Randomness Of Survival

Vello has invited the audience to stay for a quick Q and A.

Most have filed out. But several remain, including Raelene, Margaret and Katherine.

Any questions? asks Vello.

Raelene puts her hand up. So do two others.

Vello chooses one of the others.

First questioner: My question is for the little guy.

Terence, says Vello. Pay attention.

Terence is twirling his red parrot potato. He stops.

First questioner: How many potatoes played the Sad Stories?

Terence: One.

First questioner: So how come we saw two Kings of Poland?

Terence: My potato does maths.

Vello: Next question?

Second Questioner: There were two potatoes. We saw them.

Velo: That's not a question. Are there any sensible questions?

Me! says Raelene.

Ah, you! says Vello. You called out First World Problems. That was extremely helpful.  What is your question?

Raelene: What is the aim of Candide?

Vello: As I am the author, I shall leave David to answer that one.

David: The aim is to show the folly of believing that all is for the best in the best of all possible worlds. And to suggest an alternative philosophy. Although I'm not sure Vello succeeded in explaining it properly.

Raelene: What is it?

Vello: Simply to cultivate your own garden.

Raelene: Do you grow your own potatoes?

Vello: Pshaw! Of course not.

Katherine: It was my potato originally. It was cooked on Margaret's campfire, along with two others.

First Questioner: So was that....?

Margaret: No, Gaius ate the two others.

Vello: That just goes to show the randomness of survival.

Raelene: If your aim was to teach us to cultivate our own garden, how come no one said it?

Vello: The production this year was more experimental. You must admit the audience loved the potato.

Raelene: All five of them.

Red Parrot Potato: Thank you.

The organisers are fuming. There was not supposed to be a Q and A afterwards. The tent is needed for the next show. They have to leave NOW.

Vello invites the stragglers to join him and David for a drink under the dark paper lanterns, next to the Piglet.

Most of them have better things to do.

But not Katherine, Raelene and Margaret.

They sit on uncomfortable boxes.

It is only now that Sweezus and Arthur turn up.

Shit! have we missed it? asks Sweezus. How'd it go?

Excellently, says Vello. Thanks in part to this lady.

He indicates Raelene.

This is Raelene, says Margaret. She floored me in the Kingston bakery after I knocked out her partner. I lost my memory for a while and have only recently recovered it.

Awesome, says Sweezus. What did you forget?

My car, says Margaret. And Gaius. He is still stuck back there in the Coorong, with his algae.

Terence looks up from the red drink that Vello has bought him.

Now what will happen?

But no one thinks of a rescue.

Arthur saunters across the bar.