Fingering His Stones

The Bright Red Object, says Vello. Remind me again what it is?

A red sheep, swimming, says Arthur.

Ah yes, says Vello. Candide's last red sheep, captured by a pirate, I remember it now.

Captured by a pirate! Terence likes the sound of this part.

So am I in it? asks Terence.

I suppose so, says Vello. I do like your costume. What is it?

A red towel, says Terence.

A sticky, wet, red towel, says Arthur.

I think we all know what it is, says Victor.

What? asks Mayor Clements.

The victim's blood, soaked up in a towel, says Victor.

Dazza's, says Lisa. It's a wildly inappropriate costume.

Yeah, and tomorrow it'll be more inappropriate, says Sweezus.

What's inappropriate? asks Terence.

It'll be brown, says Arthur. Blood dries brown.

I won't let it dry, says Terence. I'll keep wetting it.

Then the blood will wash out, says Arthur.

Interesting that Arthur, who does so little washing, should know this,

True, says Vello, but the concept is a good one. Assuming this towel is not needed for evidence, we shall keep it as a prototype.

It isn't, says Victor. There's no suggestion of crime.

He has forgotten the paddler.

The paddler enters the Rockpool Café.

He has come for his towel.

......

Sweezus, who has cuts on his feet, gets a lift back to Kingscote with Mayor Clements.

It's a 30 million dollar project, says Mayor Clements. An 18-hole world class championship length golf course. It will be brilliant for Kangaroo Island.

Awesome, says Sweezus. What about the downside?

There is no downside, says Mayor Clements.

.........

Terence is getting a lift back to Kingscote with Victor, in the police car.

This is to mollify the paddler, whose towel was used for unlawful purposes.

He took my costume, says Terence. I'm sad.

It was his towel, says Victor.

The unfairness of this is so apparent that Terence can hardly articulate it.

But he tries.

HE WASN'T EVEN USING IT! shouts Terence.

........

Vello is riding Sweezus's bike back to Kingscote, with Arthur.

What's your opinion? asks Vello.

Nice place, says Arthur. Bit slow.

Not about that, says Vello. The golf course.

Disastrous, says Arthur.

Then why did you say I might endorse it? asks Vello.

To keep things going, says Arthur.

A good enough reason, says Vello.

They ride along in silence.

You know Shu was worried about you? says Vello. He thought you might have been eaten.

He's not my mother, says Arthur.

.......

Back in Kingscote, Shu is staring out of the window of the back packer cabin, idly fingering his stones.