EXPENSIVE ASP.

Arawa Guerilla, Issue 19, 1 October 1943, Page 14

EXPENSIVE ASP.

Until the Dental Corps fitted false fangs into his upper jaw, Shorty was the possessor of only one tooth on —a big one, right in the middle. “Shorty” was inordinately proud of his ersatz choppers and religiously removed them and sat them by his bed every night so as to avoid any chance . of inadvertently swallowing them. One night at Alamein “ Shorty ” was climbing in between his blankets when out scuttled an asp. Needless to say, the asp’s life was abruptly terminated, but sleep became a mixed blessing to “ Shorty” that night, for, in Jiis dreams, he saw asps of all sizes crawling over him. The one thing that impressed • itself on his subconscious mind was the way the scaly undersides of the asps stood out pale in the dim light. With a start he awoke and sat up in bed, sleepily wondering what was wrong. Suddenly he spotted what it was— on the sand bags beside him could be discerned the pale gleam of an asp’s underside! ' Cautiously shorty” clutched a boot and then brought it down with all his force on the horrid sight. Again and again he struck, and finally lay back with a sigh of satisfaction. In the morning there ■ was no asp corpse to be seen but his fine set of molars lay.battered beyond recognition on the sand bags. —R.F.