The Community Spirit Typical Of The Country

It is late at night, in Robe. The sea is swooshing. A night owl hoots twice. Hoot hoot. A vehicle rumbles by, lighting up the casuarinas in a spooky way.

Ray, Gaius and Schopenhauer are sleeping in back of the Ute.

Arthur is in the cabin.

Let's have a look at Arthur. Is he sleeping?

No he isn't. A closer look will tell us that he isn't even there.

Perhaps he is at the restaurant, breaking into the kitchen?

Perhaps he is on the beach?

It is too dark. The moon is hidden.

What noise does a dying lobster make?

.......

Ding! It's morning.

Gaius sits up and rubs his eyes.

Will the police station be open? He decides to go and see.

Knock knock. He knocks on the policeman's door. It opens.

Oh it's you, says the policeman. Did you enjoy your dinner?

No, says Gaius. We had the Lobster Thermidor Pie. It was the minutest dinner I have ever had the misfortune to have eaten.

You ordered the Lobster Thermidor Pie! says the policeman, astonished. That's an entrée!

Is it? says Gaius. Perhaps that explains it. Fortunately, I wasn't paying. Now, I wish to report two missing bicycles.

It's very early, says the policeman. Could you come back later?

No, says Gaius. We are leaving shortly for Port Fairy.

All right, says the policeman. I shall make an exception. Step inside.

Gaius fills out two forms describing the two missing bicycles.

The policeman reads them through, thinks for a moment. Hmm.

You are in luck, says the policeman. Your missing bicycles are out the back. Come through.

........

Gaius wheels the recovered bicycles back to the Ute. Schopenhauer and Ray are in the back, just waking up. Arthur is sitting sideways in the cabin with his legs out.

You got them back! says Arthur. Where were they?

You won't believe it, says Gaius. They were out the back of the police station all along. He said someone must have borrowed them, and left them there. I was all for filing a complaint, but he said not to bother.

This is the country, says Ray. You have to expect it.

What? says Schopenhauer. Stealing? Serving tiny dinners?

A sense of community, says Ray. What's yours is mine, and vice versa.

You're delirious, says Schopenhauer.

Let's see your foot, says Arthur.

Ray peels off his sock. The sea urchin spine is a hard purple stump in the middle of a yellow pus ball.

You could pop that now, says Arthur.

No, says Ray. I'll see a doctor when I get to Melbourne. We should get going. Schopenhauer will drive.

Absolutely, says Schopenhauer confidently. Get in. Ray in the front with me, Arthur and Gaius in the back there with the bikes.

Arthur jumps down from the cabin. Reaches back in and grabs something wrapped in newspaper. Tosses it into the back. Climbs in.

Schopenhauer helps Ray up into the cabin.

Sniff sniff. It smells a bit, of last night's dinner.