Life Happens While We Are Doing Other Things

It's early evening, all over Adelaide.

Arthur is slumped over a table in the Wright Street Hotel.

The waiter taps him gently.

You might want to pay this, says the waiter.

........

Olive Python and Charles Red-belly are at the Flinders Street Bus Station.

Charles has the money.

In Olive's head she is already in the Pilbara, lying supine in the sun, in the shape of an alligator........

......

Sweezus is in the Pacific Cultures Gallery at the SA Museum. He is not taking notes.

The lecture is not about surfing, but Ediacaran Biota.

Imagine, says Professor Mary Droser, that you are snorkelling over an ancient sea bed. You might see Dickinsonia here and Funisia Dorothea over there, in random patches.

Sweezus writes SNORKELLING, and draws a happy face.

We think the Funisia was capable of sexual reproduction, says Professor Mary Droser. And these ones like needles, may have been able to move.

Sweezus gives up writing anything down. He doodles a feathery Funisia in flagrante delicto.

He gazes up at the twig and string alligators suspended above him.

Are they moving. Or not? Moving? Or not. Or moving..... hypnotically..... in tandem.

Imagine, says Professor Mary Droser, a huge dump of sand suddenly engulfs us, as we sit on our sticky algal mats.

Sweezus wakes up, and starts paying attention..

..........

 In Ward 5, Gaius is sitting up looking much better. Ray Moon is still lying down.

Sweezie should be back soon, says Belle. Gaius you were so naughty. You knew the lecture wasn't about surfing.

I would have preferred to send Arthur, says Gaius. Arthur is more reliable. Where is Arthur? Hand me my phone.

He tries to call Arthur.

No answer.

Drat the boy! says Gaius.

Which boy? says Katherine, appearing at the far side of Ray Moon's bed.

She pokes Ray in an encouraging manner. Ray assumes the foetal position.

I would have come sooner, says Katherine, but I was detained at the police station. By that Victor!

Oh, Katherine! says Belle et Bonne.

Yes indeed, dear, says Katherine. Don't ever go into a police station without taking some reading material. I was in there for ages while he wrote down in detail every single thing that had happened. It seems one may not attempt to retrieve a perfectly harmless jar of saliva from a shelf behind a policeman. Ridiculous! And then, when I tried to ............

Gaius closes his eyes, and tries to think of Tasmania.