I wonder if this story suffers somewhat for being read aloud on a podcast rather than read silently to oneself. It seems like the kind of thing one must digest slowly, at one's own pace. You sort of want to pause and ponder the choice of words, ruminate on the delicate salt bones of waves, put the book down and read it again a week later, or a year later. Podcasts, for better or for worse, are about the now, the future. Finished this episode, start the next! Don't want to fall behind in my queue. I wonder if this story is too slow to be spoken.
On the other hand, dirk.bruere, you made me actually laugh out loud.