Eat Drink Write Burn

Katherine and Denise catch the tram from the Samstag to King William Street and walk to the Art Gallery.

A banner outside reads: BILL VIOLA.

Ah, says Katherine. Bill Viola.

You know Bill Viola? asks Denise.

No, says Katherine. Never heard of him.

Shall we get lunch first? says Denise.

Yes, says Katherine. There's a restaurant inside.

They go there.

Katherine orders Silky Cauliflower Risotto, Denise orders Greek Pickled Carrot.

For dessert, they have Peanut Butter and Jelly Parfait, with Strawberry Consomme.

It's quite expensive.

........

Sweezus and Denis Diderot are still sitting over their cold drip coffee.

New thing, this cold drip coffee? says Denis.

Yep, says Sweezus. It costs more and it takes ages.

To drink it, says Denis.

To make it. You don't like it? asks Sweezus.

It's cold, says Denis.

Cold dripped, says Sweezus.

I understand that, says Denis. But what is its raison d'etre?

Sweezus likes the philosophical thrust of the question.

He tries to remember what he read somewhere once on a chalk board.

Less acidic, says Sweezus.

Coffee isn't acidic, says Denis. Is it?

Sweezus is stumped. Denis is right. It isn't.

He gets out his smartphone. Works it with his thumb.

Coffee contains chlorogenic acid which cools to form quinic acid which is astringent and bitter, says Sweezus.

Fascinating, says Denis. I might put that in my encyclopedia.

Yeah, life-long learning, man, says Sweezus. It's important. Did you write in in prison?

No, after, says Denis.

.........

It's dark in the Bill Viola exhibition, which is at the end of an unlit passage and round a corner.

Katherine and Denise emerge into a vast room with a gigantic screen.

A man on the screen wearing a blue shirt and chinos walks slowly towards them, then catches on fire.

(to summarise something that takes at least fifteen minutes).

During the video, Katherine and Denise gradually realise that they can sit down on a seat along the back wall. They sit gratefully, to watch the man burning.

The fire roars and crackles. It sounds like water, for a reason that Katherine and Denise do not at first understand.