Back To Square One

Three o'clock.

The Parrot is signing a contract.

Good, says the Mayor. Now you're sure you can sign for the Flash?

Sure, says the Parrot. He's still a minor.

The Parrot signs twice on the black dotted line: Parrot for Parrot. Parrot for Top Green Flash.

Come every day now, says the mayor. Unless you get bird flu.

The Parrot's eyes widen. What's bird flu?

A joke, says the mayor. Never mind.

..........

Three o'clock.

The two Green Flashes are on the couch looking disconsolate.

Freud has not noticed as yet.


Three o'clock.

Gaius has finished his talk on bird iridescence.

He looks around for the Parrot.

Not there. Perhaps it's returned to the caravan.


Three o'clock.

Kong Fu-Zi has stopped listing the Virtues of Water. The crowd has dispersed.

He turns again to the Three Rivers Fountain.

A poem comes into his head.

 A View of the Han River.

With its three southern branches reaching the Chu border
And its nine streams touching the borders of Jing.......

He feels homesick, and returns to the caravan.

........

Five past three.

Gaius: That was heartening.

Freud: Glad you think so.

Gaius: I might do some work on a series.

Kong Fu-Zi: The babies look sad.

Freud: Babies, what babies?

Terence: Us, the Green Flashes. We are sad.

Baby Pierre: It's five past three. We think the Parrot has pipped us.

Terence: Pipped us. Signed the contract without us.

Gaius: Contract? What contract?

Freud: Too late now. We've missed our golden opportunity. But I have a new plan. Green Flashes, get ready to move.

Baby Pierre: Oh goody! What is it?

Freud: Kuitpo Forest. They play  Paintball out there. We shall infiltrate, undermine, establish......

Gaius: Did you say Kuitpo Forest? I shall come too. There are bound to be birds there.

Kong Fu-Zi (sighing): How I long for a forest. Will there be streams? Will there be mountains?

Freud: Ditches and bunkers. Camouflage, guns.....

Terence: And no Parrot. See if I care.

......

So it is decided. They will all go.

......

How close the Square came to becoming a popular venue, with Popup Pedal Paintball and free lectures on Water and Birds.

Tomorrow it will wake up to a contracted Parrot.

And the next day, no Parrot.

You could blame the bird flu for that.