Deep Down You Know You Are

Katherine is rattled. She doesn't know what to make of the pile of dog shit.

If Porky is dead, where has the dog shit come from? And where is Porky now?

She drives straight over to David's house. Knocks on the door.

David opens it. He has been watching Hercule Poirot, The Final Mystery.

What's the matter, mother? says David. Have you seen a ghost?

No, says Katherine. An inexplicable pile of dog shit.

Come in and sit down, says David. I'll make a cup of tea.

Katherine sits down in front of the television.

Hercule Poirot is in bed, dying, but none the less intent on solving his last crime.

He fiddles with his rosary beads, appearing to be spiritually troubled.

David brings the tea in.

Katherine tells David what has happened.

Empirically speaking, says David, you have a pile of dog shit. What's the problem?

David, says Katherine, surely you can see the dog shit begs a question.

But David refuses to see beyond the concrete.

Katherine sips her tea, and starts to feel better.

Poirot shot the villain in cold blood, says David, matter-of-factly.

How on earth do you know that? says Katherine.

Just guessing, says David. But I bet I'm right.

........

Arthur is in the Rundle Mall, outside the Jetty Surf shop.

He is peering through the darkened window, when Sweezus and Belle arrive.

Arthur! says Belle. We saw your poem. Did you really do the washing up?

Arthur holds his wrists out  for inspection, so she can see the scummy bracelets for herself.

Awesome! says Sweezus. Truth in art. Wish I could write poetry like that.

It's not easy, says Arthur. It involves the total disordering of the senses.

Yeah? says Sweezus. Schopenhauer says that thoughts die on the page........

Never mind what he says, says Belle et Bonne. What are you doing here, Arthur?

I left my old shorts in there, says Arthur. Hanging on the change room door. I want them back.

Why? says Belle. You've got those lovely new ones. Did you leave something in the pockets?

Lots of things, says Arthur. But it's the shorts I want back. I miss them.

He peers again into the darkness of the surf shop.

From inside comes the faint sound of a phone ringing.

That'll be Gaius, calling you about Tasmania, says Belle et Bonne.

I'm not going, says Arthur.

Deep down you know you are, says Belle et Bonne.