Life Three And Life Four

Lunch is over. The trays have been taken away.

I think I can blow now, says Terence. Give me my pink thing.

Saint Roley hesitates.

Give it! says Terence.

You've got raspberry compote all round your mouth, says Saint Roley.

What colour is it? asks Terence.

Red, says Saint Roley.

What colour is my pink thing? asks Terence.

(He'll win this).

Pink, says Saint Roley.

Well, says Terence. It's nearly the same.

Okay, says Saint Roley, but my point was....

Too late now for whatever his point was. Terence is blowing.

Pinky inflates.

Yes! His second life is beginning!

How long will it be?

Eeeeurr! squeaks Pinky.

It talks, says Terence, letting go of the end he blew into.

Pfffff.

Pinky goes down.

Terence has another go. This time he holds the end tightly.

Pinky is mentally prepared now.

What are my prospects.....?

Did you hear that? says Terence. He's asking what are his prospects?

Not too good, says Saint Roley. Look he's going down already. Are you holding the end?

YES! says Terence. Stupid Pinky!

I see what's wrong, says Saint Roley. You must have nicked a hole in the rubber.

Is that his prospects? asks Terence.

No, says Saint Roley. Prospects are what you can expect to happen. The hole has already happened.

Okay, I'll tell him, says Terence.

He blows Pinky up a third time.

Listen, says Terence. Your prospects are rubbish. I made a hole in you. Say something quickly.

Tie me higher up, says Pinky.

You'll be small, says Terence.

I don't mind that. But I might lose my voice, says Pinky. My voice comes out through this hole.

What a terrible spot you are in, says Saint Roley.

What's going on? asks Gaius from the seat behind them.

My pink thing can talk! says Terence. But it talks through a hole and the hole needs fixing, because it makes him go flat and he loses his prospects.

Gaius understands this kind of thing, though it happens rarely.

Fish glue will fix it, says Gaius.  Fish glue and a patch. But I can't do it until we land. Fish glue is not allowed on a plane.

Yay! says Terence. Did you hear that Pinky?

Pinky didn't.