I met up with Gigglesworth tonight to celebrate her new job at The Very Sought After Bank. It was also the first time I got to meet her new boyfriend. I did what all good friends do in such situation -- sat still, not judge, and made witty commentary.

I think my efforts were well received. The "checking-out" was a mutual event. There was much pre-conceived ideas and images on both sides. But the sangria was well spiked, and much of the evening was passed in pleasantries, and occasional bursts of laughter.

The train ride into the city from the suburbs was a torturous affair. The carriages were packed to limit with high school science teachers. Their attires were the give away; brown leather lace ups, solid coloured shirts tucked into tanned trousers, and -- the piece de resistance -- black digital watches. Conversations were mild and casually anecdotal in reference to particular kids in class. Their youngs were chips of the old blocks in appearance, only the attires were somewhat updated. Tanned cargo pants with polo shirts not tucked in. The digital watches were the same. Perhaps an heirloom passed down from generations of high school science teachers.

I wondered at the significance of a train full of science teachers. Is there a secret society that they gather at each month? Are they on their way to such meetings to discuss ways to protect a very harmful secret? Was it a gathering to plot out this year's HSC papers?

As for the question posed in the title, I venture to guess that the magic word is "bunsen".