Bad Qualities Of Birdness

Well, I'm off, says Zak. See yuz later.

See ya, says Stew.

Zak drives off in the Hilux, to regions unknown.

I suppose we should head back to Burnie, says Rosamunda.

Yeah, says Stew. We could take the samples back to the uni, and start getting them analysed.

Exactly, says Rosamunda. Gaius would like that.

I know someone who wouldn't, says Marx.

Who? says Unni.

Ying, says Marx. She did most of the digging. She should get the credit.

Man! That sounds like wrong thinking! says Sweezus.

You don't know her as I do, says Marx. She's a clever young person. She believes the future lies in artisan honey and chocolate........

Capitalism! says Sweezus.

Production controlled by the people, says Marx. You have not been listening.

Sweezus has been listening. So has everyone else.

Marx is sweet on Ying.

Grandpa? says Terence.

What? says Marx, sharply.

Can we go back to Penguin? says Terence.

It's not up to me, says Marx. It should be a communal decision.

We go through Penguin on the way back to Burnie, says Rosamunda.

Geez....... says Surfing-With-Whales.

It's the first thing he's said since the pie.

But wait, he's about to add something......

There's four bikes, says Surfing-With-Whales.

So? says Rosamunda. We leave two behind, one for Ying, one for Arthur. And we put two on the roof rack. Or, you and Sweezie can ride them. Then we can meet up in Penguin.

Yay! We ARE going to Penguin! cries Terence.

I don't call that a communal decision, says Marx. What about voting?

Sweezus regards his young prototype, Terence.

How come Penguin? asks Sweezus.

I LOVE Penguin! says Terence. And I love Baby Bin Penguin. He says Don't Go Far Off.

A penguin's a bird though, says Sweezus.

NO IT ISN'T ! says Terence.

It is an actual bin, says Unni.

Sweezus weighs up the bad qualities of bird-ness against the good ones of bin-ness.

Terence waits.

He hums Don't Go Far Off.  "Hum Hum Hum Hum"

Not trying to influence Sweezus or anything.

It's a poem. It doesn't have a tune.

All right, Penguin, says Sweezus, eventually.