Marcellus opens by deriding humans’ inexhaustible talk about weather, noting he has heard “Can you believe this weather we’re having?” precisely 1,910 times, about one and a half times per day. He contrasts this with the sea jellies, who cannot converse or be taught, underscoring his isolation and intelligence.

He then describes the current heat: visitors sweat, fold pamphlets into fans, wear shorter clothes, and slap in strappy shoes. Seventeen times that day, they repeat the same incredulous weather line. Marcellus observes the shift toward longer daylight and names the coming event: the summer solstice.

Confronted with the season’s turn, Marcellus turns inward. He states this will be his final summer solstice, a quiet admission that his time is limited, reframing his sardonic commentary with a sense of mortality and urgency.