The Consolations Of Sport Psychology

Adelaide airport.

A flat pack is loaded onto an Emirates  plane.

Inside the flatpack is Gaius's bicycle, a cloth bag and a lunchbox.

Inside the lunchbox are three tiny bicycles, a tube of Vantablack coating, and two chocolate frogs.

Inside the cloth bag is Team Claw.

Ouvert can't get comfy. Third Sister is hungry.

It is all up to Baby Pierre.

If we're going to do this, says Baby Pierre, we may as well do it like professionals.

I agree, says Third Sister. How do we do it like them?

We think of a plan, says Baby Pierre. A way of making the time seem to go faster.

I have a plan, says Third Sister. We could set a task for ourselves. A hard one. Like when you have to solve clues to escape from a locked room.

Good thinking, Third Sister, says Baby Pierre. This cloth bag is like a locked room.

No it isn't, says Ouvert. I can get out any time I want to.

Go on then, says Third Sister.

I need a reason, says Ouvert.

Good thinking, Ouvert, says Baby Pierre. Here's a reason. Third Sister is hungry. The chocolate frogs are packed in the lunch box. The lunch box is closed.

Is it? says Third Sister. That's outrageous! How am I supposed to eat them?

You stupid girl, says Ouvert. That's the TASK.

Don't call her stupid, says Baby Pierre.

I didn't, says Ouvert.

You did, says Third Sister.

Come on guys! says Baby Pierre. Let's make a time line.

Yes, a time line, says Third Sister. First, get the chocolate.

That's at the end of the time line, says Baby Pierre. First, get out of the bag.

Why did Belle pack the chocolate in the lunch box? moans Third Sister.

Think! says Baby Pierre.

Okay, says Third Sister. She did it to occupy me. Right! Step one. I'm going to get out of this stinky old bag.

Stinky, says Ouvert. She said stinky!

Leave it, says Baby Pierre She's using sports psychology.

Am I? asks Third Sister.

Visualising your goal, says Baby Pierre. And creating a spur. It's okay if you want to pretend that it's stinky.

But it is, in fact, hot and stinky.

The plane has taken off, and the baggage compartment is nowhere as nice as the cabins.

........

Third Sister has made it to the top of the cloth bag which is closed with a cord drawn up tight but not knotted.

She pokes and eases, until a gap forms, just wide enough for her to squeeze through.

Now she is in the flat pack proper.

It is dark in the flat pack. She feels the spokes of Gaius's bicycle wheel. She sniffs.

No sweet smell of chocolate, because the damn lunch box is closed. And where is the lunch box?

She visualises the lunch box.

It is totally no use whatsoever.

She doesn't even remember what it looks like.

Did it have a blue lid or what?

She cries out in frustration.

You chocolate frogs! Shout if you can hear me!

Inside the blue-lidded lunch box, two chocolate frogs now have a dilemma.

They know what their ultimate fate is, but they are slowly melting.

Which path to take?

A quick end or a slow one?

Make a decision.

Waaark! Waaark! cry two Freddos, in unison.