But It Seems Like Forever

Sweezus lifts the Elegant Parrot out of the Nietzsche's Hello Kitty back pack.

Huuuurrh! sighs the Elegant Parrot. Her breath smells of garlic.

Haemolytic anaemia, says Sweezus. What the fuck's that?

It's what parrots get when they eat onions or garlic, says the Elegant Parrot. Mainly garlic, she adds, breathing upwards and sniffing.

So, don't do it, says Sweezus.

Quite right, says the Elegant Parrot. I know that. Didn't mean to. It was the figs on the pizza.

What's wrong with the parrot? asks Nietzsche.

Figs on the pizza last night, says Sweezus.

Ah, figs will do it, says Nietzsche.

It's the sulphur compounds in the onions and garlic, they rupture our red blood cells, says the Elegant Parrot.

You hardly had any, says Sweezus.

True, says the Elegant Parrot, but I'm an imaginative creature. That's how I got chosen.

Come on, says Sweezus. Let's get going.

He shoves the Elegant Parrot down the front of his tee shirt, and pedals off, followed by Nietzsche.

Now that the back pack is open, Nietzsche can hear what Ageless and the Catcher are saying.

Ageless: Happy now?

The Catcher: What d' you mean?

Ageless: Sick parrot.

The Catcher: She was faking. You even thought so.

Ageless: What's this then?

The Catcher: Yuck. Looks like fig poo!

Ageless: And we're sitting in it.

Nietzsche pedals faster, and starts humming.

The wheels of Schopenhauer's bicycle spin in eternal circles.

No! no! I don't think that way!

Sweezus stops at Marino.

Just going to make a phone call.

Ring ring

Hey Belle, whereabouts are you?

In the city, says Belle. Having coffee with Katherine. Terence is here too. Want to say hi?

No, says Sweezus. But tell him he's getting a present.

Belle says something to Terence. Probably: Sweezus has got you a present.

There follows a yippee of excitement, then:

Terence wants to know if it's a  parrot?

Might be, says Sweezus. But that's not the reason I'm calling. Where's Arthur?

Gone to Victoria with Gaius, says Belle. To look for a Baw Baw. He didn't want to.

Baw Baw? says Sweezus. That frog? I thought the Catcher was supposed to be going?

Gaius couldn't wait, says Belle. So he made Arthur go.

We've only been away two days, says Sweezus.

Yeah, but it seems like FOREVER, says Belle.