Up Up Up Up

Lydia enters the café.

There's a pencil sticking out of her pocket.

May I borrow the pencil? asks Saint Roley.

Sure, says Lydia. But I do want it back.

This is the secret to keeping a pencil.

Not everyone knows it.

She does.

Saint Roley starts to write down the poem the bell frogs made for him. Saint Roley The Good.

^ ^ ^ ^.

What's that? says Terence looking at the notebook. Up Up Up Up?

Saint Roley looks doubtful.

Help him, Arthur, says Gaius. You're good at this sort of thing.

Are you a poet? asks Simon.

Yes, says Arthur. But I've given it up temporarily to go into business.

You can still help me, says Saint Roley, giving Arthur the pencil.

He whispers the rest of the poem. Arthur writes it down.

Odds are, when it's done, Arthur will pocket the pencil

Now we're all here, says Simon, let's run through our itinerary.

What about Tilly and Buzz? says Lydia.

Who are Tilly and Buzz? asks Gaius.

Two more student team members, says Simon. I've already filled them in. Right, tomorrow we catch an early train to Sydney Central. Then straight to the airport where we board our flight for Los Angeles. Thirteen hours forty minutes. A four hour stop in LA, then we fly on to Houston, a three and half hour flight. Then straight on to Mariscal Sucre International, which takes five hours fifteen minutes. That's us in Quito. Then off to Riobamba by bus. And that's it. Any questions?

Sweezus zones out at Houston. Sounds like a shitload of flying.

Arthur isn't listening at all.

He is writing:

Saint Roley the good
He did not eat us
Although he could.

He shows it to Saint Roley.

Capitals, says Saint Roley. Each word begins with a capital. Could you write it again?

You should've said so before, says Arthur.

He writes it all out again.

Then he pockets the pencil.

Terence glances at the paper.

Up Up Up Up, says Terence. That means you're up yourself.

It doesn't SAY that, says Saint Roley.

No it doesn't, says Sweezus. It's a tribute. It means the frogs thought highly of Saint Roley.

Ha ha. Frogs don't think highly, says Terence. Remember what happened in the overhead locker?

Yes, says Saint Roley. The Growling Grass Frog did a red vomit.

See? says Terence.

Saint Roley sighs.

What's up with Terence?

Perhaps he just needs a new parrot.