“What day is it?”
“Wednesday.”
“Come back Friday please.”
It is Wednesday Story Day again, and last week Andrew and Larry arrived at Gault Industries and met with Ned Dixon. Looking around it was obvious to our pair that the plant had seen better days. Ned explained that he worked for the bank and called Louis the tech. We learned Louis has worked for Gault for twelve years so if anything funny went on ten years ago, he should know about it or was the perpetrator of the funny business. I see Louis has arrived so let’s head back to the plant. You might want to grab a bottle of water before you go. I personally would not touch anything out of those faucets.
“Here’s Louis. Louis meet Larry and Andrew. They have a deep diving business and are looking for some major descaling of artifacts brought up from the sea.”
“Nice to meet you, gentlemen. I didn’t get the name of your company.”
“Ah, Neptune Enterprises. We just formed the business, so you probably never heard of us.”
“Yeah, you’re right. I never have.”
“Well anyway. Louis, these two want to see if we have the capability to handle their work.”
“You want to clean stuff from the ocean, right?”
“That’s right, Louis. Some of the items may have been below water for hundreds of years.”
“You will need a pretty strong current to get through those old layers. Yet you don’t want to damage the original piece. Am I on target uh Andrew isn’t it?”
“Yes, it’s Andrew. Nice memory Louis. You are precisely on target. These are valuable artifacts, and we need to make sure the system can clean them without damage. To use an example, it would be like removing someone’s appendix without hurting the body.”
“Yeah, that’s an interesting example. But to ease your mind we have a system that can do as you say.”
“Remove an appendix?”
“No. Cleaning the item without damage.”
“Excuse me, Louis.”
“Yes Larry.”
“I am curious as to how this equipment works.”
“I can imagine. Why don’t we go to the machine and I’ll show you? Did you bring something that needs cleaning?”
“Yes, we brought an anchor.”
“Okay. Go get it.”
“Do you have a dolly or something?”
“Is it big?”
“No just heavy.”
“For heaven’s sake, Larry. Just go get it. We are wasting time.”
“Oh yes, boss. I’ll be right back.”
“Louis maybe you could give him a hand.”
“Sorry Mr. D but I have a bad back. Besides, he has returned.”
“Okay, where to and I hope not far.”
“It is in the next room. Follow me through this door.”
“OMG want is that smell?”
“It is citric acid, Andrew. It is part of the solution to take the foreign matter off of things.”
“Smells like grapefruit.”
“Not surprised since it is made from citrus. I can’t smell it any more. Working around the stuff for a while does that. How about you Mr. D? You smell it?”
“Makes my eyes water, Louis. If you don’t mind I’m going to wait outside.”
“A question for you Louis.”
“Yes, Andrew.”
“Is this citric acid toxic to skin?”
“Well over time it would be.”
“How much time?”
“Let’s say an hour.”
“So, if someone were in this solution for an hour it would alter their skin.”
“More like a burn. Where are you going with this?”
“Just curious. I don’t want our objects ruined if the acid is too toxic. Doesn’t seem like it is.”
“You sound like a medical man with all these body questions and examples.”
“No. Just want to protect my client’s investments. So how does this work?”
“You put the item in the tank. The diodes attached to the item carries a current that begins to vibrate the material on the object until it falls off. The citric acid acts like a cleanser to get between layers.”
“Sounds like a denture bath.”
“Now that is the first example that makes any sense at all.”
“Hey, Louis.”
“Yes, Larry.”
“Can we put the anchor in there and see if it works?”
