Team Ethical

Midge is standing shoulder deep in water with her camera, trying to get a shot of Surfing-With-Whales surfing through the barrel of a wave.

Arthur is way down the beach, surreptitiously edging a carbon fibre paddle into the shallows, with his foot.

Sweezus is sitting on the sand next to the esky. There is a frog cake sitting on the lid.

Now Sweezie, says Belle et Bonne, I know you're not feeling very well, but really...

Mm, says Sweezus, but borrowing money is ethical, in a way.....

Not if you have no way of paying it back, says Belle et Bonne.

Tell him to get a job, says someone.

Now who said that? Not Mrs Hume, or Pastor Moon. Not Bunny.

It was the frog cake. They turn to look at it.

I'm from Balfours, says the frog cake. They have this great work ethic there. You work hard, and they pay you money. Then you can buy anything you want.

Didn't Balfours recently go into receivership? asks Mrs Hume.

What? says the frog cake. No one told me that!

And anyway, says Bunny. You're a cake. They didn't pay you money.

The frog cake looks deflated.

Alright, it says, just throw me to the seagulls.

No, says Belle et Bonne. I'll put you in the esky. It's nice and cool in there. You've had a nasty shock.

She turns to Sweezus.

Sweezie, says Belle et Bonne, I think the little frog cake had the right idea.

What, that I should get a job? says Sweezus. What about my creative writing course?

No, not a job, says Belle et Bonne, but you could earn some money. The Tour Down Under starts next week. And there'll be prize money.

Cool, says Sweezus, brightening instantly. You and me and Arthur can get up a team.

And me? says Bunny hopefully.

Can you ride? asks Belle et Bonne.

Can I? says Bunny. I was school champion last year.

Brilliant! says Sweezus. This is just awesome and BRILLIANT! What'll we call our team?

Team Ethical, says Belle et Bonne.

Arthur comes up, and hands Sweezus fifty dollars.

Don't ask, says Arthur, but there's more where this came from.