When The Odds Are Against You

It's early afternoon.

Sweezus, Arthur and Gaius ride through the stone gates of Mount Baw Baw Alpine Resort.

On their way, via Moe, back to Melbourne.

The sun shines on the dazzling snow drifts.

The road is slippery with ice patches.

Gaius is being careful. He doesn't want to have an accident. He will soon be riding in the Tour de France.

Jumping Jupiter's snowballs! When is it?

When is the Tour de France? says Gaius to Sweezus, who is right behind him.

Saturday, says Sweezus. Yeah, we've cut it kind of fine. But we can make it.

Gaius does the maths. They might make it. As long as Vello has already booked the fights.

Better call him.

But it's difficult on this slippery road, without stopping.

Arthur, says Gaius. Is your phone charged?

No, says Arthur. It isn't.

Mine is, says Sweezus. Why?

Just wanted to check something with Vello, says Gaius.

No worries, says Sweezus, confident that he can ride down a slippery road and make a phone call without falling off his bicycle.

But can he? It's not up to him entirely.

Sweezus drags his phone out of his pocket. Keys in the number, with his thumb.

Weeeuuh! A glassy piece of black ice slides under his front wheel. He wobbles.

Vello? Boss? Hi! says Sweezus. Yeah, we're just coming. Yeah, Gaius. No, he didn't find one. Yeah everything went kind of balls up. BALLS UP! D'you wanna talk to Gaius? Here he is.....

Gaius reaches out to take the phone from Sweezus.

Watch out! A pile of snow drops dangerously from a passing ash tree, near his front wheel.

Vello? says Gaius. Have you booked our flights yet?

Gaius, says Vello. Do you realise what day it is? David and I are in France already. We're acclimatising. And Marx is with us.

Oh? says Gaius. Marx? What's he doing there?

He's riding in Team Philosophe, says Vello. So you needn't hurry.

Gaius zigzags wildly round an icy corner, narrowly missing a Tingaringy gum tree.

Woah! says Sweezus.

Watch out! says Arthur.

Gaius rights himself, ends the call abruptly and hands the phone back to Sweezus.

Would you believe it! says Gaius. I'm off the team. They're doing the Tour without me.

No way! says Sweezus.

Ousted by an older man, says Gaius. Karl Marx is there with them.

GRANDPA! says Terence, struggling up from the bottom of Sweezus's back pack.

Sweezus nearly loses his grip on the handlebars. Weeoowow! But he regains control masterfully.

Are we going to see Grandpa? asks Terence. I need to ask him a QUESTION!

Sit down! says Sweezus.

He swerves into the path of Arthur, who jerks his front wheel sideways and knocks into Gaius.

Damn!

That was always going to happen.