gnomad starts, checks his watch, then relaxes. His memories of the quest to meet JohnInKansas have not quite made him late.

He still has the banner with the strange device as a souvenir (in his briefcase) but accepts that for this year at least the pancakes on Shrove Tuesday will have to be made the usual way, not by Prof. Branestawm's pancake machine as he had hoped. He still believes that John is the man to make it, though, and the quest nags him gently.

He heads for the exit.

"Thank you for the break, guys. Wish me luck. Oh, and if that duck happens to come back by, you might want to check him for a concealed banjo before providing him with a Speckled Hen, on me. No, I mean the beer, MrsDuck wouldn't approve of anything else. Put the change in the tip jar OK?"