〃Why arent these fried?〃 Norman said。
〃We cant deep…fry down here;〃 Barnes said。 〃The hot oil forms a suspension and gums up the air filters。 But sautéed is fine。〃
〃Well; I dont know about the squid but the shrimps are great;〃 Ted said。 〃Arent they; Harry?〃 Ted and Harry were eating shrimp。
〃Great shrimp;〃 Harry said。 〃Delicious。〃
〃You know how I feel;〃 Ted said; 〃I feel like Captain Nemo。 Remember; living underwater off the bounty of the sea?〃
〃Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea;〃 Barnes said。
''160'' 〃James Mason;〃 Ted said。 〃Remember how he played the organ? Duh…duh…duh; da da da daaaaah da! Bach Toccata and Fugue in D minor。〃
〃And Kirk Douglas。〃
〃Kirk Douglas was great。〃
〃Remember when he fought the giant squid?〃
〃That was great。〃
〃Kirk Douglas had an ax; remember?〃
〃Yeah; and he cut off one of the squid arms。〃
〃That movie;〃 Harry said; 〃scared the hell out of me。 I saw it when I was a kid and it scared the hell out of me。〃
〃I didnt think it was scary;〃 Ted said。
〃You were older;〃 Harry said。
〃Not that much older。〃
〃Yes; you were。 For a kid it was terrifying。 Thats probably why I dont like squid now。〃
〃You dont like squid;〃 Ted said; 〃because theyre rubbery and disgusting。〃
Barnes said; 〃That was the movie that made me want to join the Navy。〃
〃I can imagine;〃 Ted said。 〃So romantic and exciting。 And a real vision of the wonders of applied science。 Who played the professor in that?〃
〃The professor?〃
〃Yes; remember there was a professor?〃
〃I vaguely remember a professor。 Old guy。〃
〃Norman? You remember who was the professor?〃
〃No; I dont;〃 Norman said。
Ted said; 〃Are you sitting over there keeping an eye on us; Norman?〃
〃How do you mean?〃 Norman said。
〃Analyzing us。 Seeing if were cracking up。〃
〃Yes;〃 Norman said; smiling。 〃I am。〃
〃Howre we doing?〃 Ted said。
〃I would say it is highly significant that a group of scientists cant remember who played the scientist in a movie they all loved。〃
〃Well; Kirk Douglas was the hero; thats why。 The scientist wasnt the hero。〃
''161'' 〃Franchot Tone?〃 Barnes said。 〃Claude Rains?〃
〃No; I dont think so。 Fritz somebody?〃
〃Fritz Weaver?〃
They heard a crackle and hiss; and then the sounds of an organ playing the Toccata and Fugue in D minor。
〃Great;〃 Ted said。 〃I didnt know we had music down here。〃
Edmunds returned to the table。 〃Theres a tape library; Ted。〃
〃I dont know if this is right for dinner;〃 Barnes said。