Seven Hours In Zen Gardens

We missed our flight to Barcelona! says Ying.

Did we? says Arthur. How come?

I was sleeping, says Ying. You could have called me.

I didn't know. When's the next one? asks Arthur.

Seven hours off, says Ying. And we can get on it. We'll just have to pay extra.

Seven hours, says Arthur. What'll we do?

Let's sit in the Zen Gardens, says Ying.

.....

Zen Gardens, Dubai Airport, under a tree, by a fish pond:

Ying: I dreamed you were reciting a poem.

Arthur: How did it go?

Ying: Départ. Assez vu.....

Arthur: And that didn't wake you?

Ying: No. When did you write it?

Arthur: Ages ago. In London. I'd been there too long and I wanted to go.

Ying: It must be nice being a poet.

Arthur: No, it isn't. Last thing I wrote I was drowning and choking in poisonous air.

Daniel O'Connell: My poisonous air!

Arthur: His poisonous air.

Ying: How did it go?

Arthur: Can't remember. Devouring black verses like a pale piece of flotsam, or something.

Daniel O'Connell: Pale flotsam! O I feel homesick!

Cedric Walnut: So do I.

Ying: Do you have a family?

Cedric Walnut: We both do.

Ying: Tell me about them.

Cedric Walnut: My wife's name is Yardley. She laughs all the time. And we have three squirrel children, Ralph, Saffron and baby Ambrose.

Ying: How sweet! What about you Geoff?

Geoff Darwin: My wife Shirley is an artist. She draws the flowers and plants I collect. We have a daughter called Katie. A gymnast.

Ying: And where are they?

Geoff Darwin: Still in Toyworld, as far as we know. On the counter.

Ying: This is heart-breaking.

Geoff Darwin: I know.

Everyone is quiet, thinking about the sadness of separation.

A goldfish rises to the surface of the fish pond.

P-wop!

Arthur gets out his new phone.

Are you calling Baby Pierre? asks Daniel O'Connell.

New phone? asks Ying. Did you just buy that?

Yes, says Arthur. And these two Fit Bits. And this Pebble watch.

With the money I gave you? says Ying.

Not all of it, says Arthur.

Ying is surprised at the bargains that Arthur has found in the retail shopping area of Dubai Airport.

But the Zen Gardens are too peaceful and zen, to question such things.

She traces lines with her fingers in the fish pond.

Ripples ripple in rippling circles and the fish vanishes.

Arthur can't call Baby Pierre, because Baby Pierre is too little to have his own smartphone.

So he calls Gaius.

Gaius doesn't answer.

He calls Sweezus.

Neither does he.

He searches for the number of Adelaide City Toyworld, and calls it.

The phone rings in Toyworld.

Ring ring!

Yardley and Shirley hear it ringing, in the darkness.

It wakes baby Ambrose, who cries.

Waaa!