Still Warm From Her Bottom

Bai and Guang catch up with Karl Marx, in a dark alley.

Wait, lord! says Bai.

Marx turns around and sees the two young petitioners.

Pardon? Quoi? says Marx, trying to fake being a Frenchman.

O he speaks French, says Bai softly. Pardon seigneur, attends-nous.

Marx has already reached the limit of his French vocabulary.

What is it? he sighs.

Bai's eyes light up. God has tuned in, in English.

We want everyone to come to know Jesus, says Bai, quoting from the CrossCulture website.

Forgive me, young ladies, says Marx.

Ooh! Bai and Guang are unsettled. Forgive YOU?

I didn't realise you knew where he was, says Marx. Where is he?

Is it a test? Bai and Guang wait for more revelation.

Marx takes out his phone. Flicks though his photos.

Here it is. The selfie he took of himself and Terence at the Marxism Conference.

Nice one of himself. But Terence has a bad case of red-eye.

Guang looks at the photo.

You should have turned off the flash, says Guang. That's what causes red-eye.

Thank you, says Marx. I do know that.

Bai knocks Guang with her elbow.

What? says Guang.

He knows everything, whispers Bai.

No he doesn't, says Guang. He doesn't know where his son is.

It might be a test, whispers Bai.

Who would test him? asks Guang, puzzled.

Have you or have you not seen this infant? says Marx, becoming impatient.

No, says Bai.

All right then, says Marx. Thank you. Goodbye.

He turns to leave, but suddenly his revolutionary spirit gets the better of him.

Tell me comrades, says Marx, does either of you work in a factory?

We are students, says Bai.

Excellent says Marx. What are you studying?

Business management, says Bai.

Business management! Now Marx's dander is up.

He restrains himself, walking off stiffly.

........

At the Labour in Vain, Terence looks for his hat.

I'll help you look for it, says Lorna. Oh look! I've been sitting on it!

Terence puts his Peruvian hat on.

It's warm, from her bottom.

You were saying? says Tommy Zoom.

What was I saying? asks Terence.

You said, take this hat for example, says Tommy Zoom.

He was alienated from it, says Boz. Temporarily. By Lorna.

We won't let that happen again, says Lorna, pulling down hard on the side flaps.

What was the fourth type of alienation? asks Tommy Zoom.

Terence has forgotten.

He is starting to feel rather scared of these people.