Future Is Closed

Oi! says Farky. Are you stealing this car?

No, says Arthur. Unni gave me the car keys.

Did she remember I'm in it? asks Farky.

She didn't say, says Arthur. But you should be grateful. You'll see Gaius sooner, and he'll fix your teeth.

To be honest, says Farky, I don't look forward to a mouth full of bull glue.

Arthur sympathises, having swallowed a few nasty mouthfuls himself, in his time.

He looks at Farky in the rear view mirror.

Do I look normal? asks Farky.

Pretty normal, says Arthur.

Farky grins, baring his teeth stumps. Now?

Less normal, says Arthur, swerving to miss a cassowary crossing the road.

Watch it! says Farky. When did you learn to drive?

I didn't, says Arthur. Last time I drove a car was when I had to drive Katherine Hume to Middleton.

How did that go? asks Farky.

I got a new pair of board shorts, says Arthur.

Farky doesn't think to ask why that might have happened.

Anyway, says Arthur, driving's not hard.

He's still looking at Farky.

Did you eat Unni's Magpie? asks Arthur.

No way! says Farky. Why?

I must be hallucinating, says Arthur. Thought I saw feathers.

Hallucinating! This is not what you want of your driver.

Farky shuts up and lies low.

The future is closed for the moment.

........

At the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, Mama and Papa are watching Boris and Terence do the Tree Top Challenge.

The challenge Boris has chosen is the Croc Shock.

(Fixed to a zipline, you glide swiftly above snapping crocodiles. Nothing bad can happen).

Courage, Boris! shouts Papa.

How embarrassing, says Boris, .

Weee! says Terence, who is right behind Boris, with his camera. Cer-lick! Cer-lick! Cer-lick!

You might as well not do that! shouts Boris.

Terence keeps on cer-licking.

He cer-licks shots of tree tops, shots of the pelican and eel pools, sheep shearing, the Big Fang reptiles, shots of dingoes and snapping crocodiles.

Boris is jealous, because Mama kept his camera, in case he should drop it.

She takes underneath shots of Boris, doing the Tree Top Challenge, so he won't forget his once in a lifetime experience.