How To Be Inconspicuous

Terence pokes his grasshopper.

Don't poke it, says Gaius. Put it back in the jar.

I'm teaching it to fly, says Terence.

Poking won't work, says Arthur. Drop it off something.

Guys! says Sweezus. No wings ! Remember?

The grasshopper crawls over to Sweezus and climbs up his leg.

Arrgh! Sweezus hates that. He brushes the grasshopper away.

It skitters under the couch.

Terence tries to squeeze in after it.

Coffee? asks Gaius.

Yes, please, says Vello.

Gaius puts on the kettle.

Any plans for tomorrow? asks Gaius.

Better get to work on my speech, says Vello.

You'll have heaps to talk about, says Sweezus. The wreck dive.....

You seem to have enjoyed it, says Vello. How about you earn some holiday money and write my speech for me?

Got to go back to Stokes Bay to pick up the bikes and the surfboards, says Sweezus. And all our other stuff. The Froggs wanted to get back in a hurry. But yeah, okay.

Thank you, says Vello

Terence is under the couch with the grasshopper.

He can see Arthur's feet.

He sees Shu's feet approaching Arthur's feet.

Then the feet walk away.

See that, whispers Terence.

What? clicks the grasshopper.

Feet, says Terence.

It's wings I haven't got, says the grasshopper.

They go up and down, says Terence.

Wings? says the grasshopper.

Feet, says Terence. Pay attention. Are you sad?

I wasn't, says the grasshopper. But now I am. And it's your fault.

No, says Terence. Nothing's my fault. It's your own fault you can't fly.

It wasn't a thing, says the grasshopper. No one in my family has ever.....

Look at my family, says Terence.

I'm looking, says the grasshopper.

Not THEM, says Terence. The Virgin and Saint Joseph.

Where are they? asks the grasshopper.

It doesn't matter, says Terence. My family can't fly either.

But you can? says the grasshopper.

That's not what I'm saying, says Terence.

I wouldn't have believed you, says the grasshopper.

You wouldn't have had to, says Terence.

This is stupid, says the grasshopper.

Wait, says Terence. I was getting to something.

But you've lost it, says the grasshopper.

It's true he has lost it. He's had a big day.

It was about birds, says Terence.

It wasn't.

It was about how his family must have got up to the high spot above the main door of the Sagrada Familia somehow. Even without wings. And if those losers could do it....

Birds! My arch enemies, says the grasshopper.

Mine too, says Terence. Let's be brothers. What's your name?

(What's the betting he doesn't even have one?)