insight into the inner turmoil of the artist battling to make sense of a topsy-turvy world? A truly fruity debate seems set to break out over American artist Georgia O'Keeffe's charcoal study of a rather lush-looking Bermudian banana flower.

Or at least a chin-stroking discussion on the drawing as it appeared in this month's edition of the glossy up-market international magazine, Islands .

Any reasonably educated fellow flicking to page 26 could see that the banana is shown the wrong way up.

The question is "why''? For some wags, the conflicting views in the community could become known as the big banana split.

In one corner meet the down-to-earth "I calls it as I sees it'' sorts. Oh, there's no messing with this green-fingered breed.

"Hey, this O'Keeffe artist is really bananas,'' you can hear them bawl.

"Any fool knows that a banana doesn't grow that way up! O'Keeffe doesn't know her onions from her bananas!'' And then, of course, there are the arty think-they-know-it-all types. They will brook no Philistines.

"Oh no, no, no, no,'' they protest. "You've totally missed the point, old boy. Our Georgia is simply presenting a challenge to our senses, making a statement, if you will.'' Sadly, there are spoilsports in neither corner who would seek to lower the tenor of debate.

To these sober judges, it is just a case of Oops!...of someone from Islands tripping up on a journalistic banana skin, and putting the photo the wrong way up. Ho, hum...

Into this category we can with some assurance place Mr. Tom Butterfield, from the Masterworks Foundation.

He sighed: "It's all most regrettable.'' And then, without a trace of humour, added: "It just goes to show how Georgia O'Keeffe turned the world upside down.'' For those who prefer the genuine O'Keeffe (the right way up), the National Gallery in Hamilton is currently displaying her charcoal and pencil sketches of Bermuda flora.

*** An air traffic controller was needed to manage the comings and goings around Sen. Lawrence Scott as he tried to pilot Government's Civil Airport Amendment Act 1994 through the Senate on Monday.

The first-term Government Senator, who is Parliamentary Secretary for Transport, was having obvious difficulty answering questions from Opposition Senators Milton Scott and Terry Lister. His replies, while lengthy, were not to the point.

First, Government Senate Leader the Hon. Gerald Simons dove in and began fielding the questions for Sen. Scott.

Then the UBP Sen. Lynda Milligan-Whyte offered her version of flight control, expanding and improving on Sen. Scott's replies.

Next, the Transport Minister himself parachuted in from that "other place''.

The Hon. Maxwell Burgess initially hovered in the gallery, then glided inside the bar and parked against the wall on the Senate floor.

As Sen. Scott circled in a holding pattern, Mr. Burgess taxied his chair closer and closer to his UBP colleague's back. Soon, he was scribbling notes and handing them to the Senator as he continued to talk.

It all became too much for Sen. Milton Scott.

"I don't have a problem with Ministers from the other place sitting in this place,'' he said. "But when they start to coach, I do have a problem!'' *** When Shadow Human Affairs Minister Ms Renee Webb is speaking, MPs are expected to listen.

During her speech on the Human Rights Amendment Act 1994 in the House of Assembly last Friday, she turned and swatted Opposition Whip Mr. Stanley Lowe, who had been carrying on a whispered monologue with Shadow Transport Minister Mr. Dennis Lister.

Ms Webb also did not have the ear of her Government counterpart, Human Affairs Minister the Hon. Jerome Dill.

But it was hardly Mr. Dill's fault. The PLP's Mr. Stanley Morton had plunked himself down beside the Minister and talked in his ear throughout most of the speech, despite Mr. Dill's visible annoyance.

Fortunately for Mr. Morton, he was far outside of Ms Webb's range.

*** With the `season of goodwill towards all men' comes the Big `O'. The office party. A source of much merriment -- or embarrassment for the white-collar crowd.

And when many are probably thinking along the same lines as the New Jersey letter bomber when it comes to the boss, at least one local company was not.

So pleased were they to have the Wor. Henry Hayward as the head honcho, especially in the year of the Legionnaire's disease fracas, Meyer Agencies employees had collected cash and delivered a fine Christmas gift to His Worship at the office party last weekend.

Upon being presented the festive package, Mr. Hayward quipped, "What is it -- the bug?'' Not quite. Along with a smart crystal ship's decanter came a T-shirt emblazoned with the ill-fated cruise liner Horizon and above it the words, "MV Legionella''.

This summer, Meyer Travel employees worked well past midnight, along with Mr.

Hayward, to find hotel rooms for hundreds of grouchy cruise passengers displaced from the Horizon after a ship-board outbreak of Legionnaire's, the pneumonia-like disease which can be fatal.

It doesn't have to be so lonely at the top after all! *** Whenever one Bermuda bank builds a nice office, it seems like the other one wants to outdo it, and right next door.

The banks handle the situation much like neighbours who consider each other lowbrows or show-offs. They ignore each other.

Check out the Bank of Butterfield's 1994 Christmas card, featuring the Rosebank Centre on Bermudiana Road.

In place of the strapping new Bank of Bermuda building that recently went up next door, the artist pictured a blue wash.

Suspicious about this exclusion, The Royal Gazette talked to Mr. Steve Marklew at the Bank of Butterfield, and learned the artist's impression was painted not only before the Bank of Bermuda's Compass Point was constructed, but before the Rosebank Centre was built.

Still, the card leaves little doubt about how the bank would prefer to remember the scene.

WHICH WAY UP? -- Don't ask the editors of Islands Magazine.