Field guide No. 229
The dry orchestra
Seashells, first chair.
In a crumbling, sunlit rehearsal hall, a ring of music stands faces a conductor's podium, each stand holding a conch shell instead of sheet music. The sea is playing tonight, from memory.
Field noteConch shells on music stands takes one afternoon and a beach. Strange, not unreal.
Also possible, also breaking nothing
Hermit crab’s coffee cup shellHermit crabs move into cans, caps and cups already. The coffee rings are the only flourish.
Reserved seatingVelvet and olive wood sit together without argument. Only the booking is unusual.
The hinge gardenMoss grows on old metal left outside. This one has been left outside very well.
The missing guestTables can be built round a gap. Laying for whoever made it is etiquette, not metaphysics.