You Have Wisdom

Gaius, Sweezus and Arthur are on the bus to Wallaroo.

Sweezus looks out of the window. He has not been to Wallaroo before.

He dreams of catching boxes and boxes of cuttlefish. In the dream, the boxes of cuttlefish are clear. But the actual catching is cloudy.

Arthur, says Sweezus. How do you catch cuttlies?

Various ways, says Arthur. You need bait.

He remembers the Twitcher.

Bait like snails, says Arthur.

Too easy, says Sweezus. We're laughing.

He leans back in his seat with his ipod and closes his eyes.

Gaius for once has been listening.

When I was a lad, says Gaius, we took lamps and we caught them with tridents. No bait was required.

I'll remember that, says Arthur. Tridents.

The bus rumbles on down the road.

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

Rosamunda is in Lu Ban's apartment. It is not very grand.

Can I get you drink? says Lu Ban. What would you like?

What have you got? says Rosamunda.

Let me see, says Lu Ban, opening the fridge. How about a Cheese Creamsicle. I make it myself.

Sounds yummy, says Rosamunda. What's in it?

Cocoa, milk, rock salt and cheese, says Lu Ban.

All right, says Rosamunda.

She goes over to Lu Ban's drawing board and looks at his dragon bike prototype.

What do you think? says Lu Ban.

I like the aeroplane wing-shaped tube sections and the concave back on the seat tube, says Rosamunda. And it appears to be aerodynamically optimised for all wind conditions......

But? says Lu Ban.

But, says Rosamunda, I don't like that dragon's head.

It's not negotiable, says Lu Ban. All my designs are based on the dragon. It's my trade mark.

Too twisty, says Rosamunda.

Swoopy, says Lu Ban. And anyway, what would you know?

I'm a designer, says Rosamunda. That's how I know. Mmmm, this drink is yummy.

Yes it is, says Lu Ban. And yet, you wouldn't think so. Cocoa, milk, rock salt and cheese.

No, says Rosamunda. You wouldn't think so. Perhaps that's a lesson.

You have wisdom, says Lu Ban. As well as connections.

I do have connections, says Rosamunda. And I hear you have friends in high places.

I do, says Lu Ban. Would you like to meet one?

I would, says Rosamunda. Who is it?

The President of the People's Republic of China, says Lu Ban. Come on, it's five thirty. He'll just be knocking off work.