Everything All at Once

They wheel their bikes down to the foreshore.

They find a café, lock up their bikes, and go inside.

Waffles! says Denis. 

He has seen someone eating waffles.

Waffles dripping with syrup, and oozing fresh cream.

What say we order waffles? asks Denis.

Gaius would not normally order waffles, but it has been a long journey. 

And coffee, says Gaius. 

Okay says Denis. Waffles and coffee.

You're paying for my coffee, says Gaius.

I haven't forgotten, says Denis.

He goes off to the counter

What about the magic workshop? asks Terence.

Stanley said it might be next week, says Gaius.

MIGHT, says Terence. It might be today.

There are posters over there in the corner, says Gaius. There could be one about the magic workshop.

I'll go and see, says Terence.

He heads to the corner.

Go with him, Ageless, says Gaius.

I was hoping for a waffle, says Ageless.

The waffles wil be here when you return, says Gaius.

If you say so, says Ageless.

He hitches his sunglasses further back on his head, and makes his way to the corner.

It this it? asks Terence.

Magic and Mayhem, reads Ageless. 

What's mayhem? asks Terence.

Chaos, says Ageless.

Wow! says Terence. What's chaos?

Everything all at once, says Ageless.

How is that magic? asks Terence.

It's not, says Ageless. It says Magic AND Mayhem. 

Wow! says Terence. When is it?

In ten days time, says Ageless.

Boo! says Terence. We'll be in Point Lowly.

It's not far away, says Ageless. You might make it to the magic workshop if you play your cards right.

Terence doesn't know how to play cards. 

And he thinks Gaius probably doesn't. But Denis might.

Let's go back and tell them, says Terence.

They return to the table just as the waffles are arriving.

Two plates, each with a stack of three waffles. 

Where's mine? asks Ageless.

You may have my top waffle, says Gaius. Go first.

Ageless takes the top waffle, and eats it.

Did you find the relevant poster? asks Gaius.

No, says Terence. But I need to learn how to play cards.

It was something I said, says Ageless, reaching for a second waffle.

Cards? says Gaius. There'll be no time for cards.We'll be climbing Hummock Hill and then visiting the Maritime Museum.

Yes, says Denis. But in the evening we'll be camping. We could teach Terence how to play cards.

I suppose so, says Gaius. Do we have any?

No, says Denis. But we could theoretically. By the way, did you know Ageless has eaten two of your waffles?

Oops! says Ageless. 

Never mind, says Gaius. Three waffles is an over-indulgence. Two perhaps less so. But one is the ideal number.

Quite right, says Denis. May I offer you my last waffle?

He doesn't want it, says Terence. Didn't you listen?

Gaius, who would have liked a second waffle, now has to think twice.