Synchronicity

Many things, which are happening at exactly the same moment.

One:

Gaius is lying on a short bed in Bev's surgery. His feet are unsupported. He dreams he is paddling.

Two:

Margaret is opening her wallet in order to get out the money to buy two tickets for the Star of Greece Dinner, which is tomorrow night.

Three:

Professor Xu Xing is wondering how he can possibly get out of going.

Four:

Baby Pierre and Lavender are still on the beach. Baby Pierre is making a detailed sketch of a turreted snail. Lavender is humming less aggressively. She thinks it is her.

Five:

Vello and David have arrived in McLaren Vale and stopped at the Pik a Pie Bakery There they have met Arthur and Sweezus, who have also stopped at the Pik a Pie Bakery, on their way to Willunga to ride Willy Hill.

Hello lads! says Vello. What pies are you having?

Seafood Platter, says Sweezus. Prawn, calamari, crab and Atlantic salmon.

It's a pie, says Arthur. With seafood in it.

I can see that, says Vello. Is it tasty?

Yeah. Try it, says Sweezus.

Soon they are all eating Seafood Platters.

You two doing Willy Hill? asks David, dropping a fish flake.

Yeah, says Sweezus. Time to get serious. Team Condor just confirmed another team member.

Who? asks Vello, slurping up crab juice.

Pablo, says Arthur. He's almost finished the Giro.

The Giro! says David. I'd forgotten all about it. What's the latest?

Alberto's still winning, says Sweezus. Richie hurt his knee and went home.

How disappointing for Richie, says David.

He's looking on the bright side, says Sweezus.

There's a bright side? says Vello. What is it?

He's writing an ode to tomatoes, says Arthur.

Vello snorts out a stream of wet crumbs.

.........

Six:

Richie Porte is sitting up in bed with a notebook and pencil (and rubber).

He has made several false starts.

He tries to remember Pablo's ode to tomatoes. How did it go?

The street
filled with tomatoes
midday
summer
light is
halved
like
a
tomato
its juice
runs
through the streets.

And that's only the first verse. How do you write poetry like that?

His friend Chris Froome knocks on the door.

Richie puts down the pencil.