The Physics Of Poetry

Vello, David, Em, Oscar and Terence exit the ice cream parlour while Forster M. Reed is in the rest room, cleaning his knees.

Only in Geneva, says Vello. What now?

We could complete the Big Bang, says Em. We'd only reached Acceleration.

Yesss! says Oscar. Five more to go! Then BOOM!

No, Oscar, says Em. The final stage is Precision. It's about research instruments.

Ends with a whimper, says David.

What does? says Vello, who is only half paying attention.

The world, says David. Ends not with a bang, with a whimper.

T.S. Eliot! says Em.

Precisely, says David. A literary reference. I see you know your poetry.

I love poetry, says Em. But only certain poetry.

Me too, says David. I like it best if it's funny.

There are holes in the sky
where the rain gets in
but they're ever so small
that's why the rain is thin.

Spike Milligan! says Em. One of my favourites.

Humph! says Vello. Birthday card poetry.

O no! says Em. It's exquisite. Oscar likes poetry, don't you, Oscar.

No, says Oscar.

Yes you do, says Em. Remember this one:

How sweet to be a cloud
floating in the blue
every little cloud
always sings aloud.

Pooh! says David.

Yes! says Em, glowing with poetical ardour. Pooh and Piglet. The Cloud Song.

But Oscar is embarrassed.

It's AGES since he liked THAT sort of poem.

He hopes Terence wasn't listening.

Poo? says Terence. I didn't hear any.

Not that sort of poo, says Oscar. Anyway. It's stupid. Hey. Want a ride on my bike?

Yes, says Terence. But I'm sticky.

Doesn't matter, says Oscar. Come on!

He runs ahead to his bicycle, which is padlocked to a rail near the others. Unlocks it, with his new combination: 66060.

He gets on. Terence clambers on to the pack rack above the back wheel.

Oscar (Parrot-Boy) and Terence (the Baddy), free wheeling around a green square in Geneva.

Twenty percent of Geneva is green.

Vello, feeling excluded from the infantile poetry love-fest, looks up from idly kicking a stone.....

( a stone? on the streets of Geneva? it happens).

....sees the back end of Terence disappearing. Is it Terence?

Polka dot jersey. Death's head lap lap. Pith helmet. It can only be him.