Women Are Strange

Gaius and Kong are in their hotel room.

Gaius is telling Kong a fact about women and spiders.

''There is a type of spider that has a very large head. If you cut it open you will find two small worms inside. If these are wrapped in deer hide and applied to a woman, she will not conceive."

While I'm not surprised, says Kong, I find it difficult to imagine the circumstances.

Gaius admits that he finds the same difficulty.

Women are strange.

Gaius's phone rings. It's Ying.

Surprise! says Ying. We're in Las Palmas. Where are you staying?

Hotel Parque, says Gaius. Is Arthur with you?

Yes, and Sweezus, says Ying. Stay there, we're coming over. See you soon.

Arthur's coming, says Gaius. You'll be relieved to know that.

I am, says Kong. He can write up your notes while I concentrate on my poem.

Arthur doesn't write notes, says Gaius. He is useful in other ways. For example, finding pencils and other sharp objects, and gaining entry to prohibited places.

I can do th....begins Kong. (But would he want to?)

What poem? asks Gaius.

It's not really mine, says Kong modestly. It's called Waiting In Vain For My Friend Ding. I'm attempting to reproduce it. Birds have settled in their perches, in the quiet mist, but what comes after?

No one has ever surpassed Virgil, says Gaius. "When evening steals the colour from the trees"..... is that not a fine observation?

Very fine, agrees Kong. But I do prefer colour.

You misunderstand, says Gaius. A feeling of sadness is produced by the fading of colour, in the evening.

I'm waiting for you, playing a lute under a wayside vine. That's true sadness, says Kong,

What? says Gaius.

Fortunately, some time has now passed.

Knock knock!

It's so dusty outside, says Ying. I thought Gran Canaria was supposed to have a nice climate.

Yeah, says Sweezus. It sucks.

Nonsense, says Gaius. We'll be far too busy to worry about a few grains of dust. We must locate Loxosceles as soon as possible. I'm dividing us up into groups.

Arthur already knows which group he'll be in.

Sweezus and Ying, you search Parque San Telmo.  Arthur and I will take a bus to La Caldera de Bandama.

And me? says Kong.

You can have the day off, says Gaius. Ha ha. Only joking. You can search the hotel rooms with Baby Pierre. Daniel O'Connell will come with me and Arthur. He needs the fresh air.

Brilliant! says Ying. We only just got here. How about a drink or something?

Cool, says Sweezus. Meet you downstairs.

He backs out of the door, almost tripping over Arthur, who has already beaten him to it.