The Art Of Forgetting

Where is Rosamunda? asks Sikong Shu. Surely you're not leaving without her? And where are the.....

Dr Zhu Min catches his eye.

 Sikong Shu stops.

Yes there must be a reason. And it's not for him to pursue what it is. In fact, he is partly to blame. As is Arthur.

Dr Zhu Min looks up at the flight board.

I will leave you here, says Dr Zhu Min. Your boarding gate is at the other end of the terminal. You had better take the shuttle. It's about three kilometres.

So this is goodbye, says Gaius.

Goodbye, says Dr Zhu Min. I trust our association will continue to be beneficial to both our institutions.

Err, yes, says Gaius.

Dr Zhu Min walks away.

Institutions, grumbles Gaius. What institution is he talking about? Never trust institutions.

Come on, says Margaret. Here's the train.

They board the shuttle train, leaving Sikong Shu waving and wondering about certain things.

Well, that's that, says Margaret. China. I must say I'm sorry we had to leave in such a hurry.

I hope you are not blaming me, says Gaius.

I am blaming you, says Margaret. You should never have told them you were a military man.

Pish tosh, says Gaius. That was long ago, my campaign in Germania.....

And you broke their entelognathus, says Margaret.

Now that I did NOT do, says Gaius. In fact I mended it. It was Lavender who....... Where is she, by the way?

I thought you had her, and Ouvert, says Margaret.

I thought you did, says Gaius. Arthur do you have them?

Not that I know of, says Arthur.

............

Rosamunda is standing on top of a little stone Moon Bridge in a quiet Beijing park. Its high arch makes a perfectly circular reflection in the still waters below.

Ming Rong is moving back and forth trying to get the perfect photo.

He stops. Click.

You look like the mythical Lady Chang'e, says Ming Rong.

Who is she? asks Rosamunda.

She lived on the moon, says Ming Rong.

Did she wear silk pyjamas? says Rosamunda.

She does now, says Ming Rong. Come down and I'll tell you her story.