.
Now it was Eb’s turn to look taken aback. He had never heard a Sister speak with such shameless directness. Ever. Into his stunned silence, Flo continued cheerfully:
“But surely, that’s all the more reason to talk to rabbits if I’m getting married. The other parts of marriage – keeping house, cooking, being careful with money, sewing, cleaning, faithfulness – I already know about those things. So I don’t need the rabbits to teach me about those -"
“Jah, just as well!” interjected Eb, with conviction.
“ – but I know next to nothing about sex; and who better to teach me than a rabbit?”
Eb gazed at her in disbelief. “You’ve been standing here at this hour of the day, with all the chores waiting to be done, talking with rabbits about sex?”
