In My Empty Window

Later.

Arthur and Ying are on the Emirates flight to Barcelona, a thirteen hour flight.

Ying is contemplatively eating Pesto Tortellini.

Arthur is already half way through his Lemon Tarte.

How's your new Pebble watch? asks Ying.

Good, says Arthur. I probably didn't need a Fit Bit.

Two Fit Bits, says Ying.

One's a present, says Arthur.

He eats the last spoonful of Tarte.

Who for? asks Ying. Not me, obviously.

Sweezus, says Arthur. There's a cycling app. And a golf range-finder.

Does he play golf? asks Ying.

No, says Arthur

Does it tell you how many steps you've taken? asks Ying. Like the Fit Bit?

Arthur doesn't know. He hasn't tries all the apps yet.

Probably, says Arthur.

I have a poetry app, says Ying. Chinese poetry. Middle Tang period. When I'm alone, I read the daily poem.

What's today's? asks Arthur.

On Returning To Zhongnan Mountain, says Ying. I lie awake and ponder on the pine-shadowed moonlight in my empty window....

On? queries Arthur. On the moonlight?

Bad translation, says Ying. But I can't read Chinese.

Can't you? says Arthur. How come?

At last he has asked her a personal question!

Ying now has to come up with an answer that sounds more intriguing than: I'm lazy.

Long ago, says Ying, when I was a kid in school in Tassie, I went to Chinese lessons. I was good too.
But as I got older I became naughty.

Naughty, says Arthur. What did you do?

Skipped lessons, says Ying.

I used to skip lessons, says Arthur. I ran away once.

So did I, says Ying.

But that is untrue.

........

On the other side of the planet, in a different time zone, a small pebble bearing the Mark of the Claw sits on a seat in the international boarding lounge at Adelaide Airport.

It's Baby Pierre. How did he get there?

Easy. Two buses. He has done it before.

And he never pays for a ticket.

But now he has got this far he is realising that:

He has come out without any luggage.

Oh well! Why does he need luggage? It just ties you down.

He lists the things he would have brought with him if he had not left so precipitately.

1. A companion.

2. A map of the world, which includes the Canaries.

3. A hat.

He is sitting on the seat, making his list, when something is dropped on him.

A black book, be-dangled with ribbons!

Being an atheist, and free thinker, he recognises it straight away.

A Bible!

Hey! cries Baby Pierre. Get this thing off me!

The Bible dropper stares at her Bible, as though it has spoken.

She lifts it with reverence.

Phew! says Baby Pierre.

The Bible dropper is petrified.

A talking rock. Could it be the spirit of Saint Peter?

Should she ask it?

Baby Pierre, says Baby Pierre chattily. I'm going to Barcelona.

S-so am I, says the Bible dropper. On a pilgrimage.

Got a map? asks Baby Pierre.