Watching John Shalesmoor fidget behind the bar, I made the mistake of reaching for an off-world idiom:
"He looks like he's got ants in his pants, as we'd say in the off-world," I said.
"Ants?"
"Little critters, like wasps without wings, except some of them do have wings, when it's hot in full Fecunder."
"Wasps?!" said Van, a little too loudly. "It is the prophesy," he hissed through his teeth.
"No Van, it's just a saying from the off-world."
