A Black Hole To Quito

In Panda Express.

Why do you want a sister? asks Lydia.

Because a sister is nearly as good as a parrot, says Terence.

You might find one in Ecuador, says Tilly.

A sister? asks Terence.

No, a parrot, says Tilly. Now your face has turned red.

It's the Chicken Kung Poo, says Terence.

Kung Pao, says Lydia. Was it too hot for you? Here, have a sip of my water.

Thanks, princess Elsa, says Terence.

In Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf.

Saint Roley has drunk a whole glass of Horchata.

His beak has turned pale.

It strikes me, says Simon, that as bio-ecologists we ought to have made better provision for this bird's diet.

It's okay, says Saint Roley. It was just the vanilla. It tastes lovely at first, and then becomes cloying.

As long as you're keeping it down, says Gaius. We don't want another incident.

I'm keeping it down, says Saint Roley.

In Carl Jr's Green Burrito.

A group of Californian young people are crowding around Sweezus, clamouring for Sea Salt.

Sold the two we had, says Sweezus. The rest's still unwrapped.

But we don't care about wrapping, says one of the young Californian people. Wrapping is bad for the planet.

This wasn't, says Sweezus. It was recycled plastic from the sea.

Okay, says another Californian young person. How's about....?

He is thinking.

How's about you wrap it in little twists of used burger paper?

Yuck, Brendan, says another young Californian person. The salt'd get covered in SAUCE.

You could wash it, says Buzz.

And dry it, says Arthur. Or the salt would stick to the paper....

...resulting in an unreliable prediction, says Sweezus.

Yeeah well, says Brendan. Who cares about that? Just let us have some.

It's a hundred dollars a twist, says Arthur, ripping his burger wrapper into tiny sticky pieces.

By the time he has made seven hundred dollars, it is time (FINALLY) to head to security (AGAIN) before boarding the United Airlines flight to HOUSTON.

O for a black hole through which I could slip them to Quito....