Seize the Moment

They stopped at the Marina. The VeloDrone and Le Bon David headed straight for a tap, to wash the sticky mud off their Crocs. Gaius decided he preferred his Crocs dun-coloured.

This is nice, said The VeloDrone, sitting down with the others at an outside table overlooking the Marina. Small boats moved in and out, their sails appearing and disappearing behind the trees.

They ordered coffee.

Should we order lunch as well? asked Le Bon David. I'm feeling peckish.

How can you feel peckish after all you ate last night? said Marie.

I was only making sure I got my money's worth, said Le Bon David. I agree I could have done without that large bowl of icecream and caramel sauce. But that was last night. I'm peckish now.

I thought we'd have a light lunch back at the motel, said Marie. I've bought some wholemeal rolls and tomatoes, and some cheese.

Tomatoes! said Gaius, seizing the moment. Count me out. You can drop me off in Goolwa on your way. No need for you to come with me Margaret, he added, I know you love tomatoes.

Let her get out of that.

....

And so it was that later in the afternoon, Gaius, having eaten a delicious Cornish pasty from the Goolwa Bakery, made his way along the river path towards the barrages, in search of the bird hide, on his own, and wearing relatively unobtrusive shoes.

It was perfect.

He passed wooden jetties and pontoons, tiny inlets in the reeds, a stony carpark. He passed the Aquacaf, where people sat outside at rough tables laughing, eating fish and chips. He passed a long row of two-storied wide-balconied holiday houses which looked empty. He passed the public toilets, decorated with ornate blue and turquoise mosaic wave designs. Margaret would have liked those toilets. She was into toilet art. He saw the stone memorial to Mrs Lush, an aboriginal woman who had lived on that spot for forty years. He tried to imagine Mrs Lush.

At last he saw the bird hide. It was a small grey wooden structure at the end of a board walk amongst the lightly rustling reeds. He made his way inside and sat down on the wooden bench against the wall. There was a viewing window on the opposite side. He felt in his pocket for his notebook. Damn! Where was it?

A moorhen paddled by.