Scratch

Good morning, starshine! The earth says hello.
In the past fortnight I have been busying myself with the literature of Dickens and find myself today poring over a soulfully written tale which concerns the adventures of a smashing young lad by the name of Oliver Twist. I find Mr. Dickens's work to be jolly smashing indeed, and it wandered dreamlike into my mind a smashing inquiry: Have any of the good citizens on these fora, too, wandered amongst the woefully cruel subcharacters such as the Dodger?
This inquiry drifted about my mind most irksomely, like a smashing fruit fly steadily consuming a tomato. Perhaps that wasn't a very smashing analogy, was it?
Well, do discuss this marvel of literature! One can only hope my acquaintance, Better, does not linger here.