Who Is Not Blue And Who Isn't?

Cabin lights are dimmed.

Gaius turns on his overhead light to continue reading.

The forty-spot is similar to the spotted pardalote, reads Gaius, but duller in colour. Its wings are black with white tips that give the appearance of discrete white dots when folded.

I'm now reading about the dots, says Gaius, poking P. krameri.

Yes? says P. krameri. And how many are there?

It seems that the number is closer to sixty than forty, says Gaius.

Then why not call it the sixty spotted pardalote? says P. krameri.

Perhaps it's too much of a mouthful, says Gaius.

What's the difference? says P. krameri.

I was being jocular, says Gaius. The thing is, once a name is given, it's not easy to change it.

Hum, says P. krameri.

Bing Barton is watching the news on a small screen attached to the back of the seat in front of him.

We've had a lucky escape, says Bing Barton.

Trouble in Hong Kong? asks Gaius.

Yes, look, says Bing Barton. The airport is being targeted by the protesters again. It's chaos.

Dear me, says Gaius. I hope Mouldy is safe.

Mouldy likes danger, says Terence.

Then Mouldy should be.... jumping Jupiter! Is that Mouldy?

Gaius has seen something disturbing on Bing Barton's screen.

Terence cranes over.

That's not Mouldy. He's BLUE!

No, says Gaius. There is surely only one bicycle-riding pebble in Hong Kong.

Two! cries Terence. Mouldy and a blue one.

The police have been spraying the protesters with blue dye, says Bing Barton. That could explain it.

Blue dye? says Gaius. That is clever.

So you know that pebble? asks Bing Barton.

He's on my team! says Terence. He was the smart one.

The smart one, says Jinjing.

Not like YOU, says Terence.

Not like ME, says Jinjing, But who is not blue and who isn't?

Remarkable! Jinjing has not only switched a pronoun correctly, but added a sentence.

Who is not blue and who isn't? He's right! says Terence. Jinjing is smarter!

Who is not blue? says P. krameri. That refers to Jinjing. So far, so smart, But who isn't? It's the same question.

No need to be pedantic, says Gaius. We all know what Jinjing means.

Where did you get that toy parrot? asks Bing. It's a corker!

Jinjing doesn't know the word corker. But the tone is admiring.

He is pleased to be labelled a corker.