In And Out Of Sorrow

The sun shines on the sparkling snow.

Sweezus is skiing down an intermediate ski slope.

He reaches the bottom without incident.

Life is good, and May thinks so too.

She is at the bottom, having come down even faster.

Schwooooosch! She watches Sweezus come in.

He showers her with snow spray.

You're not bad, says May, brushing off the snow spray.

Yeah, well, says Sweezus. Good legs.

A small figure runs up to them, wearing shorts, and a large tam o' shanter.

Terence! says Sweezus. Where've you been?

On a tray, says Terence. Gaius was pulling me.

How cute, says May. Did you go in and out of the pine trees?

I went in and out of SORROW, says Terence.

Hum. This is heavy.

How come, little buddy? asks Sweezus.

Sweezus doesn't know what happened last night to the Green Grocer Cicada, having left the night club with May before anything happened.......

What happens when you die? asks Terence.

You go to heaven, says May. And you see all your rellies. It's probably not all that great. And you have to stay there forever. It's blue. And shiny.

That's a really cool answer, says Sweezus.

Thanks, says May.

And what do you LOOK like? asks Terence.

You look happy, says May.

What if you got murdered? asks Terence.

Where's this going? asks Sweezus.

Nowhere, says Terence. What if your friend got put down on top of you, and your guts all came out, and you died and your friend's parrot ate you?

Wicked! says May. That's what I call a scenario. Are you top of your class in English?

He's Spanish, says Sweezus. He's from Barcelona.

Ahha! laughs May. Fawlty Towers!

No. Sagrada Familia, says Sweezus.

Oh, I get it, says May. That's why he looks like a statue.

What about my QUESTION? says Terence.

You'd be inside your friend's parrot, says May.

In heaven? says Terence.

One day. When the friend's parrot died, says May.

Looking happy, says Sweezus.

My parrot? says Terence. Or the dinner? And he shouldn't have to WAIT.

He wouldn't have to wait, says Sweezus. Let me get this straight. The cicada is cactus. Flattened by you, then eaten by the parrot. And you want to know if the cicada's all right.

Yes, says Terence.

Think about it, says Sweezus.

Terence looks confused. Then thoughtful. Then sad.

Then his brow clears and he looks like a carefree young cherub.

Cherubs don't care about anything.

I'm going to have another go on my tray, says Terence. See you!

Don't go too far off, says Sweezus. We're heading back to Melbourne this arvo.

Aw, says May. I'm gonna miss you.