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"Sir, please refrain from submerging your entire hand into the gemstone tray," the museum shop clerk scolded Stede from across the sales floor.
Stede had been submerging his entire hand into the gemstone tray. He loved feeling all the smooth rocks tumbling around his palm, filling the spaces between his fingers. He rather looked forward to a little gemstone pawing each time he took Alma and Louis to the science museum.
"Ah, caught red-handed! Well, gem-handed!" Stede replied. He could feel Alma's eye roll even if he couldn't see it.
"Nice one," said a voice over Stede's left shoulder. He turned to find another museum employee, arms heavily tattooed and gold name tag identifying him as DR. TEACH - REPTILES. Very fitting given the snake curling around his arm. He leaned over and whispered conspiratorially to Stede, "I like to dip my hand in there too, man."
"They make it so hard to resist!"
He nods. "Hey, do you and your kids like snakes? You wanna meet Maizey? She's our corn snake."
Stede laughed, " MAIZE-Y because she's a corn snake !"
"Yeah, I got to name her. And I'm Ed."
"I'm Stede. This is Alma and Louis. We'd love to meet Maizey."
