As If The Night Never Happened

Early morning in Barcelona.

Arthur and Ying have left Bar Absenta, and gone to sit in a park.

Arthur is rambling.

where, suddenly dying the blue,
delirium
and streaking of daylight
stronger than alcohol,
vaster than music
bitter redness ferments...

Ying doesn't like this type of poem.

What time is it? asks Ying.

Arthur looks at his Pebble watch, which is still set for Dubai.

It doesn't look right, says Arthur.

Nor do you, says Ying. How's your head bump?

Arthur stands up. Feels his head bump.

The sun rises.

He sits down again.

What's happened to Daniel O'Connell? asks Arthur.

Ying opens the box.

Are we there yet? asks Daniel O'Connell.

He is wearing Geoff Darwin's waistcoat, which has shrunk slightly.

No, we're not there yet, says Ying. We're still in Barcelona.

I knew that, says Daniel O'Connell. We're here to meet Terence's family. How do I look now?

Very nice, says Ying. Look, Arthur. Doesn't Daniel O'Connell look nice?

Arthur inspects Daniel O'Connell, in his orange and black check waistcoat, with green buttons.

And Geoff Darwin, in red pants and yellow shirt, no waistcoat.

And Cedric Walnut, in khaki pants, and a yellow waistcoat, no buttons.

As if the night in Bar Absenta never happened, except...

Daniel O'Connell's transparent legs have turned slightly green.

Okay, says Ying. Time to go and find the Sagrada Familia.

....

It's not far to the Carrer de Mallorca, and the Sagrada Familia Cathedral.

Crowds of tourists have gathered, as usual, in front of the Nativity Facade.

Wow! says Ying. It's so amazing! Look at all the carvings and statues. And the beautiful towers. And it's not even finished.

Arthur is looking upwards.

This is the spot at which Terence once tumbled down. And was replaced by a toy boy.

Arthur's memory of the event is quite hazy.

It was his toy boy. How had he got it?

A famous collector who collected shiny toys had taken Arthur home to see his collection.

( In Barcelona, such things are quite normal).

And given Arthur a present of one of the shiniest.

Arthur strains his eyes upwards.

What, Arthur? asks Ying.

A shiny black head with twin hair peaks, peers down from a great height at Arthur.

Two round eyes widen.

Astro Boy has been waiting two years for this to happen.

Zoom! he takes leave of the Virgin, and lands at the feet of Arthur Rimbaud.

The Virgin affects not to notice.

But Saint Joseph is livid.