Freedom Need Not Be Random

The chance encounter Sweezus was hoping for happens, when Simone's hat blows off.

It blows into the path of a friend of hers, Collette, who is out strolling.

Oh! cries Collette, bending to pick up the hat.

Simone stops to greet her friend and recover her head gear.

Simone! says Collette. What a lovely creation!

Thank you, says Simone, receiving her hat.

How have you been, dear? Shall we go for a coffee?

Meanwhile Sweezus and Sartre have cycled away, round the corner.

That was heaps random, says Sweezus.

Freedom need not be random, says Sartre.

I guess not, says Sweezus, But her hat blowing off was kind of random.

Losing her hat pins was not, says Sartre.

How come? asks Sweezus.

I have them here in my pocket, says Sartre.

He draws out two hat pins, their points jammed into sensible corks.

Okay, says Sweezus. This is your philosophy, right? Make your own rules. Reinvent yourself if necessary.

It worked for Madonna, says Sartre. And it worked for Pol Pot.

Sweezus is kicking himself for not bringing a notebook, and pencil. But hey! who can take notes on a bike? He'll just have to remember. Pol Pot! And freakin' Madonna!

Wanna head out to the country? asks Sweezus.

Why not? says Sartre.

......

The very fast train pulls into the station at Saint Malo.

Everyone gets out and heads to the turnstile.

This is when you might need a ticket.

Wait here, says Arthur. He goes up to a counter, and speaks to a uniformed person.

They are waved through.

Good work, Arthur, says Gaius. And I must say I enjoyed the seat hopping.

What did you say to the guy on the counter? asks Belle.

This and that, says Arthur. But we ought to get moving.

Hm, says Belle. You told a few porkies.

Not exactly, says Arthur. I have to come back later and pay for the tickets.

And they let you get away with that? says Splosh.

Yes, says Arthur. Because of the family tragedy.

He gives Splosh the blue look. Her eyes fill with sympathy, followed by admiration, tinged with flashes of scorn.

To the sea wall! cries Gaius. I want to see what we're dealing with.

Yay! says Terence. I see it already!

Where? cries Baldy.

Down there! says Terence. See the spraying?

We'll go and find a hotel, says Belle. Splosh, Arthur, you coming?

So Gaius, Terence and Baldy head down to the sea wall.

They look like a nice little family. Gaius the grandpa. Terence and Baldy, the children.

Terence in two pairs of shorts, Baldy in panda long johns.

From the stone ramparts, seagulls are watching.

See that? says a seagull.

Qwark! says his less linguistically competent companion.

That's Gaius Plinius Secundus, says the first seagull. He's brought two activists with him.

QWARK! say the second, impressed.