The Flash In Which You Exist

Every Saturday afternoon at one o'clock they add a new letter, says Arne.

One a week? says Belle. When did they start?

Three years ago, says Arne. But they cheated. In order to predate it to the year 2000, they already laid 648 stones.

Oh, says Belle, Why make it seem to begin when it didn't?

You have to begin somewhere, says Arne.

In the words of the poet, says Belle.

Five poets, says Arne. Here's the next one:

LEAVE YOUR FOOTPRINTS, FORGET THE FLASH IN WHICH YOU MAY EXIST, THE WORLD IS YOUR MAP. IF THERE WAS A TIME WHEN YOU WERE ANOTHER, IT WENT BY.

Belle looks thoughtful; Arne also looks thoughtful.

Arne says, (so as not to forget the flash too early):

How about we go to my place ? I'll show you my nijntjes.

Sure, says Belle. The world is my map.

She is not the kind of girl to say no to a hot Dutch guy's nijntjes. If there had been a time when she was, it already went by.

........

Vello and David have re-assembled their bicycles, and now want to go out and test them.

But Belle isn't back.

That will be fine, says Cornelius de Pauw. You go. Terence and I will go for the shopping.

Vello hesitates. What would Belle say?

But Belle doesn't know about the sharp objects. And Terence has been quick to recover.

Okay, says Vello. See you at dinner.

By the way, what's for dinner? asks David, hoping it won't be soused herrings.

We shall have hachee met rode kool en appeltjes, says Corny. Zie je later!

Did you hear that? says David, as he and Vello lift their legs over their bicycles. Road kool!

Let's hope it's not up to us to provide it, says Vello.

They ride off laughing.

O lucky grown ups!

Terence must go for the shopping with mean old Corny.

Can I bring my parrot? asks Terence.

No. Leave it, says Corny de Pauw.

.........

The parrot is on the kitchen table.

The klok ticks.

Tick tick tick.

Let us take this opportunity to have a good look at the parrot.

It now has a herring bone tail, and the eyes of a herring.

(To be truthful, it looks more like a herring than a parrot.).

It stares at the kitchen walls blindly.