Above Africa, Can It Be Spain?

Ageless reaches the State Library. He climbs up the stairs.

He is looking for Baby Pierre.

But first he spots Terence.

Terence is standing on a chair.

He is looking at an atlas, which is open at the map of Australia, thanks to the kind lady.

Baby Pierre is sitting on Tasmania.

Daniel O'Connell is tiptoeing over the Indian Ocean.

The kind lady is nowhere in sight.

Hi-ho, says Ageless. Any luck, boys?

Bad luck, says Baby Pierre.

Ditto, says Ageless. What's your problem?

We don't believe in this atlas, says Baby Pierre.

No, we don't, says Daniel O'Connell.

Me either, says Terence.

Why not? asks Ageless.

The world isn't like this, says Baby Pierre. Flat and layered and lined. And only grownups can turn the pages. So we've lost the canaries.

Tell me about it, says Ageless. I've lost my job.

He is about to tell Baby Pierre that Gaius has been offered the use of an H2A-XLR which would make his sensory hairs and excellent memory redundant, when Belle comes in.

Sorry I took so long, says Belle. I met Margaret. We had coffee and cakes in the Art Gallery. It was lovely. Hey, why is everyone looking so glum?

We're in Australia, says Daniel O'Connell. And we can't turn the page.

What page are you wanting? asks Belle.

Canaries, says Daniel O'Connell.

Hop up, says Belle.

Daniel O'Connell dances down to the Great Australian Bight and hops up on Baby Pierre.

He lands on the Mark of the Claw.

A tulip! says Daniel O'Connell. That's girly!

Get off, says Baby Pierre. And it's not a tulip, it's the Mark of the Claw. Ask Ageless.

Yes, says Ageless. I acknowledge Baby Pierre as a relative.

My daddy, whispers Baby Pierre.

Mine too? asks Terence.

Not you, says Baby Pierre. You've got your own daddy.

Who is it?

You know, says Baby Pierre. Saint Joseph. He used to whack you.

Get off the page, says Belle. I'm going to turn it back to Africa.

They get off. Belle turns the page.

After all they are back where they started, looking at Africa.

Then Terence notices something amazing. Above Africa. Can it be SPAIN?

Spain! cries Terence.

How do you know that? says Belle. That's very clever.

It says Spain on it, says Terence. That's where I come from. Where's Barcelona?

There, says Belle. And the Canaries are down there, off the African coast. The Canaries are Spanish. Did you know that?

Problem solved, says Terence.

How? asks Daniel O'Connell. We're never going to get there.

Yes, they're too far away, says Belle. But how would you like to go out in Margaret's tinny tomorrow? She's invited me out for the day.

The wheels in Ageless's head turn, and not slowly.

Aha....aha...crr...ckkk.....yyy!!